The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people live and work. As a result, many businesses have been forced to downsize or close their doors indefinitely. However, some companies have been deemed essential and are still operating. If you find yourself in a position where you need to hire new employees during the pandemic, here are a few tips to help you hire quality employees.
Check References Thoroughly
With more people out of work than ever, you may be inundated with applications when you open up a job posting. However, that doesn’t mean that you should sacrifice quality for quantity. When looking through resumes, take your time and thoroughly check references. Don’t just take the applicant’s word that they did a great job at their previous job; talk to their former boss or co-workers to get a sense of what it was like working with them. Here are three things you should do when checking for references.
Ask Beforehand
The reality is that most employees don’t have references in their resumes. It’s not required by law for them to provide references, and it’s easy to say that you’re willing to provide one when asked. However, if you ask for references beforehand, you can screen for those who are likely to have them prepared.
Take Note
When interviewing previous employers, look for any red flags. Were they fired? Did they have high turnover rates? Were there a lot of complaints against them? These are all signs that the candidate may not be the best fit for your company.
Reach Out
This is especially important if you haven’t spoken to any references yet. Reach out and see how they felt working with this particular person. If they had nothing but great things to say, then it might be safe to assume that their reference would also provide positive feedback about the employee in question.
It’s much easier to get references through the following strategy: referrals.
Referral Program
A referral program is one of the best ways to get quality employees. If you have existing employees that are happy and successful, then it’s likely that their friends will be as well. Offering an incentive to your current employees can help boost referrals while also providing higher-quality candidates (who may be more loyal in the long run). It’s estimated that those hired through referrals are $1,000 less than other strategies.
Robust Onboarding
Applicants love it when a company has a robust and thorough onboarding process. This shows that you care about the employee experience, which will likely lead to higher retention rates. This can also help your existing employees feel comfortable and confident. Here are the three steps you should take if you want a robust onboarding process.
Start Onboarding Before They Start
This might seem impossible, but it’s not. You can send welcome emails and have colleagues introduce themselves online before the new employee’s start date. This gives them time to ask questions and form relationships with their colleagues before they even show up for their first day.
Work One-On-One
One-on-one meetings are a great way to get your new employees up to speed and introduce them to the company culture. You must also check in on their progress, goals, and satisfaction with their job.
Provide Ongoing Support
New hires will likely have many questions, especially when they first start. Therefore, you must provide ongoing support and clear communication along the way, which can help make their transition much smoother.
All of these steps should be taken for your onboarding process. However, if you have neither the patience nor the time, consider hiring a pre-employment onboarding service. The service can cover many of these steps for you and help ensure your new hires are ready to start contributing immediately.
Get Creative with Interview Questions
Since you can’t physically meet applicants, you’ll have to get creative with your interview questions. In addition to the usual questions about an applicant’s experience and qualifications, try to ask questions that will give you insights into their personality and how they might handle difficult situations. For example, you could ask them to describe when they had to deal with a demanding customer or co-worker.
Utilize Technology
There are plenty of online tools that can help you screen applicants and conduct interviews remotely. Utilize these tools to your advantage! For example, several video interviewing platforms allow you to screen applicants through pre-recorded questions, saving you a lot of time.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the workplace as we know it-but that doesn’t mean business owners and entrepreneurs can’t still find quality employees when needed. Following the tips above, you can find the right employees for your business-even during a pandemic.
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