Hiring Tips for Your Business During COVID-19
The COVID-19 world is new territory, but business-as-usual needs to continue in some capacity—especially when it comes to hiring new employees. As more states start to open their doors to customers, it might be time to start bringing additional staff into your small business. If that’s the case, congratulations! We’ve gathered some hiring tips for your business during COVID-19 to navigate the hiring process so you can be sure to get the best workers while still maintaining the health and safety of your current employees.
The Interview Process
Should you interview candidates via an online meeting app such as Zoom or Skype? Or do you meet them somewhere for an in-person meeting? There are pluses and minuses to both options. For instance, if you’re trying to fill a sales position it might be difficult to gauge a person’s customer service chops over the computer. In any event, the choice is really up to you—what your comfort level is, and what the position requires.
When opting to conduct a remote interview, be considerate of the candidate and ensure they’re equipped with the technology they’ll need for the interview. If they need to install an app or create an account, let them know well in advance so they can prepare appropriately. Regardless of the format, be sure your job posting is transparent with how you plan to conduct the interview. Some candidates may turn away from an interview if they’re uncomfortable speaking face-to-face during these times, especially if that initial interview is just the first hurdle.
Questions to Answer—and Anticipate
Your candidates are going to be asking you a lot of questions. If you’ve ever hired someone before, you know very well that applicants are also interviewing you and your business when you first speak. The questions people are likely to be asking during this unprecedented time in history may focus a lot on the safety measures you’re taking as a company to protect the health of your staff and customers. Anticipate being drilled about sanitation, social distancing, sick leave, getting temperatures taken, etc. Be transparent and forthcoming with any information you’re able to give. Quality candidates will be just as concerned as you are with keeping everyone safe, so it’s critical to keep prospects informed.
Onboarding and Orientation
A lot of your onboarding and orientation strategies will be dependent on the type of position you’re filling. Restaurant staff and retail employees are going to be working on-site, and in-person training is likely the only option. However, identify what parts of the training can be done remotely. Things like paperwork, mandatory safety videos, menu testing, and employee handbook studying are all perfectly reasonable to do from home. During on-site trainings, make sure you’re allowing enough social distancing space for the trainer and new hire to work comfortably and safely together. And since it might be difficult to introduce a new employee to your established staff when social interactions are limited, consider setting up a virtual all-staff happy hour to welcome your new team member and get to know him/her better.
These challenging times of COVID-19 require a lot of creative thinking when it comes to hiring practices. We’re all navigating things a little differently. Trying to do as much as possible remotely is key to everyone’s safety.