Although many companies have imposed hiring freezes due to the tough economic backdrop, talent acquisition teams have still got plenty on their plates. We look in more detail at some of the key strategic work behind the scenes to ensure that organisations are primed for the future.    

The current situation has provided HR teams with an opportunity to review and assess current recruitment practices. Organisations have had to get to grips with a remote working normal and that means having a fit for purpose remote onboarding strategy. This process itself is pivotal in creating the right impression from the get go, and given the new working reality where new joiners need more support, this has to be an ongoing priority.

The candidate experience can positively or adversely impact the employee’s mindset. Done correctly, it will boost engagement, retention and loyalty while a poor onboarding process will result in attrition and the departure of top talent. Do you have enough interactive/visual content, such as presentations and e-learning? Does your organisation use chatbots to invite and engage with candidates online and on social media?

Preparing for the future

Job ads and job descriptions is another area that needs careful consideration. Are they accurately reflecting the nature and the challenges of the role? One of the big pitfalls to avoid is focusing purely on the role and responsibilities – the culture and working environment can be enhanced by using conversational, human language. Highlighting employee benefits is also crucial – every detail that can make you stand out should be accentuated. 

Now could also be an opportune moment to conduct interviews with staff to discover how they’re feeling and what they want and need, gauge their levels of engagement and career aspirations. This type of insight will help shape talent strategy and improve retention. Building relationships with internal stakeholders in this way will provide precious feedback about the quality of hires and how responsibilities and remits may need to change.

Organisations will inevitably ramp up their hiring again so they should still seek to identify and engage with top talent, for example sending LinkedIn InMails to potential candidates. If they don’t, others will, so even continuing to interview for strategic roles can help them steal a march on the competition. And what about succession management planning? Conducting assessments will help to better understand who your high potentials are, so that when the time comes, these individuals are ready to take on bigger roles.

While adapting to and adopting a remote working and hiring model is a priority, and hiring may well have been put on hold, the work of the talent acquisition specialist is fundamental in laying the foundations for future organisational success.