The natural instinct of fight or flight has infiltrated our professional lives. For some, the struggle against the impact of COVID-19 has been too much. As the era of the coronavirus pandemic continues, we’re seeing more and more companies freezing new hiring, making severe cutbacks or even closing down. Others are fighting on.

According to statistics, the financial industry is one that appears to be fighting on with only 44% of companies freezing their hiring or laying people off. This sounds like a lot but it’s not nearly as bad as the travel and transport industry (83%).

With 66% of businesses in finance still hiring, what challenges are being faced since the advent of COVID-19? Here are six to think about together with some possible solutions.

#1. Finding Talent

For many industries, it was already difficult to find the best candidates because of the talent shortage. Lockdowns and restrictions on meetings have meant that recruitment events and conferences have been cancelled or postponed. These events provided a massive opportunity for business owners, managers, HR and recruiters to network and source out talent. Now they are out of reach.

#2. Candidate Screening

Some companies have managed to take their candidate screening online. But there are others who haven’t been able to verify the qualifications and skills before setting up an actual interview due to closures or suspension of normal activities. In some cases, companies are having to interview all candidates whose résumés appear to contain the right requirements. This makes the entire screening process far longer than it should be.

#3. On-site Interviews

In most cases, the option for candidates to come in for a face to face interview has been impossible. Virtual interviews are now essential, which may imply additional investment costs. Not everyone is comfortable with the video-conferencing format, and it can make the candidate more nervous than attending in person, potentially providing a false impression. And whilst technology is improving, it still doesn’t guarantee there won’t be interruptions in connectivity.

#4. Onboarding

The process of completing induction paperwork, signing contracts, and initial training is one element that will always be difficult regardless of how advanced technology becomes. Welcoming someone onto the team isn’t the same when there is no team to meet. Engaging new employees is extremely hard when they start to work remotely.

#5. Recruiting from Home

Working from home for the majority of people has been a huge challenge. It’s easier to get distracted by all of the other jobs that need to be done. Plus, if your HR staff have families, they have to juggle children and homeschooling. This makes it hard to focus on hiring, especially if your recruiter doesn’t have the same tools as they have access to in the office.

#6. The Panic of a Pandemic

Everybody is nervous. We’re concerned about our health, our family’s health, our finances, and our future. There’s a great deal of uncertainty, which makes it difficult for both the recruiter and the candidate. And some questions just can’t be answered, not because of a lack of transparency, but because we simply don’t know the answers yet. Governments are changing the restrictions faster than we can keep up and this leaves us all with unanswered questions.

What can you do to overcome these challenges

The world was already starting to go more digital so, at one point or another, companies were going to have to jump on board with the new hiring trends. COVID-19 has certainly sped this process up. Here is what you can do to ensure your company keeps hiring.

#1. Use the latest software

There are numerous options for recruitment software today. Some of the very basic packages are free, others offer ‘freemium’ options. There’s a solution for most budgets. Recruitment software can include job postings, interview management, background screening, reference checking, and even onboarding. Cloud-based solutions enable your recruiting team to access the software from any location.

#2. Invest in video conferencing capability

Quality video conferencing allows for professional virtual interviews with added features like interactive whiteboards and screen sharing. Recruiters can get an excellent feel for a candidate with top-quality the video and sound. Not only this, but you will be able to use it for far more than the hiring process. Examples include Zoom, Skype and Teams.

#3. Communicate more

Remote work obviously lacks the social element that many people miss by not being in the office. It can be quite isolating, and it’s had to feel part of a project. Companies may also miss out on important communication that is often passed on from person to person in the office. So set up group chats and organize regular meetings. New hires need to see the bigger picture and they need to get to know other people so they can collaborate effectively.

#4. Create an onboarding video

You will probably already have training packs ready but a nice touch is to send a video. This can include a virtual tour of your office, short welcome videos from key team members, and/or images of social events. It helps to put names to faces and may even put a smile to a faces too.

#5. Keep up the social events

One of the best ways to help new hires become part of the team is to hold social events. Now that after-work drinks and birthday cake in the office is not happening, think outside the box. Set up a video conference for a Friday evening and encourage everyone to grab a drink. Remind them it’s a social event and not a meeting. Show the candidate that – even during a crisis – your company finds ways to emphasis the positive in life.