Many employees have reassessed their professional choices as a result of the past year’s hardships, with a record 4 million people quitting in April alone, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. This has ushered in a period called “The Great Resignation” by some analysts, resulting in a higher-than-usual demand for employment. As a result, many businesses, particularly those in high-demand technical fields, are struggling to fill numerous employment positions.

CIOs, in particular, are striving to expedite digital transformation and make sure that the most up-to-date technology is available, which is necessary for attracting tech-savvy employees and, of course, customers they are trying to please.

The continuous acceptance of the pandemic-induced virtual workplace is also now commonplace. While some companies want to get employees back to work full-time, others are looking at the flexibility that a hybrid work model can provide in terms of recruiting and hiring by allowing access to a larger and more varied labor pool.

Four strategies to modernize IT hiring strategy

As companies transition to a post-COVID-19 world, CIOs should consider these four methods to improve their recruiting and onboarding strategies and processes, as well as help their talent acquisition teams stay competitive in this fast-paced environment.

Press the reset button

In the past, a tried-and-true “this is how we do things” strategy to recruiting may have worked well, but today’s reality is different. Consider individuals that may have skills and accomplishments from other roles or industries that can be built upon, rather than only focusing on those who have the proper training and experience for a certain position.

Understand who is in authority

At a time when skilled labor is in limited supply, recruiters and hiring managers should recognize that suitable job candidates are in the driver’s seat. They need to cater to them as much as they must “wow” them, which means they should be open to non-traditional strategies they may not have explored previously.

Recruiters can use virtual technologies for job fairs and candidate interviews, for example. It will be easier for candidates in more remote areas to connect with the hiring manager as a result of this. Also, they should think about providing non-traditional incentives that are especially appealing in light of the past year’s upheavals.

Be open and honest

Businesses will not succeed if they are ambiguous. They should make it clear who they are and what they believe in as a company, as well as what they expect from their post-COVID-19 working paradigm. They should ensure that job descriptions and requirements are checked and updated on a regular basis to ensure that they are inclusive and non-biased. Machine learning can speed up and improve the accuracy of this process.

Personalize the onboarding process

While a general onboarding method can be more economical, the lack of personalization can hinder new employees from getting off to a good start. What exactly is it that works? Invite employees with the same or similar jobs as the new hire to attend information sessions: Divide new recruits into smaller groups for onboarding, providing them more freedom and opportunities to ask questions and bond with coworkers. Businesses should change their practices so that everyone can feel optimistic and confident as they embark on their new adventure.

Employees have had to stand up to serve both customers and colleagues and adapt to new methods of working, communicating, and living over the last year, despite exceptional hurdles posed by an unprecedented global crisis. In this brand new world, it’s critical that businesses adapt their hiring and onboarding procedures to meet the requirements and expectations of the people who will lead them forward.

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