The COVID pandemic has led many organizations to reduce their workforce. As business activity slowed, so did the demand for employees in various sectors. Specifically, organizations involved in customer-facing activities were particularly hard hit, ranging from the airline industry to hospitality, catering, and retail. However, for those companies that have managed to survive, a new challenge is on the horizon — recruiting to meet the rising demand.
Furthermore, recruiting may not only mean hiring additional employees but also seeking new skill sets that align with the evolving business landscape. Several options exist for rebuilding the workforce to meet these demands, including new recruiting efforts, re-employing staff who were previously made redundant, outsourcing specific tasks, or contracting with freelancers. Additionally, when a re-skilled workforce is required, organizations have the option of identifying and utilizing internal talent, which can be a cost-effective and efficient solution. By considering these various strategies, businesses can better navigate the complexities of post-pandemic recruitment.
Here are some of the benefits and disadvantages of each choice in the context of the current work climate.
New recruiting is undoubtedly expensive, yet it often seems like the easiest way to bring in new skills or fresh perspectives. Moreover, the benefits include the chance to re-imagine teams, introduce new capabilities, change employee demographics, and set new salary benchmarks. Additionally, this approach can also bring fresh ideas, promoting innovation and creating a more dynamic environment.
However, the high costs and challenges cannot be overlooked. For instance, onboarding new employees takes time, and getting them to fully embrace the company culture can be a slow process. Furthermore, familiarizing them with organizational processes and building specific work skills may impact short-term productivity.
With the rise of remote work, managing new hires becomes even harder, especially without existing manager or team relationships. In addition, the lack of in-person interaction can create communication challenges and slow their adaptation.
Ultimately, while new recruiting offers clear advantages, organizations must carefully balance these with the challenges, both financial and operational. Therefore, weighing the benefits against the hurdles is essential to ensure the strategy fits the organization’s long-term goals.
The idea of re-recruiting employees who were let go of presents as the ideal scenario, particularly if recruiting into the same roles as previously held.
Organisations need to follow due processes and ensure that employees fully understand the terms and conditions of joining. For example, some ex-employees may feel they can maintain their length of service and associated benefits, although the new contract starts from the new date of joining.
Obvious benefits include reduced recruitment expenses, reduced training needs, existing awareness of company culture, rules and policies, a working network, and developed team relationships. In addition to the organisational benefits, there is also a sense of moral right in bringing back good employees who may have suffered from losing their jobs through no fault of their own.
Goodwill resulting from this choice may extend into a raised morale and engagement across the employee-base. The individual and their strengths and weaknesses are known, and this reduces risk.
The idea of re-recruiting employees who were let go presents itself as an ideal scenario, particularly when recruiting for the same roles they previously held. Additionally, organizations need to ensure that due processes are followed, and it is crucial that employees fully understand the terms and conditions of their re-employment.
For example, some former employees may assume they can maintain their length of service and associated benefits, even though the new contract starts from the new date of joining.
Moreover, the obvious benefits of this approach include reduced recruitment expenses, fewer training needs, and an existing familiarity with the company culture, rules, and policies.
Additionally, there is a built-in network and developed team relationships, which can expedite the transition. From an organizational standpoint, there is also a sense of moral right in bringing back valuable employees who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Furthermore, goodwill resulting from this decision may lead to increased morale and engagement across the employee base.
However, despite these advantages, there are potential drawbacks to consider. For instance, the individual may expect a different compensation package to convince them to return. Moreover, ex-employees may privately harbor resentment toward the management or HR personnel responsible for their original dismissal, which could impact future work and relationships.
Additionally, organizations may have undergone significant changes to survive, meaning that rehiring a former employee may no longer provide the needed skillset or the right cultural fit. In some cases, they may bring outdated ways of working, which could hinder team performance. Therefore, while re-recruiting offers many advantages, organizations must carefully evaluate the potential challenges.
Freelance workers offer similar advantages and disadvantages as outsourcing suppliers, yet they can be easier to find and often more affordable to employ. Additionally, a freelance worker is usually an expert in their field, which allows them to bring much-needed skills into the organization at a relatively low cost. However, on the negative side, freelancers may sit outside the company’s system networks, making it challenging to collaborate effectively with internal teams.
Furthermore, in the long term, it can be difficult for organizations to maintain consistent standards if they rely on multiple freelancers for the same role. The inability to recruit the same resources each time can limit continuity. Moreover, changing freelancers frequently restricts the opportunity for team bonding, which can impact team dynamics negatively. Additionally, freelancers are often unfamiliar with recording their time in the same manner as employees, and they may find the company’s rules regarding time and attendance to be restrictive. Therefore, while freelancers offer flexibility and expertise, there are challenges in integrating them smoothly into the organizational structure.
If an organization is looking for refreshed skillsets rather than simply increasing employee numbers, it is becoming more common to begin the search internally. With more flexibility in ways of working, there has been a notable shift in attitudes. As a result, organizations are now more willing to accept learning curves and consider broader skillsets as suitable for various roles. Moreover, internal talent searches are also utilized to fill positions temporarily. For instance, during the business downturn caused by COVID, many recruitment teams were redeployed to other parts of the organization, such as customer-facing call centers.
In addition, searching for talent within the organization offers an excellent opportunity to upskill employees and foster greater engagement and growth. This strategy helps create a deeper sense of belonging while enhancing awareness of how the organization operates and the internal dependencies that exist between departments. Moreover, allowing employees to move between projects and teams enables them to create broader networks, which may prepare them for future leadership roles within the company.
However, there are potential issues to consider. For example, temporary assignments may become permanent due to poaching of key individuals, leading to challenges for managers in adjusting to changing team members. Additionally, there is a risk of overconfidence in potentially untested skillsets, and it can be difficult to ensure that the selection process is perceived as fair. Other problems might include a limited talent pool in smaller organizations and the fact that circulating employees internally can hinder the introduction of new ideas and experiences from external sources, which could benefit the company’s culture.
Contact us at HRBluSky today to explore how we can support you in managing your recruitment choices.
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