2021: Why remote working will live on after vaccines

Recruitment professionals will face their own special challenges this year, depending on the roles they’re trying to fill. 

Here are what I predict to be the most impactful and long-lasting hiring trends recruiters will need to pay attention to in 2021.

Remote Work

Let’s assume for a moment that there is widespread distribution of vaccines and that all our economies are well on the way to recovery. Even in that world, employees and job seekers will expect some level of remote work, I am sure of it.

One big lesson from the pandemic is that many employees don’t need to be physically present in the office to do their work. A number of companies plan to make work from home permanent, including Twitter, Facebook and Tata Consulting Services.

They understand the advantages of WFH, lower real estate costs, the ability to hire globally, just as employees see the benefits of fewer commutes and a better work/life balance. One big caveat: organisations will need to ensure that employees working from home stay creative, productive and connected to the company culture. Will 2021 see the appointment of the first “Chief Remote Officer”? It wouldn’t surprise me if we did.

Virtual Recruiting

Virtual interviews will remain part of the hiring process. Social-distancing measures to prevent the coronavirus have normalised virtual interviews via the likes of Skype or Zoom. And virtual interviewing is apt to remain a staple of the recruitment process in some form even after the pandemic ends, I expect at (at the very least) for most first interviews to be video screens moving forward.

These interviews save organisations time and money and allow them to tap a wider pool of candidates, well outside their physical locations, especially given the MENA region is still very much open to expats. Recruiters should be transparent with candidates about the process, flexible about scheduling the interviews and consistent with their questions. Recruiters will also move to screen candidates via video conference rather than face to face in the majority of cases.

Candidate Experience

Improving the candidate experience will matter more than ever.

With a more competitive but still volatile job market likely to create anxiety among many prospective hires, it will be critical for talent acquisition to make the hiring process timely, efficient and above all positive next year.Poor experiences from overly complex applications and disrespectful interviewers to a meagre salary or benefits package, will not only turn off applicants but tarnish an organisation’s brand, marring its ability to recruit top talent in the future.

To ensure the candidate experience is always positive, companies and recruiters should provide clear and concise job descriptions, tell the candidate what to expect in interviews, extend offers in a timely manner and communicate with applicants every step of the way.

These aren’t the only matters to pay attention to though, so here I have a put together a checklist for companies looking to hire. This will help improve the process for all parties:

• Build a strong employer brand
• Make building a diverse workforce a priority.
• Offer flexibility
• Move as quickly and efficiently as possible.
• Write better job descriptions.
• Embrace digital trends and social media.
• Fit the personality to the job
• Improve your interviews and candidate experience
• Keep an eye on your reviews