Tips to Safely Rehire After COVID-19 (Guest blog)

During these unprecedented times, we’ve seen a global pandemic, world-wide shutdowns, mass layoffs and more. It’s caused a lot of anxiety for workers and business owners as we try to maneuver through this “new normal”. As companies begin to reopen and face demand again, you may be asking yourself what the next step might be. 

If you are ready to start hiring again, it’s perfectly normal to have questions or concerns about how the process might look. Whether it’s interviews or the onboarding process, check out some of these tips on how to rehire throughout COVID-19 so that your new employees remain healthy and happy within your company. 

1.    Ensure Safety

First and foremost, it is your responsibility to ensure that your employees are safe during these unprecedented times. Make sure to communicate with current and potential employees what your company is doing to create a safe work environment.

To put social distancing into practice, shift to virtual interviews and remote positions  even if your company does not plan to stay remote forever. Working remotely has its challenges so look for candidates who have previous remote work experience. However, don’t discredit eager young hires and other suitable candidates in your hiring process.

2.    Be Open and Honest 

Whether you plan to hire back previous employees or stick to new hires, communication is key to ensure your employees are aware of any liability risks or uncertainties. If you plan on rehiring a previous employee, be empathetic and transparent with your intentions. If they were laid off, they may be hesitant to return, which is why it’s always a good idea to be thoughtful about your mode of communication, listen to their concerns and disclose any changes in their previous position.

For new hires, make sure you present them a realistic offer. From temporary remote positions to permanent roles that will transition to in-office, be conscious of what you promise them and communicate if there could be any shifts in the near future.

3.    Focus on New Hire Experience 

If your team is fully remote, training and the new hire experience might be different than normal. It’s important to make your new hires feel welcome and include them within your company culture. Not being able to onboard someone face-to-face can feel impersonal and make it more difficult to display your company’s mission, values and culture. Implementing a culture ambassador, remote orientations with different team members and virtual coffee meetings or happy hours are just a few great ways to get new hires involved within the company and make the transition more enjoyable.

4.    Encourage Feedback

In a virtual environment, encouraging open feedback from your employees is crucial so you can understand and implement changes that need to be made. Practice regular check-ins and set clear goals for your new hires so that they know how to perform and ask questions if need be. 

There are many great ways to encourage honest feedback from your employees such as team surveys, mentor sessions, and anonymous feedback forms. Be receptive and make sure to implement constructive feedback in an actionable way.

Keep in mind that this is a new process for everyone and change is not only necessary, but a good thing. It helps companies grow and learn to be better for not only their customers but their employees. If you are interested in more tips on how to rehire after COVID-19 check out the infographic from Embroker below.