Believe it or not, filling new positions within a company does not require that a training team and the new employee report to the office. COVID-19 has proved that there are ways to turn businesses into virtual powerhouses.

COVID quarantines are in full effect across the world; many companies have moved to 100% remote operations. Nevertheless, the hiring and recruiting of new employees cannot be postponed if a business truly needs the extra hands, even if we’re all limited from working in physical office locations.

If your company is considering moving forward with filling positions, it is a must to keep the candidate pipeline in motion and to adapt to new recruiting efforts. Believe it or not, companies are looking to hire new employees during this pandemic, and they are turning to virtual options to do so.

How to hire during the COVID-19 pandemic

If the hiring strategy of your company is shifting due to COVID-19, companies should stay transparent during all communications with active candidates. The candidates will appreciate and remember companies who kept them informed and showed concern during the hiring processes.

Sharing update statuses or even checking on people goes a long way in building trust. These small acts do not go unnoticed.

In case you decide to move forward with a candidate, allow them to train from home. Keep their safety in mind during this pandemic to show them that you care. Create procedures remotely for onboard employees and use project management tools such as Trello to help track onboarding statuses. With Cloud services for storage and file transfers, electronic signature services, the ability to share screens and video chat remotely, and access to services that offer training platforms, onboarding virtually is easier than ever.

Starting any new job can be terrifying. Schedule regular check-ins to touch base and keep an eye on how your new hires are doing. Keep in mind that if they’re struggling, they may keep quiet about it because they want to be seen as competent. Make sure you ask open-ended questions to encourage them to open up about anything that they may be unsure about.

Be sure to introduce your new employees to your staff via virtual meetings. How about you ask your team members to send short messages to welcome the new employees? Maybe even schedule a virtual presentation of the job roles and offer a virtual office tour. Your goal is to help your potential employees feel like they are apart of the team. Although this may seem a little difficult to do so virtually, it can happen!

Here’s to thinking outside of the box.  Send a welcome package that includes items such as:

• Company mugs, hats, pens, etc
• Leadership books to improve team culture
• Company notebook
• Calendar of important events
• Company journal

Onboarding can be a bit overwhelming for you as well. You may be thinking about where will you find the time to accomplish everything, especially if you’re not used to working 100% remotely. I strongly suggest partnering your new team member with a buddy for the first 30 – 60 days. This is an effective way to make sure that your new remote employees don’t slip through the cracks during their introductory period.

If you’re a business owner and the thought of hiring and training seems a bit intimidating, consider bringing on a trained virtual assistant that is ready to tackle the skills that are waiting for them. Not only will you save a ton of time in training, you’ll also save a lot of money when compared to hiring a W-2 employee. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, click here to schedule your complimentary consultation to learn more.