Well that escalated quickly! Just as we were worrying about the potential disruption caused by new IR35 legislation (now postponed) and lurking concerns about the implications of Brexit on the recruitment industry we get COVID-19 and everything else seems totally insignificant. It’s disruptive for everyone but for those in the process of applying for a new job or hiring staff there are added pressures.
Don’t resign until you’re sure
It may sound basic but it’s important to be extra careful about your position at this time. Government advice is changing on a daily basis and companies are in extraordinary circumstances. Your normal courses of redress if you feel you’ve been treated poorly may be suspended. If you’re considering a new position we’d recommend just staying where you are and appreciate some sort of stability until the situation becomes more clear. If you’re already within the hiring process i.e. invited to interview, get clarification and commitment before resigning from your current employment. We’re finding it difficult to guarantee anything at the moment but do speak to the recruiter and speak to the hiring company too. Now is not time to find yourself in limbo. We’ve had questions about training processes too. If you know you will need to go through a training or enrolment process before starting a new job how will that work and will you be paid for doing nothing if that process can’t happen now? It’s not terribly helpful but you need to know that ‘all bets are off’ and you should proceed with extreme caution. We’ll help you all we can but no one has answers right now.
Keeping the process going
It’s been a very weird couple of weeks and we know now it’s going to continue for quite some time. Our working lives have been disrupted but we must establish some sort of normality as soon as possible. If you’re recruiting that process shouldn’t have to stop. We have to look forward and take action to secure the future of our businesses. There is no reason why interviews shouldn’t continue remotely, using video conferencing software. Most recruiters can work remotely very easily and potential candidates may well be more receptive to flexible working opportunities. Coronavirus has created a stark divide between the people who can work from home and those who can’t. Even if your business has had to close or work on a skeleton staff perhaps now is the time to reflect and work towards building a dream team.
Don’t destroy your reputation and use coronavirus as an excuse
We’ve already seen some examples of pretty shoddy treatment of staff in the news as businesses struggle. Don’t be one of those. If you have people already in your hiring process remember they are in a very anxious position and need to be treated as such. If there are delays to the process, let them know. If you are having to halt all new recruitment then make sure you explain the circumstances. We all understand how difficult the situation is but empathy is key right now. Even if it’s bad news don’t leave people in the dark. Whatever you do don’t put people’s health at risk. Face-to-face interviews shouldn’t be happening right now and forget the team training programmes. Adapt, be kind and prepare for the future.
Remember your health and the health of others is more important than any job. For all official coronavirus advice please visit the NHS website. Stay safe.
Check out our current vacancies here.