If one good thing came out Covid-19 it was the inadvertent opportunity to start thinking differently about recruitment and how we find amazing talent. Think differently, think BIGGER!
Gone are the days of having to sit in the same office, when remote work has allowed us to access talent all over the world IF we allow ourselves as employers to evolve how our business operates.
With the rapid move to remote came new digital systems and operations to allow us to work from anywhere, which means so too can our teams. Imagine now that you have access to the very best talent from anywhere to work in your business, not just the best talent that is in your city. While the thought of not working sitting beside people may freak you out we need to get comfortable with it because it is the future of work.
And not only is it the way of the future, but as employers it also allows us to support diversity. With more women globally out of work than men due to Covid and their needs for flexible work a priority, many women are looking for remote, contract, part time or freelance work.
So how can you prepare your business to hire for talent and not geography?
- Recruit differently – Where do you search for talent? Look at job sites that support remote or freelance talent like women’s jobs platform Freelancing Gems or elite talent marketplace Expert360 . Job sites that support the gig economy are homes to the most dynamic talent and you will find a rare gem that may not have applied for a full-time job with you because these professionals thrive off diversity.
- Say Goodbye to the 9 to 5. The 9 to 5 is dead, hello to the age of flexible working! It is a hard adjustment, especially for more traditional businesses and of course work places still need set opening hours that our customers expect us to operate, but by trusting our employees to get their work done in the hours that work for them creates a culture of freedom that will only see your company culture benefit from.
- Update your systems. What digital systems do you need to accommodate a remote workforce or, you know … just in case another global pandemic strikes? The good news is we live in the digital age, so use Zoom, use Asana, use Slack, use Microsoft Teams and Google Drive and bring yourself and your team into the 21st century.
- Make sure culture is still a priority. Even in remote or flexible work arrangements, human connection is still important for any business. It sets the challenge for all employers to get creative with how they demonstrate they value their teams. It doesn’t mean you have to cancel the annual company retreat, in fact that is probably more important than ever. Does this mean weekly virtual drinks, ,a monthly lunch and learn, or a Monday morning shout out for work well done the week before? As a company you will need to get better at how you praise and give feedback and get creative with how your culture translates.
If these tips makes your hands sweaty you probably aren’t alone, this is a fundamental shift in how we work. But the future of work has changed and as employers we need to get on board with the future of work.
Fleur Madden is the CEO of Freelancing Gems a jobs platform dedicated to women who freelance, consult or side hustle. Freelancing Gems connects women with meaningful work and encourages them to charge what they are worth.