When you’re moving at full speed to meet your stakeholder’s needs WHILE trying to manage with a downsized team due to the Great Resignation, hiring can feel like an uphill battle just as much as a necessity. After all, you’re trying to find qualified leads that can get the work done and fit in with your company culture while needing four more people yesterday.
Getting candidates interviewed, hired, onboarded, and up to speed when you’re also running a hundred other tasks and trying to manage a team also running a hundred other tasks – it can be overwhelming. Don’t even mention hybrid. But you have to do it and do it well, because your people ARE your company. So how do you hire in the great resignation?
When it comes to hiring in the Great Resignation:
1. Let your candidates know where you are in the process.
Candidates want to know what’s going on. As an employer you can stand out by being communicative with your candidates––whether they’re getting an interview (or even if they’re not), and what they can expect next in the interviewing process. Being left in the dark sucks. Communicating clearly will help them feel connected, like they aren’t sending emails into the void.
2. Know what to look for in a candidate.
It isn’t just about going down a checklist, it’s about the person themselves. Don’t worry so much about if they have experience in the position you’re hiring for, but instead see if they have the right combination of necessary skills, drive, and energy. Having an open mind about who you interview and hire can make all the difference. Make sure your questions dig into behaviors and mindsets too. That’s where you’ll find the best fit.
3. Consider the option to be remote.
It’s advantageous for finding the right staff. Plus, listing all the cities your company has a presence in can boost your reputation. Because, let’s be honest, most people don’t want to be limited to one option these days and talent knows no borders.
When it comes to making your new hire feel welcome:
4. Think outside the box.
Take the time to show new people you care about them, and that they aren’t just another number. Try sending them a welcome gift from a company like Aroma Harvest or BoxFox. Many of these gift basket services even come with a handwritten note for a nice personal touch.
5. Meet and greet with the team (virtual included!)
Gather members of your team together for informal “get to know you” sessions to help your new team members get acquainted with their role and surroundings. Whether it’s a group meeting or a series of 1:1s with specific people, create opportunities for them build relationships and get their bearings.
6. Be there and provide a buddy
Most importantly–– be there for them, listen to what they need, and lend them support. A great way to do this is to assign them a go-to buddy for questions as their work ramps up. If they know the team has their back and they have a designated person they can trust with questions and advice, it will help them feel instantly integrated and appreciated, and set them up for success.
7. Check-in
Lastly, don’t forget to check in with them. It can be as informal as a Slack message or as planned as a 30 minute meeting at the 30-day mark. Let them know you value their feedback, questions, and insight, and continue that throughout the course of their employment.
Your people are your most valuable resource and communication is what connects us to each other.
SNP CEO and Co-Founder Maureen Taylor explores what the Great Resignation means for the workplace, for the workforce, for those that stayed, and for those who went in her mini-podcast MoBytes. She argues it’s not a resignation, but rather, a reshuffle. Listen to the Great Reshuffle series on Apple Podcasts.
