COVID-19 Hiring Challenges for Employers

COVID-19 Hiring Challenges for Employers

The COVID-19 pandemic has made a lasting impact on the world, the effects of which are still felt at every level of our day-to-day lives. The pandemic period has presented major challenges to the business world and over the past 18+ months a whole new professional environment has emerged and grown. For many employers, these challenges have required flexibility and call for smart solutions! As the end of 2021 approaches, there is now a better understanding of these COVID-19 hiring challenges, what changes are here to stay, and what solutions will get employers through.

The Most Common COVID-19 Hiring Challenges

Just as the whole of the commercial world has been rattled by the impact of COVID-19, recruiters especially have found themselves facing adversity. The massive changes to individuals’ personal and professional lives in 2020 are directly impacting hiring trends now and perhaps well into the future. Though every industry is vastly different, several common hiring challenges have risen to the top of each space.

Decreased Budgets: Hiring efforts have taken the same financial hit as any other level of a business. At the same time, the pressure is on in this hiring market to fill spots quickly and cost-effectively. This is forcing many employers to get creative in how they pursue workers and integrate them into the workplace. In turn, it’s forcing employers to focus efforts on retaining the valued employees they already have.

Increased Hiring Volatility: There are storm clouds in the forecast when it comes to hiring. The volatile workplace environment is the result of rapid shifts and constant adaptation within organizations in response to COVID-19. Outside of businesses the circumstances of the pandemic have impacted employee priorities and mental health, leading to a mass exodus of employees and even more employees who are thinking about leaving their current job. A perfect storm for hiring challenges!

How Employers Have Responded to the Pandemic

Fortunately, businesses have proven resilient and flexible during the pandemic. Many employers have been more than capable of confronting COVID-19 hiring challenges and developing solutions for the future. Across the commercial world, a handful of simple pivots have made all the difference in helping a variety of companies across a vast array of industries overcome pandemic hiring difficulties.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the emphasis on retaining and cultivating the talent that already exists within a company. For office environments, data from LinkedIn has found a 20 percent increase in internal mobility since the start of the pandemic. Employers seeking to combat the highly volatile hiring market must improve retention of their valued employees.

The pandemic has only emphasized the importance of being able to think on one’s feet and pivot when necessary. Adaptability and flexibility are crucial at every level of the business. Employers must adapt their work processes and benefits to meet the current moment over the status quo. For employees, learning agility and expanding their skillsets is vital. These two worlds intersect in the form of flexible employee benefits that emphasize stability, while still providing adaptability to the employer.

Benefits as a Solution to Pandemic Hiring Challenges

Industries with close physical proximity between employees, like construction and services, and hourly workers have been hit especially hard by the pandemic. Those employers require flexible solutions that can do it all: retain valued employees, attract talent, and increase their competitiveness in their space. That’s where we come in. At Boon, we have been adapting alongside our clients to ensure that our solutions are rising to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic period has placed a major emphasis on employee health – not all industries can pivot to a remote workplace. For employees working in construction, security, and service, the risks associated with the pandemic are higher so the benefits must meet them where they are. Now more than ever, healthcare benefits are an attractive option that current workers and potential new hires are seeking out.

Alongside those health concerns is the question of what happens if an hourly worker does get sick. For many hourly employees, COVID-19 has resulted in diminished work hours which directly effects their ability to maintain employee benefits. Benefits must adapt to these needs and be accessible to this workforce, which is why Boon has been implementing options like hour banking and telemedicine to our clients.

In the hourly employee and government contractor space, the ability for employers to retain their talent and successfully recruit is all about value and stability. Boon’s solutions can give employees peace of mind, knowing that they have healthcare benefits in place, and allow employers to offer that stability in a way that serves their business. The world of business has changed, but our support for the needs of our clients is a constant that can be relied on.

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