As part of the Making Connections series, Director Ben Mannion joined The Worcestershire LEP, speaking with a business panel around the recent special episode with MP Robin Walker, highlighting the impact of COVID 19 and what this means for local organisations.
Ben was joined by Chief Executive Gary Woodman and business representatives Louise Fisher from Morgan Advanced Materials, Sally Morris from mfg Solicitors and Phoebe Dawson from the Worcestershire LEP.
The making connections live podcast saw the panel reflect on discussions regarding issues in term of the economy and business responses to COVID 19, including the “new normal" of workforce social distancing and other adaptations that must be made for the foreseeable future. From Hewett Recruitment's point of view, we've witnessed first hand how companies have adapted internal day to day process as well as their overall recruitment and hiring strategies.
Regarding changes seen in the recruitment process during COVID 19, Ben Mannion commented:
I think when the lockdown first happened it’s fair to say virtually all recruitment for a week or two just stopped, as businesses adjusted to the new normal previously alluded to.
However, we very quickly saw companies that really did still need to recruit for key hires adapting to new technology. This includes telephone interviews and certailnly video interviews across all different platforms becoming the new norm. In many cases a complete recruitment process using technology was adopted, right through to induction and onboarding employees who were going straight into a remote working environment.
Obviously it was different for some businesses and some sectors, as manufacturing wise it's about being physically on-site for a role and needing a final face to face interview, but even then we're able to use technology right through the process up to that final stage to help manage the recruitment process safely.
I think it's fair to say some businesses were better prepared and quicker to adapt to it - particularly those within the tech sector who are maybe more used to working in an agile and remote way.
But actually, from what we've seen at Hewett Recruitment, I think from a recruitment persepctive, this method could become the preffered 'new normal' as well - we've found it be quite efficient. People haven't had to arrange time off work to attend interviews. You're actually able to move the process on at much quicker rate.
This includes how we've adapted ourselves: we didn't want to lose the value of meeting candidates face to face for our clients, so we've adapted to digital alternatives such as virtual meetings and video interviews to discuss opportunities.
To hear more on the subject including advice regarding legal requirements from Sally Morris at mfg Solicitors, watch the entire broadcast below.
