COVID-19 and recruitment - What should recruiters focus on now?

Team REC is working round to the clock to bring timely advice and support for our members and our industry. 

As part of our COVID-19 response efforts, we’ve launched a webinar series titled ‘Fit for the New Dawn’ aimed at recruitment business owners to help you navigate these uncertain times effectively. These webinars are free-to-attend for all, and through our series of blogs, we aim to bring you snapshots of these comprehensive practical sessions.

Webinar 1: Strategy or Urgency – making the right day-to-day business decisions
Recorded on: 26 March 2020 Watch the full webinar

In the first in the series of practical live webinars, speakers Paul Jacobs and Howard Greenwood from LoveWorkLife, and Dave Pye and Bradley Placks from ToAugment shared their insight to help recruiters through this unprecedented crisis.

Although the impact on the jobs market is a cause for concern with four in five (84%) participants saying their clients are now postponing hiring plans for permanent roles, speakers urged recruiters to adapt to the new circumstances and take a good position for when the market returns to normality.

“There’s no template for what it’s happening. But it’s a disruption and we will return to a new norm.” Dave Pye

Speakers were optimistic we will see a rapid growth towards the end of the year. Encouragingly, participants remain confident that the economy and their business will bounce back - 36% said they were very confident and the remaining 64% stated they were confident but that it will take time for the market to recover.  

“The difficult decisions you make now will impact on how you come on the other side – there will be opportunities when the market returns to normality.” Bradley Placks

Main takeaways - what should recruiters focus on now?

  • Cashflow - this was the primary concern of the majority (76%) of participants.
    Tip: Have conversations with your suppliers and focus on credit control as some of your clients might go under.
    (Listen to our latest podcast on cashflow and crisis management)
     
  • Furlough - three in five (59%) participants are looking at furloughing staff:
    Tip: look at the support your employees require before deciding who to furlough, who to keep on full pay and who to lay off. Ensure you have all government-related information before making any decisions. Visit our COVID-19 hub for all the latest updates from the Government.

“Don’t make irrational and instant decisions – pause until all information is available.” Paul Jacob

  • Homeworking: Know how to manage your own workload, your health and the team spirit. Motivate staff to update the database and do all the things you had no time to do before. Have human interaction with your team and ensure good mental health of your staff so they're ready for when the crisis is over. Remember, a lack of communication will lead to panic.

    Further reading: Eight tips to working and managing teams remotely (from a seasoned telecommuter)
     
  • Strategy planning: Review plans and explore better ways to deliver your strategy. Understand what other recruitment channels your clients use and how much they spend - this will help you to target the right people when new projects are introduced. Also, speak to candidates and identify those in furlough or unemployed so you're in a good position when the market turns. 

“Don’t panic. Instead, put a process in place so that you’re ready to move forward.” Howard Greenwood

Image credit | iStock

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