Just as many people were beginning to feel some COVID relief with widespread vaccinations, new variants of the virus have begun to cause concern. A survey of over 1,000 employers found that over half of respondents were worried about the delta variant in particular and how it may affect their future hiring.
For the staffing and recruiting industry, it is imperative search professionals stay up to date with the latest developments surrounding the variants, to keep themselves and their search partners protected.
Here are our insights on how the variants may affect hiring in 2022.
A Second Wave of Hiring Delays
According to a recent report, the job gains made in the United States in August were relatively small, with only 235,000 jobs added across the entire country in comparison to the 720,000 predicted by experts. This lag in hiring is thought to be linked to a decrease in travel and tourism caused by heightened concern regarding the variants, as well as ongoing health matters.
The open job trends are indicating there will be interruptions, though it may not have the same impact as the initial effects of Covid-19. Important workplace decisions surrounding mandatory vaccinations and personal prevention processes should be made as soon as possible.
Internal Hiring and Re-Engaging Hires
One of the positive aspects of experiencing a pandemic is being prepared for another outbreak. A major trend that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic was the upswing in internal hiring and rehiring past placements. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, internal hiring was up 20% in February 2021 year over year. In addition, more recruiters are making placements from within their existing talent pools rather than sourcing new candidates for every new position.
If the variants present similar hiring conditions, re-engaging past candidates could become even more commonplace. Using Mindscope’s Placements module, recruiters can see when their current placements’ contracts are about to expire, giving recruiters adequate time to place them immediately. Furthermore, Mindscope’s Hot Lists feature can help recruiters keep specified lists of candidates on hand, even before positions are available, so they can proactively recruit faster than the competition.
Keeping Track of Records
While vaccines are highly effective, the COVID-19 vaccine was developed for the original strain, it is not confirmed if it will be useful against other strains. According to recent figures, the efficacy rates for the various vaccines against the delta strain are anywhere between 42% and 96%. Employers and recruiters alike will need to remain diligent when ensuring the candidates they are hiring are safe and eligible to work.
Keeping track of a candidate’s COVID tests and vaccination records will be a top priority over the next several months. With Mindscope’s Outlook integration, health documents that candidates send via email are securely and automatically synchronized into the Mindscope database, attaching to the appropriate candidate record.
Clear and Consistent Communication
Providing consistent and thorough communication about workplace policies surrounding variants, remote work options, hiring protocols and public health updates is a great way to offer clarity and reassurance to both candidates and clients. Communicating policies as effectively as possible should continue to be a top priority of all staffing agencies.
Templated emails and documents available to all search partners can create clear and standardized communication. Mindscope’s customizable and rules-based workflow functionality allows recruiters to incorporate their own requirements regarding COVID policies into their hiring pipeline. They can create their own COVID-19 policy terms and conditions as a segment of the hiring process, ensuring that all candidates can be moved forward safely.
Mindscope has remained up-to-date and informed regarding COVID-19, the variants and how these events may affect the staffing and recruiting industry. Contact us today to learn more about our full product offering can align with your COVID-19 policies.
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