2020 has been one of the most turbulent years in history and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy has been the most dramatic in nearly everyone’s lifetime. The recruitment industry has been no exception to the consequences of the pandemic. With many companies slowing down or completely freezing hiring there have far fewer opportunities for career changes than in the previous decade. Besides, significant changes in working styles have been forced upon the majority of companies with remote and telework becoming the norm rather than the exception. This has meant changes in talent acquisition processes as well for those companies that were still hiring and for those positions that needed to be filled. For the first time videoconference interviewing is more common than in-person and hiring decisions are even being made without any face-to-face interaction at all. While it is unlikely that the environment, we observed in 2020 will persist in the long term, some of the changes that have happened in response to the pandemic will influence what the post-COVID-19 world looks like.
It is fair to assume that with vaccines now being distributed the economy should improve in 2021 and beyond. It is still uncertain, however, how quickly things will recover and, therefore, companies will likely be cautious in their headcount planning. While hiring activity will almost certainly increase in comparison to 2020, those sectors and businesses that are more agile will lead the way. For almost any business, a push towards digital transformation has already been happening and companies that are quicker and better able to digitize will be more aggressive in attracting talent and potentially more attractive as well. Skillsets related to digitization, transformation, and agility will also be keenly sought after.
The working environment and attitude of the employer towards their employees’ health and well-being have become more important than ever before. This is unlikely to change in the post-COVID-19. Companies that cannot provide flexible and remote working opportunities will struggle to attract top talent. Job seekers will also want to understand efforts companies made to ensure the health and safety of their employees during the pandemic and morale and engagement of employees will continue to be related to companies’ efforts in this regard.
The future of recruitment will almost certainly not return to the pre-COVID-19 status quo. Video interviewing is likely to continue to be preferred at least for the initial stages or for more junior roles simply due to the added convenience and efficiency. Web and social networking platforms will continue to be more important as resources to access job seekers pools. However, as employers will likely be more careful about hiring decisions high-quality consultation from agencies will still be valuable to support attracting and evaluating talent. Effective use of HR services such as psychometric testing or reference checking is also likely to be in higher demand.
en world will continue to strive to deliver on our mission of enabling our customers’ success. Throughout 2020 we have made significant efforts to quickly adapt to new working styles with relevant investments in technology to allow our consultants to continue to engage with clients and job seekers. We have also driven initiatives to work more closely with clients and coordinate more effectively across our various teams and divisions. Besides, we are enhancing our collaboration with our parent company to provide more comprehensive solutions to our clients.
At en world, we are optimistic about the prospect for 2021 and the post-COVID-19 world as we are well-positioned to continue to improve the quality of service, we can deliver to enable success.
President & Representative Director
Vijay Deol
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How to succeed with mid-career recruitment with COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 (English)
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＜Contact information＞
en world Japan K.K.
Tokyo Square Garden 12F, Kyobashi 3-1-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031
Email : enworld-pr@enworld.com