Will Virtual Hiring be the New Normal? The future of Virtual Hiring

Q: Is working from home a good idea?

Working from home is not always better or worse for an employee's health than traditional virtual office arrangements. It will be most beneficial when employees make wise decisions about their time, and employers provide support in the form of technology, ergonomic equipment, and managers trained to supervise remote workers.

hire a virtual assistant

Vibhavari Madki

Oct 26, 2020 — 6 min read

You name it and the technology is already working on it. Due to the current scenario, working from home has become a necessity. The offices are adapting and even the production workflows have been restructured to embrace workplace flexibility. But for many businesses, one element of operations is still waiting to be updated that is Virtual Hiring.

Amidst the pandemic, many human resource departments were forced to slow or freeze typical talent acquisition strategies, since traditional methods require personal interviews or skills-testing on internally secured devices or intranets. The addition of new interns, turnover replacements, employees, and temporary substitutes all halted, unable to implement a safe and viable virtual screening process, proving that there's a lot of work to even attempt to match the pre-hiring procedure of employee experience with day-to-day operations.

The Future of Virtual Hiring/On-boarding

It is very important to note that, like any change in the technology, one cannot make changes just for the sake of it or focusing on just to be the part of the mob, but it has to be done with the clear intention of improving the performance of the business, cutting back on resources, and improving its efficiency.

Candidates Need to Experience the Culture of the Organization

Candidates crave for more than a job, they want a cheerful experience in the workplace that provides a sense of purpose and pride.

Culture is considered to be so meaningful that 33% of candidates claim that they’d even work for lesser salary to work for a company that aligns with their ideals. The challenge for recruiters is to communicate a clear and accurate sense of the culture to outsiders, simply by telling them about it doesn't help.

Provide job opportunities or open houses so people get a feel for what it’s like to work there. Almost two-thirds of job seekers said they were more likely to apply for a role with a company if they had the opportunity to attend a social event to connect with potential candidates and learn about the organization.

Demonstrate the culture in the marketplace, such as by sponsoring events or performing community services that showcase the respective company values. Show people what your company values and demonstrate that you’re actively committed to them.

Virtual/Telephonic Interviews

Due of the efficiency and ability to reach a large number of applicants in a short time frame, the clients typically use on-demand virtual interviews as first-round or pre-screening interviews, then schedule live virtual interviews for only the top candidates.

One-way video interviews are a fantastic way to get to know a candidate. But VR takes the next step forward by letting recruiters enjoy some of the key benefits of interviews, and also go beyond some of the time restrictions and other limitations. Interviews on Video calls allow recruiters to get a feel of a candidate’s personality fit. However, pre-recorded videos can make people feel self-conscious; they may not work as good predictors of on-the-job success. VR empowers recruiters to meet a candidate personally and still see them in action as a potential new employee.

Candidate's Virtual Screening

Many companies conducted employment assessments onsite or offered job shadowing opportunities as part of their hiring and onboarding process. Now with the restrictions on in-person contact, virtual talent prediction, and "onboarding tools" are vital. With the prevalence of on-line applications and ATS platforms, applicants frequently comment about feeling isolated or being stuck in a long, never-ending loop. That shouldn't be the impression on them. Complexity and disengagement create high dropout rates.

The "virtual hiring" and "onboarding tools" immerse candidates in an engaging test-drive where they handle similar challenges actual employees experience on the job every day. This pre-experience creates realistic expectations and builds greater comfort and confidence for new employees.

Recruiters need to understand as much about a candidate as possible, so checking out their social media accounts is something they’re increasingly interested in. But most candidates said they’re reluctant to simply hand over their social media data to potential employers that is unless the conditions are right.

81% of candidates say they’d be willing to share their social media data with a potential employer if the right privacy measures were in place. Half of the job seekers said they’d be willing to share their social media data with a potential employer if it helped them determine a better job and organizational fit. Among knowledge workers and senior leaders, that number jumps to 62%. They also said they’d be more open to it if they know what recruiters will look at ahead of time and how that data will be used.

78% said they expect the recruiting process to be clear on how personal data is used. So, consider explicitly stating in the job application that you’d like to access candidates' social media accounts. An explanation is necessary, how you plan to use it and how it will be protected. Making them believe how sharing their details can benefit them.

77% of candidates said they wouldn’t apply for a job if they felt their privacy wasn’t protected.

Providing A Great Candidate Experience

Organizations must wow the candidates to get them to sign in. Virtual reality recruitment is a new tool in the tech world that can make a company stand out from the crowd. According to research, nearly 60% of candidates have had a poor candidate experience during their job search, 72% of those candidates share their negative impression online or with others. Online video interviewing has been proven to have a positive impact on a candidate’s experience with the company There are a number of methods to impress the candidates.

Companies can use VR to show off the workplace environment and culture.
Give the candidates an insight into the role.
VR to understand candidates decision making and their thinking process.

The Bottom Line

Finding workaholics for your team is a constant challenge. And it’s not getting easier any time soon, given the tight labour market, shifting employee expectations, and a shortage of people with in-demand skills. Recruiters must do more than make the right hire, this time only by hiring virtually and establishing the trust between one another.

FAQs

What is the future of hiring or recruiting?

The future of hiring/recruiting will always be human but will be increasingly augmented by tools and technology that will benefit recruiters and job seekers alike.

Is working from home a good idea?

Working from home is not always better or worse for an employee's health than traditional virtual office arrangements. It will be most beneficial when employees make wise decisions about their time, and employers provide support in the form of technology, ergonomic equipment, and managers trained to supervise remote workers.