We all know that COVID-19 has essentially put a huge mirror in front of each of our companies and given us an opportunity to have a good look at ourselves.
Companies have had to quickly implement and adapt to new ways of working to support the business, but will businesses change the way they work after COVID-19 to support their present and future teams?
“How can the measures we have in place now work in the future? And furthermore – make you stand out as an employer of choice?”
Remote working
Virtual customer meetings
Remote on-boarding
Virtual training
are the norm now – they are not ‘innovative’ or a ‘benefit’, they are business crucial.
We’ve proved that flexibility works, so let’s take a minute to explore how they can both benefit your business long term, but also make you an employer of choice.
So herein lies an opportunity to increase flexibility from businesses and to expand candidate pools. Flexible working can help support returning to work parents, forced moves due to family relocation, affordable living outside of central cities.
It’s perhaps far too often that some candidates are overlooked because their circumstances don’t fit the bill. Or perhaps we have seen a company take maybe the second best candidate for their company or role based on their inability or refusal to be flexible to specific arrangements.
To give a sales specific example, flexible working would provide alternative resources to sales reps covering large territories and challenging regional areas with high potential. Increased remote working and virtual customer meetings can be a great strategy to help support a return to work sales rep who cannot go back on the road full time especially under the mentioned territory challenges- allowing them to still engage with their customers while ensuring a smooth transition for the family.
It also takes away any location barriers. Virtual internal platforms, virtual on-boarding and virtual training are amazing tools to help secure exceptional head office talent whom moved too far away from head office for affordable living purposes.
These tools can allow you to secure the best talent in a bigger pool of candidates.
Do you know any high performing returning to work professionals who had to move companies or resign due to lack of flexibility?
Do you know any fantastic industry candidates who moved up the coast or interstate which forced them into new industries? I know plenty.
COVID-19 has made businesses test and prove that flexible working works in many capacities. We know it works, so now is the time to see the opportunity to expand your mindset on the ‘perfect’ working arrangements for your team and potential candidates.
