Revolutionize Recruiting: Part 2
Refine Remote
Written by Jaclyn Kohlhepp & Diane Thielfoldt
Plans post COVID-19 see organizations continue the pivot toward remote work; managers allowing employees to continue working from home and employees preferring to work from home – at least a few days a week. Have you identified your 2021 job openings as fully remote, hybrid, or onsite?
Remote work or WFH (work from home) is particularly appealing to Millennials and Gen Z. Millennials describe work as what they do not where they go; work is anytime anywhere. Their personal and professional lives are blended. WFH meets their workstyle / lifestyle needs. Gen Z is on the hunt for work that brings them financial stability and the opportunity to take charge of their own career. Gen Z appreciates work-life balance and expects it from their employer, along with flexible hours, benefits and perks. Knowing they can have security and flexibility engages and retains Gen Z.
So, who can work from home? To answer that question, begin with the work. Determine what work can be accomplished virtually by asking a few critical questions.
● What are the essential outcomes (deliverables)?
● How will the outcomes be measured?
● Are our managers trained to manage remote workers?
● What training do they need to be successful?
Once you ask and answer these questions, you may find that many roles can transition to remote work.
What about roles that can’t be accomplished virtually. Employees who must be onsite will still benefit from flexibility and choice. Schedules that allow employees to flex their start and end times work well for certain jobs. Inviting employees to select shifts or which days of the week to work gives employees options. Flexibility could include time away from work to volunteer for a cause or a trip to the gym. Flexibility works when managers are willing to measure results by the quality of the deliverable not hours worked.
You want to reveal your culture during the recruiting process. Use your website or social presence to show candidates a day-in-the-life of your remote employees. Show them how remote teams connect and interact using Microsoft® Teams, Zoom, instant messaging – highlight the collaboration tools available to support remote workers and the value you place on results (not hours worked) as a success measure. Millennials, in particular value connection with colleagues and collaborative work spaces. Highlight their virtual collaboration and engagement. Sharing your culture creates connection with the candidate and shows that regardless of where people live and work, an inclusive culture matters.
Kohlhepp is the founder of JTK Consulting, LLC (jtkconsultingllc.com), a consulting firm committed to helping organizations solve people problems using innovative and sustainable recruitment and engagement solutions. Connect with her @ jackie@jtkconsultingllc.com.
Thielfoldt is co-founder of The Learning Café (thelearningcafe.net), a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations develop, engage and retain the talent of every generation. Reach her at DianeT@thelearningcafe.net
