HCM Talent Technology Roundup – August 21, 2020

HCM Talent Technology Roundup August 21, 2020

Recruiters Stay Home, Too

Recruiters aren’t much different from everyone else in their attitudes about working from home. As the pandemic drags on we see more indications that many employees will continue to work remotely well into 2021. Most believe they’ll have the option of working remotely full-time.

While some embrace its perceived advantages, others hesitate over the challenges. Either way, it adds to their job of building relationships.

Just 16% of American recruiters say they’ll be required to return to the office. At the same time, 72% will at least have the option of working remotely, according to research by Checkster. That’s a notable jump from their situation before the pandemic when only 8% worked from home.

And while some employers and managers worry about the impact of remote work on team morale, a sizable proportion of recruiters—44%—prefer working separately. That compares to 25% who’d rather work in one place. Those numbers evened out a bit when asked whether they preferred working in close proximity to hiring managers.

“What we found indicates that the entire talent acquisition function is evolving rapidly. From where the work gets done to how. Including the technologies that facilitate the process,” commented Checkster CEO Yves Lermusi.

Just Recruiting Stiffs

A number of surveys have found that employees like their new-found freedom from the office. IBM, for example, recently reported that 81% of U.S. workers wanted to continue working remotely at least part-time. That number is up from 75% in April.

Sixty-one percent want to work at home all the time. In June, 77% of HR leaders said they expected the shift toward remote work would continue even a year after Covid-19 substantially subsides, according to the Conference Board.  

In effect, Checkster’s research determined that recruiters aren’t all that different from anyone else when it comes to working from home. If nothing else, they’re getting used to the idea—and adapting.  

Indeed, many recruiters say remote talent acquisition is now common, if not normal. “Hiring remotely or via video has gone from fringe to mainstream during the pandemic,” said Chris Wimshurst, COO at Phoenix Human Capital Management. Although not long ago employers were uncomfortable with hiring candidates whom they hadn’t met in person, he said, they’re now beginning to accept “this will be the de-facto method of hiring new staff.” 

Candidates, too, are having to adjust. Mike Kahn, a senior executive partner with the Lucas Group in Houston, notes that “it’s a challenge for the candidate to be hired without ever seeing the workspace where they’ll be.

Many people on both sides of the table, he believes, will still want to meet face-to-face because “80% of hiring is connection and feel and fit.” From the candidate’s point of view, visiting an employer isn’t only about seeing the facilities, Kahn said. “You can tell the culture and the feel for a company by being on-site for 30 minutes.”

Doing Business

Elsewhere in recruiting tech…

Recruiting platforms Brazen and WayUp partnered to offer a package of early-candidate data and virtual event capabilities. The companies said the combination would help employers drive attendance from “Every campus in the country. Rather than only from universities where they have partnerships.”

Tech content producer MediaOps launched RecruitOps. A recruiting service focused on DevOps, cloud-native, and cybersecurity skills.   

iCIMS will hold its virtual INSPIRE 2020 conference on Nov. 17 and 18. The event will emphasize digital transformation, diversity and inclusion, the strategic role of talent, and trends on how work is changing.  

Modern Hire appointed Karin Borchert as CEO. Previously, she led product information firm 1WorldSync, was executive vice president of client services for Sterling Talent Solutions, and held executive roles at Dow Jones.

Authors

Mark Feffer

Mark Feffer is executive editor of RecruitingDaily and the HCM Technology Report. He’s written for TechTarget, HR Magazine, SHRM, Dice Insights, TLNT.com and TalentCulture, as well as Dow Jones, Bloomberg and Staffing Industry Analysts. He likes schnauzers, sailing and Kentucky-distilled beverages.