The Corona outbreak will have long lasting effects on how companies conduct HR tasks, bringing us closer to the future of HR. Companies all over the world have been forced to rapidly digitalise their HR processes. This includes recruitment and holding job interviews online, as well as adjusting to remote workers.
Ali E. Cevik, the CEO of HR-ON, predicted ten years ago in a TV interview that online job interviews would become a natural part of the future way of recruiting. In a more recent comment, he said:
“Back then it sounded like a futuristic dream. It is sad that coronavirus has highlighted how important it is to have the opportunity for online communication, including being able to hold a job interview despite physical limitations. But I am happy that my original ideas behind the concept are still relevant.
We are also already looking at virtual reality and mixed reality in recruitment – and with the current situation this may not seem too far-fetched.”
Ali E. Cevik, CEO of HR-ON
Follow this link to see the original interview in Danish on TV2 Fyn website.
Transition to digital recruitment and online interviews
Despite the uncertainty and economic difficulty brought about by COVID-19, many companies are still recruiting. Several of the world’s largest tech giants, including Google, Amazon and Facebook, have transitioned to virtual recruitment processes. Amazon have changed from face-to-face interviews to virtual interviews. Similarly, EY, the global accounting firm, were very quick to digitalise their student recruitment process in the UK.
We have also noticed this transformation closer to home. An impressive number of HR-ON‘s clients in Denmark are making use of the IT companies new video interviewing feature. This new and highly sought-after feature allows companies to hold job interviews online, directly in the browser. Over 5000 candidates have already been invited for virtual interviews since the launch of this feature on 26th March 2020 and it demands recruiters to stay professional when recruiting online.
After witnessing the benefits of digital recruitment, many companies will change their interviewing strategy for good and continue relying on e-recruitment tools like HR-ON Recruit even after COVID-19 is behind us. The corona outbreak is bringing us closer to the future of HR. Companies are realising that e-recruitment and virtual interviews save both time and money.
Digital Transformation and understanding of digital possibilities
The outbreak of corona has in a split second forced a digital transformation, which under normal circumstances would have taken years to undergo. Many people have come in contact with online video conferencing, virtual events, distance management and online job interviews. Many businesses have been forced to use digital tools and major brands are indicating that they plan to invest massively in digital infrastructure.
Without the COVID-19 lockdown situation, many people may have never come to know the possibilities of the digital world. But even when , have opened their eyes to the digital possibilities and continue to take advantage of them. The understanding of the possibilities with digital tools is a digital wake up call and will speed up the digitalization rapidly.
The demand and understanding of the opportunities also boosted the development of the digital tools within HR. For example, online meetings and online job interviews will also be refined. Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality have received a backlash, which means that we may soon see VR as an integral part of the workflow.
Staff management tool which facilitates remote working
The Corona outbreak has forced many companies to have the majority of their staff working from home. This may have been challenging to start with. But after a relatively short adjustment period, employers and employees alike have realised the benefits of remote working.
Remote working is likely to become much more common, even after the Coronavirus outbreak is over. Therefore, it is more important than ever for companies to have an HR system which enables and facilitates remote working. The need of a complete staff management system which allows employers, among other things, to hold staff meetings online, give out tasks and keep track of the progress is essentially at these times. A digital tool that allows employers to send out digital messages, surveys or e-learning to many employees at once and connect with employees through mobile bases Apps.
Adapt to survive
The Corona outbreak is bringing us closer to the future of HR. Or perhaps bringing the future of HR closer to us! The way to survive the COVID-19 outbreak is to adapt to the digitalisation of work life and HR. Companies embracing the digitalisation of HR processes, holding interviews online and facilitating remote working, will be better positioned for the future.
