Although recruiting efforts were initially slowed due to the coronavirus pandemic, things are picking up again. Companies, organizations and academic institutions all seem to be getting back into the swing of things.

In light of this, we’ve created a to-do list with pointers and tips, to help you welcome and acclimatize your newest team members while the pandemic is still ongoing.

Publish and make employees aware of health and safety guidelines

Should employees need to go into the office, whether regularly or sporadically, they ought to be familiar with the health and safety guidelines of the office. Hold a virtual meeting to bring new team members up to speed with the policies of your office. Send out periodic emails and post signs on the noticeboards and in thoroughfares in the office with the necessary information on the coronavirus pandemic and how employees can work along with each other and their employer, to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Information on local testing centers should also be provided; if employees are deemed at risk, they should easily know where they can be tested. Newly recruited team members may be coming from different regions or countries and so preparing a small virtual welcome packet with the regional and/or country rules on COVID-19, will certainly streamline the adjustment process for employees.

This will protect team members as well as your institution or company by ensuring the people who make your entity successful, are as healthy, comfortable, happy and productive as can be.

Facilitate virtual social events

Colleagues connecting with one an another has never been more important. Social distancing rules and remote working have created barriers to normal human interaction and has negatively impacted regular socializing amongst colleagues. The need to find creative ways for team members to bond and feel a sense of togetherness is now more crucial than ever. To this end, we recommend organizing or otherwise facilitating designated hours at the end of the workday for team members to virtually mingle, share a drink or a meal or, to just unwind after a day’s work. A good idea is to designate the last hour of the last workday of the week to a social activity.

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If you want to learn more about the risks and challenges for job recruitment during the 2020 pandemic, download our e-guide resource about recruitment during Covid-19.

➲ Download our e-guide "Recruitment during Covid-19" here

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Furthermore, social and cultural differences between a team consisting of members from different backgrounds also need to be bridged. A great way of doing this is through socializing events. Organizing these types of events will not only score you points as an employer but also build team spirit and can increase productivity.

Progress tracking facilities

Invest in good task management or project tracking tools. These tools allow employees to keep abreast of the periodic tasks ahead of them while enabling them to effectively manage their goals. Task management tools are essential in a remote working setup since the usual in-person updates, reminders and meetings are now no longer feasible or as routine as they used to be.

Task management tools allows you as an employer to measure productivity, understand employee performance and prevent micromanagement. This is also a great way for everyone to know what each of their team members is working on since the tasks and to whom they’re assigned is visible by anyone with access to your company’s dashboard.

Quick, periodic updates

When planning meetings, establish clear times and lengths so everyone knows how long they have to dedicate to them. This will prevent meetings running way over the time needed for their purpose. Have fixed rules which allow for personal updates during daily meetings to be no longer than 60 seconds. This enables persons to streamline their thought process and focus on the essentials when giving their updates. Also, it prevents people from going into too much detail which is often irrelevant for most other team members. Doing this will allow employees to better plan their days and manage their time, boosting productivity.

During the upcoming months, we are releasing a series of articles on recruitment tips and advice during Covid-19. If you are interested in following this series, subscribe to our Newsletter. As a welcome gift you will receive our recruitment e-guide as well as exclusive access to special promotions for our subscribers. 

If you are interested in promoting jobs offered by your institution, please contact us at info@inomics.com. We will be happy to boost and support your job recruitment strategy during these tough times, plan and optimize your strategy for 2021, or support you filling in the last applicant quotas in 2020.