Industries changed because of COVID. Our lives changed because of it. Mostly, we all have experienced the pandemic differently, however little or big, it had an impact. In previous posts, we talked about the importance Employer Branding has in our world. Our industry and our sales and recruitment processes would be completely different if it weren't for these strategies. So, considering Employer Branding is such an important element for organizations, how was it affected by the COVID pandemic?
Some organizations and industries were reluctant to remote work. This was the first thing some had to embrace. The truth is some employers liked to have control over the employee from 9-5, whether or not it translated into effective hours. If you were sitting on your desk for 9 hours, they were contempt. But when the pandemic first came they were not able to have as much control over their employees.
There were grossly three outlooks on this situation. The first one, some organizations had to close their operations as they were not able or not open to allow remote work. The second outlook was some organizations that were already on a hybrid model, shifted completely to remote work. For most of these, the shift meant more productivity. And other organizations just increased control over their employees while allowing remote work. Some companies in this last group lost a big number of talented employees.
Companies offering remote work opportunities are gaining more interest from job seekers nowadays. Some people in working-age even say they do not think they will be going or show interest in a job that only offers in-office job opportunities.
One of the uncertainties brought by COVID included marketing as well. How are we supposed to advertise our companies during these hard times? Is it the right climate to promote how much of a great place to work we are? Social Media Consumption increase due to lockdowns. This means people were consuming more content, and looking for content they would feel identified with.
People were looking for content in which they could find comfort and support in their Social Media Platforms. Job seekers were using social media a lot more to search for job opportunities. Those companies that were unable to provide new job opportunities were sharing informative or positive messages. However, most of the companies that were offering job opportunities during these pandemic times made sure to include the benefits and precautions they were taking to prevent the spread of the infection. An increase of sensitivity when promoting new job opportunities was also an important factor. As well as communicating the ways they were supporting their current employees.
Conferences and exhibitions came to a stop during the pandemic. This completely made organizations redesign they were networking with job seekers, business partners, and potential clients. These networking events had to become virtual. Companies across industries had to become more responsive on virtual platforms. So, if the market and the job opportunities were stopped they invested this time to connect with people that could mean an excellent acquisition in the future. The organization spent time and resources in strategizing their networking prospecting to the future and the new normal.
This was a big challenge. Most organizations believed that since there was high unemployment and few job opportunities, it made no sense to invest in their employer branding strategies. It became a small priority to them. However, other organizations invested in pandemic contingency plans, which strengthen their employer branding. We must always remember employer branding is not just about attracting the right talent. But also about making sure the great talent in your company stays with you. Here you can find more detailed information on how this changed across industries and countries.
At AquacultureTalent we are ready to help you adjust your Employer Branding Strategies to this new normal! We will assist you in the best way to keep attracting and retaining great talent while also staying relevant in the market!
