Video conferencing, virtual coffee chats most popular for recruitment

With recruitment a major challenge amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, many Canadian employers are adopting new tools and new processes to address hiring needs, according to Universum.

Video conferencing is the most popular, at 70 per cent, followed by virtual coffee chats (40 per cent), virtual info sessions (30 per cent), virtual career fairs (20 per cent) and social media (10 per cent).

Overall, almost half (48 per cent) of employers say they have far fewer hiring needs as a result of the coronavirus, while 24 per cent their typical or seasonal hiring needs will be made difficult. Almost one in five (17 per cent) say they have significant hiring or staffing needs that will be difficult to fulfill right now, and 11 per cent say they have significant hiring or staffing needs that are a result of the Coronavirus, found its survey of 120 employer branding leaders and talent acquisition directors in Canada, the U.S. and Latin America between March 25 and April 8, 2020.

When it comes to internship programs, 20 per cent of Canadian employers say they are rescinding offers, and of those that are running such programs, 50 per cent are doing so virtually.

Engagement
Traditional email (80 per cent) and Microsoft Teams (70 per cent) are the primary communications tools being used between colleagues and employers while working remotely in Canada. Other methods include phone (60 per cent), Zoom (50 per cent), WebEx (40 per cent), and Skype and Slack (30 per cent each).

“Sharing tips and advice” is the top initiative (85 per cent) being implemented to engage the remote workforce amidst the pandemic, followed by:

• virtual team activities (74 per cent)
• internal campaigns and communication initiatives with employees (70 per cent)
• offering more flexible hours and ways of working (65 per cent)
• offering mental health support (65 per cent)
• having a site for COVID-19 messaging (57 per cent)
• daily team meetings (54 per cent)
• sharing pictures (52 per cent)
• sharing personal stories (48 per cent)
• implementing new collaboration tools (39 per cent)
• town halls (35 per cent)
• internal sentiment surveys (33 per cent)

A separate survey found that three-quarters of working Canadians feel their employer is providing regular, timely updates in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.