The closing of the year is a good time to review your human resource needs, year-end plans and your strategy going into 2021. Especially in light of the disruption of 2020 and looking ahead to a potential new budget year and hopefully some stability going forward. Jim Bos and Mary Beth Bos, co-owners of the talent management company MBJ Group, have compiled some areas for consideration below:
Strategic Planning
- Review your 2020 plan and find out where the results were off. Now is the time to look forward to 2021 and develop a new and revised plan that reflects the current employment environment and maybe some more changes for the New Year.
- Talk with your employees and get their thoughts on how they feel about going forward. They have great ideas and suggestions – you just have to ask. Find out what their expectations are and share your expectations and plans for the future as well.
- Consider bringing employees back into the office after the New Year. What is your plan and how are you going to reboard, re-engage and reconnect them to this new environment? MBJ Group has a new Engagement Report that provides individuals and teams with the tools needed to understand each other in this new norm, help leaders understand exactly what their direct reports need and reveal the human potential within their teams.
Employment Marketplace
Big Changes
- The work-from-home model, multiple employee furloughs/layoffs, movement from one position to another, lack of opportunities and a need for updates and upgrades will continue. The unemployment rate has come down significantly, however, there are still a large number of individuals looking for work.
- Transitional skills are more important now than ever before. How do you identify them and put them to good use in your business? Getting good at identifying those skills can make the difference between success or mediocrity.
Consistencies
- If you are looking for specialty skills, those skills are still in short supply similar to prior to the pandemic. However, with the shake-up in the employment markets as result of the changes mentioned above, you just might find what you are looking for, but it might take some digging.
- This may include potential employees moving and more are willing to do so for the right opportunity than ever before. If posting a job online, be prepared to get applicants from all over the country. Are you willing to offer a moving package or a signing bonus?
- Now more than ever, getting another perspective becomes critical – whether that’s through the use of behavioral assessments and/or using a professional firm to sort through the multiple applicants that you will be receiving.
Online Virtual interviewing
- This is becoming the new norm. Are your supervisors, managers and human resources staff members trained on how to execute a successful interview? The effectiveness of interviewing was 15-20 percent before, but in the virtual environment, it has become even more difficult. Most organizations work so hard to present a professional approach, and the same needs to be done now but with different rules and procedures.
- There are new guidelines for the applicants, and there are do’s and don’ts for the interviewers. View an article on virtual meeting etiquette here. Staff should be trained on any new and updated policies.
Hiring
- Whether looking ahead to add employees in the new budget year or just being ready to hire employees, between now and the end of the year is a great time to start searching.
- Why now? It’s the holidays. Yes – potential employees are working from home or taking some time off. They are searching online looking for that next opportunity.
- Get your process in motion now and discover what potential employees are out there and onboard them now and so they are ready to start after the first of the year. Start now – many employers miss this golden time because they perceive potential employees as too busy with the holidays. Historically, online searches peak dramatically at the end of the year.
For more information on the hiring process, market trends, assessments, and more visit mbjgroup.com or call 941-922-1777.