Members of the LinkedIn Learning team showing how the online learning platform can help students prepare for their job search. Source: AFP

Members of the LinkedIn Learning team showing how the online learning platform can help students prepare for their job search. Source: AFP

Onboarding from home: Remote hiring processes demystified

Many critical operations have been struck by the social distancing measures required due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Many industries have had to pivot to entirely new working strategies to acclimatize to what appears to be the new normal, many of them for the first time ever.

One of those industries is human resources, which classically has been a people-first industry. In fact, HR might even play a larger role, as brands and companies lean on their HR department pros to keep teams in constant communication. They’ve also been tasked with devising innovative approaches to newly-surfaced issues, like just how will the onboarding process work for a fresh hire in the era of remote working?

Silicone Republic spoke with Brian Stern, president of the online recruitment platform Modern Hire. Stern is the former CEO and founder of Shaker International, and he brings his data-driven approach to consulting, client management, and recruitment analytics to inform modern hiring processes.

Stern believes the current climate is ripe for HR executives to take ownership of their company’s brand. By boosting the organization’s profile on digital recruitment platforms like LinkedIn, they can ensure their company information is up to date, that their open job positions are present and accounted for, and that company culture is explained, emphasized and highlighted so that they are attracting the right type of talent and fit.

In this manner, HR reps function the same was as marketers when they are the frontliners establishing the company’s brand and culture, as much as they are communicators of current job openings. Keeping postings active and working to fill them helps to establish business continuity and driving for outcomes, a necessity in times of uncertainty like we are experiencing now.

Recruiters and HR teams who are working from home are now relying on virtual applications to source and interview prospective candidates. Stern says purpose-built interview tools are a better solution than the likes of Google Hangouts and Skype, as those video conference services are not designed with interview needs in mind– and this could impair not only the quality of the interview, but ultimately give an inaccurate representation of the caliber of candidate themselves.

As HR execs work to rapidly adopt technology solutions, they should conduct diligent research to make sure they’re partnering with the right vendors, according to Stern, who are providing them with the virtual tools and resources that are specific to their needs and pain points.

With the rise in AI technology in hiring, it’s important for HR chiefs to partner with AI firms that are transparent with their procedures, and capable of explaining how their AI algorithms are being used within their products. If HR teams find that they’re unable to explain why or how AI is being used in their tools, they should avoid these products.

For HR teams who are actively searching to adopt purpose-built technology designed specifically for interviewing, it may take some time to find the right partners and implement the appropriate tools. Getting a jump-start on activating these hiring procedures is a reassuring sign of a productive company– and is also a welcome respite for job-seekers hunting for employment in a bleak market.