This year has been filled with multiple valuable lessons, particularly the importance of partnering with a staffing agency. No one could have imagined the workload that HR managers would be dealing with this year. Human resource departments across the nation have been busy between creating social distancing protocols, implementing DEI initiatives, and handling company layoffs. It’s no wonder why staffing partners are an essential part of scaling HR department recruitment efforts. As we quickly approach the new year, we want to take some time to look back at the staffing industry and how they saved hiring for 2020.
Unemployment Rate Similar To The Great Depression
Last year, Americans witnessed an unemployment rate under 4 percent. Although there were more open jobs than unemployed people, the country was thriving, and applicants were in control of the employment economy. After businesses were forced to close down for months, we quickly saw the unemployment rate increase to 14.7 percent by April of 2020. While Americans struggled to find work due to mandates, hiring managers leaned on recruiters to strategize new ways to source talent from a larger candidate pool. Between social media, utilizing recruitment platforms, creating virtual hiring events, and following up with once passive candidates who may be interested in new job opportunities, recruiters had their work cut out for them.
Fortunately, their tactics worked and helped companies capitalize on the opportunity to connect with top tier candidates and build successful teams. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the unemployment rate has taken a massive decrease, staying at a steady 7.9 percent as companies continue to partner with staffing firms specific to their industry. This extension to their business gives human resource departments more time to focus on covid-19 related issues that require new protocols and game plans to tackle.
Easier Recruitment Strategy Thanks To Technology
Work from home orders has created a new way that recruiters connect with applicants. While some companies still require candidates to come in person for an interview, the majority of companies across the nation have switched to virtual meetings and check-ins. Believe it or not, there are still a handful of companies out there that do not use an applicant tracking system, and one can only assume that if they aren’t using an ATS, their HR department may not be that tech-savvy. As our economy slowly begins to increase, the last thing any company needs is a slow recruitment process.
Companies that have partnered with full-service staffing firms have been able to lean on their extended network to oversee the electronic onboarding process, virtual hiring, and additional back-office needs. Essentially hiring managers have saved more time and got new hires to work instantly, all while implementing covid-19 guidelines.
More Temporary Workers Less Overhead
While parents play multiple roles assisting with e-learning and maintaining full-time jobs, managers have become more supportive and flexible when scheduling employees for work. Also, companies have bulked up on contingent workers to jump in when needed. A recent study by Gartner found that 32% of companies are shifting a portion of their workforce from full-time employees to contingent workers as a strategy to reduce overhead costs. Staffing firms take the hassle out of investing in full-time employees, giving companies a more cost-effective solution when adding to their team.
We’ll continue to keep our eye out for staffing trends, but let’s face it, without industry-specific staffing firms, who knows how companies would be able to bounce back from the pandemic. Recruitment partners have become the glue to keeping HR departments together and are an essential part of the business. Interested in a staffing partnership? Contact us today to learn more.