Among the many new virtual realities forced on organisations this year, one of the most significant has been the shift in the recruitment process. COVID-19 may have disrupted business operations, but HR leaders are secretly breathing a sigh of relief. This year, they finally had the opportunity to put to test the advanced technology solutions they had been touting long before the pandemic hit.
“Companies that had proactively invested in technology solutions are truly reaping the benefits,” notes Tanvi Choksi, head – HR, JLL. “We are able to use the solutions we invested in a lot more now than we had earlier. The pandemic has really increased the uptake of these platforms very nicely,” she adds.
Praveen Menon, chief people officer, IndiaFirst Life, mentions a similar success story. “All our IT investments are really standing the test of audit and times. It’s been a seamless transition for us,” states Menon.

“many senior managers believed that all they needed was a handshake to tell what a person is like. that intuition is not working anymore.”

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Tech saves the day

Pre-COVID, most HR professionals who already believed in the potential of recruitment technology were struggling with crawling adoption rates in their organisations. “There was a lot of resistance to change the existing processes,” observes Choksi, who has been working with some of these solutions since 2018. “Without the pandemic, normal face-to-face recruiting was working just fine so there wasn’t an urgent need to start adopting technology,” she explains.
2020 has “massively changed” that, believes Choksi, who says, “certain things have accelerated compared to earlier. Reliable technology has become the centrepiece of all hiring, recruiting and onboarding.” Now, to the surprise of most, not only are their colleagues and senior management sold on the technology, but they’re keener than ever to explore further solutions.
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Rethinking from scratch

Many offline processes swiftly shifted online when the lockdown first hit. However, at the time, “the intent was just temporary sustainability. People didn’t really rethink their processes,” points out Choksi.

“EARLIER, there was a strange fear that made managers want to see the person physically before making the offer. We’ve grown out of it NOW AND know that a physical meeting doesn’t change the hiring decision.”

Now that everyone around the globe has resigned to the fact that our reality will continue being virtual in the near future, “companies are really rethinking their entire processes from scratch,” says Choksi. “They are reconsidering processes they don’t need, and exploring whether there’s a technology that can make it simpler. The identifying and rethinking of these processes is demanding a fair amount of time and energy from the HR community,” she adds.
Here are the six ways organisations across sectors are using technology to make their recruitment and talent acquisition processes smarter:

1. Virtual can be reliable too

The most significant shift HR leaders are thanking 2020 for, is the change in mindsets towards in-person meetings. “Before COVID, one of the biggest gaps in adopting virtual meetings was the mindset of managers,” notes Satyajit Mohanty, CHRO, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals. “Most managers used to think that an in-person meeting is crucial for proper assessment of the candidate,” explains Mohanty, “Senior management particularly insisted on meeting candidates in person.”
Ritu Moitra, chief human resources officer, Duroflex, agrees, “Prior to COVID, calling candidates, especially if they’re in the same city, for multiple rounds was a trend across the industry.”

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“We partnered with a pre-screening vendor to record screen-capture videos, computer-facing and side views of the candidate, and also detect tab switching and alert about any suspicious activity.”

Now that the pandemic doesn’t leave us the option, “it has enabled us to leverage what we could never do before,” says Mohanty. “Virtual meetings have changed the face of hiring,” adds Moitra. “Though we did video interviews in the past, there was a strange fear that made managers want to see the person physically before making the offer,” she says, “That’s not the case anymore. We’ve grown out of it and know that a physical meeting doesn’t change the hiring decision. So that shift has certainly happened.”

2. Saving time efficiently

Virtual interviews and meetings have also allowed for time efficiency with tasks, such as checking availability and scheduling being automated and synced. “I’m seeing better preparedness across, since everyone receives notifications about the meetings, and everyone logs on at the same time,” says Moitra, “The respect for each other’s time has increased and it has nudged us to be time-conscious.”
Interview scheduling may seem like an insignificant aspect, but Choksi points out that “a lot of the time of recruiters goes into calling candidates and recruiting managers to fix a suitable time for the interview. It’s a non-value-add role that is very time consuming.” Technology makes it easy and “completely takes away the need for coordination”.
Since travelling to the interview location is out of the picture, it has also helped improve candidate experience. “In case the profile is not great or the meeting turns out to be short, and if the candidate has travelled a long distance, it has potential to spoil the candidate experience,” explains Moitra, “But now, since that is out, the investment is low and it’s much easier.”
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3. Smart screening

Technology has also helped speed up the screening process and is proving particularly handy, now that the available talent pool is massive. IndiaFirst Life has developed pre-scheduled interviews. “We send a link to the candidate with pre-populated questions, which they can respond to at their convenience,” explains Menon. “Their answers are recorded and the first level of our filtration happens on the basis of that recording.”
JLL has been experimenting with talent acquisition powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, since late 2018. “We use Workday as our tool for talent acquisition, which has built-in AI elements for candidate screening,” informs Choksi. Artificial intelligence has also come to the rescue for candidate sourcing. “You can use multiple sources to narrow your list. It’s much faster and the more you screen, the better outcomes you get thanks to machine learning,” she explains.
Artificial intelligence is also empowering JLL to select the right talent. “Candidate assessments have become better with AI,” says Choksi. “Once you feed the key abilities you’re looking for into the algorithms, it can give you many better-shortlisted candidates,” she explains.

4. Trust the data

In the absence of in-person meetings, where the infamous ‘handshake’ theory cannot be applied any longer, data-assessment tools are garnering popularity as well. “Surprisingly, many senior managers have this inflated opinion of their ability to judge people,” points out Mohanty. “They used to say that all they need is a handshake to tell what a person is like.”

“We use Workday as our tool for talent acquisition, which has built-in AI elements for candidate screening. It’s much faster and the more you screen, the better outcomes you get thanks to machine learning”

Now that most managers are still warming up to the virtual medium, they’re leaning towards data-assessment tools to infer the candidate’s personality for them. “Right now, those intuitions are not supporting you so much, and have therefore, become much more receptive towards the quantitative tools, which were already in place,” says Mohanty, “Openness for these assessment tools has gone up significantly. Now they’re asking for it themselves.”
While JLL always encouraged recruiting managers to use assessment tools rather than just relying on the interview, Choksi notes that, “assessment tools and other mechanisms to understand personality as a whole are becoming really important.”
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5. Monitoring virtual interviews

The new normal of recruiting has opened up the “opportunities for malpractices,” says Ramesh Kalanje, VP – centre of excellence, Commvault, “so there’s a need for extra caution and continuous monitoring during interviews.” To avoid fishy business during virtual interviews, Commvault partnered with a pre-screening vendor. “They helped us record screen-capture videos, computer-facing and side views of the candidate,” explains Kalanje, “The vendor had existing technology to detect tab switching and alert about any suspicious activity.”

“All our IT investments are really standing the test of audit and times. It’s been a seamless transition for us.”

6. Enhanced candidate experience

JLL is also working on technology solutions that can enhance the candidate-engagement experience further. “Today, candidates want updates very often. They do not want to wait one or two weeks for a response. Therefore, using AI and tools, such as chatbots, we can send them instant updates on where they are in the recruitment process,” explains Choksi. While the Company hasn’t put this technology to practice yet, Choksi says, “we are in the exploratory stage to see if we can use it in our recruitment process and make the candidate journey even better.”

The post 6 ways tech is turning talent acquisition smart appeared first on POST A RESUME HR Consultancy.

‘As long as the work is delivered, you can do whatever you want’. This is the new mantra driving many team leads, and a certain indicator of work-life integration. HR professionals throw light on the shift from wary team leads to trusting managers.
In the wake of the nationwide lockdown, work officially barged into the home space. Many feared this was it. That with no clear boundaries between work hours and personal time, their lives would now be consumed by work. Instead, HR leaders have observed a beautiful amalgamation between the two that has, to their surprise, led to an increase in productivity, quality family and personal time, and respect for one’s time from oneself, one’s colleagues and family.
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Bye balance, hello harmony

There was a time we heard the phrase work-life balance so much, that repetition diluted its meaning. HR professionals unanimously agree it was a flawed concept to begin with. “It’s a very demarcated way of looking at things,” says Ritu Moitra, chief human resources officer, Duroflex. “We aren’t robots to say ‘we’ll dedicate 8 hours to this, then another 8 hours to that’ and not have either overlap,” she adds.
Arun Krishnamurthy, head of HR, Barclays India concurs, “Work and life are certainly not compartmentalised boxes independent of each other.” Krishnamurthy prefers looking at it as achieving harmony, “Work can be as fulfilling, fun or dreadful as any other quadrant of life. The more you understand that, the more creative you can get in achieving greater harmony.”

“I’ve seen many leaders, who were earlier very hesitant about providing flexible work opportunities, now swearing by the very same IDEA!”

Understanding integration

Now, with work being done out of the home and there being no office to go to, the phrase work-life balance has been rendered redundant and is officially a thing of the past. Work-life integration is the new goal. Until last year, achieving work-life integration may have been a ‘trend’ to aspire to, but this year’s radical shift in work culture has made it a necessary goal.
Is work-life integration just a nice-sounding theory on paper or does it really live up in practice? Krishnamurthy’s journey with achieving this integration goes back to 2007. He illustrates, “I was working with Unilever in London when my son was really young. He had to be picked up from the nursery, which closed at 6 p.m. So I would leave work at 5, get to the nursery, pick him up, come home, give him something to eat and log back into work. By then, my wife would be back to take care of my son.”
Ability to efficiently attend to responsibilities of both work and of home is how these spheres of an individual’s life blend into one. “So, leaving work an hour early was not reduced hours. It was just work hours that got blended in with some personal needs,” explains Krishnamurthy.
Similarly, when he was concerned about being unable to make time for fitness, he took up running during lunchtime. “We went for a long run, came back, had a shower, got a quick lunch and then we were fresh for the second half of the day.” Before he knew it, the hobby turned into a passion. “It started off as trying to integrate fitness with work, which has now led to my passion of running half marathons.”
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Time saved is time earned

With commute to work and business travel out of the picture, it’s a huge chunk of precious time saved. “The couple of hours that I have saved on Mumbai commute is one of the biggest savings for me and now I have the freedom to choose how I want to use that extra time,” says Krishnamurthy. No commute has had another perk, says Moitra. “Now that people don’t have to struggle with traffic, it has increased productivity.”
The significant amount of unproductive time that was spent over smoke, coffee and longish lunch breaks, has also been freed up. Moitra believes that people have become more responsible with how they manage their time now that they are making the decisions. “Now that I know it’s my time, it depends on me how I schedule it. I know I have to deliver certain things and as soon as I do that, I can get into my personal life.” She says this has been empowering for many. “We can design our own lives now. Employees create their own work schedules, which has increased productivity.”

Human side

This year’s forced work-life integration has also led companies to meet the human being behind their workforce. “We are seeing our colleagues in various dimensions,” says Moitra, “It is the simple things, like seeing people in their home environments now, and in casual attire while connecting on video calls.” This has helped companies “finally accept an employee as a human,” notes Moitra.
Krishnamurthy adds, “A lot of our senior leadership was contributing much more towards the home. Therefore, we made a video that showed them sweeping, mopping, cooking and playing board games with their children. This helped us see them as simple individuals going about their daily lives like any of us.”

“We’ve mandated 30-minutes away from all technology and we encourage our colleagues to close work at a fixed time so they don’t have to work beyond the line of closing.”

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Improved camaraderie

HR leaders are also noting increased empathy and understanding, and seeing colleagues and team leads adapting to each other’s schedules. “Many people have become very flexible with their teams,” says Krishnamurthy, “In terms of how and when they interact with them, giving the choice while being clear, that at the end of the day the work needs to be delivered.”
It has been a gradual shift in trust, notes Krishnamurthy. “I’ve seen many leaders, who were earlier very hesitant about providing flexible work opportunities, now swearing by the very same thing! They’ve not just warmed up to the idea, but some have gone to the extent of saying ‘Why do we ever need people back in the physical office?’!”
Moitra agrees, “Earlier there was a lot of focus on leaves and attendance. You had to apply in advance, and even if you were going to be a few hours late you had to inform. Things, such as ‘in and out’ times, days off and pending leaves, were strictly monitored. Now, all of a sudden, those things are not even discussed. Some companies are not keeping that time sheet anymore. Now, you just know that someone may not be available in the first half because a child needs tutoring. People are also more comfortable sharing that they have to go fetch groceries or have something personal to attend to.”
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Training for respect

With this practical application of work-life integration revealing so many advantages, companies too are helping employees achieve this harmony. The most significant training imparted is to respect the other’s time.
“Through regular trainings, we’re helping people blend in, making them conscious that their personal needs could be different from that of others, and being respectful of those,” says Krishnamurthy, “We’re also making policy changes to drive flexibility to a new level. We’ve made sure that people have access to both physical and mental healthcare, and we have self-help communities.”

“We aren’t robots to say ‘we’ll dedicate eight hours to this, then another eight to that’ and not have either overlap”

Mondelez India has amped up its internal trainings too. “We are training our leaders to be sensitive to the needs of colleagues,” says Mahalakshmi R, director-human resources, Mondelez India. The Company has introduced several initiatives, such as ‘do nothing days’, ‘line of closing’ and ‘digital detox’ that are practised by senior leadership in a bid to lead by example. “We’ve mandated 30-minutes away from all technology and we encourage our colleagues to close work at a fixed time so they don’t have to work beyond the line of closing,” explains Mahalakshmi.

Blurring gender lines

While we have been speaking of the work side of things, work-life integration has led to another unexpected outcome. “The reverse has also happened, which is very important,” says Moitra, “Family members have started understanding the kind of demands your work puts on you. They are getting a first-hand experience of the company you work for, so there is more acceptance when your attention is being demanded by work.”
Moitra highlights another significant consequence. “The gender lines have vanished both at work and at home.” While men are contributing more at home, women no longer have to feel guilty about asking for time off from work for personal responsibilities. “Earlier, you had to really look for a reason to justify asking for time off, but now no questions are asked,” says Moitra.
Family members too are witnessing that the woman’s role in the workplace is no different from that of the man’s. “Take for instance, children. They see their mothers having an equally difficult time convincing or talking to clients — something they assumed only their dads had to go through.”

The post Unexpected perks of work blending into life appeared first on POST A RESUME HR Consultancy.

An organisation is like a tribe. Every member has his/her own role to play, and together, they all contribute to the wellbeing of one another. If forced to stay indoors, the tribe may find it harder to communicate and avenues for discussion may degrade over time. When new members join the tribe, it becomes imperative for them to build new relationships and social capital.
The problem is that, there are no watercooler chats anymore. We are not going to run into our colleague from the other department any time soon. Newcomers who are joining companies virtually and working from home, will find it tough to seek out friends and acquaintances at the new workplace.

“Creating social equity in a virtual platform, is not impossible but quite hard. Most of these things happen not by design, but naturally, by spending time with each other.”

Anil Jalali, HR specialist, says, “In the current context, we need to be able to make up for the absence of personal connection at the physical workplace through creative, virtual means.”
That is why, organisations need to help their employees build social capital, which comprises networks of people and information, which help them learn, grow and get their work done. It contributes to their sense of fulfilment within the organisation. If we look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, social needs of intimate relationships and friendship come before a person can fulfil his or her creative needs.
 
Why is it necessary?
When social connections between team members, whether from the same department or different, are strong and many, there is more trust, a higher flow of information and a cohesiveness for collective action. New joinees may find it hard to build trust in an environment where discussions are backed by an agenda and most conversations are work related. It is trust, which enables employees to share their problems with one another, talk about their bosses and help each other achieve their goals at work. An important part of that trust is reciprocity. It assures individuals that any favour handed out to a colleague will be returned to them in their time of need. It allows interactions to happen without any formality which can slow down the process.
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If we imagine a new employee being enabled to develop new relationships at work, virtually, we can understand the kind of benefits this will entail, both for the organisation and for the individual. For instance, e-joinees are much more likely to be stuck in multiple problems at work. If they manage to build trust and a good rapport with their colleagues, it will allow them to be honest and cut through formalities to get right to the point.
If the e-joiners can expect a helpful, problem-solving approach from their peers and seniors, they may be more willing to report any problem they face without worrying too much about it. They will be able to ask their senior colleagues without feeling embarrassed or being accused of incompetence.
Building social capital is a soft skill with a hard edge because there is a business case to doing it.
First, it helps retain new workers and is a means for their engagement within the company. Let’s face it, an isolated and unsatisfied worker will hardly be the best person to provide results. Nobody would like to lose good talent during this period.
We are living in a difficult era, when coordination and communication are of utmost importance. If there is a lack of effort from the organisation’s side to facilitate such relationships, driving the business forward will be a challenge.
Second, it promotes learning. Structured learning initiatives can rarely hope to be as successful or powerful as informal learning avenues. More than putting new joinees in a programme right away, helping them connect with other employees will prove far more fruitful.
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Third, it will help build emotional support and a sense of belongingness for the newbies. Farther down the road, this will go a long way to facilitate innovation for the company, which is essential to thrive and survive in today’s world. If the goal is to create a culture where people feel comfortable taking risks and thinking outside the box, a level of trust and emotional safety is necessary. Without it, new joinees will struggle to connect, understand, innovate or grow inside the company.’
 

“Senior leadership needs to make time to connect with employees. It may increase the pressure on them, but it is the need of the hour and will prove to be time well spent.”

How to do it?
Granted, helping create social capital is an intangible concept, however, it is an important one.
Naresh Kumar Puritipati, director-HR, Lactalis India, agrees that today’s way of working has made it tougher for organisations to facilitate working relationships for the newcomers.  “Creating social equity in a virtual platform, is not impossible but quite hard. Most of these things happen not by design, but naturally, by spending time with each other,” he adds.
It is true that unless employees intentionally decide to build new relationships at work, such intentions are a difficult proposition for companies to implement, especially in the current context.
However, there can be three ways starting points for organisations to drive the agenda forward.
One, as it is in most cases, the message needs to come from the top. Leaders need to interact with the new joinees, or have a session with them, for maybe an hour every week. A message from the senior leadership helps to set the tone going forward.
“Senior leadership needs to make time to connect with employees. It may increase the pressure on them, but it is the need of the hour and will prove to be time well spent,” opines Jalali.
Two, existing programmes such as ‘mentor-mentee’ or ‘buddy programmes’ can be tweaked to work in the virtual office. Although these may be a single point of contact for the newcomers, they may prove to be a good starting point leading to other relationships.
Three, organisations can use other methods in their arsenal to help new employees build social capital. For instance, peer-to-peer or community-learning sessions are organised in many companies. These can give the e-joinees a platform to speak and express themselves immediately. The increased confidence from such sessions can spark conversations among co-workers, paving the way for new relationships to be forged.
Social capital is important to retain talented people in an organisation. When new people enter a company, they are initiated into the culture, and over time, start to recognise themselves as a part of the whole. The current crisis may have cut short our ability to build relationships as before, but it has not made it impossible in any way.

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