Jennifer Locklear, Chief Talent Officer, ConnectWise 

For many young adults, summer and fall provide opportunities to gain work experience through internships or applying to jobs post-graduation. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the economy, setting companies back financially and putting a hold on internship programs and other work opportunities.

Although it is an uncertain time for many, businesses across the country have started to open up again and as organizations look into hiring new employees, they must learn to navigate the changing recruitment landscape.

As business leaders and employees have spent the past ​few months adjusting to a fully remote or partially remote work environment and planning for returns to physical office space, recent grads, and college students are facing the uncertainties of rising unemployment rates and an economy in free fall.

While current employment statuses may seem uncertain, some organizations in the technology and health care industries have experienced growth. Even outside of these industries, organizations have continued hiring and seeking interns and new employees.

For businesses still hiring, the nuances of a full or hybrid virtual onboarding experience have replaced traditional practices, presenting a unique learning opportunity for organizations and applicants who have had to adjust to virtual onboarding and training.

The ability to extend recruitment on a national or global level increases an organization’s chances of filling positions previously lacking due to the skills gap and opens them up to a more diverse pool of applicants.

With that in mind, both organizations and job seekers must overcome the challenges of working during the pandemic and embrace the uniqueness of the situation. Below are three ways organizations can make the most of virtual work experiences.

The New Landscape Opens Doors for Global Recruitment

Employees often complain about long commutes, which also becomes a problem during the interview process. As a business with remote work capabilities, you have the advantage of flexibility when it comes to where you’re seeking talent.

If you can operate virtually, the city where you’re headquartered is no longer the location where the top talent can be hired. That’s a huge benefit in industries like technology when so much of the talent is on the west coast and your city might not be known as a technology hub.

Now, the whole country has opened up and is available for hire, so your organization can focus on quality recruitment.

( Also Read: 7 Benefits of Virtualization Technology for Businesses )

Re-evaluate Onboarding and Company Culture

In order to help a new hire feel welcomed, constant contact should be in place before their first day. Remote onboarding will include providing the standard tools and login details but consider setting aside a small budget to cover the additional costs of helping a new hire set up their workspace.

Sending company swag and providing fact sheets with interesting information about their new colleagues around important and useful information will also help.

Reducing a large company down to a few regular contacts at the start will make onboarding more seamless. The weeks leading up to a new job and the first few days are crucial, so maintain communication and make sure you’ve solidified a network of at least five contacts so that the interns and new hires know who to reach out to when they have questions. Virtual onboarding works better when you keep employees warm and engaged with you even before they start with your company.

Implement Training Guides, Processes to Prepare for a Hybrid Workforce

Set up hybrid training with your management teams to develop a proper framework and foundation to help your organization move forward in the current remote working environment.

Many employees across industries have expressed a desire to return to the workplace once it’s safe to do so, but now that they’ve experienced the benefits of remote working, many will likely seek a balance between working remotely and on-site.

Most people want some flexibility in their work arrangement, whether it’s only coming into the office once a month or working from home three days a week. The HR community is experiencing a shifting mindset from employees and executives, especially now that companies know they can work remotely and be successful.

With trends moving towards a hybrid model, speak with your employees now and start outlining what that might look like for your business model.

With an onslaught of remote positions, flexible schedules, and a rise in the popularity of coworking spaces, the traditional office model was already in flux before COVID-19 and it will continue to change post-pandemic.

Although the coronavirus has presented employers and applicants with new challenges, it has also shifted conversations to lean favorably toward hybrid working environments. While it might be too soon to predict where the economy will be a year from now, adapting to the evolving landscape will yield the best results for businesses and job seekers.