These companies are thinking outside the box when hiring

Long story short: These companies are thinking outside the box when hiring

July 23, 2021 12:02 PM

Hiring and recruiting is shaping up to be a momentous challenge for HR leaders, and the old ways of working just won’t cut it post-COVID.

Eighty-two percent of organizations have plans to hire this year, and one-third of employees are on the hunt for new job opportunities. In order to stand out from the crowd, employers need to think creatively and expand their pool of potential applicants to include underserved populations and untapped talent.

At Employee Benefit News’ Workplace Strategies Agenda this week, top HR leaders discussed recruiting challenges and how employers can overcome them by recalibrating their approach. Utilizing social media strategically and making your corporate culture transparent can make your company more appealing to younger workers in particular, experts shared.

Employers should leave no stone left unturned when looking for top talent. Chronically Capable connects workers struggling with chronic illness with employers who offer fully remote job opportunities. Some employers are also shifting their focus to hire employees without advanced education degrees, further expanding the search for the best fit for their organization.

How this CEO is helping employers hire workers with chronic illness

When Hannah Olson walked away from her dream job, it wasn’t because she didn’t enjoy or excel at the work. It was because she was chronically ill. Olson was diagnosed with Lyme disease in her early 20s, and her treatment plan required her to be on an IV for six hours a day — preventing her from being able to work in a traditional office.

In March 2020, Olson launched

Chronically Capable

, a job platform that connects workers with chronic illness (who account for 60% of the population) to employers who offer remote opportunities. The timing was serendipitous: as offices shut down and remote work became the norm, Olson and Chronically Capable were perfectly positioned to help employers finally understand the value and

talent

of the chronically-ill community.

Read more: How this CEO is helping employers hire workers with chronic illness

No degree, no problem: Workers with degrees may be the key to tackling company labor shortages

The demand for a skilled workforce is increasing faster than the supply of workers with college degrees, according to

a paper

from the National Bureau of Economic Research. The result is rising wage inequality by education levels and an increase in firms facing a skills gap — which is why on-the-job training and education may be more valuable than having a degree requirement for open positions.

This demographic of workers is referred to as STARs — skilled through alternative routes — and is made up of 70 million workers who have a high school diploma or GED but not a four-year college degree. Over 30 million STARs have the skills for jobs that pay, on average, 70% more than the ones they’re working in today, according to a report conducted by McKinsey. But this talent pool is often overlooked due to their educational background, or perceived lack thereof.

Read more: No degree, no problem: Workers without degrees may be the key to tackling company labor shortages

In a competitive job market, how can employers stand out and win talent?

A booming job market is great for workers — and challenging for the companies trying to hire them. At Employee Benefit News’

Workplace Strategies Agenda

, business leaders came together to discuss the wildly competitive state of hiring in a post-COVID world.

Increased options for employees means increased pressure for employers, who are working to recruit and retain workers that are more vocal than ever about the support they’re looking for from a workplace. Job descriptions should detail all aspects of culture, training opportunities and benefits, but companies should consider that candidates will explore a brand’s digital identity, as well.

Read more: In a competitive job market, how can employers stand out and win talent?

Female employees rank the top CEOs to work for

The pandemic and remote work

has left working women worse for wear

— both in their personal lives and their professional ones. In addition to struggling with a deteriorating mental health, 45% of female business leaders say it’s more difficult for women to speak up in virtual meetings, and 20% have witnessed more discrimination at work since the COVID-19 outbreak, according to

a study

conducted by Catalyst, a leadership strategy non-profit.

With remote work a new normal and more

women prepared to leave the workforce

should things remain the same, it’s imperative that business executives not only recognize the needs of their female employees, but enact change — or they’re going to lose them.

Read more: Female employees rank the top CEOs to work for