The coronavirus pandemic created enormous changes in the traditional workplace. No industry was left untouched. From manufacturing and retail to food and hospitality, every business is grappling with the impact of a global pandemic that left much of the world stunned. Slowly, as we pulled away from its economic impact and countries begin to reopen their borders, we are greeted with the challenges of inviting workers back into the office again and how the pandemic reshaped the skills organizations need in their employees.
The past year tested the workforce and the ability of businesses to survive such a catastrophe. But also, it developed in employees some necessary skills that will be handy for decades to come. Every year, experts believe that workers’ skills should improve by 10%. During the past year, they’ve increased their skills by a hundred-fold. Organizations are in an extraordinary position of choosing critically what kind of skills their new employees must have.
You can begin by updating your job portal development services and including these new skills in the qualifications that you are looking for in new hires. The portal should be able to weed out employees who do not have the necessary skills that will benefit your organization. Since everything happens virtually and digitally right now, it’s critical for all your business tools to align with the new policies and protocols you will set.
Self-direction
Employees need to be self-reliant. They need to direct themselves because they’ll be working at home or by themselves for quite some time. Sure, many organizations are requiring their employees to report to the office again, but that doesn’t mean they’re collaborating face-to-face already. Many are still communicating via collaborative tools. If you will employ remote workers, for example, then that means they need a do-it-yourself personality where they will diagnose systematic and logistical problems and find solutions for them.
Digital Capabilities
Unfortunately, the post-pandemic workplace isn’t for mid-career workers who are not tech-savvy. Knowing how to operate the computer is different from understanding how business tools work in a remote work setup. Those who have trouble with technology either need to come to the office to work (so an IT department is always around) or learn new tech skills to compete with the new generation of workers.
But it’s not just about operating a computer or knowing how to respond on Slack. It’s also about understanding business analytics and what it means in the bigger scheme of things. Remember that business analytics isn’t about marketing alone. Businesses use these numbers to analyze the productivity of their workers, too.
Empathy
Anyone can use a bit more empathy right now. It’s a soft skill that people and organizations have taken for granted for a long time. Everyone—from the leadership down to the last guy in the payroll—needs to have a better understanding of what they are going through this time. People and organizations are trying to make their way through this pandemic. It will do everyone good if they can just be empathic of their peers and the company itself.
Communication
The ability to communicate well with a team has always been an important skill that organizations look for in employees. However, in a post-pandemic workforce, communication across platforms is what’s vital. Remember that since many are working remotely, they have to learn how to convey their tone via email, messaging tools, and teleconferencing platforms. So how does this change your hiring process? You need to use a variety of platforms when you interview candidates for a job post. Doing so will give you a good idea of how the candidates can work within your system.
Adaptability
Organizations have different ways of surviving the pandemic. Some are operating on a hybrid system, while others are operating on a fully remote setup. This is why companies have to hire people who can adapt to these changes. They should be able to work in the office or at home when needed. There are too many uncertainties because of the pandemic. These will demand so much from your employees, so you have to make sure they adapt well to these challenges.
The new norm in the workplace will still change. Organizations will continue to adopt new policies, depending on the situations where they will find themselves in a post-pandemic world. But to survive the chaos that coronavirus brings, companies need to hire the right people with the necessary skills to take them into the new world, one where the future is more certain and where businesses, like before the pandemic, can thrive once more.
