HR Management

• Well over half of employees (54%) are considering leaving their job in the next 18 months
• Almost two in three (65%) employees rank higher pay as most important, while, 62% of employees now cite job security as their second most important need
• Two in five (39%) employees would stay if their employer demonstrated more care for their mental wellbeing

After passing the milestone of a year in lockdown, more than half (59%) of employees have admitted that they will now start looking for a new job if their work values aren’t accommodated, according to new research from MetLife UK. The third chapter of MetLife’s Re:Me report also found that well over half (54%) are considering leaving their current role in the next 18 months.

While pay continues to be ranked most important (65%) – a factor that pre-dates Covid-19 –employee’s values, priorities and basic needs have evolved. Employers are required to take a much more hands on approach to support employees’ wellbeing.

Second to higher pay was job security for almost two in three (62%) employees. The financial implications of the pandemic have left millions of people in an uncertain and unenviable financial position, particularly in hard hit sectors such as hospitality and retail. Job security, while a basic need, understandably remains essential as we look ahead to the economic recovery.

While pay and job security may be harder to control in the current environment, taking smaller steps to address employee’s mental or physical needs can boost productivity, increase morale and create a more open working environment. The study found that nearly two in five (39%) employees admitted that they would remain with their current employer if their boss demonstrated more care for their mental wellbeing.

As businesses look to transition back to the office, it’s crucial that employers speak frankly to their employees about what they are now looking for from their job in order to encourage them to stay. People’s priorities have shifted dramatically in the past year which provides a clear opportunity for businesses to re-shape the office environment and the benefits packages they offer. Taking the time now to redress current issues and adapt accordingly will quash the need for employees to start the job search.

Adrian Matthews, EB Director at MetLife UK, comments: It’s clear that employees’ values and priorities both personally and professionally have changed as a result of the pandemic. A chance to reflect and step back, 2021 has the possibility to be the year that businesses re-shape the world of work. Everyday it seems another business is setting out their plan to head back to the office or introduce a new hybrid working model but talking isn’t enough anymore.

“Employees who feel that their needs are not being met are showing that they are not afraid to look elsewhere for the support they need from an employer, striking a better work life balance for them and their families. While a certain amount of change after such a lifechanging year is inevitable employers can’t afford their best talent to walk away, especially in cases where they could have done something to stop it. Pay and job security will naturally remain the main motivators, but demonstrating care for an employee’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing will play an important part in guaranteeing an employee’s loyalty for the long term.”

By Andrew Cooke, Strategic Director at Bruntwood Works:

 While the country continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s another epidemic that’s plaguing UK home workers: stress.

According to a report from HSE, a whopping 828,000 people suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2020. And with an overwhelming workload cited as the main cause of burnout by respondents, it’s clear that during lockdown, we’ve had more work  than ever, not less.

That stress has had a direct impact on our work lives, too. In 2020, a 17.9 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle: the more days we lose to stress, the more our colleagues have to cover, increasing their workload.

But there is a way out of this predicament.

“The problem with working from home is that it becomes almost impossible for us to separate our work lives from our personal time,” says Andrew Cooke, Strategic Director at co-working and workspace provider Bruntwood Works.

“The key to escaping the stress that builds up during the day is being able to draw that line: by implementing some best practices to keep your workday from invading your downtime. That way, staff can prevent burnout and be more productive in the day to day.”

The good news is that breaking the cycle starts with some small changes in your daily habits. Bruntwood Works teamed up with experts at Push Doctor to find out how you can truly unwind from work when you’re stuck at home.

1. Create a separate workspace

One of the biggest challenges with working from home is trying to relax in the same space where you work.

“The first step is to try to create a clear separation between home and work,” says Dr Tom Micklewright, Associate Medical Director at Push Doctor. “If you have a room you can use exclusively for work, that’s perfect.

“If not though, you can still create the illusion of a separate space. Using a desk tidy, plants and even your favourite music to temporarily create a distinct ‘work space’ can all help, especially if you clear them away at the end of the work day.”

2. Get out of the house

While staying at home is the reality for many of us at the moment, that doesn’t mean you can’t leave the house altogether.

“When we’re working from home, it’s easy to spend several hours sitting in one position, but remember to get up and move often,” says Dr Micklewright.Keeping your body active and breathing fresh air will keep you energised to help you through your day.

One of the best ways to ensure you do stay active is to bake it into your daily calendar. Dr Mickelwright recommends scheduling “multiple short work breaks throughout the day, including a lunchtime walk. The combination of exercise, sunlight and time away from your screen will help bring perspective and a boost to your mental health.”

3. Make plans in the evening

It sounds odd to suggest making plans in the middle of the pandemic. However, after-work plans have always been a lifesaver when it comes to preventing burnout.

While you may not be able to go to the pub with friends, you can arrange a video call at 6 pm. Alternatively, you could start an online group that regularly meets in the evening every week; perhaps a book club or a regular quiz.

Having plans means you have a reason to down tools. It also gives you something to look forward to throughout the day, adding some much needed perspective to just how important that project you’re working on really is in the grand scheme of things.

4. Do a digital detox

Staring at our screens all day isn’t good for us. The constant overload of information can follow us even when we’re trying to relax on the sofa in the evening, be it ‘doom-scrolling’ through your newsfeed or the endless notifications that pull us back into our work inbox.

“Numerous studies have shown a correlation between social media use and mental health, with heavier users being more likely to feel depressed, stressed or anxious,” warns Dr Micklewright.

In the evenings, switch off work-related notifications on your phone. “Just setting times of the day, days of the week or places in the house where digital devices are not allowed can help restore some balance.”

5. Keep your body well-fueled

The body is like a car: without the right fuel in the tank, it’ll soon run out of momentum and come to a screeching halt.

To avoid burnout, Dr Micklewright asserts that “it’s essential to look after your physical health.  Eating nutritious, balanced meals and prioritising 7-8 hours of sleep every night will have a beneficial effect on your mind too.”

A sleep routine is about more than when you go to bed. It includes habitual prompts that tell your brain it’s time to switch off. For a lot of people, reading a book for the last hour of the day helps slow down their minds.

Be kind, unwind

One of the most important lessons that working from home has taught us is that unwinding from work doesn’t happen by default. Instead, we need habits and behaviours in place that untangle us from the messy web of emails and half-finished projects that otherwise keep us awake at night.

By being disciplined with these habits, UK workers can not only prevent burnout but also enjoy a productivity boost when they are in work-mode. You’ll quickly discover that you actually can balance work and life — and feel much happier for it.

 There is no doubt that over the past 12 months, people have been enduring immense stress, with The Centre for Mental Health predicting[1] that up to 10 million people (almost 20% of the population) will need either new or additional mental health support as a direct consequence of the pandemic.

With restrictions easing and the end of lockdown in sight, this brings with it mixed emotions, with many people now feeling stressed and anxious at the thought of returning to ‘normality’.  The recently launched Brain Bio Centre at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition recognises the significance of stress affecting both mental and physical health, with it crucially having an effect on the immune system at a time when we need it to be fighting fit and to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

It is therefore vital to look for ways to help manage stress and support our immune systems as we navigate the coming months. As we approach Stress Awareness Month in particular, Lorraine Perretta from the Brain Bio Centre, who is a Fellow of ION and the author of Food for Thought, provides her five top tips for supporting your immune health and combating stress.

1. Limit ultra-processed food – Poor nutrition can lead to compromised immunity, so limit sugary, processed snacks and reduce your reliance on ready meals. There has never been a more important time to eat well and support your immune system.
2. Supplement if necessary – For a well-functioning immune system, micronutrients should include vitamins A, C, D, E, B2, B6 and B12 as well as folic acid, iron, selenium and zinc.
3. Take regular exercise – Meditation, yoga, walking, running and lifting weights can all help you manage your stress levels and relax. The important thing is finding what works for you and your body. Avoid over-exercising as this can increase anxiety especially high-impact exercise and running. Be gentle with yourself.
4. Get into nature – Take the opportunity to get out into fresh air and nature. Not only is it good exercise but studies have shown that fresh air and being amongst nature can benefit your mental wellbeing.
5. Sleep well – Studies have shown that sufficient sleep helps the immune system to work well, with chronic sleep deprivation another risk factor which impairs our immune system. Eating meals earlier, avoiding technology close to bedtime and winding down with a bath or listening to some music before bed can all help you to get a better night’s sleep.

Lorraine comments: “There is no doubt we are seeing the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of the nation here at the Brain Bio Centre, with more people suffering from anxiety and insomnia than ever before. Our personalised approach is at the very heart of the work we do. Every person is different and therefore every solution needs to be tailored to their individual needs. We deal with the full spectrum of mental health issues from mild anxiety to more serious issues, but always with the same personalised approach.”

By Karen Lebsanft ,Kurrajong Kitchen

I’ve proudly built a brand for the last 28 years and have seen people come and go at all levels. I’ve seen not less than 4 employment law changes in this time and heard a variety of ways to improve staff retention.  I’ve seen a revolving door of staff as I navigated my way through employment law, best practice and my duty to my staff. I’ve also in the early days employed with a sense of fear.

I would not be the only one.  When I speak to small business about growth the biggest problem they see is having to deal with people – well staff.  “Who wants the problems?” they say. The staff won’t do what I want and if I have to get rid of them its too difficult.  And yes, I have certainly had my fair share of these people.

Employees who think that you as the business owner are “rich” because you own the business.  The ones who think you are responsible for everything because “you’re the boss”.

When I started employing, we were on State Awards, received all advice by snail mail and there was a lot of paper. The advice was through the association of which we joined and understanding the paperwork delivered was not as straight forward as I would have liked as I was intent on building a business and a brand.

Every staff member took on a persona within my business made up of being a casual worker, full timer, parttimer, or seasonal worker.  They wear the hat of mum, dad, family member, support or key provider to their family. They have personal pressures that can hinder their ability to do their job.

They take on some form of personality profile identified through the DISC profiling.  They range from 15-60 years of age with a wide range of interests and nationalities. They are all individuals blended for the good of the business.

But beyond this I know they all seek the same as me. Purpose. They want and deserve a sense of purpose.  And if I allow them to enter into the team – into the family as I call our team, they must understand the role they play.  Not just the tasks they must perform, the outcomes they must achieve but they must understand how to be part of that family.  What expectations I have of them.  What they are accountable for, what authority they have and what responsibility they hold – yes in their role but to the guy or girl they will stand and work next to.

You see most business owners expect that employees “know” this.  It is a given, isn’t it?

The key to best HR practices is giving the employee a voice. A platform that engages in open communication.  One in which they feel heard and considered.  It’s not about right or wrong, it’s the opportunity to be heard. Being heard amongst the noise that the world offers us today is one of the most valuable tools you can offer for both the business and its team.

I’ve learned a lot of the lifetime of building a business but one thing I stand true to is working with your team with open communication.

Open communication starts with values in a business and the understanding of matching the person you are engaging to the value set your business holds. This is the beginning of a true employer-employee relationship.

As small business owners trying to become big business owners we often don’t know what we don’t know. Here the practice of leadership versus manager needs to be explained.

Manager sets tasks, monitor outputs, look to forecasts, keep the team moving with task management to achieve the ultimate outcome for the business.

It is the view of leadership that captures the essence of this input and output.  Allowing the team to understand the vision, the path which will be taken, the check ins and discussion of the intangibles. Culture determines the road ahead – the way in which a bump is approached and handled. If a target is set without consideration of how the people will engage with it, it is likely the success of the put come will be rife with problems.

As a small business having grown to a bigger business my top tips are

1. Keep the communication open and flowing
2. Employ for value set and culture first and skill set second
3. Treat your team as family and expect the same
4. Lead before managing
5. Have the tough conversations with a gentle approach

When used – it hasn’t failed me yet!

By Adam Harding, Chief Technologist for Digital Workspace, Softcat

Without question, 2020 was the year of the remote workforce, with many organisations forced to rethink how they work and how they deliver for their employees and customers at a moment’s notice. Heroically, IT and HR teams across the globe got it done quickly and dynamically.

Over the past 12 months, a significant cultural shift has taken place across industries, one which is likely to remain in place long after the COVID-19 pandemic. This rapid transformation to distributed work meant many organisations had to give ground on employee experience and security to deliver workstyle flexibility.

As we emerge the other side, now is the time to get it done well. It is time to harmonise productive employee freedoms with security, invest in remote working technologies and adapt leadership strategies to protect productivity, engagement and wellbeing.

The evolution of the digital workspace

Connecting remote employees to an organisation’s culture and resources, the digital workspace has become key to driving high-performing distributed workforces in the “new normal” and keeping businesses running at their best.

In fact, a recent Softcat survey of over 1,500 UK organisations found investing in end-user computing and communication tooling is now considered a top priority across industries, bringing the full digital workspace to life.

A successful digital workspace strategy puts people first, technology second, and demands a high level of collaboration between HR and IT teams. It defines the experience that securely connects people, apps, data and devices, and aims to address poor end-user experience that can hit productivity and employee morale – something organisations are fighting hard to protect in the current climate.

The concept and the delivery of the digital workplace are also in a constant state of flux. In order to be successful, strategies must be responsive to technological advances, cultural shifts and changing business goals.

HR and IT – learning to speak each other’s language

Historically, HR and IT haven’t had much to do with one another. But for operational cohesion, this has to change.

The pandemic has taught some and reiterated to others the value of integrating HR and IT. Those who were already following this mantra last Spring were rewarded early on in the face of unprecedented disruption and changes to working practices.

While HR and IT colleagues may speak different languages and measure success in different ways (for HR, this is centred on hiring, retention and wellbeing, whereas for IT it’s speed, productivity and compliance), their end goals are essentially two sides of the same coin and all concern the employee experience.

Technology has become the new cornerstone of training and overall workplace culture, accelerated by the pandemic. Many of the tools staff now rely on to complete their daily workloads and communicate provide valuable insights for HR teams to monitor and respond to engagement and productivity concerns.

Access to reliable applications and systems is also essential for employees to do their best work, whether they’re working on premises or remotely – another tie between HR and IT teams.

So much so, it’s likely moving forward, we’ll see a new senior role develop in organisations, tasked with driving integration between HR and IT departments in the new remote environment.

How technology is creating positive employee experiences
Employees now expect the same level of experience at work as they do as a customer. This means, HR and IT teams must work hard to create positive and frictionless employee experiences, all the way from applying for the role to the exit interview.
Interacting with technologies at work makes up a large proportion of an employee’s day-to-day experience – even more so since the widespread switch to remote working. But in today’s often-fragmented enterprise IT landscape, barriers remain which can make it difficult for employees to feel fully connected to their work and their colleagues, part of an organisation’s wider mission, recognised and rewarded for good work, and unable to access all the information they need for daily tasks.
Organisations must prioritise investment in digital workspace technologies, alongside bolstering cyber security defences, in order to deliver these consumer-grade experiences and avoid individuals or teams working in silos, compartmentalised and isolated from one another.

This starts with the virtual hiring and onboarding process which has become essential for many during the pandemic. Specially created short training videos to support the induction process, alongside a schedule of virtual meetings and one-on-one video calls, can streamline the process significantly for both HR teams and new starters.

The development of highly personalised employee experience platforms is also an exciting area for HR and IT teams, as well as employees. These platforms offer integrated survey capabilities, the exploration of company benefits, and the ability to deliver employees rich content via branded images and video to name a few.

Spurred on by the pandemic, we’ve also seen exciting innovations in workplace communication and collaboration technologies from the likes of Cisco, Zoom, Microsoft, 8×8 and RingCentral – all of which have become vital to the everyday running of organisations and remote teams.

Astonishingly, Zoom has become to video conferencing what Hoover is to vacuum cleaners in a very short space of time, earning its place as a dominant player in both the B2B and B2C communications market. Microsoft Teams has also seen excellent growth in 2020, recording over 115 million daily active users last year. It’s been able to retain its relevance in the fast-changing landscape through new additions like breakout rooms and AI noise suppression.

In conclusion, it’s clear that by working together more closely and leveraging new technologies, HR and IT can facilitate a more agile, efficient and effective organisation. But like with any good relationship, compromise is the key and by driving the digital workspace forward together, they’ll will be able to pinpoint what the needs of employees are, what needs to be done, and identify any restrictions or limitations along the way.

Rishi Sunak has made the news recently with his assertion that workers not allowed to return to the office may “vote with their feet” and quit.

In an interview with the Telegraph he suggested that working from home is an inferior option to meeting colleagues in the workplace. A bricks and mortar workplace facilitates ‘meetings that happen by chance’ and ‘people riffing off each other.’

Young people especially would benefit from a physical workplace, Sunak commented, adding: “You can’t beat the spontaneity, the team building, the culture that you create in a firm or an organisation from people actually spending physical time together.”

Survey Suggests 1 in 3 Workers Plan to Quit

In direct contrast to Sunak’s comment comes a survey from US employment agency Robert Half. The survey, concluding 1 in 3 workers plan to actually hand in their notice if sufficient flexibility isn’t offered, confirms the generational shift that’s underway towards remote working.

For many, the chance to work within a home environment has highlighted the benefits, especially regarding flexibility over working hours and the highly personalized workspaces that home offers.

‘Reopening doors will bring new obstacles for companies to navigate,’ said aul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half…’ Not all employees will be ready — or willing — to return to the workplace, so staying flexible and responsive to their needs will be critical.’

Hybrid Work is the Future

The most likely scenario for a post-COVID workplace is, of course, a hybrid home/office combination.

As businesses begin to reopen after a challenging year many are recalling staff to workplaces on different schedules and in staggered groups, others are giving employees the right to make their own decisions on where to work.

Robert Half’s survey confirms that most workers recognise that ditching the office entirely isn’t the ideal solution. Real human interaction, a structured workday out of the house, and the benefits of huddling and collaborating create a strong corporate team, not to mention great human friendships.

By Abby Ha

is the Head of Marketing & Business Development at WellPCB

There is no better time to think about the best practices and policies for your company’s human resources department. When the economy is flourishing, it’s hard to envision anything but success continuing for your business. However, it is always essential to protect yourself and your company from potential challenges down the road.

Abby Ha, an Ex-HR practitioner and now the head of marketing at WellPCB, highlights some of the most important best practices for running an effective human resources department:

• Hire a top performer who will be on your team for the long haul.

HR must hire a top-notch leader who is committed to leading their function into the future. This person must understand the company and the market they are operating in because this is the person who will be in charge of hiring, developing, and managing an entire team.

• Involve your team

When you’re creating any HR policy, you must get everyone on your team involved in the process, including your employees. One of the best examples of this is the creation of anti-harassment policies. Rather than simply mandating all new employees to read through the company’s policies, create a forum where employees can share what they think would be an effective harassment policy for your specific office. This will allow for more honesty and transparency and give you a better picture of what is working and what is not in your office. Remember, some of your employees may have experienced harassment that you never even imagined.

• Maintain a balanced and unbiased screening process

One of the fundamental goals of human resources is to ensure that your company hires the best job candidates for open roles. A successful screening process will take several factors into account, including skills, experience, and cultural fit. To maintain a balanced screening process, you’ll want to:

• Develop a defined set of criteria for each role
• Be sure the relevant factors are given equal weight
• Use consistent metrics for evaluating candidates

• Train hiring managers on your screening process

A great way to ensure that your hiring managers adhere to your hiring standards is to train them on your screening process. You can do this in several ways, including sending managers a step-by-step list of questions to ask during interviews. Alternatively, you can develop a video or template that they can refer to during interviews.

Everyone benefits from a formal training program. It’s no secret that companies with formal training programs enjoy greater productivity and lower turnover than those without them. New hires can better navigate their jobs from day one, and existing employees find that their skills grow and sharpen over time.

• Take advantage of the expertise that’s available in your management team.

Many companies take advantage of the expertise that’s available in their management teams. For example, many key decisions in an HR department affect specific business units, such as new-hire orientation, performance evaluation, and staff training. Having a management team member knowledgeable about HR policies on hand makes it possible to execute those decisions more effectively. Equally important is defining and adhering to the policies an HR department creates. A good policy can make all the difference when it comes to employee relations

• Create a mentoring program to empower employees to move up the ranks.

To be effective, a human resources department must be organized and should have a clear understanding of its role in the workplace. It should also have data-driven practices, keep up-to-date with the latest trends and develop strong communication channels between the company and its employees. A strong human resources department will help any company thrive. These departments are made up of employees who support the employee experience, making a business stronger by finding and keeping the right people.

These departments are vital to the overall success of a company – employees who are well trained, supported and developed are more likely to succeed on the job, which boosts the productivity and performance of a business. A human resources department also brings a greater sense of structure and order to a company, which can help create a positive atmosphere for employees.

Conclusion

Effective human resources departments are vital to the growth and maintenance of a successful company. No matter how big or small your company is, it’s important to have a team in place to handle all your employee-related needs. The above are seven best practices that you can implement to improve your human resources department’s performance and efficiency.

Bio

Abby Ha is the Head of Marketing & Business Development at WellPCB. Previously she worked as an HR practitioner for a healthcare consulting firm in NYC and loved every minute of it. She graduated with her BA from UC Berkeley and went on to get her Master’s degree in Economics at Harvard University. When she isn’t selling PCBs or writing about them, you can usually find Abby hiking, travelling, or cooking a delicious meal for friends.

By, global small business platform, Xero

 The pandemic has forced businesses and individuals to adapt quickly to constantly changing rules and regulations. There are still many unknowns ahead, but there are some things small businesses can start to plan for – these include a number of developments set to impact payroll in 2021.

The Chancellor extended the furlough deadline as restrictions continued. And in April, off-payroll working rules will shift the responsibility for determining the tax status of contractors.

Here we help to explain what’s changing, and how small businesses can plan for these updates.

Furlough

The government’s furlough scheme was extended in the Chancellor’s latest budget, and will now last until the end of September – a welcome announcement for many firms. Despite this, support like furlough will come to an end eventually so  businesses need to start thinking about the impact on  their finances now.

In order to ensure your business is financially prepared to start paying your employees’ salaries again, it’s important to be regularly forecasting and assessing whether you’ll be generating enough revenue to accommodate these changes. Cloud payroll and accounting software can help provide real-time data and map cash flow projections so businesses can make the right decisions and plan for the impact of furlough ending.

It will also be important to communicate openly and honestly with your employees about what this may mean. For example, if their roles will remain the same as before or potentially be reduced or changed for the longer-term.

Off-payroll working

If you run your own business, are self-employed or are a freelancer, then you will likely have heard of off-payroll working, commonly referred to as IR35. It is legislation that allows HMRC to collect tax at source where a contractor is an employee in all but name. The legislation has been in place since 2000, but new changes are coming into effect on 6th April 2021. This will mean that medium-to-large private sector firms, along with the public sector, will now take over responsibility for determining whether the contractors they hire should be taxed in the same way as permanent employees as off-payroll workers (inside IR35). Previously, this was down to the contractors themselves.

If you’re a contractor, it’s important to be proactive, and assess whether you fall inside or outside of IR35. If you’re an employer – carry out an audit of your current contractors to see where they fall. Once their position is established, make sure to communicate openly with them to avoid confusion. Digital tools can help you save time processing  these changes – for example, by April we will have a solution available within Xero Payroll to process these new IR35 tax changes.

HMRC has just announced a ‘soft landing’ period for this new legislation. This means they won’t charge any penalties for the first 12 months – unless there’s evidence of deliberate non-compliance.

Accounting for new ways of working 

Businesses are facing a rapidly changing environment, with many factors impacting employee payroll. As well as things like processing furlough, sick pay and factoring in new legislation like IR35, there is a shift towards more flexible working, job-shares and working in different locations or countries. These trends will only accelerate further in the future.

As the way we work continues to diversify, businesses need flexible payroll processes and technology to match. If you use cloud software like Xero Payroll, it can be set up to seamlessly process things like timesheets for shift workers, flexi furlough or different pay calendars to suit a more flexible working routine for specific workers – saving you time and reducing errors.

Using cloud accounting software can also help you to simplify compliance and reporting to HMRC, calculate tax, pension and leave for every employee, and will allow employees to view their payslips and request leave online – keeping everything in one place.

Visit our dedicated site for more resources, webinars and guidance to help your business recovery. You can also find out more about Xero Payroll by visiting our Payroll learning centre here. 

By Federica Gianoglio, an enthusiast walks in nature and a speaker of 4 languages, HR Success Manager at Pearl Lemon

In 1482, Leonardo da Vinci created the first professional CV, and in the 1950s, it became a staple of the hiring process. For the past 70 years, the CV has always been among the most important things to consider when hiring for a new position.

But not anymore.

These days a lot of innovative, remote startups look at everything about a candidate EXCEPT their CV. This is exactly what we do at Pearl Lemon, a totally remote marketing agency whose team is spread across the world. As the HR Success Manager at Pearl Lemon who has been deeply involved in the hiring process at Pearl Lemon for more than 8 months, I crazily-enough have never checked a CV to hire our team members.

(Insane, I know – let me explain!)

There are so many alternative tools to assess potential employees and expose them for who they really are. But before getting into what these are, let’s take a look at why CVs are officially outdated.

It IS the end of an era!

Why a CV can complicate the recruitment process

Since CVs showcase potential candidates’ past experiences and skills, one might think that they can paint an accurate picture of the kind of employee they will be.

But the truth is, relying so heavily on CVs turns out to be misleading and, therefore, a waste of time.

One reason is that candidates are tempted to embellish their CV. According to HireRight’s 2017 employment screening benchmark report, 85% of employers caught applicants lying or misrepresenting themselves.

And even when candidates don’t lie, you cannot anticipate how well they will perform in the new company and if they can fit in with the new team by reading a few lines about their past experience.

CVs are also limited in space, so it can be hard for candidates to truly demonstrate their potential. Some job seekers may have the right qualities for a job position, but don’t know how to market themselves.

Standing out from the crowd when you only have one or two pages to fill in and a standardised structure to follow isn’t always easy. This can become a real disadvantage especially for talents whose experience derives from practical learning rather than from attending specific courses or universities.

Even if recruiters spend on average only 5-7 seconds to look at each CV, overall this becomes a time-consuming activity. Filtering irrelevant applications takes time away from more worthwhile candidates. This is especially true when recruiters decide to hire a candidate who ends up not meeting their expectations.

Another problem that can occur is when two CVs are so similar to each other that it’s hard to compare them and pick the most suitable candidate for the position applied.

Source: www.unsplash.com

A study (carried out in 2021!) shows that when recruiters find themselves in front of the same information in a CV, decisions are made on conscious or unconscious bias which often leads to discrimination.

Names, gender, and ethnicity are some of the criteria that seem to increase or decrease the chances of being called back to continue the application process.

Some people even thought of changing their own name because it was clear that, no matter their education, coming from an ethnic minority prevented them from securing a job.

Women are discriminated against because they can potentially become pregnant which will lead to time off (maternity leave). Having a name that makes it hard to guess what the gender is leads to the same outcome and candidates may not be chosen for this reason.

Federica Gianoglio

The same happens when, for example, the graduation year is shown in the CV because this contributes to assumptions on someone’s age.

Skills and abilities should be what recruiters focus on and 5-7 seconds spent glancing at someone’s CV cannot be enough to get a true sense of a candidate’s value and potential because a lot of nuances are missed.

What is better than a CV?

The traditional hiring process pushes recruiters to check out CVs in the first place. But if CVs proved to be inadequate because of what they show (or don’t show), how can you really understand if someone is a good fit to move to the next step of the application process?

The answer is by going beyond a CV and trying to look at a candidate from different perspectives.

In today’s digitalised world, there are a lot of ways to learn more about a candidate before you even meet them. Here are examples of strategies that are already in place in some companies as part of their recruitment process.

The benefits of video interviews

An alternative to the CV, cover letter, or even the usual in person interview, is the video interview. Applicants are asked to reply to a list of questions or simply to introduce themselves without a set ladder.

The Lighthouse research in 2016 revealed that 50% of candidates surveyed prefer video interviews over other tools because they help them stand out from the crowd, besides having other benefits.

When recording a video, candidates can present themselves and their skills in a more natural way. In addition to describing past experiences, applicants can also mention how they felt about them and convey motivation and passion for what they are talking about.

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A video allows the use of tone and body language and it gives candidates more time to explore multiple aspects of their experiences. Moreover, by going into more detail, people show their general work attitude, which is important for all jobs, but especially for those in close contact with customers.

For example, in the sales field, it is critical to see how a potential sales person carries a conversation. It is something that cannot be shown in a CV and that’s not to mention that someone’s skills may not be directly proportional to the years of experience in the position.

Among the points in favour of video interviews, there’s the opportunity to outsource human resources from anywhere in the world as well as to evaluate candidates asynchronously. As a result, neither the recruitment team nor the candidate have to attend a meeting at a set time and place at the early stages of the hiring process. This is particularly advantageous for remote teams who need to take into consideration several time zones.

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Using forms to standardise the candidate’s experience

To put all candidates on the same level, they would need to go through the same user experience. 

Forms are a way to ask applicants the same questions and requests, regardless of their past experience, and ensure everyone provides you with all the information you need. Recruiters will then be able to have uniform applications and comparison will be easier and more objective.

Questions can focus on details like the candidate’s contact information and time availability or they can be specific to the job position on offer and ask about the required skills.

This also becomes an occasion for the recruiters to better explain job functions, company policies and procedures. Every candidate receives the same information and, if they accept all conditions, it means they are willing and ready to proceed to the next steps.

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Tests and quizzes to reveal personality and potential

Besides wanting to know what a candidate did in the past, recruiters may well be curious about what applicants can potentially do in the future if hired.

A great way to assess specific abilities and skills is by creating a common scenario or challenge that employees may encounter. Candidates can then be tested by how well they perform in those specific conditions. The list of areas employers can learn about include (but are not limited to):

• Problem solving, creative thinking
• Organisation, prioritisation, time management
• Communication
• Leadership, collaboration
• Decision-making
• Stress management

These tests will also reveal how much knowledge and expertise job seekers have in the field they applied to.

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Templates and instructions for tests and quizzes can be found online. Employers should look for something that matches their culture and organisation so that applicants can also understand what to expect from a role in a company.

An alternative can be to give candidates test tasks during a trial period that is very similar to what they will do once hired.

How these hiring practices benefit your company

It’s important that your company tailors these strategies to your brand, values, features, and communication. If well thought-out and structured, the recruitment process can be an excellent way to establish who you are and where you want to position yourself on the market.

Personalising what you present to your candidates helps clarify what you and your company consider most important.

For instance, if your company provides new hires with detailed training to learn everything from scratch, your recruiters should test the candidates’ behavioural competencies rather than technical skills.

If you’re hiring for a sales position, you may prefer a video interview, while a social media manager can put their expertise into practice with a sample task to carry out.

Even the way you ask questions can set the tone of your organisation and convey a more formal or informal communication.

The type of tool and length of the process will be decisive. You might encourage more people to apply or stop others from wasting their time with a job and company that don’t match what they were looking for.

Engagement is, indeed, another fundamental aspect to consider. Lack of engagement dramatically decreases productivity and this can cost a company around $300 billion each year.

If an applicant goes all the way until the end of your hiring process, it shows how engaged they are with the possibility to join your company. On the contrary, if pre-hire assessments are not well built, they’re likely to push people away from your organisation. Investigations indicated that 47% of respondents didn’t like the test they were doing because it took them too long and 37% didn’t even understand the purpose of the activity.

All of these modern hiring practices ensure a better recruitment process. The quality of talent pools and hires improves, engagement is enhanced while the turnover rate decreases. The overall process is simpler, faster, and more objective.

No wonder modern recruiters have no time nor interest in looking at CVs!

About Author:

Federica Gianoglio is an enthusiast of walks in nature and a speaker of 4 languages. At Pearl Lemon, she is the HR Success Manager who contributed to increasing the team from 10 to 25 people in 6 months while developing ideas and company processes to ensure the successful management of an entirely remote team.