When companies recruit, their first stop is their immediate industry network, but fishing from a bigger pool can attract a welcome hit of diversity.

Are you hiring? Read this first so you don’t miss out on finding the right talent

It’s been a tough year for global business, and over the coming months more uncertainty is underway. With a future that will look radically different for many industries, flexible working could be the key to getting your business back on track.

It will come as no surprise that the pandemic has put the brakes on recruitment drives over the past six months. As companies work towards finding a new normal, however, hiring is now back on the table for many HR departments.

A company’s first port of call when recruiting is often its employees’ own social and professional networks. And while these and industry referrals can narrow down a sea of applications, organisations can also miss out on some top-class talent unless they cast a wider net.

Remove barriers
One of the more positive outcomes of the pandemic is that it has shown that many roles can be done remotely. This will have a major effect on your recruitment process, not least because potential employees will now expect flexibility as part of the package.
Not only does this mean that recruiters will have bigger talent pools to fish from, but it will also attract a more diverse applicant base as barriers such as location and rigid working hours are removed. It’s been widely proven that a workforce with different perspectives and backgrounds will create new ideas and drive innovation.

Flexibility is the future
As businesses have had to quickly evolve over the last year, they’ve seen much of their workforce resort to working remotely, changing the need for the traditional office set-up. As flexible working tends to attract a different and more diverse demographic, flexible office space also allows companies to scale or move locations as their business dictates, without having to commit to a conventional office lease.

Bring in new blood
When hiring new employees, many companies like to recruit from within the industry. However, it’s been proven that for organisations to really grow they need to employ people with many different perspectives. Look for those who will see a different side to the story and bring a fresh outlook to your company. Remember, the more diverse your workforce is, the more innovative it will be.

Reprioritise job roles
Whichever industry you’re in, there’s a high chance that significant changes have been made to your business model since the pandemic hit. Some roles may no longer be relevant, while others will have had the goalposts moved. It’s worth taking the time to look at how each role works in the company and reprioritise the roles that your organisation needs to grow and survive. Incorporating part-time, full-time, job shares and remote working, flexible working tends to attract a different and more diverse demographic. And supporting an individual’s preferred way of working will almost always result in a more motivated, loyal and diverse workforce.

Embrace uncertainty
If there’s one thing that 2020 has taught us, it’s that the only thing that we can be certain about, is that the uncertainty will last a while longer. Almost all employees will have asked themselves this one question over the past six months – will my job survive this? We’re living in unprecedented times and one way to deal with the uncertainty of it all is to try to accept change. While the global working climate will always ebb and flow, those who survive it will be the ones who can ride the waves.

Discover how Regus’s flexible working solutions can support your company