How A “Work in Any Way” Approach To Recruitment Succeeds

The recent global shift to remote and hybrid work models allowed many employees and companies to reevaluate how and where they work, fueling fundamental shifts in the workplace. In addition, many employees realized that “work-from-home” could expand to “work-from-anywhere,” permanently changing the traditional dynamic around where work happens and opening up new possibilities for employers and employees.  

Recruiters have to approach their talent attraction tactics differently, considering individuals with different backgrounds and how to best position their companies for diverse talent pools. For many HR departments, this means reexamining the policies that shape the workplace and the potential for greater recruitment practices that extend across borders. Those who create “Work in Any Way” companies will have a competitive edge while simultaneously creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. 

But what exactly is “Work in Any Way,” and why should HR and business leaders consider it? “Work in Any Way” companies have created policies and processes that provide flexible, people-centric work experiences for their employees. The world of work has changed, and this approach to workforce management fosters collaboration between employee and employer to serve both needs best.

It allows employers to understand what their employees value most and how they can holistically support their needs and provides an opportunity for recruiters to consider and hire qualified, diverse talent regardless of location or work style.

Benefits of A Flexible Approach to Recruitment

The pandemic demonstrated that it’s possible to operate outside the four walls of the office, and companies have benefitted from the newfound ability to recruit and hire from an international talent pool. When the limitations to an employee’s location are removed, and the foundation of a company’s recruitment strategies is rooted in flexible, people-centric methods – recruiters can focus on global enriching and expanding their talent pool. 

For businesses open to hiring in new markets, each country may offer a uniquely trained and skilled workforce to consider. For example, countries such as Mexico and India continue to embrace their roles as tech and manufacturing hubs, creating access to highly-skilled technical talent. In addition, implementing flexibility in where you hire – and embracing asynchronous work means companies can hire anywhere in the world and focus on recruiting the best talent versus only being limited to the best talent in their local cities. 

The most creative and coherent ideas and strategies are fostered when these differing minds are brought together in a collaborative environment. With a recruitment policy that permits talent to have asynchronous schedules and versatile work experiences tailored to their needs and expectations, recruiters can foster a workplace with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. It can also aid your brand’s cultural sensitivity and awareness, allowing those with unique cultural or family needs to set their schedule.

Designing A Global “Work in Any Way” Future and Recruitment Process 

With these benefits in mind, here are a few tips for how recruiters and HR leaders can reorient their recruitment strategies to allow for the flexibility and people-oriented approach needed to hire talent that can “Work in Any Way”:

1. Be Accommodating

The most competitive companies lean into people-centric recruitment and HR strategies with great success, accommodating individual workstyles and cultural norms. To get there requires becoming a company that offers the flexibility for people to shape their work experience to fit their lifestyles and backgrounds. For example, some prospects require different types of benefits that are not traditional in the U.S. or Canada. These benefits can include meal stipends, transportation, and childcare which HR leaders need to consider and be willing to provide. For example, some countries, like France and Spain, have national laws requiring three-four days of paid bereavement leave that will be expected by incoming talent.

2. Take an Open-Minded Approach

“Work in Any Way” isn’t about getting comfortable with a new normal. It’s about reimagining the future of work and the entire work experience in creative ways that meet the needs of everyone in the organization and, therefore, the markets of every location, domestic and abroad. Drop the assumptions and old methods of thinking about what positions must be hired in areas local to your brick-and-mortar offices and focus on leveraging knowledge from around the world that can enhance your teams.

3. Grade Yourself and Your Company

Once you understand what defines “Work in Any Way,” you must determine how to cultivate it. Start by grading yourself. What’s effective and what’s not? Where are you succeeding, and where do you lag? Becoming a “Work in Any Way” company doesn’t mean changing every practice, saying yes to every candidate’s demand, or hiring talent in every location to understand the market. It’s about finding the balance between business necessities and candidate preferences. It’s about researching which markets offer the specific professional skills the organization needs to consider talent from the region. 

Diverse, skilled, and globally fluent talent can sometimes feel like a challenge to find. By reorientating recruitment policies to answer the flexibility, freedom of location, and autonomy asked for by candidates, and your company can come out on top in the eyes of prospective candidates. 

 

By Katherine Loranger, Chief People Officer at Safeguard Global. 

 

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