Redundant and facing lockdown? Now what?

As one observer noted, the new lockdown is hardest on those already lost their jobs and wondering what the future will hold? Many are concerned about the mental and financial strain placed on many good talents across the industry: let alone how great talent can be retained.

All fair and, as many argue, the most important emotion most require at this time is hope and that is the feeling being most challenged – for those in work and out. It is one of the unpleasant side effects to lockdown, the extinguishing of hope and belief.

Others will argue that good people will always find a way. They will reinvent themselves and somehow find a way. One young talent wrote last week that: “ Companies need to think more broadly about who they recruit as so many skills are transferable and great people can help businesses in new ways if employers can be open to the idea”. This particular person has, over the last seven months, moved both countries and sectors as they have found their own answers to the challenges posed.

It is a fair point. Over the last decade or so, employers have come to expect to have a choice and to be strict in their criteria. However, it has also been noted that too many companies have recruited in their own likeness, from their own sectors which only serves to reinforce existing patterns and it has created a narrowness of thinking. Many companies have acknowledged that their own thinking has become way too restricted and relied on a model that works. It is logical that new experiences can help challenge the norm and that can be of real value.

More importantly, with so many good people lost, it is important that companies are open-minded to recruiting great people and to be more open-minded in their recruitment processes as this can help challenge existing thinking, bring diversity and gives people hope.

It was something that many found back in the 1930s that many people can bring great qualities, can really bring extra value if they have self-respect, pride and hope. It asks little of leaders to ask their recruitment processes to be that little more open-minded.

EP founded its service offer “Reinvention” pre the pandemic to argue for companies to think differently about how they recruit. It is even more relevant now as it wants to help work with those who are:

• Aiming to transfer sectors, to find new challenges where they can add value
• To help those wanting to reinvent themselves and create their own businesses
• To work with companies to help think differently about recruitment.

At the end of the day, there is so much great talent who can make a difference. Many will naturally anyway, many others just need a helping hand to reinvent their careers and transfer into new areas. Once we have worked together to weather the storm, there will be an abundance of great people wanting to find self-respect and hope. It could all mark a new era but that needs new thinking too in how to attract the best talent.

For more info, please contact iwona.drozdz@epmagazine.co.uk