If you had to hire talent while working in a remote setting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you aren’t alone!
New survey findings, released by Robert Half, reveal that 6 in 10 companies expanded their geographical boundaries when sourcing new talent. According to a survey of more than 2,800 senior managers in the United States, 53% said their organization has hired full-time or temporary staff remotely since the pandemic began.
Those respondents were asked about their company’s recruiting practices throughout the COVID-19 crisis:
| Remote Hiring Practices | Percentage of Practices Used | Practice in Place Before the Pandemic | Practice Implemented Since Pandemic Started | |||
| Conducted remote interviews and onboarding sessions | 75% | 12% | 63% | |||
| Advertised fully remote jobs | 61% | 12% | 49% | |||
| Expanded their search geographically to access a wider candidate pool | 60% | 16% | 44% | |||
| Shortened the hiring process | 60% | 12% | 48% | |||
| Increased the use of temporary professionals | 57% | 14% | 43% |
“Despite an overall slowdown in business, companies continue to hire for critical roles during the pandemic,” says Paul McDonald, senior executive director of Robert Half—in a press release. “In many cases, employers have adjusted their recruiting strategies to accommodate new, virtual work realities and are seeing immediate benefits, including faster and more successful hires.”
Broken Down by Location
- Detroit (78%), Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh (69% each) have the highest percentages of employers who expanded their candidate search geographically.
- Indianapolis, Phoenix (75% each), and Atlanta (72%) have the highest percentages of companies that advertised fully remote jobs since the start of the pandemic.
- Managers in Minneapolis (71%), Cleveland, and Houston (70% each) most commonly reported shortening their hiring process.
“The rise of remote work has provided employers an opportunity to access a much deeper candidate pool,” McDonald adds. “As organizations try to position themselves for growth in the months ahead, competition for talent will only intensify. The ability to hire people anywhere will be particularly helpful when staffing in-demand roles.”
About the Research
The online survey was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm from July 10 to August 9, 2020. It includes responses from more than 2,800 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in 28 major U.S. cities.