Adapting the Way we Communicate
Throughout the past months, now stretching into years, one can say that the world has seen a drastic change in both the way we operate as organisations as well as adapting the way we communicate with each other. The lives of millions of people around the world were effected overnight, with people needing to rethink the ways they perform their daily tasks. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, people could have been considered more stable, both in terms of job security and from an economic perspective as well as their wellbeing and mental health. The pandemic has left many with uncertainty, walking on eggshells, awaiting to see what the next day has in store for them. From a company’s perspective, COVID-19 has impacted several facets of the business. One of the main factors that has seen major setbacks has been employment and the recruitment process. Unfortunately, many companies had to make a number of people’s jobs redundant. Some had to even close down given that they did not have enough funds to continue their company’s growth compared to previous years.
Change within the recruitment sphere was already taking shape prior to the pandemic. We have seen a total change in the media used for advertising vacancies for instance. Whereas print media, mostly on newspapers, was dominant up to a few years ago, this changed to digital advertising, giving employers the option to advertise at a lower cost and through different online mediums.
Within the past year, the change trickled over from previous years and as a result, the element of virtual interviewing and virtual client meetings have become the new norm. Due to this, the human element in communicating with each other needed to take a new shape. Face-to-face interaction and forms of nonverbal communication, such as body language, might not translate well over a video call. This should not however be a hindrance and one can overcome it through proper communication.
Here at misco Consulting Limited, we take pride in the company culture and we continuously strive to maintain a strong rapport with both our colleagues and clients. Having joined the company at the onset of the pandemic, the shift from a person-centred occupation that I was used to was immediately flipped on its head as I found myself conducting interviews and internal or client meetings in front of a screen. This did not stop my team from making me feel welcome and despite the distance, the communication did not falter. This is a mentality that was instilled into me from the very beginning and this helped in shaping the way I faced my clients in my daily work.
Communication should start from within the company, amongst team members and management. This bond will help in building strong relationships with other people from outside of the company. At the end of the day, what one needs to strive for is that clients are provided with the best service according to their needs. Recruitment and communication should go hand in hand, in our case, both with candidates applying for job opportunities and also with the clients who are offering the role. This communication is an essential part to every role, especially recruitment. The main role of a recruitment consultant is not only to understand the needs of the client and the candidate but in facilitating the communication process so that both meet their requirements. By helping one, they in turn help the other. The recruitment consultant therefore is best described as the middle person or the third pillar who assists in facilitating communication between the two parties.
It does not matter what challenges society is currently facing or how it has drastically changed over the past year. How people communicate has been an ever-changing process spanning hundreds of years. This new adoption of communication will help people overall, from seeking guidance to simply having someone to talk to during such a tough time. Change is part of the process. We just need to give the process some time.
Sara Anne Galea, Executive
