Americans’ Conflicting Feelings On Jobs During COVID-19

3 data-driven ways employers can attract talent over the next few months

If one thing is certain during the current COVID-19 crisis, it’s the uncertainty the pandemic brought to job security and Americans’ feelings towards their jobs in general. Even with most employed Americans feeling apprehensive about changing jobs during these unprecedented times, there is an opportunity for some companies to stand out and attract top talent. It may just take a few important changes in hiring and workforce management processes.

According to a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Yoh, a majority of employed Americans (78%) say they would not consider a job change during the COVID-19 outbreak as long as they can continue to work at their current job, and 69% of the same survey shared that they do not believe that they would be able to find a new job during the COVID-19 pandemic. This fear of change can be attributed, in part, to the uncertainty of the job market in general. But as many companies have discovered during the past few months, employers also cannot discount the difficulty of switching jobs when many offices remain closed to workers. Onboarding new employees remotely and getting them accustomed to their technology, coworkers, and processes has been a challenge many HR pros and people managers never thought they’d have to face.

Yet despite data that suggests quality hiring during COVID-19 may be difficult, the same data also shows that many people could be open to job transition with a few employer-side changes to process and policy. Here are three data-driven ways employers can attract talent over the next few months and into the post-COVID-19 workplace.

At the onset of COVID-19, many companies took quick action to institute new work-from-home policies and other protective measures to ensure worker safety. From face mask and hand-washing mandates to PPE and other similar policies, companies took action based on what health officials were recommending.

But as the virus continues to spread across the country, workers may still be looking for more.

The Harris Poll results show that 62% of employed Americans would consider a job change in the midst of COVID-19 if they felt their employer was not sufficiently protecting workers. That number is even higher for those 44 and younger (69%). This means businesses who fail to take extra precautions to care for their workforce – even those younger workers who may be less harmed by the effects of COVID-19 – risk losing the employees they depend on most. 

What do extra safety precautions look like? It starts with the basics of providing workers with hand sanitizer and PPE, allowing employees to work from home, and enforcing social distancing. But as the workforce undoubtedly changes as a result of this pandemic, it may mean adding new technologies, extending work-from-home options permanently, and offering staggered office time to limit the number of people who need to be in an office on any given day. Workers are demanding their employers take every precaution possible, and those that do will be more likely to retain and attract talent.

COVID-19 has clearly upended the job market and America’s workforce in general, perhaps forever. It’s also now upended the way workers perceive their employers and the value of “making a difference.”

The Harris Poll also found that 51% of employed Americans would consider changing jobs during COVID-19 to work for a company actively making a difference. And while not every company has the ability to make drastic changes to the way they operate, even small steps can demonstrate to employees that you care about the cause. Examples include adapting capabilities to create supplies that are currently in demand or donating money and necessary equipment. 

Beyond COVID-19, global protests on racial injustices in the black community have shined a new light on companies that don’t have a proper diversity and inclusion (D&I) program in place. If your company does not have a program in place, now is time to create one. For those companies that have a D&I program, it’s never been a better time to step back and reevaluate the goals of the program to ensure progress is being made and/or create new goals to further increase diversity, equality, and equity in hiring, development, and promotion. 

Workers have long valued companies that give back and make diversity more than just a slogan, but it appears that demand has only been amplified in a world where increasingly more people are in need of help.

With more than half (56%) of workers 44 and younger saying COVID-19 has made them reconsider if they are in the right job, the importance of having employee outreach programs, corporate giving, and proper benefits have never been greater.

Now might be a good time to consider beefing up offerings to potential new hires. If your company already has generous and flexible work policies, benefits and perks, remind your employees of all you offer so they have all the necessary information and know that their company is looking out for them. If you don’t already have policies and competitive benefits in place, now is absolutely the time to create them. Now more than ever, employees and prospective candidates want to work for companies that can show they truly care about the well-being of their workforce. Can you afford not to provide paid leave?  Do you offer some sort of Employee Assistance Program to help employees struggling with mental health during tough times? Tele-health and health care navigators are other potential areas that can help employees efficiently and effectively get the most value out of the benefits offering.

It’s clear that many employed Americans are hesitant about changing jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. That only means recruiting, HR, and hiring managers must work that much harder to attract the best candidates. Knowing younger employed Americans are more open to a job change, companies should consider increasing their use of social media recruiting, where younger generations will more likely see the job opportunities. In the midst of an unsteady job market, department cuts and downsizing, recruiters and HR departments must do a better job of making their openings and corporate responsibility efforts more visible to those active and passive job seekers. More outside-the-box thinking will be required to find and keep top talent in what has become one of the most unique job markets the country has ever seen.