Working on a remote basis is nothing new, but in recent years, online remote working and collaboration platforms have developed to such a degree that opportunities to do so are very much more abundant than they have ever been.
This is something that has not gone unnoticed by employers, with many companies seeking out 3rd party, freelancers for key projects.
The reasons why businesses are preferring this route is certainly one of cost, but also by the fact that it is now possible to quickly and easily find people they need with the specific skills required via well-known business platforms like LinkedIn.
Remote Working For Employees
However, there is a growing trend to extend the remote working concept beyond simple freelancing for individual projects, to include their entire workforce – reducing the need for large offices and the costs that come along with them.
The fact is that traditional 9 to 5 working in the way that many people remember is starting to become the exception and with remote, secure working technology evolving all the time, it would seem that it’s a decline that’s somewhat terminal. Remote working is one of the tactics to attract talent.
So, with this growing paradigm evidently here to stay, what does it mean for recruitment agencies and the important role they play in identifying and placing the right candidates for the right roles?
It will surely have a major impact on the way they work and the way candidates are assessed.
Adapt and Survive
As with any polar shift in an industry brought on by technology, recruitment agencies are going to have to adapt to the new challenges the internet has brought or find themselves being phased out by something else.
You only have to look at how online shopping has decimated retail outlets on the high street to realise that this is patently true.
One possible route to facing these challenges is by adopting new and innovative ways to engage with people on the many new online digital spheres like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – to name but a few.
This is because in the modern age, these platforms form part of the new digital workplace and it is there that the necessary interactions will take place.
Different Skills Required
Remote working roles also require different skills and communication abilities than those that are needed in a traditional office-based working scenario, meaning that they must be assessed differently.
A person that might not have been ideal for a position in a traditional sphere, could suddenly become so in a remote capacity.
In Summary
There are most definitely challenging times ahead for recruitment agencies ahead, but by adapting to what’s required in this new digital workplace, recruitment companies can stay effective and relevant. It’s just a case of approaching the issue from a different perspective.
Has remote working changed the recruitment landscape? Most certainly, yes, but with the right application and innovative thinking, it should represent a mere bump in the road.
At Recruitly, we provide an intelligent, comprehensive all-in-one software platform that allows agencies to stay lean and concentrate on adapting to new industry demands. Able to be used as an applicant tracking system, marketing tool, CRM and job distribution system, our software helps to optimise and streamline your recruitment process from start to finish – making your agency fitter and able to react when needed
If you’d like to find out more about anything discussed here or about what our software can do for your agency, please visit our website https://recruitly.io or give us a call now on +44 161 533 0867
