Recruiters see 'drastic increase' in stress, survey says

Dive Brief:

Some recruiters report a “drastic increase” in stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Oct. 26 Jobvite survey results. According to the report, which surveyed 800 U.S.-based recruiters and HR professionals, stress levels have increased for 61% of recruiters, and one in five said they increased drastically.
Recruiting priorities are also shifting; 71% of those surveyed said their recruiting priorities for the next 12 months are different compared to their priorities last year. Overall, the importance of building a talent pipeline and decreasing time-to-hire declined, while quality of hire increased in importance, Jobvite said.
Recruiters also reported fielding more questions about mental health benefits, flexibility and COVID-19 safety protocols as well as company diversity and inclusion programs.

Dive Insight:

At the beginning of the pandemic, hiring freezes — a sudden shift from the rush to find candidates in a hot market — forced recruiters to rethink their processes and job duties. Many recruiters told Lever in a survey they were navigating other COVID-related tasks, such as administering paid leave or assisting other departments.

COVID-19 may have made hiring more efficient, according to an October Criteria report; several aspects of the job may have been made easier, respondents said, including finding high-quality candidates. But the arrival of the pandemic also may have jumpstarted shifts in tech that were already taking place in the industry. Many recruiters had to adapt their processes for remote work, an April Jobvite report said, and nearly half of those surveyed had increased their social posting for recruiting purposes. According to Criteria, the use of video interviews increased by 159% year-over-year.

These changes — including the increased interest in mental health benefits, flexibility and diversity programs — may level the playing field for some job applicants, particularly people with disabilities.

"In many ways, the pandemic showed companies that it's possible to increase accessibility and more importantly, shifted the stigma often tied to working from home," Hannah Olson, founder and CEO of Chronically Capable, previously told HR Dive. "Going forward, there is a real opportunity for businesses across the country to take the lead in rolling out digital-first, remote workplace plans that help mitigate the risk of coronavirus, but also are inclusive of all Americans — including those with disabilities and chronic illnesses."