If you're currently looking for new opportunities in the job market, chances are you'll have come across at least one job application that requires a pre-recorded video interview. This type of interview usually occurs at the beginning of the interview process as the initial candidate screen. What makes it different from a phone screen or other video interview is that the interviewer isn't physically present when the candidate is answering interview questions. Recruiters and hiring managers usually prepare a set of questions ahead of time about the advertised role and send candidates a link through which they can record their answers. Once the video recording is submitted, the recruiter/hiring manager will evaluate the answers and determine whether to invite the candidate for a face-to-face interview.   1. Read and follow the instructions It sounds obvious but you will be more successful in the interview and you will demonstrate your ability to work carefully and thoroughly by following the directions for the interview very carefully. Avoid making assumptions about the process that could be wrong.   2. Meet the deadline The good news is that you can usually pick a time for the interview that is the best for you. The employer usually sets a "due date" for when the interview should be completed. Know that date and meet that deadline. If possible, beat that deadline by several hours or even days. Avoid doing the interview at the last possible moment to make the best impression on the employer.   3. Make sure you have the right devices available If you have no other options, you can probably use your smartphone for this interview, assuming it has a camera. However, you will very likely make the best impression using a camera connected to a computer, assuming the computer also has a microphone and a speaker. When possible, test the connection to be sure it works before the interview regardless of device used. In advance, test your microphone and camera to be sure that they work. Even perfect answers to the questions won't make an impact if they can't hear your answers or see you talk. When you are answering a question, look directly at the camera rather than at your computer screen. Imagine that the personal who will be viewing this video is right there in the camera. Pretend you are talking to that person.   4. Do your homework Carefully review the job description and highlight where you meet or exceed the requirements. Learn all about the company, its competitors, its products, and its goals. Know who they are and where they are going. Then, be sure to focus on how you align with the job's requirements as well as the employer's goals and mission.   5. Have your interview answers ready If you receive the questions in advance, you have received a fabulous opportunity to be well-prepared. Script out your answers in advance, remembering to give clear and concise answers that evidence your accomplishments, skills and experience. If you don't receive the questions in advance, be prepared to answer the standard job interview questions and potential questions that might come up as a result of the job description and company. Either way focus on the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the results you attained. Say “Me” not “We” and “I” not “Us”. They want to know what YOU did and can do.   6. Don’t read from a script The key is to be yourself and treat this like you would any normal interview. If you have received the questions in advance don’t read out your answers word for word as this will sound scripted. It’s important that you add personality to what you are saying and appear natural. Use key bullets points as prompts that will help you to communicate the main points but also allow for a free flow of dialogue too. If necessary stick post it notes round your screen to remind you of key points but also to remind you of your behaviour points. Clear and concise communication skills are an important part of any job and this is your chance to showcase your skills. Be confident, articulate, don’t rush and don’t forget to smile. Avoid any bad habits, like playing with your hair, looking away from the camera or too many ‘ums’.   7. Stay calm and answer the question It might feel awkward to answer pre-recorded interview questions without the interviewer physically present, but it's important to maintain a relaxed body language. Enunciate your words clearly as well,  the last thing you want is for your excellent point of view to be lost in your mumbling! Listen to each question, take your time to contemplate the answer, respond in a calm manner, and make sure that you're addressing the question being asked. Going off track and beating around the bush isn't going to do you any favours in a video interview, especially if there is a time limit on your answer. Stay positive and showcase your personality. Remember, interviewers and decision makers are interested in getting to know you as a person, not just listening to a memorized list of accomplishments.   8. Choose your location carefully Choose a quiet spot where you will be the only person visible (and audible). Turn off your mobile phone and any other devices in the room that may create ambient noise. Keep the background as simple as possible, like a plain wall, or something else that is unlikely to cause a problem or create a distraction. Make sure the camera is at eye level when you sit down. If possible, have a light showing on your face from in front of you so that your face is well lit. Test the lighting to find the best position for it. A lamp which is slightly above your face and behind the camera, shining on you, is usually the most flattering. You may need to close the curtains to prevent glare if you're recording in the daytime. Also make sure that you have a great internet connection to prevent disruptions.   9. Practice, practice, practice There is no such thing as too much practice for something like this. You must know your script well enough to be natural. When you answer the questions you need to sound like it is second nature to share this information. You won’t have that unless you memorise it, practice it aloud, and grow into it. Record yourself and play it back, look at the areas to improve and keep practicing until you get them right.   10. Be the best you The best you sits up straight and leans slightly forward, makes eye contact, remembers to smile and show personality, and talks in a clear, well-modulated voice. Don’t whisper, mumble, or fidget. Just because you are not face-to-face does not make this any more casual. You want to be well-groomed and well-dressed, avoiding distractive prints, overly bright colours, and noisy jewellery. You want the focus to be on you, not on what you are wearing.   11. Pay attention to the clock Usually these interviews have both an overall time-limit and a question time limit. So, put a clock where you can easily see it, and use the time wisely. If you have practiced each answer and test recorded them you will be able to get it down perfectly in the timelines required.   12. Follow up The video interview process doesn't end once you submit your recorded answers; be sure to show your courtesy by sending a thank-you email to the interviewer or employer on the day of submission. In the email, you can indicate your interest by asking about the next steps and when you should expect to hear a response. It helps to show your interest by keeping a constant stream of communication between yourself and the interviewer. You can email them once a week to follow up and reiterate your interest. But keep in mind, anything more frequent might make you appear aggressive and desperate! Following up is important, but too much of it can have a negative impact. 

The time to hire metric is a key measure for any recruitment process. However, the recruitment sector is increasingly seeing evidence of this time to hire increasing. It is estimated that currently in the UK less than a 3rd of all roles get filled within the first month. Taking too long to fill a role doesn’t just increase the cost per hire but it comes with the greater risk of losing high quality candidates. Recent studies suggest that as many as 60% of job seekers lose interest if the hiring process is too long. So how can you reduce your time to hire?   1. Collect the right data The first step toward working on your time to hire is establishing what metrics you need to improve: How long it takes to fill a role (From sign off to acceptance) ow HHow long it takes for a candidate to move between different stages in your recruitment process The average time spent ThThe average time spent from CV received to interview date The The average time spent per interview The The ratio of applicants to interviews The The ratio of interviews to offers The ratio of offers to acceptance   Acquiring this data will show you where inefficiencies lie, where the blockages are and what is causing the increased time to hire.   2. Structure your hiring process A candidate’s recruitment journey should feel effortless from start to finish. Consider the different steps in the process: Application to response to screening to interview and so on. How long does each stage take, how engaged may a candidate feel and what information they might need at each stage. If you don’t have a structured process you just end up starting from scratch each time there’s a new role to fill.   3. Write better adverts A successful job advert is not one which attracts the most candidates, it’s the one that attracts the most relevant candidates. Be clear on what the role involves and the skills and experiences you require. This has the impact of significantly reducing your time to hire through discouraging inappropriate candidates from applying. It’s the 1st step to filtering candidates.   4. Accelerate the sourcing process Many organisations are operating under the belief that it is a candidate rich market and therefore believe they can find better prospects if they wait, the reality is that although it is a candidate rich market it is not a skill rich one. If you can avoid it don’t undertake the recruitment process yourself.  Organisations rarely have the resources or candidate reach that a specialist recruitment consultancy would have. The top talent is passive not active. You are just adding to the time to hire. Using a specialist recruitment consultancy (not a generalist) means that this part of the process can be sped up with you only seeing a relevant shortlist of suitable candidates to interview.   5. Build talent pipelines A talent pipeline is one of the most powerful ways to reduce time to hire. When you have a number of qualified candidates on speed dial who you are keeping engaged, you don’t have to advertise your job, wait for the applications, or spend time vetting the applicants.   6. Provide a great candidate experience Candidates need to be engaged throughout the entire recruitment process. If your candidate experience is poor they will leave the process or certainly think twice about attending an interview or accepting an offer. Review how each stage works from a candidates perspective and make sure it is an experience that highlights the engaging nature of your organisation. The top talent is interviewing you as much as you are interviewing them and they need to feel engaged and excited.   7. Improve the screening & interview process Delays in scheduling interviews directly add to your time to hire. With most companies conducting 2 or 3 rounds of interviews, the time to schedule interviews usually offers a lot of room for improvement. If people are an organisations biggest asset, then they need to be treated as such with Managers making themselves available regardless of what is in their diary. Utilise technology, the last year has taught us that video interviewing is extremely effective and significantly reduces the time spent on the interview process. If you are utilising a specialist recruitment consultancy who have screened effectively, they have completed the 1st stage for you. You can move straight to the 2nd stage in the process.   8. Improve your careers page Candidates will visit your careers page at least twice during the recruitment process, firstly when they learn about your job opening, and again when they’re considering your job offer. If your careers page doesn’t sell to these prospective candidates, they’ll either drop off immediately or end up rejecting your offer. Both of which will naturally increase your time to hire.   9. Invest in a good Application Tracking System (ATS) A good quality ATS is important at each stage of the recruitment process. It will help you increase efficiency, improve candidate engagement, and ultimately reduce your time to hire. It should include application streamlining, interview scheduling, talent pipeline building and compliance checking to name but a few capabilities.   10. Don’t delay making offers The top talent is not actively looking and remain secure in their roles. Prospective employers need to entice them away through a quick and seductive recruitment process, competitive packages and increasingly through the alure of soft benefits. Once committed to looking they will have 3-5 roles in process and will receive multiple offers. If organisations don’t move quickly, they miss out, the top talent get offers within weeks not months. The biggest reason candidates reject job offers is because they’ve already accepted someone else’s offer. You don’t want this to happen with your top pick. If a candidate receives a counteroffer or a competing offer, be prepared to negotiate. You should know the candidate very well by this point and should be able to extract this information (using a specialist recruitment consultancy can help here). Use all your information to craft lucrative perks beyond the package that might make the difference.

The reality can be summed up with one sentence. ‘Candidate Rich’ does not mean ‘Skill Rich’. Or in other words Quantity does not mean Quality!! The recruitment process is an art, it is something that consultants develop through years of experience. It is involved, takes time, and requires expertise, knowledge and robust systems to manage the process. A candidate rich market means more candidates to manage, and it can be easy to ‘miss’ great candidates.   Time - Having an excess of applicants can seem appealing but when you have to filter through hundreds of similar CVs, respond to them all and telephone screen the candidates who have potential even before you get to the formal interview process, suddenly the task seems somewhat overwhelming. It’s obviously something a hiring manager can do, but there are undoubtedly other things their time would be better spent doing.   Brand Image - Why let someone with no or limited interview training run a recruitment process. Good recruitment consultants have undergone extensive training to ensure they ask the right questions and get all the relevant information in a way that keeps candidates engaged and assesses suitability. A specialist recruitment consultant can guide and help you to ensure you don’t miss out on the best talent whilst protecting your brand image in the process.   Candidate Reach - A specialist recruitment consultancy will have access to the best talent available; this includes access to candidates that are actively seeking work, but more importantly those who are passive and need enticing away from current roles. Their reach simply can’t be rivalled by an internal recruiter or a hiring manager. Especially if that consultant/consultancy is a niche specialist.   Separating the wheat from the chaff - For those whose profession isn’t recruiting it can be difficult to know who the top talent is. Applicants will seek assistance for CV writing meaning they look great on paper but are they?  After constant knock backs candidates may under value their ability or apply for roles significantly below their level of capability, and while these may appear great value for money there are risks. Candidates will interview with a great deal of pressure having been out of work for months, this itself can skew the interview and leave you to question the reasons. Utilising a specialist recruitment consultancy can help you navigate this minefield.               Additional Services - Recruitment consultancies will also undertake time consuming background checks which are essential in a candidate rich market These will include following up on references, conducting preliminary interviews and making sure the candidate matches what they promise on their CV. They may also provide services such as testing, contract and permanent recruitment, executive search, project support, salary benchmarking and redundancy support.   Its free to benchmark -While the number of candidates applying for your vacancy might be impressive, can you be sure that the best person for the job is in that pool? What if they haven't seen your advert? What if they have the wrong impression about your business so don't want to apply? What if the advert you've written inadvertently discourages them to apply? Using the traditional recruitment model of 'pay on placement' means it costs nothing to benchmark your current talent pool against that of an external recruiter and it costs you nothing unless one of them actually starts with you (which means it was worth the fee).   Cost Savings -The cost of sifting through CVs and conducting initial conversations alone adds up. Using a recruitment consultancy increases the opportunity for cost savings. Posting job adverts is not required, In-house staff can perform other duties, overtime/additional staff costs to manage volume is eliminated, the likelihood and cost of hiring a candidate unfit for the role is reduced, future hiring costs are reduced. There is also the ability for the recruiter to help negotiate the best salary (giving both guidance and advice on what is fair pay) resulting in a greater chance in hiring the top candidate. The cost saving of using a specialist recruitment consultancy are both short term and long term, tangible and intangible.   Market Knowledge - Specialist recruiters are experts in their markets and can give the hiring team regular insight into what is happening. These recruiters will know how to reach out to the best available talent, salary rates, career expectations, current hiring complexities, available skill sets and shortages. Often, your candidate requirements may be specific and difficult to find; this is where a recruiters industry expertise and market knowledge proves to be priceless.   The Future - Finally, what happens when you want to hire again? Do you start from scratch? Or do you have a long-term strategy that ensures a great employer brand, a consistent and diverse talent pipeline, and the opportunity to hire strategically and quickly when you need to? Companies that have the latter in place will be in a far better position when the pendulum swings back in the candidates' favour. Partnering with the right recruitment consultancy now, can see you getting one step ahead for the future. Involve them in your plans and have them working in the background for when the time is right to hire.  

When the world changed last year, so did the recruitment market. It swiftly changed from a candidate-scarce market to a candidate-rich market. Companies began calling the shots, hiring at their own pace and not competing for talent as much as in previous years. From a recruitment perspective this has had significant ramifications that hiring managers need to be aware of. As such Butler Ross have compiled our findings on what has changed and the implications of a candidate rich market.   Quantity does not mean quality You might think a candidate rich market is a dream for employers. However more choice does not necessarily mean these candidates have the right skills or experience you are looking for. Your vacancies will be inundated with applications meaning the process to then identify candidates with the correct skills becomes more difficult and time intensive.   Senior candidates will apply for junior positions Due to the increased competition, some senior candidates will consider lower level roles. This can have upsides and downsides. They will hit the ground running quicker, require less training and you will have a more experienced candidate with a wider knowledge base. However will they be as willing to diversify and learn new skills? Can they be easily managed? Will they find joy and challenge in their position? They also may be less flexible with their other non-negotiable's, such as work-life balance, location or the option to work remotely.   Communication expectations double Any candidate’s biggest frustration during a recruitment process is lack of communication. In a candidate-rich market the pressure to retain clear channels of communication intensifies. The expectation on how often and by what means you communicate becomes more complex and if you don’t fully engage your candidate pool, your dream candidate will lose interest, be more inclined to decline your interview/offer or accept other offers/counter-offers.   Candidates are after stability Many candidates looking for work have been in the job market for a year or more. Because of this, job security has become far more attractive than salary. As part of the recruitment process, you will need to demonstrate there is a stable pipeline of work and that their job is secure.   The top talent is not on the market long. The top talent are receiving 3-4 offers yet our figures suggest that 80% of candidates will accept the first job offer they receive. This top talent pool is not on the market for months but instead weeks.   Candidates are hunkering down Many candidates are unwilling to consider new opportunities for fear of redundancy (last in first out). Instead sitting tight and hunkering down until the recruitment and economic landscapes change. The pool may be candidate rich but enticing away the top talent is still difficult.  

When the world changed last year so did the recruitment market. It swiftly changed from a candidate-scarce market to a candidate-rich market. This had many implications for recruiting organisations and not necessarily positive ones. Great candidates are still hard to come by as quantity doesn’t mean quality, it’s just more time consuming trying to find them. Candidates expect more detailed and intensive communication, senior candidates are applying for Junior roles but are their skills transferable and can they be managed? Priorities have changed with work/life balance, job security and flexible working becoming more important.What this means is that recruiting the best talent is as hard if not harder than ever. Below are our tips for finding the top talent:1. Be applicant readyBe prepared to cope with the wave of applications that will come through and have robust systems in place for sifting through applications, shortlisting and assessing talent. We have learnt already this last year that much of the interview process can be made remote, particularly at the early stages. Operating in this way gives the clear advantage of being able to meet more candidates in a shorter amount of time.2. Communicate effectivelyBe clear on deadlines for each stage of the process. Include a closing date on the advert and ensure every applicant receives an email notifying them that it has been received and when they will next be contacted. As a candidate moves through the process, be clear on what the next step is and when it will be finalised.3. Provide a great candidate experienceCandidates need to be engaged throughout the entire recruitment process. If your candidate experience is poor they will leave the process or certainly think twice about attending an interview or accepting an offer. Review how each stage works from a candidate’s perspective and make sure it is an experience that highlights the engaging nature of your organisation. The top talent is interviewing you as much as you are interviewing them and they need to feel engaged and excited.4. Use a specialist recruiterWith so many candidates looking for work, it may seem wise to search for candidates directly. But this isn’t always the best choice. You are likely to receive hundreds of applicants per role which is extremely time intensive considering you need to meet the communication needs of the candidate rich market at every stage of the process. While it could be tempting to only communicate with the candidates who stand out to you, this is a brand-damaging exercise. Candidates remember companies who they have applied to and not heard back from, and there’s every chance you could miss a skills-rich candidate in your initial scan. Specialist consultants invest time into following up on every single application, protecting the reputation of your brand. In addition, many skills-rich candidates will be lacking confidence after being out of work for a period of time, you will need to assure them on the merit of the position. Specialist consultants know how to articulate an opportunity to a candidate; they speak candidly and often, which boosts their confidence.5. Write better advertsA successful job advert is not one which attracts the most candidates, it’s the one that attracts the most relevant candidates. Is it targeting the right type of individual and is it posted in the right place? Be clear on what the role involves and the skills and experiences you require. This has the impact of significantly saving your time through discouraging inappropriate candidates from applying. It’s the first step in filtering candidates.6. Quality CheckWhen dealing with such large volumes of applications you may have to be quite strict. Do not be afraid to discard CVs with errors or poor formatting. Have a strict scoring matrix of what you are looking for and discard those that don’t demonstrate enough of what you are looking for.7. Have an open mindThe CV will show you a chronological timeline of work experience but be sympathetic to the unprecedented times we face. Circumstances may dictate that a person has had to temporarily move to a job far removed from the previous roles stated on their CV or have been out of work entirely for some time.8. Be decisiveDon’t wait until the last minute before you get the wheels in motion to make an offer. It should never take more than two days after a final interview to present a candidate with a formal offer if you have had a robust assessment process in place. Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes. If you spend time procrastinating about whether or not you should make them an offer, they are likely to interpret this as you having doubts about them. A company that boosts their confidence by making them an offer straight away is more likely to win the candidate Our figures suggest that 80% of candidates will accept the first job offer they receive. Maximise your chances of winning the best talent by being the first to make them an offer.9. Don’t under-offerCompetitive employers at present are offering most candidates at least a significant increase on their current remuneration package. These employers, understandably, win the best talent. If the candidate is worth hiring, they’re worth paying for.10. Invest in a good Application Tracking System (ATS)A good quality ATS will help you increase efficiency, improve candidate engagement, allow you to talent pipeline and remove unconscious bias. Remember just because an applicant is not the right fit for one role, they might be suitable for something else now or in the future.

While some employees will want to work from home all the time after the pandemic, recent research has shown the vast majority would prefer a balance where they are in the office for some of the week and at home for the remainder. This has led to the use of a relatively new term: Hybrid Working.   Hybrid working refers to any combination of in office and remote working dynamics that grant employees more autonomy over where, when and how they get their work done. Organisations who do not support such flexible forms of working may therefore risk increased employee turnover, reduced employee engagement and limitations on the ability to attract talent in the future.   Benefits A greater feeling of autonomy and independence Greater productivity Greater ability to focus with fewer distractions Lower risk of burn out Saved commuting time & cost Overall a better work-life balance.  Health & wellbeing advantages from increased exercise opportunities A more motivated, energised and productive workforce Savings on office space Reduced absence rates Greater performance against organisational targets A wider talent pool of candidates outside of traditional geographies   Disadvantages Employees can feel isolated & disconnected creating low motivation & even anxiety Procrastination levels increase with employees lapsing into bad habits Poor connectivity, inadequate working environments and lack of suitable hardware will hinder performance Communication, sounding boards and idea generation can become stifled Boundaries between personal & professional lives can be eroded, impacting an individual’s ability to focus whilst working or to relax when the working day is done.   As such organisations need to ensure their teams feel the same level of mental and emotional support and have the same technological capabilities as they would in the office. Formal and informal communication channels need to be opened and people managers need to have a greater awareness and take a much greater interest in working patterns and employee wellbeing.   How to implement effective Hybrid Working   1. Take a strategic position & create policy documents that reflect this Agree an overall strategic position on hybrid working and develop a policy and supporting guidance reflecting the strategy. Although hybrid working is a ‘way of working’ it is still a policy and your employees need a policy statement. The decision about who can work remotely and for what proportion of time must be a policy one. In practice it will differ from workplace to workplace, team to team and even person to person dependant on what is considered appropriate and suitable. A policy statement will clarify this for your staff.   2. Utilise and train your people managers Engage people managers throughout the organisation, providing an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns. Provide training and development to support successful hybrid working.  Although managers may have developed new skills in terms of managing a remote workforce, hybrid working brings unique challenges that are different from both predominantly remote and predominantly office-based working. Organisations will need to put learning and development in place to ensure effective people management.   3. Communicate Develop a communication strategy to share plans for hybrid working including communication plans for when the hybrid model is in operation. Plan for and respond to the organisational implications of hybrid working on matters such as technology, employee wellbeing, inclusion and facilities. Plan for effective team building and cohesion in hybrid teams. When communication is not well managed it can result in poor information flow, knowledge gaps, barriers to effective team working and exclusion of team members who are not in the office. Communication within hybrid teams needs to be more intentional as casual or ad-hoc conversations may be reduced. Effective communication needs to be seen as the responsibility of everyone in the team. Build in regular social and human connection opportunities to support employee engagement and team building is vital.   4. Consider technology Technology plays a critical role in hybrid working. Employees need to be able to work seamlessly between workplace and home, and there needs to be ease of connectivity between people in the office and those working remotely. In addition to technology, consider what other equipment will support effective and healthy remote working, including the provision of office furniture or mobile devices.   5. Manage employee wellbeing The employee wellbeing implications of COVID-19 will require focus for some time. This may include supporting employees experiencing poor mental health, addressing specific concerns and anxieties about the return to the workplace and the impact of Long COVID. Hybrid working may bring with it specific challenges around work-life balance and managing the boundaries between work and home. Consider providing training and support to employees on managing work-life balance and digital wellbeing to help employees mindfully disconnect. Ensure managers are aware of potential signs and symptoms of poor wellbeing or mental health, as these may be harder to detect whilst employees are working in a remote or hybrid way.   6. Change how you performance manage When employees are working remotely or more flexibly, their performance may be harder to observe. Managers will need to adjust to assessing performance through outcomes, contribution and value. You will need to consider if current performance management systems and processes are fit for purpose in a hybrid environment? Ensure managers have 121 time with team members on a regular basis to discuss performance and update objectives. Have mechanisms to identify and reward great performance, as well as address poor performance.   7. Review employee attraction, development & retention Hybrid working affects all aspects of the employee lifecycle. Organisations will need to review each stage in order to identify where amendments need to be made in order to enable effective hybrid working. This includes recruitment, processes, company culture, values, teamwork, team building, training, performance management, reward and recognition & career development.   There is no one way to do hybrid. The most effective arrangements will be the ones that suit the organisation. The best way to identify that suitability is to assess what went well in in 2020 and where the challenges lay. Hybrid working will require a rethink of how jobs are structured with job redesign will be critical for those employers ready to embrace the benefits of offering remote working options.

Many of us are now working remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To continue the hiring process, video interviews are a must and will become the norm in the future. They offer far greater flexibility (consider the time and planning involved in conducting an “In-person” interview) a great insight into how a candidate can adapt to different communication formats and engage key stakeholders while weeding out those professional interviewees who can pull the wool over your eyes.However, they are not without their pitfalls and practice makes perfect. The fundamentals of interviewing still hold true for video interviews but there are several nuances to be aware of. As such Butler Ross has outlined our top tips in preparing for and conducting successful video interviews. An unpolished process can come across as unprofessional and even damage your brand. PreparationOutline the processFirst and foremost, put a formal plan together with your entire hiring team. How will the interview process change now that it’s being conducted remotely, will you need to prepare a slide presentation to share on screen? Are there any steps candidates need to complete ahead of time to prepare, what is your backup plan if the internet connection (either yours or the candidates) becomes an issue? In times like these, aim to over communicate. When the majority of your team is remote, you don’t have the luxury of popping over to their desk to ask for clarification.Choose, install and testRegardless of which interview software you select, it’s important to understand and have experience with the nuances before conducting an interview. Do some research beforehand to find out if the candidate needs to have certain log-in credentials, or download any software in order to join the conversation. Make sure to provide all of this information to candidates long before the interview so they can test out the software. Additionally, hold a few test interviews with your team members to ensure everyone understands how to set up video and audio functions, mute themselves, share their screen and chat during the interview.Notify candidates as soon as possibleVideo interviews, when done correctly, are as effective as in-person interviews.Nonetheless, it’s still a change candidate also need to prepare for. Provide them with clear directions on the equipment they’ll need to join the interview such as internet access, software or video conferencing applications and a quiet space. Emphasise that the change is out of concern for their health and safety, along with that of your employees. Additionally, communicate expectations as you would for an onsite interview so the candidate is well-prepared.Set up a good interviewing spaceDesignate a quiet, well-lit space for conducting interviews. The video quality is a huge factor of interview quality; if the candidate has trouble hearing or seeing you, they’re going to have trouble connecting with your company.Conducting the interviewLog on earlyDon’t let your candidate wait around wondering if they’ve got the right time or joined the right meeting. Show up to the video interview five minutes early and switch off your video functionality while you wait. This will ensure you’re on time to the meeting, but you can continue to work in the meantime. Your candidates will appreciate your punctuality and preparedness.Silence your phone and mute notificationsGive candidates your full attention and turn off the rest of the world when conducting video interviews. Remember, this is a time to both assess a candidate’s fit for the role and sell your company as a potential employer, so treat them with the same respect you expect from them.Dress appropriatelyEven if you are no longer in the office, dress professionally. Showing up in attire that is not typical office attire for your organisation, will signal to the candidate that the conversation isn’t important, you can always change after the interview. Dressing as you would in the office gives the candidate a sense of your culture and makes a video interview feel more in line with an onsite interview.Be considerate and compassionateGive your candidate the respect they deserve by minimising background noises and distractions. However, life happens, especially at home and there may be interruptions. Take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the candidate’s flexibility in moving the interview to a video conference and ask them for their patience if things pop up. Additionally, don’t fault candidates if the same happens from their end. Be conscious of your body languageTreat a video interview like you would an in-person one. Just because there’s a screen between you and the candidate does not mean that common courtesies are off the table. Over 50% of communication is nonverbal, and another 40% is conveyed through tone of voice; your words amount to less than 10%. In short, the way you present yourself is extremely important. Make eye contact, sit up straight and nod to show you’re following along with what the candidate is saying. Also don’t forget to smile!Highlight your company cultureCandidates can’t experience your company culture first hand during a video interview, so make it a point to highlight your culture throughout the conversation. Emphasise your core values, company mission and talk about how your office is structured and the intention behind it. Paint a clear picture of what it’s like to work at your company. Above all, infuse your culture into the interview by embodying your core values and treating the candidate as you would a colleague.Review past interview notesAhead of a video interview, review your notes from previous conversations with the candidate so the next one is as productive as possible. Take notes on what the candidate says, how engaged they seem and their general demeanour during every interview. Note that it’s important to inform the interviewee that you’re taking notes to reference later and that you’re still paying full attention to the conversation. They can’t tell what you’re writing, and to them, it may seem like you’re not paying attention.Ask consistent questionsRegardless of interview format, it’s vital that you ask all candidates a consistent set of questions. Continue to use the questions you’ve outlined for in-person and onsite interviews. That way, if interruptions happen, as they’re likely to during video interviews you’re better prepared to evaluate and compare candidates based on the merit of their responses. Additionally, use an interview scorecard to remain unbiased in your evaluations.Have a backup planNo matter how many times you test your video interview software, problems can still occur. In the event that video or audio functions aren’t working, internet access becomes unstable or surroundings are no longer conducive to an interview, have a failsafe in place. Whether you default to a phone call or switch to FaceTime, ensure you have an alternative method for conducting the interview. Set up a feedback processTake the opportunity to learn from each interview by asking candidates to complete a feedback survey afterwards. Keep the survey simple and ask general questions about how candidates felt the conversation went, if the software worked well and if there is anything that could be done to improve the video interview experience. Use the information from these surveys to enhance the process as you go.What Software?To try and help we have conducted some research and identified some of the best used software for video interviews. All are effective and down to personal choice. Our single bit of advice here is to pick one that the candidates you are interviewing can easily access. From experience Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams tick this box.Zoom https://zoom.us/Google Hangouts Meet https://gsuite.google.com/signup/basic/welcome Skype https://www.skype.com/en/Cisco WebEx Meetings https://www.webex.com/Microsoft Teams https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/group-chat-softwareGoToMeeting https://www.gotomeeting.com/en-gb Join.Me https://www.join.me/Video Interviewing like anything takes practice. But used well will be an incredibly effective tool in speeding up the recruitment process and identifying the best talent. I hope this helps you along the journey as we all adapt.

Tips for Reintegrating Furloughed Employees We may not have heard of it before Covid-19 but we certainly have now. Furlough has been upon us for several months, however it is important to remember it is a temporary measure and it will end. It is time for businesses to turn their mind to transitioning to a post-furlough business environment. It is crucial to consider not only the needs of the business but also the relationships with your most important asset, your people. Some employees through no choice of their own have been asked to stay at home; to play their part in safeguarding an organisations future, take a reduction in their wages and sit tight and wait for more information to follow. Being removed from any situation can feel isolating, particularly when you’re desperate to get going again, to make a difference and to reconnect with colleagues.  It can also result in furloughed employees feeling frustrated and even guilty that they’re not doing enough. These heightened emotions can increase levels of anxiety particularly as the future is so unknown. Equally, the disproportionate balance of work that has been thrust upon those employees who were identified as key workers, and who have kept the business moving over the past few months, has been immense. They are likely to feel exhausted. There may even be an element of resentment starting to creep in as they look across the growing divide between these employee groups. Managing the integration of both of these groups will be essential to an organisation’s survival. To help you transition, Butler Ross has put together some tips that we hope will help with this reintegration process. To begin we suggest a three-stage approach of Reflection, Planning and Implementation to manage a positive re-integration of furloughed employees:   Reflection: Following this period of change it is important to reflect on how you have managed the decisions taken around your employees; what have you learnt and what can you improve on? How did you/are you engaging with those on furlough? How may this communication have affected your employee’s perception of you and the company? How might the relationships have changed between those that have been on Furlough and those that have not? Are those that have been working throughout close to burnout? Are those who have been on furlough experiencing high levels of anxiety? Consider lessons learned from similar processes whereby employees have returned from leave or a period away from the business, for example, long term sickness or returning from parental leave.   Planning: Based on your reflections, plans should include how to re-integrate your furloughed employees back into the organisation, ensuring commonalities with those that have stayed, this may depend on when the workload will return. Consideration needs to be given as to whether it is possible to re-allocate people to meet resource needs in other parts of the business or will a phased re-integration or even a redundancy programme be needed. What internal dynamics should be considered when re-integrating furloughed employees? Are their learnings from the enforced remote working and reduced headcount that can be adopted in the longer term? How do you plan to maintain motivation and a shared sense of purpose among your people? Are there opportunities to re-skill and re-deploy? A very likely bi-product of the pandemic is a shift in values for employees as the importance of family and health, and the benefits of agile working have come to the fore. This also needs to be considered in your planning.   Implementation: It will be critical to ensure that risk is being managed in terms of complying with ongoing government guidance and the duty of care to your employees, but, at the same time, this will need to be balanced against the needs of the business. Businesses will also need to consider timescales for implementation: How will you phase the return of your employees from furlough? What engagement plan will you have in place to promote the “new normal”? How will you ensure the real and perceived safety of your people when re-integrating furloughed employees? What communication strategy will suit your culture and your employees best Will you set up a feedback loop to monitor success of the return and engagement of your employees? How will you manage the wider repercussions on employee well-being that may have arisen?   Our 10 Top Tips   1. Set out clear criteria and timelines for returning employees There’s no prescribed way to bring employees back to work, but it’s advisable to give reasonable written notice of at least 48 hours. Remember, some employees may still have children at home unable to go to school and need to arrange childcare. You should set out clear criteria for recalling staff. Will the decision be based merely on business need, or will you consider individual circumstances? It’s important to be fair and inclusive when making your decision and to document your reasons (such as seniority or operational needs) to mitigate the risk of potential discrimination claims.   2. Communicate & Listen Maintaining a positive dialogue with employees both in and out of active work will be critical as organisations transition to a post Covid-19 “new normal”.  Ensure that whilst they are on furlough or working remotely, you have regular touch points with your team. Regular team socials (zoom team drinks!), 121s with their managers so they can keep updated with what’s happening in the business and weekly training including your non furloughed team are all a great way to keep everybody connected and camaraderie high. Not only do all employees need to understand and know what’s happening with the changes that are being made within the workplace, they also need to have the opportunity to be listened to, heard and understood. Organisations should look to put in place mechanisms so that all employees are given an opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns. Many employees (Furloughed or otherwise) will, over the past several months, had epiphany moments. They may have questioned the level of satisfaction in their life and in their job.  They may have reflected upon how they were previously spending their time and whether they had been able to achieve a positive work life balance. Understanding this shift change is paramount. The level of changes in terms of new working practices is likely to change and evolve regularly. It’s important that you take the time to learn rather than assume to understand the needs of your people and to reshape your organisational structure going forward. Prepare a summary of results, information and strategy at their level ready to present to them on their return, maybe 5 things of importance that have happened or that the business has achieved each month? Let them know what’s been happening, so they don’t feel they’ve missed out. This is now the time for authentic leadership.  For organisations to be clear and bold about their organisational culture going forward and to clearly state what they stand for.   3. Build on the engagement you’ve already had The level of engagement you maintained with your employees while they were on furlough should be used as the base from which to initiate and build a plan for their return. Conversations should be able to steer your plan of action based on their changed circumstances.  Consider: How might the process have changed your employees' perception of the company? Have relationships changed between those that have been furloughed and those that have not? Have feelings about returning to work changed, are they able to jump straight back into a full working week? Do they feel comfortable about their commute into the office?  There will likely be mixed thoughts about returning to work and eventually the office. It is important to clarify exactly how your people are feeling, an employee survey to take the pulse of the company could be very useful.     4. Assess your talent requirements and capacity  It is important to assess the requirements of your team and determine how you will want your people to operate moving forward. While longer-term objectives are likely to have shifted, this is an opportunity to realign team goals, culture and structure to best support the company vision. Consider: The roles and responsibilities of all your employees. Are there any gaps? Would the organisation benefit from different skill sets? Does the current team structure work? Could a change make processes and people more efficient? Is there a need for additional training and support to close knowledge gaps or to enable returning employees to perform their job more efficiently?   5. Determine your strategy for returning employees  What will the return look like for your furloughed employees? It might be an initial return on a part-time basis, utilising enforced holiday, focusing completely on a remote reintegration plan or adopting a phased approach back into the office. Longer-term, a blended approach of home working and office-based employees might be preferred, or it could be more viable to build processes to ensure home working can be sustained.  Consider:  How might the return to work and reintegration change the way teams work together and the team dynamics?  What health & safety precautions have been put in place to protect people in the office? Are people equipped with the right tools for successful home working? Are internal processes structured to support teams effectively and ensure that motivation and drive are maintained? How will relationships between colleagues be rebuilt and developed? How will potential future lockdowns be managed, what are the contingency plans? Once a clear strategy has been decided, be sure to have one-to-one catch ups with furloughed employees to discuss how the plan will impact them personally and the next steps they will need to take. It is important to reiterate that their safety and wellbeing are the priority and reassure them that all appropriate measures are in place to protect their health and safety if a return to the office is expected.     6. Welcome them back as you would a new employee Consider writing an offer letter which states all the information they need to know. The employee needs to know what’s changed (if anything) when it comes to their position, salary and benefits. For example, have wages been reduced across the board? How does being on furlough affect their sick leave or annual leave entitlement? You should also provide details about how you will be ensuring workplace safety and staff wellbeing. As an employer, you also need to understand that transitioning back to work after an extended period can come as a shock (particularly under these circumstances), so it’s essential to allow a degree of flexibility.   7. Integrate them back into the workplace culture Employees should feel they are returning to a supportive and caring environment. However, it’s also vital to recognise that the pandemic may have had an unequal impact on your workforce. Some people will have been furloughed, while others might have had increased workloads to make up for staff shortages. These discrepancies could result in some negative feelings creeping into employee relations, so it’s important to nip any potential conflict in the bud. As an employer, you should look for opportunities to reintegrate employees into the team. For example, you could organise team-building exercises over a video call, virtual quiz nights or depending on the size of your team, arrange a socially distanced BBQ. You should also encourage all managers to have one-to-one meetings with every employee upon their return (even if it’s done virtually). As organisations look to reintegrate their workforce, it’s really important that they take the time to consider the reconciliation that may be required between the two groups.   8. Provide training opportunities While on furlough, employees may have missed out on crucial training, so it’s important to get them back up to speed. Make sure you provide them with the tools and time they need to complete their training (this may have to be done online if they’re still working from home). If remote working isn’t possible in your industry, it’s your responsibility as the employer to create a safe work environment and promote social distancing. Re-onboarding should include efforts to educate staff in the various guidelines available, which will vary country by country.   9. Offer reassurance, empathy and support when needed This is a time of high anxiety, which has been hard on everyone’s mental wellbeing. Add to that the stress and uncertainty of being placed on furlough, and there’s a chance your returning workers will have some extremely complicated feelings. It’s essential to be aware of this and do what you can to reassure and support them. You should offer frequent and transparent communication about the state of the business and recovery plans, as well as an open-door policy so that employees can reach out privately with any questions or concerns. Knowing they are valued and supported by you will be pivotal to their wellbeing. As a result of new ways of working management styles will require an overhaul. Empathy is going to be a vital component of the leadership and managerial toolkit. Many employees will have suffered loss and grief during this period of time. Some will have experienced bereavement for loved ones and colleagues affected by Coronavirus.  Some will experience anxiety as the lockdown restrictions change and some will be overwhelmed by the sheer uncertainty of what the future holds. Being an authentic leader doesn’t require you to have the answers to everything but showing empathy, humility and even a level of vulnerability during this period is likely to move you closer towards authentic leadership.   10.Monitor and adapt your return to work plan if necessary  It is important to be aware that reintegrating furloughed employees and returning to work will be uncharted territory for all affected by the process. Monitoring the success of your approach is key.  Consider:  Is the health and wellbeing of your people being protected?  Is the team set up supported by clear lines of communication and are there tools to facilitate peer to peer collaboration? Are your employees still engaged with the business and connected to the business goals?  How will you gather feedback on the process from your employees?  How prepared/capable is the businesses to make fast changes where necessary to better meet the needs of people and adapt to changing regulations?    This is a golden opportunity for organisations to set out plans that will define their future success. They have a choice to make – reinstate antiquated people practices or create a new reality where everyone can thrive.

Interim Management - The key to surviving the fallout from Covid-19?2020 will undoubtedly go down in history as the year when Covid-19 effectively shut down the world. As a result, many companies currently find themselves making unprecedented changes to how they operate as a business.When experiencing any such significant change, transformation or crisis, it is critical that organisations have the leaders in place who possess the experience, knowledge and skillset to navigate through these strategically pivotal periods. Without these leaders, an organisations sustainability, growth and even survival could be at risk.Professional interim managers are talented, results-driven individuals dedicated to making a difference. They manage turnarounds, accelerate change, and transform businesses in demanding timescales. Bringing intelligence, diligence and rigour which can make the difference between surviving or not. Interim management professionals also possess the credibility to affect the required changes quickly.The main benefits are:1. Cost EfficiencyThe instinctive reaction is to assume interim managers are an expensive resource, however this isn’t necessarily the case when considering total cost.  Interims are a flexible and variable cost option, not a fixed or permanent overhead. Whilst some day rates can appear to be high, the reality is that the hidden costs associated with hiring a permanent, full-time employee can often exceed the total cost of an interim manager at the same level of seniority.Interims charge only for the days worked with no additional costs for holidays, ENIC, pension or other benefits. Interims can also be paid based on their performance, this could be with bonuses or a milestone payment model, potentially reducing the cost risks for your organisation.They are also hired for a finite period and organisations often benefits from an over-qualified person for a short period because they can deliver quickly. What a business needs today is unlikely to be what it needs 6 months from now.2. TimescalesThe speed of the hiring process for an interim manager is far quicker than that of a permanent employee, with the process taking days instead of weeks or months. Interims can be parachuted in quickly and start working on projects and solutions immediately.The vast experience and expertise these interim managers possess, allows them to begin positively impacting the organisation almost immediately. This is especially important when the assignment is related to crisis management, where time sensitivity and urgency can be key to business survival.In contrast, an internal appointment (promotion) or external permanent hire who has limited exposure to other organisational cultures, visions and structures can mean upskilling is necessary prior to bringing about positive change and adding value to the organisation.3. A fresh set of eyesWhile remaining sensitive to a company’s values and culture, having no previous history with your business means they can look at the situation objectively and with clarity. Personalities and politics won’t impact decisions on what’s best for the business.Interim managers can add a fresh perspective, analysing business needs with a more balanced and unbiased approach than that of a permanent employee. Permanent managers tend to consider the bureaucratic ramifications of their decision making and the potential implications this may have on their career prospects within the organisation.As they are impartial, it can be much easier for an interim manager to say the difficult things. Senior executives sometimes only hear what the management team thinks they want to hear. This is unlikely to happen with an interim manager; they have no reason to avoid a difficult message.4. ExperienceInterim managers are experienced professionals, used to working completely autonomously, and needing very little direction to get started and make a real difference. Having worked on various types of assignments in many different organisational structures and cultures, the interim manager often possesses a greater cultural understanding and extensive expertise than that of a permanent manager.Interims are experts within their field. They can bring a ‘fresh perspective’ and a wealth of industry contacts to a company. These high calibre professionals are perfect for guiding the team in the right direction and transferring specialised knowledge.What many companies are finding most unnerving in the present pandemic is knowing what exactly they need either in terms of skills or investment to make it through. Many interim managers have extensive experience in disaster planning and other related scenarios and businesses can quickly engage an interim resource with the skills to help.5. Results DrivenInterim managers are judged by results and know that they must deliver. They can act as counsel to the Board while rolling up their sleeves to help deliver the strategy too.interims are largely delivery/ outcome focused and will seek to understand the key issues/objectives of a business and then set about delivering tangible/measurable results. They can easily adjust to new environments and they act as impartial members of staff who are not concerned with company politics/personalities. Their future contracts depend upon positive feedback from clients therefore this gives an assurance they will carry out tasks to the best of their ability in a timely and professional manner.6. Legacy ImpactThe interim resource will coach or mentor to ensure a smooth and successful transition after the assignment has ended to aid the business transformation process.  Overall, interim managers are engaged to deliver flexible and cost-effective transformation solutions at speed.For companies that require a heavyweight employee who can make a real difference but are reluctant in this climate to take someone on full time, bringing in an interim manager could be the answer.