For women today, working full-time comes with a lot of challenges. Balancing career and family life aren’t always easy; in many cases, it has been the catalyst for leaving a job. But the decision not to work isn’t always related to job dissatisfaction.
The good news is, there is a solution.
Employers that understand the landscape from the employee’s perspective can provide accommodations in the form of remote and asynchronous work, resulting in a win-win for all stakeholders.
Using remote and asynchronous work as a recruiting tool opens up an untapped talent pool that removes recruitment and talent development barriers, supporting sustainable business growth. As the world is still adjusting to this new reality, employers that embrace this trend give themselves a distinct advantage and will almost certainly be able to attract, recruit, and retain the talent they need to thrive.
Today, we’ll discuss the current state of work and how employers can leverage a remote and asynchronous model to attract and retain a highly motivated workforce.
The pandemic forced companies to transform the work environment almost overnight. Embracing a remote strategy enabled organizations to maintain business continuity, but it was, at least initially, seen as a temporary stopgap. Technology, process automation, and outsourcing were applied judiciously, but only some needs or roles could be satisfied using those methods.
Remote and asynchronous work, however, proved to be the unsung heroes of these times.
For many employees, the ability to work remotely meant much more than simply having a job. For women, specifically, it was the only way to manage their workload and care for their families. Services had shut down; childcare became scarce (or non-existent) and unaffordable. In the absence of accommodations, such as flexible scheduling or asynchronous shifts, some were forced to make tough decisions. The resulting exodus put companies in a desperate situation, scrambling to find the talent required to keep their business afloat.
Two years in, the landscape has evolved. Employers that have held on to outdated recruiting practices find themselves continually struggling to maintain quality and productivity. Burnout reigns supreme, with fewer workers carrying the load once shouldered by twice the workforce, a situation that has become both untenable and unsustainable.
As companies struggle to attract and retain top talent in the post-pandemic environment, HR teams and hiring managers have been forced to think outside the box to innovate new ways to recruit and retain employees.
Many companies still cling to “how we’ve always done it,” especially now, as the pandemic is on its decrescendo. Some organizations seem to have a consensus that they can return to the old ways and expect employees to fall in line. However, it’s clear that employees have different ideas about that.
Bottom line—the talent is out there, and they still want and need to work. But times and priorities have changed. Employees are looking for sustainability, balance, and empathy from the companies they work for, and it’s within an employer’s capabilities to provide that.
By leveraging remote, asynchronous, and other alternative work models, employers today have an opportunity to engage a rich demographic of skilled, motivated employees who can help them flip the tables on the staffing crisis.
To summarize, here are the top reasons why companies choose to hire from the open talent market:
Only when any lingering stigmas attached to offsite work are removed can the practice be successfully applied to the recruiting strategy.
Though employment levels are rising among women, there are regions in the U.S. where women still lag behind men in returning to work. In the early days of the pandemic, women lost 1.7 more jobs than men. As the country begins to recover, the ability to work from home is a critical driver. To pull focus on the gender gap, 90% of fathers are employed, but mothers continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels.
For women especially, asynchronous and remote work options are attractive, as it removes barriers that have made it difficult for them to return to work.
Flexible scheduling, for instance, is a huge selling point for working mothers. The ability to work around the school day or nap time gives them the freedom to balance their work and home life in a way that works for them.
Asynchronous work can also eliminate the need for childcare, as there is no need to be in the office at set times. In some cases, having the flexibility to set their schedules allows them to save tens of thousands of dollars every year on daycare, not to mention the time and effort involved in running a household or getting kids from point a to point b within a specific timeframe.
As employers continue to investigate new ways to attract talented employees, these approaches should be placed at the forefront of the recruiting strategy. Many women, especially those with children or caring for older relatives, would choose a job that offers them this flexibility over one that pays significantly more, as the benefits far outweigh the potential financial gain.
The pandemic has shown that asynchronous and remote work is possible and beneficial for both employers and employees. Applied as a recruiting tool, companies stand to gain in many ways and may be able to once and for all solve their hiring dilemmas.
Stay In The Game provides opportunities for competent, educated individuals who have been out of the workforce. Now, they can get back in the game and put their talents to work. We offer jobs, training and community support. For more information, please visit our website https://stayinthegame.net/ or contact us at info@stayinthegame.net.
