A Trustworthy Employer: Referrals in Times of Pandemic

Recruitment referral programs are built on engaged communities and their networks of contacts. In times of crisis, an employer can harness their potential to consolidate the team from within, strengthen external communication, and save on recruitment agencies and job boards.

A time to strengthen your employer brand

There is no doubt that over the coming months recruitment processes will move online to a greater extent. Job interviews held as video calls, competency tests completed online, electronic contract signing – all of this is quickly becoming the new standard. Nevertheless, each of these tools can only be used if we manage to attract interested candidates. These candidates, especially now, when there is a risk of crisis, look for information about prospective employers mainly online. In a period of uncertainty, when companies collapse, lay off employees, and entire industries slide into recession, candidates gravitate towards organizations that:

• do not operate in the industries most exposed to the effects of the pandemic
• hold a strong market position that offers hope of surviving the coming crisis
• properly look after their employees' health by implementing appropriate procedures

Who will be a more credible witness to this information than a current employee? They can vouch that the company is coping well in these difficult times, that there is no risk of significant staff turnover, and that the atmosphere at work remains positive despite the pandemic. Their referral at this moment is worth more than any marketing campaign or employer branding activity. In a crisis, people tend to trust those closest to them, limiting their trust in external sources of information. LinkedIn data shows that the most important source of knowledge about job opportunities for candidates is precisely their friends. By engaging employees, you can strengthen your image as a trustworthy employer.

Referrals – at a distance

Recommendations made via referral links, as in systems such as ShareHire, have the advantage that the referrer and the candidate do not have to meet in person. It is enough for the referrer to send a link to the job offer. The job offer page can also include information about how the company is handling the pandemic, as well as its plans for the future, e.g. in the form of a video, an infographic, or a few sentences written by a recruiter.

Activating passive candidates

HR departments must be prepared for the fact that the weaker condition of competing companies may bring many valuable people onto the market who, under normal circumstances, would not think about changing jobs. We can expect the activation of passive candidates who, returning to the job market after a long break, will start asking friends about possible openings. Referral programs with rewards make it easier for employees to start such a conversation.

The current situation on the job market resembles the stock exchange: share prices are falling, but there are people who want to buy them cheaply in order to sell later at a large profit. Similarly, it pays to be patient in acquiring the best employees – this is a perfect opportunity to focus on attracting new talent and strengthening key departments for the time after the crisis.

Referrals as a CSR tool

Some employees will want to help friends who have lost their jobs and found themselves in a difficult situation. Introducing a referral program gives them the tools to support the people close to them. These activities can also have a strong mobilizing element: a referral becomes not only a way to earn extra money, but also a chance to help others. This solution is easier to implement in companies that recruit at scale.

However, every organization can try to rethink its methods of attracting candidates during a crisis. Funds that would normally be allocated to recruitment agencies or listings on popular job boards can be used to reward employees for successful recommendations. This solution builds on existing practice, expanding its scope. In this way, the company sends a signal that it wants to support its employees, and in the event of pay cuts it gives them a way to bridge the gap in their budget.

It is also worth highlighting the role of such support in the context of CSR: the company could commit to donating part of the money saved to the fight against the virus.

Engagement is capital that pays off

During the pandemic, referral programs can help create a true community within the company. As the principle of community-based businesses states: a community is a unique, uncopyable resource that is worth more together than the sum of the potential of its individual members. Such a resource is invaluable for companies fighting for talent in times of crisis – it can replace traditional recruitment methods.

Sources: LinkedIn, The Ultimate List of Hiring Statistics, Glassdoor Economic Research, Job & Hiring Trends for 2020.

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