As COVID restrictions lift, many employers are reopening offices. But many workers won’t be willing to compromise their health if they’re afraid the workplaces they’re being hired into are not safe. How can you assure candidates that the workplaces they will be going to are safe and secure? What steps are necessary to prove to new workers that you have their health and safety in mind? We have answers that will help you recruit and retain top talent.

Safety at Work

Individual concerns about safety issues in the workplace aren’t going away and the hiring process needs to take this into account. Some of the things you can put in place and then communicate with employees include:

  • Having a health and safety plan in place for our business. This should already be a part of your return-to-work strategy. Having a set of COVID-19 safety guidelines will help your company retain existing workers, and it’s imperative for new workers as well. If you haven’t built this plan and wonder where to start, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has good guidelines. Or, check out the Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) guidelines to help inform your own document. 
  • Give some thought to how you can incorporate safety measures into your corporate branding. Train your recruiting teams to understand this plan and speak knowledgeably about it with candidates to set their minds at ease. You can even talk about this plan in your social media posts. Put the plan on your website and you can even add a link to your job ads so potential candidates can read it. The goal is to make sure everyone recognizes your commitment to keeping them safe on the job.
  • Talk about the safety plan in the interview process. While the candidate is being interviewed, don’t forget that they’re also interviewing you. You should interview in a way that follows safety protocols to further illustrate your commitment to worker safety. This means sticking with any virtual interview processes you already have in place even as COVID restrictions are lifted. Don’t expect to go back to handshakes anytime soon! Onboarding should continue social distancing practices so the employee will come in knowing what rules to follow on the job. 
  • Keep in mind worker safety extends well beyond COVID to also encompass general workplace health and security practices. Worker injuries are a significant cost center for employers each year. So, hiring a workforce that takes safety seriously is just as important for employers as it is for the employees they hire and the candidate they screen. 

Worker safety is everyone’s business and in your best interest. The candidates you screen in the future will likely be more aware of safety and health issues. Be prepared to address these issues now during your hiring processes. Exelare can help with our state-of-the-art applicant tracking system (ATS) that can standardize health and safety messages to all candidates and new hires. Call on us to find out more.