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Recruitment & induction, how has it changed?

Last week the UK events industry welcomed the news that piloting of live spectators would resume at selected sporting events and that conference venues are expected to get the green light to resume operation once again from October 1st. This news came after theatres, galleries and music halls glowed red last week in support of events. Read on to find out how we have adapted our process, from recruitment through to induction.

As the industry awaits further government guidance on how the safety of guests will be ensured upon re-opening, venues will now be looking at how they can bring back their own teams safely. Also, how they can adapt their hiring processes once the time comes to recruit and expand their teams (and that time will eventually come!). One of the few things that are for certain in the current climate, is that the process of recruiting and onboarding new team members is likely to look quite different to what it did pre-pandemic.

What are we doing?

Here at Appetite4Work, we have been looking at how we can update our own processes to ensure that the recruitment, onboarding, and induction of our new temporary staff is safe, efficient, engaging, and compliant and that we have highly skilled and well-prepared staff ready to support our clients when they need us. Online video platforms have been utilised to conduct remote interviews and Right to Work checks and adapting induction and training programs to be delivered virtually, whilst ensuring there is no compromise on the quality of service to both candidates and clients.

Existing Process

Traditionally, new temporary staff members would be welcomed to the team by meeting one of our Staffing Managers, either at one of our offices or one of our client venues. This gives new team members the opportunity to meet other new starters, existing team members and undertake skills training if required. Until the time that we are able to welcome new team members back to Appetite HQ in person, we hope to give our team the best possible start by conducting induction and training sessions online and in groups where possible to emulate the same group dynamic.

Our induction program is designed to provide our new team members with all the information they need to complete their first shift with us, from what to wear, how to make sure they are safe at work and when and how they will be paid. We also want to make sure our team members have a clear picture of the location they will be working, their role within that team and what is required of them. It is also the perfect opportunity to ask any questions they might have and to get to know us and how we work.

How have we adapted?

Whilst the transition to online induction and training might have been brought on by a global pandemic, it has also provided us with the opportunity to take a good look at how technology can enhance our current processes and ways in which we can do things more efficiently. Online interviews/induction sessions can considerably reduce the entire recruitment process from weeks to days, in turn benefitting our clients as we can be agile and respond to their staffing requirements with greater ease. The time saved by these new processes also allows us to increase the volume of online interviews we conduct to ensure we are able to find the very best staff for our clients with skills and experience to meet their demands.

Will this be a long term solution?

The changes we have made and will continue to make are to ensure that we are ready for action and to support our clients as they prepare to re-open their venues and welcome back their guests. As we adjust to the changes this pandemic has had on our industry, we will monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of our new practices, as well as feedback from clients and new team members to establish which of these new practices might stay for good. You can find out more about our process here.