What is the most important question you can ask yourself?

 

From the way people first reacted to the shock of the epidemic it must have been, “Do I have enough toilet paper?” In other circles it was, “Do I have enough bullets?” As parts of the country start to re-open, neither of these questions are what need answers now. The most important question now and moving forward is what have we learned from this experience?

 

Here are a few observations I have seen as a specialty chemical recruiter during the response to COVID 19.

 

Video technology is a powerful and widespread tool. Home video cameras have been around since I was a child. One thing remains true. Some people like being on camera and others do not. With the amount of video conferencing taking place, multitudes of people are getting up to speed on the power of the video call. We have seen this work for replacing in-person interviews to the point of being able to make a hiring decision. In the chemical industry, the face to face meeting is powerful and an essential in trust building. With video conferencing, those trust building measures are being taken.

 

Time is precious, and we have ways to be more time efficient. There have been numerous times saving efficiencies. Atlanta is notorious for traffic. The roads became dangerous because of excessive speeding during the quarantine. Commutes became tolerable for all those still having to get to a work location. By removing the commute, we have seen more productive work while at the desk. Is this something your business and employee can gain by implementing?

 

Humans are made for community. We work with scientist, chemist, engineers, and accountants. Stereotypically, these profiles are not extroverted. Having to be isolated and not having the option to be with others has highlighted the need for people to be connected. We have heard the appreciation for conversations. Deliberate communication is necessary when you cannot just pass by someone’s office or see them on the sidewalk.

 

There is nothing new under the sun. This August will mark my 12th year recruiting. This is the second global economy shake down I will have experienced. Although the catalyst is different, many of the lessons are the same. We only have two question that we can use to impact how we reflect on this time. What did you learn during this experience? How will you use that to change your life?

 

Written by Wes Washington- Managing Director, Boaz Leader and Specialty Chemical Recruiter