We published our last newsletter in March, back when the impacts of COVID-19 were just beginning. Three months later, in many ways, the talent market has settled into a new normal: clients are moving quickly to secure top talent after phone or video interviews, and consultants are beginning new roles leveraging remote work capabilities. Physical location has taken a backseat to experience and expertise, as managers take advantage of a broader talent pool.
But the quarantines and shutdowns won’t last forever! As state and local governments begin to move through phases of re-entry and businesses prepare to reopen, it’s clear the time has come to MOVE FORWARD. Which trends that have emerged in the last few months will endure as we shift, again, to the next new normal?
Increased Comfort with Remote Work: As John mentioned in MARKETVision, remote work is working! Targets are being met, initiatives are being executed and both our consultants and our clients are seeing the benefits that come from a dispersed workforce. While we don’t anticipate the majority of our clients adopting a permanent remote work structure, it looks like our business partners may be more open to workplace flexibility even after offices are back open.
Increased Relationship Building: As we continue to deploy consultants without the traditional face-to-face meetings, it’s become increasingly important to build strong rapport in other ways. Our talent acquisition team is spending even more time on the phone and in video meetings to make those connections, and consultants shouldn’t be surprised if they are asked for references earlier on in the process. While we can’t wait to throw our next GSG Happy Hour, it’s been wonderful to see new relationships flourish from a distance – something that will certainly carry over into the next phases of re-entry.
Increased need for Change Management Consultants: The first major shift took place three months ago, as companies moved their entire workforce to a remote work model. Now, companies are beginning to plan for the next major shift: getting people back to the office. All this change requires an abundance of communication, training and technology. Having change management experts deployed will help deliver those changes smoothly and effectively, minimizing disruption and downtime. We spoke with Matt Kussman about this last month, and have only seen an increased demand for high caliber change management professionals.
At GSG we have a mantra: Don’t look back, you’re not going that way! As we continue to move forward in 2020, we’ll hold onto the lessons learned in this phase and remain open to what’s coming next.
Granite Solutions Groupe has been deploying People and Solutions that Deliver since 1998. We place highly skilled consultants with financial services industry expertise at leading financial services companies to get things done. To find out more about how we can help your team successfully complete its next project, reach out to engage@granitesolutionsgroupe.com.