Hiring best practices in the gig economy — Kloudlearn Blog

Manpower will always be the highest financial investment any organization will ever make. For decades, organizations have been hiring top talents through the traditional methodologies. However, in today’s scenario where the market and economy are taking a free fall and the gig economy is on the rise, the usual hiring methods might not be fruitful for your organization.

In a gig working ecosystem, the candidate and the organization make a short-term contract to fulfill a goal together. However, the majority of the organization’s work is still done by its full-term employees. When these full-term employees start shifting to the gig work culture due to the myriads of benefits it offers, it becomes increasingly difficult for the organization to hire top talents for a full-time position.

Two types of hiring that will work in the gig economy

1. Collaborative Hiring

In a collaborative hiring process, employees from multiple departments of the organization get involved in the hiring process. In short, it is a team-based hiring model. In such a hiring process, the candidate often has to go through several stages of the interview. For example, in the first interview, a hiring manager and recruiter will test the candidate’s basic skills and interests. In the next round, an employee who will be a part of the same team as the candidate once he/she is hired will conduct the interview. This employee will quiz the candidate on how he/she can handle team tasks. The candidate may even be tested on their practical skills to get a job done. All the interviews will be scored and the candidate with an appreciable score will be hired.

Collaborative hiring offers several benefits like reducing the stress of the recruiter, hiring better cultural fits, and reduces time to hire. But remember, the hiring process will vary for each company depending on their needs but the basic skeletal structure would be the same for all organizations.

2. Inbound Hiring

In inbound hiring, the recruitment process is done by slowly building content that enhances the brand perception of the organization. In such a method, the candidates will automatically get drawn towards the organization in search of job openings. The organization can build its brand by advertising and publishing quality content in the form of social media posts and blogs. Even the candidates who are not actively looking for a job might get engaged with your organization through this branding exercise. But the important thing is such candidates must be kept engaged by the talent acquisition team through regular communication about various job openings.

Tips for hiring in the gig economy

1. Build an attractive careers page

Organizations should compulsorily have a career page on their website. On this page, the company should highlight its values and culture, and if possible detail out all the value propositions that it offers to its employees like health insurance and other perks. Realistically captured photographs and videos of the workplace should be added to this page. Even employee reviews can be added to gain trust. Some organizations even post a video of what they are expecting from a candidate on this page.

2. Focus on candidate experience

As an organization, you should focus on building a positive experience throughout the entire interview process, right from the advertising of the role all the way to sending the offer letter. Always provide clear, honest, and real-time communication for every stage in the hiring process. When you offer such a positive experience, it will build your brand even further and attract top talents in the future.

3. Focus on data-driven and AI-powered hiring

Data is a very important tool in today’s world. Organizations should employ AI tools to analyze the data of all the applied candidates based on their skills and knowledge. Such a tool will throw a final list of eligible candidates in no time. Doing so will reduce the hiring time and hiring costs for the company.

4. Focus on building a strong employer brand

Branding is very important for an organization to gain the consumer’s trust and loyalty. The same rule applies to your candidates as well. Make your existing employees brand ambassadors for your organization and make them promote your brand in various channels. This will help in building trust and increases the inflow of quality candidates.

Wrapping Up

As more and more talented candidates are turning into gig workers, organizations should change their hiring models and employ innovative methods in the recruitment process. Improving the branding of the organization plays a key role in gaining trust and attracting candidates. Integrating technologies like AI into the recruitment process will significantly boost your chances of picking the right candidate for the job.

Further Reading: 5 ways to deliver engaging virtual training