How to Get The Best of Your Furloughed Workers Back

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, many organizations had to make difficult decisions to maximize cash flow. Not surprisingly, 18 million American workers were furloughed in April 2020 as business leaders struggled to remain in operation. As the economy reopens, the number of employers that are recalling furloughed employees is increasing. For many, the toughest leadership test is now looming–how to implement a high volume hiring strategy so they can decide which workers to bring back.

Start with Redefining Business Goals and Work Priorities

If companies want to seize new opportunities and remain competitive, they must use high volume hiring tactics to rebuild their workforces and align with new operating models and business goals.

Amid a global health and economic crisis, taking the time to carefully plan a high volume hiring strategy to recall top talent is critical to an organization’s long-term successes. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies in all industry sectors to rapidly shift standard processes to stay afloat.

As business operations change, so do the skill sets that are needed. Therefore, before deciding which furloughed talent to bring back to work, it is essential to carefully define a high volume hiring strategy that includes new processes, work priorities, and business goals. With a blueprint of employees’ responsibilities, tasks, and duties detailed, company stakeholders can identify the critical skills and competencies needed.

Conduct an Internal Talent Analysis

Throughout the pandemic, rapid shifts in business demand forced company stakeholders to reorganize talent. In doing so, many business leaders found they lacked a clear picture of their employees’ skill sets and skills gaps in their workforce. In today’s volatile business environment, organizations cannot afford to be myopic in their approach to talent management. When organizations conduct an effective skills analysis of their workers, they can develop strategic and sustainable workforce plans. 

This is an overview of the three primary steps to take in conducting a talent analysis: 

1. Identify the skills required to carry out specific roles and administer relevant skills tests to employees to map existing skill levels.
2. Map a skills hierarchy by weighing the relative importance of these skills you need to meet your business goals by dividing them as follows: 

• • Immediacy: skills needed now or very soon
  • Applicability: how easily a skill can transfer from the learning environment to the actual work environment
  • Sustainability: the likelihood that a skill set will stay relevant in the future 

3. Using the data collected from employee skills tests and the completed skills hierarchy, create a talent map by plotting the current state of skills.

With a clear picture of internal skillsets and talent gaps, an organization can execute an effective and efficient high volume hiring process to fill talent gaps.

Fill Talent Gaps with Furloughed Workers

Whether an organization is in the position to implement a high volume hiring strategy or is filling a limited number of positions, rehiring talent that will fill skill gaps is critical to success.

By using an objective and fairly applied measure for rehiring furloughed workers, companies eliminate the appearance of impropriety and hiring outcomes improve. Skills tests provide employers with unbiased data and set the framework for an adaptable and agile workforce.

Job-Relevant and Skill-Relevant Tests

eSkill’s employment tests streamline high volume hiring. With the most extensive library of customizable employment tests in the human resources industry, eSkill makes it easy to select and configure skills tests that match the unique requirements of roles in any organization.

eSkill’s testing platform offers employers:

• Over 800 job- and skill-specific tests
• Thousands of combinable, modular subjects
• A variety of job simulation tests
• Behavioral assessments
• More customization options than any other employment testing provider, including question editing, difficulty level options, time limit enforcement, automated score-based progression, and proctoring.
• A dedicated U.S.-based Client Success Manager to assist with the entire test creation and management process
• An on-demand video interviewing solution
• Platform integration with Applicant Tracking Systems and Learning Management Systems
• Cloud-based access to the Employer Dashboard, so hiring teams can access skills tests, score reports, and on-demand interviews any time and from anywhere.
• Automated testing communications auto-filled with relevant information 

From a selection of skills tests for Sales Associates, Software Engineers, Administrative Assistants, and more, eSkill makes it easy for companies to create validated and reliable assessments that are legally defensible. Using eSkill’s employment skills tests to make objective rehiring decisions mitigates the risk of legal challenges by removing subjectivity from the candidate screening process. With nearly two decades free of litigation and a perfect compliance record with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s guidelines, eSkill is a recognized leader in the assessment industry.

Organizations should leverage test scores to align employees’ skills with the appropriate responsibilities, projects, tasks, and teams to create a more engaged and productive workforce. Use eSkill’s employment testing platform to select and rehire furloughed workers with the skills needed to optimize your workforce.

Interested in Using Skills Tests to Recall Your Best Furloughed Workers?

Learn more about the benefits of using eSkill’s customizable employment skills tests to implement a high volume hiring strategy to quickly recall qualified furloughed workers.

Request a demo today.