Rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus has thrown the whole world in to a state of inactivity, with several businesses ceasing operations and workforce engagement. Consequently, a large percentage of people have been thrown off their jobs, creating a fearful shadow of a recession that is to come in the next few months.
As social distancing remains the cornerstone for the containment of the disease, organisations have no other way other than introducing remote work options and slashing full-time operations. Even as we bring everything to a standstill, the outbreak demands massive manufacturing and innovation in the fields of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, bio-engineering, IT, banking, e-commerce, logistics and other sectors, making them key elements in the fight to survival.
The ongoing slowdown, restriction and freeze in permanent hiring is therefore met with counter-balancing strategies in temporary hiring and engagement of contractual workforce. Organisations are placing employee wellbeing on top of their list, giving remote hiring an overall edge over what recruiters have been doing in the past. The accessibility, wider talent pool and availability of global expertise makes remote and temporary hiring one of the most sought-after hiring strategies of the lockdown phase.
This is especially true for firms operating in offshore locations through the help of reliable Professional Employer Organisations or PEOs. As PEOs double up as legal entities for foreign companies in host nations, overseeing employee welfare is one of their main responsibilities. When companies decide to hire remote employees from different parts of the world, PEOs ensure the employers fulfill all regulatory compliance requirements with respect to those hired.
Employee mobility solutions such as these are not just important but imperative, especially as companies can’t afford to have its employees reporting to office for work every day. Business cannot have their operations stalled for longer periods even as the ensuing lockdown carries on with uncertainty and fear.
Industries, companies and startups are all merging together to address the pandemic in joint collaboration giving rise to an increase in interim hiring for those mission-critical roles. The outbreak has brought about plenty of new projects and demand for expertise in a lot of roles. In the midst of onboarding, external interim hiring ensures companies stay insulated from tax glitches and under-wage penalties.
Apart from the scale of hiring, dependence on an external partner for interim hiring can ensure business continuity even in a state of flux. For most businesses, this is the time for them to show greater commitment to their clients and customers by operating non-stop even in the middle of a catastrophe. There is also a greater sense of purpose that drives businesses to operate their businesses so that people are not left in the lurch.
All this has given rise to an unexpected jump in interim hiring, a procedure Propay Partners has been familiar with, given its collaboration with several global partners. As Malaysia also battles the unforgiving virus that is crippling lives, decimating businesses and weakening the economy, it is time to make greater strides in the way we operate our organisations so that they make our economy more robust and functional.
