Every co-op and every community is in a different place in the employment cycle because of the pandemic. Some may be looking to rehire employees after a furlough while others are in need of filling new or temporary positions. No matter where you are in this cycle with employees, it is time to think about how employees will be hired and acclimated to the co-op. While physical distancing is necessary, this doesn’t mean the hiring process should lack the personal connection necessary to evaluate candidates. Tools such as online applications and video interviews can allow you to conduct productive interviews and create a great candidate experience — all from an appropriate physical distance.

Here are a few tips to create a personal interview experience from a distance:

• Partner with IT to choose the best virtual tool with appropriate security and functionality.
• Communicate the virtual interview process to the applicant or employee in advance to allow them time to practice with their device before the day of the interview.
• Prepare and practice with all interviewers in advance. Having a conversation with someone on a screen vs in-person takes practice. Look at the camera on the device rather than the middle of the screen. This will demonstrate good eye contact to the interviewee.
• Recognize that applicants may not show the same visual behaviors like eye contact, hand gestures, facial expression, etc. that would be shown in person. Modeling this behavior when talking to the applicant will help them feel more comfortable.
• Follow a consistent interview process and use behavioral interview questions. For examples, check out our Top Ten Interview Questions document on ncg.coop.
• Be deliberate in how you engage with people, even when it is from a distance.

Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op started using virtual interviews for open positions last month. According to HR Manager Jeff Bessmer, most candidates are familiar with the technology so interviews via Zoom have been going well. “Paying attention to the candidate experience and using a consistent interview process is so important. Even on video, we can still live our values and go above and beyond with excellent service.”

Once a new employee is hired or transferred to a new position, we can’t forget about onboarding, orientation and training. All of these can be challenging while practicing safe distancing, but not impossible. Short, one-on-one sessions to expedite onboarding, share co-op policies or demonstrate job tasks can all be done from an appropriate distance and give the employee the basic information needed to be productive in the new role. This is a great time to explore classes in Co+op U to train or refresh skills with employees. You can also administer your own customized videos or training programs through Co+op U.

We all hope that we will again be able to gather for in-person meetings and training, but for now, developing these new processes will help employees do their jobs and serve customers. Last, keep good documentation of the new processes for future use. You may even find that some of these changes in hiring and onboarding are more efficient and can be woven into future programs.