With a historic 38.6 million jobs lost in just nine weeks, the coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc on the labor market.
As the class of 2020 graduates into that uncertain professional landscape, both those new grads and the companies hiring them face quite a bit of work to adapt and create the opportunities and culture that both employees and employers need to thrive.
For a new hire, starting a career virtually means it’s much harder to get a feel for the work and to immerse oneself in the culture of a company, said Miecha Ranea Forbes, senior vice president of culture, inclusion, and strategic advising at executive search and consulting firm Koya Leadership Partners. And that lack of connection can start a career off on the wrong foot.
“Statistics show that the more engaged a person is in the organization, the culture, and the work, the more likely it is they’re going to be retained for a long period of time,” Forbes said. “Even through bumps like a pandemic.”
One of the biggest challenges Forbes said she encounters in her work, which often includes helping companies engage their workforce virtually, is getting employees and employers to understand that …