Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the workplace was mostly about doing things on a face-to-face basis. Although there were cases where professionals were being hired on a remote basis for remote roles. But, due to the pandemic, more remote roles are being created and maintained. The rules of the workplace are changing and it seems that this change is here to stay.

COVID-19 has made more companies and organizations to consider having their staff work remotely, as a way of reducing person to person contact. Even the rules of the workplace have changed as regards the hiring and selection process, as more candidates are being interviewed and evaluated using tools like Skype and Zoom.

“It came as a surprise when I was contacted by an organization I had applied at for a job, that they wanted to conduct a virtual interview with me, I had never experienced anything like that before”, says Ngozi, a client of ours.

Ngozi went ahead and aced her interview and she was hired remotely at an international organization.

So, you see, the rules of the workplace are changing and all job candidates need to change their mindsets to reflect this change which is capable of becoming a permanent feature in the world of work.

According to Dan Schawbel of Workplace Intelligence, COVID-19 has not only transformed the employee experience, but also the candidate and hiring experience. Schawbel also writes that some of the trends currently ongoing in the workplace, include permanent remote work, an emphasis on virtual learning, a focus on diversity and inclusion, and the changing face of the office space.

As a job candidate, your job is to ensure that you are educating yourself more on the changing trends and adjust your expectations. For instance, if you were expecting to relocate for the job of your dreams, you should also be open to the idea that relocation might not happen, and you should be willing to work remotely.

What if you are used to attending face-to-face interviews? Now is the time to learn techniques of virtual interviews. There are set rules for virtual interviews and if you are actively applying for jobs now, it will be in your best interest to learn all about them.

Also, if you are currently interested in learning more and getting certified in various skills, you should be open to online learning. We have always advised our readers at Lingo Africa, to take advantage of online courses from Coursera, edX, Khan Academy and others.

Source - https://lingoafrica.com/rules-of-the-workplace-are-changing-and-professionals-should-take-note/

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