Where job-hunting meets technology

There is no doubt that technology has taken control of our lives. We are all in need of that gadget that can keep us in touch with the workplace, our social gatherings and family. And, with the different levels of community quarantine in place, many businesses have needed to adapt in order to cope with the changes brought about by the current global situation. In the Philippines, companies are either downsizing or shutting down, and OFWs are currently being repatriated.

“There is an oversupply of labor,” says Trixie Whyte, founder and chairman of Q2 HR Solutions. This year her company reaches its 20th year of being a fully integrated HR solutions provider and is gearing for the future.

“There is a repurposing and redeployment of workers in certain industries hit by the pandemic such as entertainment, hospitality, airlines and cruise ships, among others," she adds. "This is due either to a logistical problem and limited access to transportation or a skills mismatch. There are just competencies that are very specific to an industry and are difficult to move across another sector.”

It is no wonder that businesses have had to recalibrate. Those who are still hiring have had to adjust to what is now called the “new normal.”

Today, recruitment and employment criteria now include things like Internet access and good Wi-Fi coverage at home; a conducive home/work environment; noise cancelling gadgets and apps; and strong self-management and self-motivation, requiring that the candidate is able to work with minimal supervision.

“I have also seen a movement towards localized recruitment drives — hiring candidates who live near the company location for businesses that require their workforce to come into the workplace. This pandemic has given rise to technology tools and portals to help job seekers look for employment opportunities," she adds. “Virtual platforms are now the norm in recruitment. People are up-skilling to broaden their job opportunities through online courses, and there has been a surge of freelance workers in various disciplines.”

For this change, Q2 HR Solutions Group of Companies recently held a successful Virtual Job Fair. Being one of the first companies to do this gives them a definite advantage in terms of their ability to improve their recruitment and turnaround time for clients that need it the most.

“Like most companies, we were hit by the sudden change in working environment, such as the restriction on face-to-face meetings and people having to work from home,” Whyte adds. "We’ve also had clients putting their requirements on hold, laying off people, even early termination of client contracts. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic made all our previous strategic and operational plans irrelevant. We had to start from scratch and realign based on ‘instinct’ and ‘educated assumptions.’”

She outlined how she was able to steer the business that now has about 4,000 employees, with 160 of them organic. “We had to realign our tactical approach and plans based on government rules that kept changing, and continue to change. Q2 focused on things that it could control or their 3-Cs — converting contracts to revenue, controlling costs and expenses, and cash management — because as we all know, cash is king. 

“We conducted weekly town halls, and continue to do so, to communicate what was going on in the country, in the company and the impact of the pandemic on our business and our clients," she added. "We rallied everyone and leaned on our set of five core values, which really spoke to us during this crisis.  Never has ‘Create Positive Impact, Embodying Malasakit, Have Grit, Being Grateful, and Be Innovative,’ been so relevant, as it served as a compass and our guiding principle during this very challenging time.”

For information, visit www.q2hrsolutions.com; follow LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram or call 8-889-6258.

The company headquarters is located on the 12 floor, 88 Corporate Centre, Sedeño corner Valero Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati.