Why I Changed Jobs During a Pandemic and 3 Things to Keep in Mind During Onboarding
Published on 24 February 2021
The Covid-19... Just over a year since the pandemic has disrupted our daily life, whether it be our habits, our social interactions or even the way we behave with our family, colleagues and customers.
Today shaking hands or hugging a friend has become an impossible task and has created personal space bubbles.
Some companies had to reluctantly lay off their employees... I remember at the beginning of the pandemic, listening every day to the government press conference to try and anticipate what was going to happen to my wife and I.
The Uncertainty of the Job Market
Several months went by and we continue to live with the many restrictions on our daily lives. During these turbulent times, I went through a recruitment process myself.
As during any economic crisis, some companies were little, or not at all affected, by COVID-19. Others have experienced significant growth in revenues.
I remember my future manager Caroline calling me to discuss a job opportunity and my first reaction was: how much are you impacted by the pandemic? What is the financial health of the company?
After Caroline reassured and calmed my concerns, I finally accepted the offer. In fact, I joined a company experiencing high revenue growth in a sector with a very promising future.
Why Did I Join Generix Group?
Generix is a global software developer specializing in supply chain management with offices around the world, along with some large customers. How did they become such a fast-growing company with new openings every week?
The answer is quite simple. To put it simply, the information technology sector is by nature highly dynamic, with Generix having developed various supply chain automation software such as their Warehouse Management System ("WMS") that allows companies to automate and improve their warehouse management processes. With the changes in consumer behavior, including the increase in online orders, various business sectors have had to equip themselves with new technologies to meet the strong demand from their customers, and thereby enjoy significant growth from these efforts
To meet the growing demand for its software, including supporting the R&D efforts to continuously offer best-of-breed supply chain management software, Generix Group North America doubled its workforce in 2020 with over 60 new hires. What about 2021? The year promises to be just as dazzling.
Does our success story appeal to you and make you want to join the team? The pandemic should not prevent you from building your career and broadening your horizons.
Starting a New Job in a Virtual Mode
The 100% remote work combined with other events affecting our daily lives has put adaptability to the test. Our routine has been disrupted and loneliness has become an everyday struggle for many people. Social interactions have switched to virtual and screen fatigue has set in. For others, the challenge became staying at home all week combined with childcare, work and married life – all without stepping on each other's toes.
The human resources team that I joined last year has quickly shown its resilience. We have built an excellent remote integration plan for our new employees. Since nearly half of the employees first joined the company remotely, the plan had to be solid and accomplish much more than just make our employees functional. It had to bring us all together and to make the newcomers feel welcome and recognized.
The communication between the different corporate departments facilitates this integration. Here is how we were able to structure the onboarding process in a virtual mode:
1. Home Office Allowance
A generous allowance is offered to make our employees' home office more ergonomic. In addition, we lend Generix office equipment: a comfy chair, a second screen, office supplies and such; all the comforts of the office brought to your home.
2. Welcome Kit
A welcome kit is sent to all new employees including computer equipment, masks, a blanket to make your office cozy, a notebook and many other small additions to your home office to make the onboarding as tangible as possible.
3. Integration Plan
To speed up the learning curve, we have drawn up an integration plan tailored to the role of each individual hired at Generix. This plan consists of a full day dedicated to Generix's administrative processes, followed by a series of training sessions specific to the WMS, MES, TMS and other solutions we develop and sell. Meetings with the key players in the company also take place.
We ensure that every newcomer arrives in a warm, friendly environment where everyone has a lot of fun and is appreciated. We are proud to be able to call ourselves a family, because we are a company where, on a human scale, it is still possible to make one's mark with truly friendly and collaborative colleagues.
Many new roles will open throughout 2021, and many opportunities for career growth will present themselves in the years to come.
Generix Group North America provides a series of solutions within our Supply Chain Hub product suite to create efficiencies across an entire supply chain. From Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Transportation Management Systems (TMS) to Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and more, software platforms can deliver a wide range of benefits that ultimately flow to the warehouse operator’s bottom line. Our solutions are in use around the world and our experience is second-to-none. We invite you to contact us to learn more.
