Betta Living is a reputable brand in the home improvement retail sector and has been active since 1966, Oldham, United Kingdom. The company was initially known as ‘Betta Bedrooms’. It changed a lot especially after 2000 when its then current chairman, Noel Dean took over the business. Dean merged it with his English Kitchen Company and established Betta Living to broaden its focus beyond bedroom furnishings. 3 The expansion included integrated kitchens and bathrooms, with manufacturing plants based in Lancashire. 2014 had seen Betta Living fully emerge as one of the prominent players on UK’s retail scene, with 38 employees and blossoming footprint extending over more than 75 towns in England and Wales.

Although Betta Living has been growing over time, in November 2016 the company was facing administration due to financial difficulties. However, this setback did not detract from the company’s position in the industry or its contribution towards understanding retail business dynamics – particularly as related to human resource management.

This portfolio has the aim of looking at recruitment and onboarding strategies after pandemic, especially those implemented by Betta Living in response to an unparalleled crisis caused by COVID -19. The pandemic was a global health crisis, unprecedented challenges for businesses worldwide emerged due to disturbances in conventional working models and changes of behavior among consumers as well as imperative need for fast digitalization. For a company such as Betta Living, with a history of being adaptable and resilient in adversity times, these challenges also opened doors to creative approaches on how it managed its workers.

Betta living offers a rich case study to analyze the development of HR practices in the middle-sized retail company. The purpose of this portfolio is to evaluate the way in which the company adapted its recruitment and onboarding practices amidst pandemic times, how these changes affected various stages within employee lifecycle, and what role HR played as a catalyst for such transitions. Furthermore, the article will delve into several notable management skills that were critical in promoting employee success during this time. The information gathered basically will translate very well to other retail organizations of similar size that might be seeking ways how they can change their HR practices in a post-pandemic scenario.

In this exploration, apart from looking at the strategies practiced by Betta Living, we will also use relevant HR theories; models and practices across retail platforms. It will look at how the landscape of recruitment and onboarding is changing due to digitalization, remote working and shifting expectations from employees. Additionally, the portfolio will explore how HR processes might either support or impede employee journey success in situations where businesses have to quickly adjust their strategies based on changing conditions outside.

This portfolio is intended to provide a broad analysis of the changing dynamics in HR practices within the retail sector by integrating theoretical insights with practical examples and case studies. This will provide a reflection on the lessons drawn from Betta Living’s experience and recommendations to other similar organizations. This analysis is particularly relevant now that businesses all over the world face the aftermath of the pandemic and strive to develop resilient, efficient, and employee-oriented HR practices for future times.

Betta living as a retail organization, like many others had before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic heavily relied on traditional recruitment strategies. Such approaches usually involved face-to-face interviews, job fairs and local advertisements. Recruitment at Betta Living was very much about face-to-face interactions that enabled hard skills and roles typically requiring high levels of interpersonal skills, as well as a customer focus.

They usually used to advertise vacancies in local newspapers, specialized journals of their field and on job boards. Potential candidates were then invited for live interviews at one of the stores owned by Betta Living or their head office in Oldham. These interviews were very important not only for the assessment of candidate’s competences and experience but also his personality, attitude to work with customers as well as potential adaptation in terms of corporate culture.

Employee referrals were also a major contributor to Betta Living’s hiring plan, which encouraged unity and trust among employees. This approach was very effective in a retail environment where teamwork and shared commitment to customer service were all important aspects.

Post-pandemic Changes

The COVID-19 pandemic changed things and forced companies such as Betta Living to revise their traditional ways of recruiting staff. The digitalization of hiring turned into an urgent need due to lockdowns and social distancing measures, as well as the almost overnight shift towards working from home.

Digital Recruitment

Betta Living had to switch to digital systems for hiring vacancies and candidate’s selection process. As a result, online job portals and social media platforms emerged as the main ways of advertising vacancies. This digital transformation enabled the company to cast a wider net, with geographical and demographic diversity of prospective pools for candidates.

Virtual Interviews

Face-to-face interviews were substituted with virtual interview through video conferencing tools. 2021 This change necessitated a new set of evaluation skills for the hiring managers, who had to assess candidates’ capabilities and fit without face-to-face contact nuances. Virtual interviews also required some level of digital skills from both interviewers and candidates.

Online Assessment Tools

To make up for the lack of face-to-face communications, Betta Living incorporated online survey tools into its hiring process. These tools facilitated assessing candidates’ skills, personality traits and their suitability for remote or hybrid working conditions.

Enhanced Employer Branding

The pandemic also emphasized employer branding since the candidates became pickier as they were identifying organizations that proved to be resilient, flexible and consistent in promoting employees’ wellbeing. This was the time when Betta Living had to bring out its adaptability and employee-centric policies through virtual means.

Management Skills

The management skills required during the post-pandemic period were entirely different to provide effective recruitment in an altered scenario.

Adaptability

Managers had to quickly adjust themselves with new technologies and approaches in recruitment. This flexibility was essential not just in learning to operate digital tools, but also modifying recruitment policies in order to match the new landscape of available jobs.

Digital Proficiency

With the recruitment process shifted to online, digital skills became key. Managers had to be at ease with different digital platforms from video conferencing tools, webinars and online assessment software.

Emotional Intelligence

Without face to face interaction, managers had to enhance their emotional intelligence level in order for them not only understand the candidates’ potential but also identify how well they would fit within the organization through virtual means. This skill was necessary for interpreting non-verbal signals and establishing an effective rapport via digital mediums.

Innovative Thinking

The pandemic disrupted recruitment processes. These included implementing innovative strategies to attract and engage candidates, such as virtual job fairs, interactive online employer branding and leveraging social media.

Crisis Management

It became more important than ever to be able to manage crises and make quick, informed decisions. On the other hand, managers had to deal with the uncertainties of a pandemic while making sure that recruitment continued smoothly and effectively.

Empathy and Understanding

The pandemic introduced unparalleled stress and difficulties for employers as well as candidates. Managers had to demonstrate empathy and comprehension, appreciating the personal issues as well as professional challenges candidates were going through during this time.

Strategic Planning

Now, long-term strategic planning was more important because the pandemic changed job market and employee expectations. Managers had to do forecasting and prepare for a recruitment landscape that may remain post pandemic.

Onboarding in the Organisation

Traditional Onboarding Practices at Betta Living

Up to the point when COVID-19 became a pandemic, onboarding at Betta Living was rooted in rather traditional and face-to-face approaches. As a home improvement store that has large brick and mortar stores, the onboarding process was created in such a way as to get new employees familiar with hands-on interface of customer service.

Orientation Sessions

Newcomers usually started with face-to–face orientation sessions. These sessions were critical for imparting the values, cultural and expectations of the company. They exposed newcomers to information about the organizational structure, key team members and company policies or procedures.

In-Store Training

In the case of Betta Living due to its nature of business, in- store training significantly contributed towards their onboarding process. New employees were frequently matched with more senior colleagues so they could shadow and practice hands-on. This approach became very helpful for them because it helped to make clear all the practical elements of their job such as customer service, product knowledge and operation within a store.

Paper-Based Documentation

Administrative aspects of onboarding included much paperwork ranging from employment contracts to policy agreements. This process was the manual one, where new hires had to fill in and send back paperwork.

Personalized Interaction

Betta Living’s onboarding was characterized by personal engagement. It gave them a sense of belongingness and enabled the new employees to have direct access to resources, support from colleagues as well as management.

Adjustments for Remote/Hybrid Models

The pandemic required quick conversion to remote or hybrid work modalities, tremendously transforming onboard premises. Like most retail organizations, Betta Living had to innovate and adjust its onboarding practices in these new working conditions.

Virtual Orientation

This involved the shift from in-person orientation sessions to virtual platforms. Physical meetings were replaced by webinars and video conferences in which new hires can be introduced to the company without breaking safety protocols. These virtual sessions had the interactive nature of traditional orientation programs, with recorded video tours, presentations and Q&A.

Digital Onboarding Kits

This led to the distribution of onboarding materials taking place in digital formats. New employees received digital onboarding kits via email comprising of digital handbooks, policy documents and interactive materials to capture them from day one.

Remote Training and Shadowing

Betta Living due to limiting physical shadowing opportunities, developed virtual training programs. This included video demonstrations, online modules and virtual shadowing involving experienced employees. These sessions were also designed to be interactive, so that all people participated and learned effectively.

E-Signature and Digital Documentation

The administrative side of onboarding was also digitized. E-signature tools and digital document management systems were used to simplify the paperwork procedure, thus making it faster and more eco-friendly.

Role of Technology in Onboarding

Adapting to the post-pandemic environment became centered on introducing technology into the onboarding process.

HR Software and Platforms

The utilization of Human Resources Information Systems HRIS and other software designed to manage human resources became necessary. These platforms allowed managing the onboarding process from tracking progress of new hires to ensuring compliance with organizational policies and served as a one-stop solution.

Online Training Modules

The onboarding process was supplemented with digital training tools and e-learning platforms. These tools provided various interactive learning activities from product knowledge to customer service skills for employees who could access them anytime and anywhere they wanted.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Betta living experimented with VR and AR for a more immersive experience, especially in roles that involved understanding how physical stores were laid out or the ways products could be demonstrated. These technologies offered a simulated environment in which new hires could learn and practice their skills without risk.

Communication and Collaboration Tools

Communication and collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams or Zoom became essential. They maintained a sense of community and established avenues through which new employees could inquire, seek assistance, and engage with their teams.

Feedback and Engagement Tools: Betta Living used surveys and feedback tools online to measure the effectiveness of the new onboarding process as well as to keep employee momentum. These tools gave insights into new hires experiences and identified areas for improvement in the onboarding process.

Conclusion

The analysis of Betta Living’s recruitment and onboarding procedures, especially considering the post-pandemic situation, can help redefine HR practices in retail industries. Betta Living’s strategies in human resource recruitment mostly relied on traditional, face-to-face methodologies. The pandemic-driven limitations required the adoption of digital recruitment and virtual interviews, changing how the organization sourced and evaluated candidates. The use of digital platforms introduced online assessment tools and improved employer branding. This move did not just widen the pool of candidates but also opened up a treasure trove of talent from across geographic boundaries.

Traditional onboarding practices, those involving physical orientation sessions and hands-on training were quickly transformed to remote or hybrid models. Virtual orientations, digital onboarding kits and e-learning platforms became the standard. HR software helped to smooth administrative processes, and communication tools facilitated a feeling of unity and care although there was no physical contact.

This change in the recruitment and onboarding processes followed at Betta Living helped shape employee journey to directly affect satisfaction, retention as well as productivity.
Digitalizing the procedures of recruitment and onboarding granted convenience and accessibility, which elevated candidate’s as well new hire satisfaction. However, the absence of a personal contact and difficulties in establishing connections online might have negatively affected some employees’ sense of belonging and connection.

Effective onboarding processes play a key role in employee retention. The transition to digital onboarding though efficient could still leave employees feeling unwelcomed or undervalued. Therefore, retaining talent required continuous engagement and support beyond the onboarding phase.

Virtual training and onboarding facilitated learning, which could have hastened productivity. There could be implications on the depth of skills and knowledge acquired particularly in a retail context where hands-on practice makes for effective learning, but with the removal of that face to face mentorship.

 Recommendations

Improvement Suggestions

Blended Approach to Recruitment and Onboarding

A blend of digital and physical aspects can provide the advantages associated with online effectiveness coupled with face-to-face allures inherent in any good retail business.

Enhanced Virtual Interaction

By using more interactive and immersive virtual tools (like VR for product demonstrations) you can enhance the engagement level as well improve learning outcomes during onboarding.

Continuous Feedback Mechanisms

Regular check-ins and feedback sessions will not only make the new hires feel supported but also makes adjustments in processes such as onboarding.

Building Community and Connection

Mitigating the impersonality of remote interactions by developing virtual initiatives to cultivate team spirit and a sense of belonging can be beneficial.

Future Strategies

It is essential to be prepared for prompt adjustment even when driven by pandemic disruptions or other external factors. This includes keeping oneself updated on new technologies and being prepared to implement them in HR practices.

With time as technology grows in HR processes, it is important for Human Resources personnel to ensure they and the employees are all equipped with good digital skills.

Using data and HR analytics to adapt recruitment as well as the onboarding process based on individual requirements could increase employee satisfaction levels, leading to high retention.

It is important to develop strategies that will tackle the current issues, but also help HR practices in building long-term resilience. This covers scenario planning and designing policies that are not rigid but flexible enough to adjust depending on any given situation.

There is a lot to learn from the experience of adapting recruitment and onboarding processes for Betta Living during the pandemic. While digital methods brought efficiency and widened talent pools, the importance of personal interaction in retail cannot be discounted. Positive future for HR in such dynamic environments means balancing technological efficiency and personal engagement, making sure that the employee journey remains satisfying to employees, helps them reach their Getting a person to perform on an ongoing basis is particularly challenging.