With massive changes concerning work culture and companies struggling to keep up with the new rules implemented because of COVID, companies were unsure how they would keep up with the times. People were no longer open to meeting in person and preferred communicating and coordinating remotely or virtually because there were fewer chances of spreading the Coronavirus. Companies could not keep up with these new changes and were unsure about their deadlines and targets. Most of them were shutting down departments and reducing the number of people they were working with. People were unsure about the work they were handling, and economies could not keep up with the massive changes that were taking place. More than 30% of businesses and companies had to shut their doors during the pandemic.
Additionally, some changes were taking place when connected to traveling because countries were working on keeping their borders in check. They wanted to try to limit the spread of the virus and wanted to solve the issue internally before allowing more people to enter. Processes like traveling, tourism, and immigration were hit and put on hold.
What were some of the changes taking place because of the pandemic?
Other than companies and businesses, most other aspects of regular life moved to a place where they were coordinating remotely or virtually and not meeting in person. The change was significant because people were even planning on making purchases online. Shops, stores, and malls saw a significant change with fewer people visiting them and purchasing items while most were now making it a habit to get their requirements online. People were now purchasing clothes, shoes, and even groceries remotely. About 60% of the general population moved to using their phones and the internet to make purchases through the pandemic in the UK and the US.
Schools, colleges, and universities were no longer the same either. Teachers were not allowed to teach students in class because they had to maintain social distance, and there were chances that they could have caught the Coronavirus. Students were now attending their classes remotely using software like Zoom and MS teams with a large number of students traveling to other countries for class. However, at the start of the pandemic, with all the restrictions and changes, many of them made their way home and planned on coming back when the situation got better.
Students were now attending classes from their home countries and they were unsure about the changes that were taking place. Many had plans of traveling back to their colleges or universities after things were better and they could attend their classes in person. There was a small minority who waited back at their college hostel and continued attending class remotely.
How were authorities keeping up with the changes?
Unfortunately, not all companies could keep up with the changes taking place, and industries like hospitality or construction had to wait for things to get better before they could start functioning again. Additionally, there were continuous lockdowns and other changes taking place, and they had to work on keeping up with those.
The process of interviews and hiring was now online and HR teams and people in charge were setting up meetings online. They were meeting their staff through virtual platforms, and they would interview them to see if they were a good fit for the company. In the past, these conversations and interviews would take place in person, and the change meant that they were getting used to having them remotely. However, the benefit was that they would hire from any part of the world and were not forced to pick the nearest people, and they could work with the best teams remotely.
The process is becoming popular when it comes to schools, colleges, and universities. Most large universities are usually home to some of the best students coming in from other countries. However, with travel restrictions, they too were attending their classes remotely and considering attending classes in person as soon as things got better. The inability to meet and speak to the students before hiring them meant colleges were also having meetings with their prospective attendees remotely. They would have their team get in touch with the students remotely and handle the process without seeing them. Through the pandemic, more than 45% of students stopped moving to college abroad because they wanted to have the college experience in person instead of attending classes online. However, with the new changes taking place, the number of students started attending classes again.
Background checks were now quite common
The process was becoming simple when they bought in an additional layer to vet the students and make sure there was nothing in their past that their teachers or the school staff had to worry about. Schools and colleges would not have foreign student checks where they would go through the background of the student to make sure that they did not have a criminal record or anything else that could be seen as a red flag.
Although not mandatory, most institutions were getting through this process and treating it like the most significant one that students had to worry about. To make the process easier, a student could connect with various party apps or platforms that would gather this information on their behalf so they would be in a better position of providing a document put together by professionals. Depending on the specifics, some platforms would coordinate with the police department to make sure they gathered the facts and were in the best position of putting them together for a college. Students would now apply for CRB Direct check online so would be in a better position to create a neater looking resume when applying for a college.
Additionally, they would have to handle these reports for students who were getting into countries from other countries so they would be in a better position to know whether it was wise to let them get into that institution or there could be an issue later.
Also read: Indian degree vs foreign degree: Is studying overseas a right option?