Note: This piece was originally featured in January’s edition of MortgagePoint magazine.
In 2020, when the world shut down due to the pandemic, the work environment was forever changed. The light-speed escalation to the hybrid workforce became more prevalent; the streamlining of tasks and responsibilities went from trendy buzzwords to a new way of life; and the days of the singular-role employee went by the wayside. The byproduct of this forced change was the emergence of the “Swiss Army Knife” of an employee.
Before the pandemic, the hiring process was very rigid and uniform within the mortgage and default services industry. A position would open up, and that position would be filled. Promotion was mostly awarded via attrition, and, for better or for worse, everyone would find their niche in their own little box.
Unless that employee was a go-getter, that was usually where they would stay, and departments would remain at capacity. This worked well for years, but as with all things, change is inevitable. This time around, the change was quite drastic. Our firm had to look introspectively, not only keep up with everyone else, but to do what was required to be at the forefront of how the industry—and more importantly, the world—was changing.
Where could we capture more returns on our human capital investments? How could we leverage vendor relationships and expertise? Through analytical data and through attending networking events, we found ways to build on current relationships and develop new ones to maximize operational efficiencies within the firm. This allowed the firm to lean on staff and vendor experience while freeing up time for dynamic employees
wanting to develop and build strategies to streamline their departmental processes at the same time.
The other major shift that helped shape the workforce as we know it today was the ease with which the world went from relying on traditional brick-andmortar office spaces to one where the hybrid employee became the standard. Remote work was previously a perk for management-level employees and above. Now, inquiring about a partially remote schedule is as standard an interview question as the starting salary. It takes a special kind of skillset to be as productive from the home office as from the desk at the headquarters.
Growing pains along the way weren’t unheard of, but once the staff were able to move past them, the transition from the full-time, in-office expectations to the hybrid schedule became seamless. This transition brought out learning opportunities for everyone. Some people who needed to catch up on the basics from an IT point of view learned them in a hurry. Others found out just how critical time management skills actually were; they weren’t just a bullet point on a performance review. Everyone picked up new skills along the way, and they became more well-rounded employees because of it.
“As the world continues to change, so does the role of every employee in the firm,” Collins said.
Workforce Shifts & Changing Hiring Trends
After the workforce learned these new skills, those levels became the new benchmark for all incoming employees. The basic computer skills became just as important as industry knowledge in most cases. Many courts held hearings over Zoom and other live-conferencing applications, so the firm found it useful to hold initial interviews utilizing these products as well. This became very beneficial in getting the right hires through the door for us. It identified a good starting point for where the skillset was for the candidate and determined a level of comfort with the technological resources that would be available to them.
Another aspect that came out of streamlining the workforce, beyond just the hybrid nature of the schedule, was the hybrid nature of each staff member. The new hybrid office created a new hybrid worker, and knowledge gaps weren’t as vast as some employees were led to believe when they looked beyond the scope of their day-to-day job. Many sought out cross-training opportunities and took the initiative to find out what happens to the work before and after they complete their piece. Learning the entire process from start to finish became the new norm, and with this understanding of the entire process, departments became teams.
Everyone was pulling for each other to succeed, and everyone was willing to give their
teammates a hand if the need was there. Due to the dynamic shift in the work and the worker, everyone knew enough to be able to assist and step in for their coworkers. This made a major difference in working relationships within the firm, as well as how we interacted with our clients. This created incredible lines of communication and allowed partnerships to grow, and our business and the industry are better because of it.
We have seen this in real time within our own firm. People are willing to step up when needed. Gone is the phrase, “That’s not my job.” Everyone has a role within the company, but now, due to the rise of the need for Swiss Army Knife employees, that role is multifaceted, and the workforce is stronger because of it.
