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Among the few benefits of the deadly pandemic corporate India must count is the new-found convenience in hiring employees. Remote working norms has made it possible to hire talent irrespective of location. Though cloaked in simple words, it carries a lot of significance not only in terms of corporate action but also in terms of social import. So far, most companies would hire employees from the cities where they have a major presence. Since most big companies are present in the major cities, almost the entire recruitment takes place from these cities that serve as default hinterlands for HR pool. Therefore, those candidates who live in these cities have traditionally benefitted from this practice.

The pandemic that triggered remote working all over the country, and in fact, throughout the globe, perhaps signalled the beginning of the end of this inherently unfair practice. During the shutdown, companies discovered that merits mattered, locations didn’t, and adherence to addressees would make any sense as long as it coincided with merit. Many companies found out that there is a lot of value to be found away from the metros, especially in tier II cities. These are those cities and towns where prominent companies don’t have offices.

A survey by recruitment firm CIEL HR has shown that hiring from cities where as many as 181 companies don’t have offices increased from a mere 5% to about 35% in the past six months. The implications should not be missed. A lot of bright candidates languish in these towns simply because they stay away from the spotlight that big cities enjoy.

If this trend catches on, competition for jobs will gradually shift to merit and not addresses. It will help not only in unlocking untapped talent pools but will also help fair play in extending the HR hinterland in unexplored areas.