HR startup Workbean supports job seekers, companies amid pandemic layoffs

MANILA, Philippines — With the global recession at hand due to COVID-19 pandemic, many are afraid for the companies they work in and the jobs they might lose. The fear that jobs may be scarce at a time like this doubles that uncertainty. However, things might not be so hopeless.

Workbean, an HR startup that specializes in employer branding and company culture, has launched a crowdsourcing campaign that seeks to list down employers from various sectors and industries that are still hiring.

"Over the last several weeks, news of companies going bankrupt or doing massive layoffs have shocked the world and a lot of us might be wondering: Are there opportunities out there? The short answer is yes," said Kass Monzon, co-founder and chief executive officer of Workbean.

Hope in the form of a list

The initiative was inspired by the company's desire to help individuals seek employment, especially those whose livelihoods were affected by the pandemic.

“We’re constantly looking out for best practices that other companies are doing globally and we came across a startup in the US that listed about 500 companies that are still hiring fresh graduates. We thought this would be very helpful in the Philippines given the growing number of inquiries we receive about open positions in our platform,” shared Monzon.

Among the industries hiring at the moment include IT, banking, oil and energy, architecture and planning, human resources, BPO, financial services, computer software, graphic design, marketing and advertising, and even retail, hospitality and restaurants.

In line with their goal, Workbean aims to update the list every few days with more and more companies that are hiring.

The company also encourages others to spread the word, not just by sharing the list to aspiring applicants, but also by informing employers who are not on the list yet to sign up.

New norm in the professional space

As the global situation pushes rapid changes, the way work and careers are viewed is bound to change as well.

“As the economy restarts, industries are going to struggle to find their way back to their previous levels of productivity. No guidebook exists on how companies can operate in a post-pandemic world,” said Neil Rojas, co-founder of Workbean.

“But if our unpreparedness provides any indication of how the world will move forward, it’s that the stability of companies and industries will rely on the depth of their digital technology and digital talent,” he added.

Check out Workbean’s list here. For more information, visit the company website here. You can also check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for more updates.