As the world of business continues to change, the recruitment and selection trends continue to change. Technological disruption and new ways of working impact the recruiting industry, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the dynamism. Today, the traditional workplace is partially over, and newer work models are accepted everywhere. We see new skill sets being in demand, and talent diversity and inclusion are far more critical today. Amidst this ever-evolving working environment, retaining employees is complex, and attracting new talent needs more than just a good pay scale, a fitting job profile, and a good company culture. The businesses have been operating on a hybrid work model, leading to newer acceptance and newer challenges as well. Job satisfaction and happiness are taking center stage as the global pandemic has turned work upside down across industries and realigned what employees value.
Recently Oracle partnered with Workplace Intelligence to survey more than 14,000 employees, managers, HR leaders, and C-suite executives across 13 countries to conduct a study focused on AI at work. Some of the key findings are exciting to share:
85% of employees are not satisfied with their employer's support of their careers
88% say the meaning of success has changed for them. Work-life balance, mental health, and flexibility are now top priorities
85% want technology to help define their future
These findings show us an overall sentiment of the corporate employees and imbibe the fact that there's a pressure mount on employers and staffing agencies to be innovative, acceptive of technologies, and changes when sourcing top talent.
Recruiters worldwide agree that sourcing and evaluating candidates have changed rapidly over the decades. The rise of social media and social recruiting has significantly shaped how potential candidates are discovered. We believe recruitments trends will continue to evolve into the future, and the disruption of the pandemic and rise of recent technologies will show us a fresh look at the recruitment industry into the new decade. Here are the significant trends that are expected to define recruitment in 2022.
Engagement With Candidates
With both employees and employers facing new challenges to get their tasks accomplished remotely, one of the focal points in 2022 is the need to focus efforts on employee engagement. What used to be so easily attained in a physical workplace has become exceedingly tricky with different team members working from their respective homes. Among other groups across an organization, establishing coordination within a team and seeking employee feedback is one of the most critical HR Trends of 2022. Moreover, there is a significant increase in companies engaging with employees early in the organizational journey, which was standard practice for C-suite candidates. Now, the recruitment staff is initiative-taking in reaching out to applicants early and often during the hiring process. They endeavor to build a relationship to drive them to pursue employment with their company rather than competitors. We might see this trend continuing long beyond 2022.
The Application of Advanced Screening Tools
Since the face-to-face interview phase has been virtually discontinued due to the risks associated with the pandemic, recruitment has been drastically transformed. Companies have introduced advanced screening tools and tests that can be undertaken remotely to screen candidates better. These assessment tools are beneficial in streamlining the evaluation process of job seekers, significantly reducing the time to hire, and are a wonderful way to assess candidates' skills, culture fit, technical and cognitive skills.
Additionally, some companies are executing behavioral assessments to complement skills tests as part of their screening process. They provide insights into an applicant's core attributes, such as having a solid work ethic and motivation. Moreover, in 2022, organizations will add new measures that assess their employees' mental, physical, and financial health. Subsequently, several companies extend wellness support to their employees through tough times. In the same context, a Gartner 2020 survey of 52 HR executives found that:
94% of companies made significant investments in their well-being programs
85% increased support for mental health benefits
50% increased support for physical well-being
38% increased support for financial well-being
The Flexibility of Remote Work
A report by McKinsey and Company has revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic has enhanced the pace of the transition to remote and hybrid roles for businesses across the world. With the safety associated with the minimal human interaction characteristic of a remote work model, most organizations have resorted to this model. This situation also opens more doors for companies to access global talent without the limitations of geographical boundaries. Subsequently, we see increased collaboration tools and software that make remote work more accessible, efficient, and trackable.
Similarly, an interconnected trend in recruitment is remote hiring. Over the last few years, the remote-first model has impacted the way companies recruit talent, and the advantages for recruiters are many. The primary benefits of remote hiring are:
A vast and diversified talent pool by removing the geographical limitations
Quick time to hire using video interviews and digital feedback collection
Diverse skill sets and diverse workforce
Data-Centric Recruitment
An exciting Recruitment Industry Trend for 2022 will be the enhanced application of data in hiring. Data-centric recruiting will use facts and statistics to drive hiring decisions, from selecting candidates to creating hiring plans. Companies and recruiting teams using this method are more prone to be efficient, reduce costs and enhance their hiring success. Companies are following the path of advanced screening, flexible workplaces, D&I, and data-centric recruiting, are working hard to hire and retain a competent workforce in the face of a general talent shortage in the business worldwide.
Soon, recruiting teams will realize that they have found an ally in data; that will also help them assess what worked in the past and what didn't and improve their future decisions.
Emphasis on a Seamless Recruitment Process
The uncertainty in the world has caused many employees to choose a seamless experience and a meaningful connection with their recruiter and employer to select their subsequent employment. For employers, it has become essential to deliver a clear and strong message to candidates to help them trust you before joining. Some of the processes followed by recruiters are,
Being personalized and including human touch in communications
Communicate effectively without leaving anything to assumption
Adapting recruitment process to meet safety requirements
Onboarding new hires effectively
This fine-tuning of the current recruitment processes allows recruiters to develop a more thoughtful, engaging, empathic, and transparent process with the candidates, which goes a long way.
Moreover, with the increased emphasis on data-driven recruitment and the automation of a majority of the tasks of the hiring process, companies are increasingly focusing on eliminating the redundant aspects of the process and bringing in higher efficiency. The utilization of Artificial Intelligence Technology and advanced screening tools constitute a significant facet of this approach to recruitment.
A Better Employer Value Proposition
A strong employee value proposition (EVP) is critical to any candidate choosing its employer. It’s the unique set of benefits that an employee receives in return for the skills, capabilities, and experience they bring to a company. These benefits will not be restricted to monetary compensation such as higher pay. The overall value proposition for employees is expected to get enhanced by such approaches as a shorter workweek, better leave policies, more flexibility in working hours, better medical insurance benefits, to name a few. Having a good EVP could be a game-changer for the company and attract the best talent more effectively.
In the end, whichever industry we pick, the changes in technology, way of work, and several business dynamics will continue to evolve. However, these trends will stay on top for 2022 and will put recruiters in a better position to face new challenges, recruit the best and stay ahead in the game.
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