The recruitment process has changed drastically over the past couple of decades. We’ve gone from job listings that were printed and pinned to bulletin boards to specifically designed artificial intelligence (AI) that skims through hundreds of résumés, using resources like my company’s blog to search for critical employee attributes, and other methods.
The search for qualified candidates is highly competitive and scrutinous; companies are looking for not only qualified candidates but also candidates who suit their team. However, even with turnover rates being as high as they are, the desire to maintain these candidates long term isn’t what’s influencing the recruiting process the most.
With such drastic shifts in tides, we are now seeing new and innovative trends pop up within the recruitment space. The uncertainty of the past few years has greatly influenced the way these trends are changing in terms of the flow of employees, the methods used to recruit jobseekers, the methods used to retain them, and so on.
In this article, we will discuss not only the turnover rates we are currently seeing but also recent recruitment trends.
Remote Work
The trend of remote work is still booming despite what some may think. The idea of working inside an office and having to commute every day has become unfamiliar to those whose jobs can be done fully remotely.
Remote work first became popular out of economic necessity, as the pandemic shut most physical workplaces down. For most companies, it’s still a fairly new method of working, and employers still have many doubts about it, too.
The first question that arose was how productive employees will truly be while working remotely. Some believed that working from comfier environments may decrease overall productivity. However, it has since been proven that employees’ working in environments that please them improves their overall mental health and, thus, their output.
The cost-saving aspects of remote work are also largely beneficial, and employers’ including remote work in their job listings has helped recruiters be even more successful in recruiting candidates. Sifting through them is up to the recruiters and the software from then on.
Employer Branding
Because the best talent is hard to find and candidates are becoming pickier as they continually raise their standards, employers must now appear likeable to candidates, not just vice versa. Improving your brand image is thus just as important as improving your personal image.
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion have become increasingly important over the years thanks to shifts in societal and capitalistic views, so a workplace that prides itself on its equitable workforce is guaranteed to be popular among recruits. In addition, by focusing on diversity and inclusion, recruiters also have a much wider talent pool from which to draw, improving the workplace overall.
Moreover, ensuring there is no bias in the hiring process is principal to having a successful recruitment process, as well as a successful business. Everything from the screening process to the interview must be free of bias, and a varied workforce with universal inclusion and strong equity should be prioritized. The overall satisfaction this will yield will also increase productivity.
Collaborative Hiring
Collaborative hiring means recruiters and their whole team are involved in the hiring process by providing candidates with reviews and insight into the job they’re applying for. This can improve retention through the positive influence of getting to see future coworkers and can aid in recruitment by making the workplace seem more inviting.
Moreover, collaborative hiring can also result in more referrals because of the closer-knit connections this method creates.
Data-Driven Recruiting
HR technology like recruitment marketing platforms and recruitment AI creates a science-based, quantitative approach to the recruitment process. All the planning and decision-making is left to the data-driven approach.
Gamification
Gamification, or the process of adding game-mechanic effects to an online environment, is a trend we’ve increasingly been seeing because of the online work environments that have been flourishing the past few years. This process can not only aid in candidate engagement but also increase competition in a healthy way.
Additionally, gamification can also attract Gen Z to your workforce, which is important because they are essentially the future of the workplace, and many entered the workforce at a young age and are familiar with technology. Because of this generation’s shifting attitudes toward work, gamification could be a useful tactic in recruiting and engaging this group, especially considering the level of teamwork needed to use gamification technology.
Resilient Individual Targeting
Targeting resilient individuals involves recruiters’ focusing on candidates who appear to be resilient to most life situations. The COVID pandemic and subsequent global shutdowns demonstrated the need for individuals who are sturdy, capable, and career-driven, even in the face of stressful times.
Retirees Returning
Yet another trend we’ve recently been seeing is the return of retired individuals to the workforce—there’s been an almost 3% increase in jobseekers who had already retired. The biggest force that seems to be driving this return is the decreasing retirement funds in various careers, creating a strain on mature workers.
The Fear of Being Ghosted
Ghosting, or the act of simply not replying to someone, is a popular term nowadays, especially among individuals seeking relationships. However, the same term is now being applied to the recruiting process. Both recruiters and candidates are afraid of being ghosted; recruiters sometimes don’t reply to candidates or even send a rejection, and candidates sometimes don’t reply to an interview request or even a job offer.
Payroll Flexibility
On-demand paychecks have become increasingly sought after, especially since the big shift in work habits. This type of flexibility can include weekly payments, cash payments, and so on, meaning employees have a larger variety of payment forms to choose from and can access their funds when they need to.
Gergo Vari is the Founder of Lensa, a start-up that offers a technological solution to the crisis of the career marketplace. He has one mission: to revolutionize the job search for companies and professionals. In 2001, Vari funded and launched Profession.hu, a leading recruitment platform in Hungary. In just 4 years, the company reached an extraordinary market share of 75%. When SanomaMedia purchased the company in 2005, the transaction was the largest of its kind in Hungary at that time. Vari’s passion for start-ups led him to found and head e-Ventures, as well as launch and sell, in 2008, AffilateMedia, Network.hu, and Replise. These ventures opened his eyes to the need for recruiting and HR technology that puts people first. At Lensa, everyone works every day to share the transformative potential of this vision with the world.