The pandemic and its repercussions were tough on recruiters and talent acquisition teams. The unpreceded times heaped new demands and proved to be a historic change agent. Virtual onboarding and recruiting a remote workforce became the norm for many industries.
Recruitment procedures and employee experiences changed efficaciously, and in most probabilities, this will become back to how it was before 2020. Working from home, changing perspective towards diversity, and digitization, the year saw it all. Adopting technology added real value to effective methods of effective methods of recruitment.
Digitization is significantly revolutionizing the recruitment process to overcome all the bottlenecks in traditional forms of recruitment. Below are a few recruitment trends to follow in 2021 that will shape the future of the HR workforce:
1. Increased Preference in Internal Recruitment:
According to LinkedIn data, internal mobility has surged by 20% since the onset of Covid - 19. Additionally, industry experts believe that employers will strategize their internal mobility programs integrating reskilling initiatives and engaging contingent talent instead of external hiring. Changing business needs will give way to project-based, cross-functional work instead of static jobs. Lower cost of engagement, increased engagement, improved retention, and a leaner hiring process are the most significant benefits of shifting to internal mobility.
2. Virtual Recruitment Post-COVID-19 is to stay:
Working from home with greater flexibility still requires face-to-face interaction, which is likely to get robust through video interactions via Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom. This is becoming a norm not only for working but also for interviewing candidates. Employers adopted the standard hiring processes virtually have observed and gained great benefits, providing an efficient, cost-effective, and time-saving solution. With this, we may also see a surge in gamified recruitment tactics to bring the process to life, including quizzes, interactive guides, and augmented to evaluate skills. This is elevating your virtual recruitment experience too.
3. The New Norm of Hybrid workplace:
Almost 55% of the workforce wants the option of remote working atleast three days a week. The pandemic transformed the way employers organized workweeks, employee engagement, how they get the work done and how the office space is used. 68% of employers want employees to come to work in the office to maintain a strong employee culture. Adopting a hybrid work model, a combination of remote and onsite work will be on the rise post the pandemic. Some employees will choose to skip the commute and work from home full-time. While this has shown flexibility, greater productivity, and location independence, some employees look forward to returning to the office for benefits such as face-to-face interactions with teams.
4. Rising Diversity and Inclusion:
Another recruiting trend that might not be new will continue being a hot topic in 2021. The new recruiting direction will tackle systemic inequalities and how to enhance discriminatory systems. Diversity in the workplace improves the organization's reputation in the market and other tangible benefits that directly impact its bottom line. Diverse teams have a competitive edge and reap more business success. A staggering 67% of job seekers emphasize diversity while considering job roles.
5. Recruiter Need to Build the Following Soft Skills:
In a recent study by LinkedIn, Creativity, Persuasion, Collaboration, Adaptability, and Emotional Intelligence, we cited the top 5 most in-demand soft skills for 2020 and beyond. It is becoming increasingly important to consider employees' soft skills with the evolving technology, alongside qualifications and specialist experience. Shortly, at least two-thirds of jobs will heavily rely on soft skills such as communication and empathy. Furthermore, as digital drives, new hires will need to support the building of bridges to remain a connected and collaborative workforce.
How HR Professionals Can Cope With This Change:
Remote work and recruitment: 55 per cent of workers want to have the option of remote work at least some of the week. Thus, no matter how wide-spread teleworking was worldwide in 2020, the statistics still show employers are not sure how to keep their employees productive.
E-presenteeism: A recent survey shows that we witness the birth of a new remote work-related phenomenon among the workers. The results of this research found that four in five HR managers think that working from home is encouraging E-presenteeism, causing employees to feel that they should be online and available as much as possible.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion: According to the World Bank, workplace gender equality is one of the values that can help the global economy with up to £120 trillion. Besides, gender and ethnic workplace diversity can increase profitability by up to 33 per cent. But in 2021, there is a chance that companies will go beyond statistics and surface DE&I policies.
Digital recruitment: Digital attraction and social media recruiting will be path-breaking to talent acquisition in 2021. Building brand awareness and promoting your employer brand will be big on social media. Social media advertising and Google ad campaigns allow you to target individuals with experience, qualifications, and relevant skills, which mean less budget and accurate talent targeting.
Employee experience: With technology evolving, candidates and job seekers expect a much smoother candidate experience is applying online. Candidates are getting more used to automation and spend so much time on the internet; they know what makes a good experience. The candidate and hiring experience has a direct impact on your employer brand. Prioritize cleaning up and streamlining your candidate experience, personalizing elements but also adding a human touch.
Ethical leadership: Just like the DE&I values will become a more intense recruiting trend, so will the need to make workplaces pleasant and eliminate toxic behaviour and bullying. It is why it will be essential to develop and nurture ethical leadership that doesn't tolerate dubious remarks, nepotism, or harmful conduct.
User intuitive interface: The recovery from the chaos of 2020 means that people will prefer simplicity in the coming years more than after. Companies will choose HR systems and platforms that are straightforward, easy to browse, and with a seamless user interface.
To conclude, 2020 witnesses the most significant cultural shift, and it only suggests that diversity is back at the forefront of recruitment. From ensuring your recruitment process is more adaptable to diversifying your leadership team, hiring heads can follow many strategies in 2021 to prove that you have opportunities for all as an employer. Hopefully, these trends have helped give you an idea of what you should be looking for in 2021. Adaptability with technology for HR professionals is a must to follow.
Sign in to leave a comment.