The past year left a tremendous impact on recruiting activities. Significant changes in recruiting happened quickly due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and unrest in the nation’s social climate. Recruiting activities for many industries were a rare event or ceased altogether. Others like healthcare and supply chains felt a boom in hiring in support of defeating the Coronavirus. It should be no surprise this year’s trends are directly related to those impacts.
Here are our five predictions to see in the year ahead.
1. Virtual Is Not Going Away
Many organizations shifted to remote workforces during the pandemic. Recruiters found themselves adapting recruiting processes to virtual environments. Everything went online from virtual interviews to onboarding paperwork.
Virtual elements in recruiting isn’t new though. Many businesses were already implementing digital interviews in their hiring process before COVID-19. Virtual has now cemented itself as the norm.
Employees quickly became proficient with online communication tools. Job candidates also navigated virtual networking and interviewing. Employees and job candidates alike will need to have virtual meeting skills to succeed in today’s work environment.
Going forward, the dependence on virtual communication will continue and grow. The goal for organizations will be to find a balance between face-to-face and virtual where productivity, culture, and productivity can thrive.
2. Recruiting Will Shape DE&I
Social unrest brought diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) to the forefront for many organizations. Companies responded by honestly examining their own organizations through a DE&I lens. The impact has resulted in real changes to make workplaces more inclusive and equitable.
Recruiting’s role in DE&I initiatives will grow. Recruiters are at the front lines of enacting change. Greater diversity in the workplace means an increased diversity in hiring. Recruiters can be the change agents to achieve organizational DE&I goals.
Also, Recruiters represent your employer brand to candidates. Their interactions and treatments of candidates will not go unnoticed. Employers should pay attention to employer reviews on sites like Glassdoor for any potential comments not in line with their DE&I initiatives.
2021 will be the year recruiters are the “tip of the spear” as organizations not just build teams around DE&I but live it daily. Finding candidates who can work in, work with, and lead in the new environment will be a challenge. Recruiters will have to understand and know how to identify those candidates.
3. An Increase In Internal Mobility
The economic impact of COVID-19 resulted in waves of layoffs. Employers are spreading departing employees’ responsibilities across their retained workforce. The results are two-fold. First, a greater strain has been shouldered on remaining employees. Secondly, more employees are being mobilized internally to meet business needs.
For recruiters, cross-functional job skills will be a must-have for candidates. Traditional job roles will become fluid. Going forward, employees will move from project to project within an organization. Internal mobility will allow employees to grow professionally while enabling the business to meet changing needs.
Finding the candidate who can perform at a high level in various roles will place more pressure on recruiters. Being able to question and identify these transferable skill sets will challenge recruiters. The winners will be those who identify candidates with these skills.
4. Employer Brand Expands To Include Social Issues
The importance of employer brand has been increasing yearly. Employees want to work for organizations who match their personal values and goals. Employees are now also looking for an organization’s stance on social issues.
The social unrest of 2020 brought this trend front and center. Companies may no longer be able to be bystanders to social conversations in our society. Employees and job candidates want to know where their employer stands on social issues. Employees are also looking at the causes or organizations their employer helps support. Actions, not words, will be paramount in incorporating this trend to employer brand.
5. Candidates Want To Know The Workplace Is Safe
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over. Physical workplaces are slowly reopening to employees. Employees want to know their organization’s plan to reopen and what actions are being taken to ensure their safety while at the office. This concern extends to job candidates as well.
Employers will need to have an actionable plan of reopening with procedures to keep their people safe while in the office. Employees will be expecting transparent communication around their employer’s reopening plan. Employees also want their concerns to be heard and considered.