Recruitment is a dynamic process, constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing demands of both local and global workforces. A recruitment agency needs to evolve in lockstep. As we’ve all experienced, the recruitment landscape has experienced significant changes following a global pandemic, lock-downs, a shift to remote—and now hybrid working—and employees who expect more flexibility and support than ever before. Underpinning these changes are digital transformations and technology advancements, both within the recruitment industry itself and the sectors where candidates are being placed. It’s a constantly evolving landscape and one that recruiters, employers and candidates must be aware of.

Let’s take a look at some of the key trends that are shaping the industry and offering new opportunities for both employers and job seekers.

1. Hybrid work is here to stay

While we do still see some businesses trying to either entice or force employees back to the office, most businesses have implemented hybrid solutions for a number of reasons. First, employees expect at least a degree of flexibility. According to Upwork, 37% of employees will think about switching jobs if they cannot work remotely (at least some of the time), and Salary.com’s Remote Work & Compensation Pulse Survey found that 83% of employees say they’d leave their job if compensated less for working remotely. The expectation is hybrid and that this benefits both employees and employers.

Gartner predicts that 39% of knowledge workers will work hybrid by the end of 2023, and we are seeing a similar trend in South Africa. The good news that many employers are recognising this and embracing it, digitising their businesses, attracting talent and even saving on overheads. There is also an argument to be made for accessing a larger talent pool if geographic location is no longer an issue.

What you should be thinking about:

• With hybrid and remote work becoming more prevalent, consider including virtual recruitment processes. This will let you see how candidates conduct themselves online and if they are comfortable with remote process.
• Adapt your recruitment and hiring strategies to attract and retain remote employees.

2. Data-driven decision making is a necessity

Many decades ago, recruiters and HR professionals relied on their ‘gut’ to make hiring decisions, which led to cognitive biases, like the halo effect and the confirmation effect, both unconscious inclinations towards particular ideas, groups, people, or things that ultimately lead to unreliable hiring. In more recent years this was replaced with psychometric testing, standardised interview questions and far more thorough processes that replaced emotions with science.

Today, we have entered an era where data analytics have revolutionised the recruitment process, enabling organisations to make more informed and objective hiring decisions. Consider how much data your business holds, how much data is available through online recruitment portals and social media sites, and how much data recruitment agencies hold. It is possible to benchmark anything.

By leveraging advanced analytics tools, recruiters can analyse vast amounts of data to identify patterns, predict candidate success, and streamline the selection process. Data-driven recruitment also helps to reduce bias and promote diversity and inclusion in hiring practices.

What you should be thinking about:

• Define processes and policies that leverage data during your recruitment process.
• Ensure you are benchmarking your process against industry standards and work with a recruitment agency that is leveraging the latest data tools.

3. Focus on the candidate experience

While this has always been important, in an increasingly competitive job market, candidate experience has emerged as a critical factor for organisations. According to Harvard Business Review, job seekers aren’t only looking for higher pay and better workplace benefits and higher pay—they’ve also lost patience with increasingly burdensome hiring processes. The average time-to-hire includes multiple interviews and lasts around 43 days. However, 62% of working professionals say they lose interest two weeks after an initial interview if they haven’t heard back. Talented individuals know that they are in demand, and they want to see that employers recognise their value. Job seekers also expect a seamless and personalised recruitment journey.

What you should be thinking about:

• Work with recruitment professional who understand the current market and candidate expectations.
• Streamline processes and leverage technology to speed up the entire recruitment process and provide a better candidate experience.
• Invest in user-friendly career websites, mobile recruitment apps, and enhancing communication channels to provide timely updates and feedback to candidates. By prioritizing candidate experience, organizations can enhance their employer brand and attract top talent.

4. Skills-based hiring may be more important than qualifications

The traditional emphasis on academic qualifications is shifting towards skills-based hiring. Why? Think for a moment about the jobs that are busy being created. Generative AI is being used for everything from writing emails to creating logos and images, and yet ‘writing prompts’ is an entirely new skill—one that may even become an actual job role in the near future.

More and more, employers are recognising the value of candidates’ practical abilities, such as problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork, as well as their ability to learn about new technologies and shifting ways of working.

What you should be thinking about:

• Include skills assessments, competency-based interviews, and project-based evaluations to evaluate candidates’ abilities accurately.
• Leverage this trend to also promote inclusivity by focusing on a candidate’s potential rather than their formal credentials.

5. Social media matters – a lot

Whether you are leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn to hire or simply have your company pages, it’s important to remember that your current and future employees are on these platforms. In fact, 71% of candidates do their own research before applying to a company, which means they are looking at your website, LinkedIn Company page, employer reviews, and other employer assets before they submit their application. Make sure your materials are up to date and contain information that’s helpful, welcoming, and important. On top of that, leverage platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to build their employer brand, engage with potential candidates, and showcase your company culture.

What you should be thinking about:

• How is your brand viewed in the market?
• Do your social media channels speak about who your business is as an employer and not only what you do for customers?
• Work with your recruitment agency to create an end-to-end strategy that covers all the touchpoints that candidates may experience throughout the recruitment process.

Let’s work together

At Quest, we have spent decades following trends to stay ahead of the curve. We are in an unprecedented time of change, but as always, we keep our fingers on the pulse and our candidates close, leveraging data and industry insights to give both our candidates and clients the best experience possible.