POSTED Tuesday 10-05-22
2022 Recruitment Trends: How to Get the Most Out of Recruitment Right Now
2022 has been a turbulent year in recruitment already, with the impact of the Great Resignation in the US making its way over to the UK. As Gen Zers come of age and enter the workforce, paired with the increasing pressures of the cost of living crisis, the emphasis on flexible work, better wages, and healthy work environments has resulted in employees becoming more mobile. Job-hopping is becoming the norm, which represents a challenge for companies to retain their talent.
But equally, this hypermobility represents an opportunity for companies to take advantage of current recruitment trends, with a plethora of candidates either actively looking for work or open to other offers. Here’s what you can do to ensure to attract interest and retain employees longer term.
- Offer remote work
Working from home during the pandemic proved not only possible, but productive. Many have reported better sleep, less stress and fewer costs from having to commute, more flexibility to carry out housework, peace and quiet, and more time with loved ones and pets as reasons why they prefer working from home. As such, several studies that have analysed productivity at home versus office settings found that those who work from home spend ten minutes less a day being unproductive, work one more day a week, and are 47% more productive overall. Furthermore, it cultivates an atmosphere of trust between employer and employee as it shows that supervision and micromanaging are unnecessary.
Of course, there are some who do prefer an office to go into, and it may be a requirement for employees to come in once or twice a week for client meetings or work that benefits from a physical presence. However, being able to offer remote work where possible is a great way to attract new recruits, and also to retain your current employees, who will feel a morale boost from the flexibility that working from home offers.
- Make use of data tools and automation
We suggest this both to lessen the workload of recruiters, who are finding themselves very busy at the moment, and for the benefit of employees who won’t have to expend too much energy into completing redundant processes that can be automated or producing evaluation protocols. This will allow you to present more enticing positions as responsibilities can be listed as the most exciting aspects of the role, as well as attracting more proactive candidates and creating a more efficient workplace.
In terms of recruitment itself, many traditional ATS (applicant tracking systems) aren’t equipped for the level of high-volume recruitment that is required at the moment, including the need for bulk advertising, scheduling, and communication. Investing in a more updated ATS will be crucial to keep up. Similarly, using skill tests as part of the application process itself can help select suitable candidates in a more automated manner, and we highly recommend to set one up if you’re receiving more applications than is manageable.
- Create a good recruitment experience for candidates
With plenty of positions on offer right now, make sure to offer a good experience for candidates during the recruitment process. Having a good reputation for recruitment will drive referrals; candidates will spread the word even if they aren’t offered the role, and may direct friends or colleagues looking for a new job in your direction. Make it easy for candidates to access information about the role, the company, and your values; make sure the tech facilitates the application process and makes it smooth, and doesn’t require candidates to put in the same information twice; and if you have the resources to do so, strive to provide feedback to candidates and communicate in a timely and personable manner. If possible, try to engage candidates as early as possible, so that they feel valued and that you’re interested in them.
On the other hand, if your recruitment process is bloated, patronising, deceptive, or impersonal, not only will candidates not accept any offers you make, they may also tell others to stay away. Even further, they may take to social media to discuss their experiences, putting your company at risk for having a widespread reputation for poor candidate treatment. We would advise therefore to be selective when taking on the advice above about using data tools to implement skills tests. Certainly, tests that measure aptitude are useful and help the candidate decide if the role is for them. But be weary of ‘personality’ or ‘behavioural’ tests that ask patronising questions about work ethic or delve for personal information. There are few things more off-putting to prospective candidates!
Lastly, do not use deceptive tactics to attract talent. Be honest about the pay rate, benefits, and responsibilities in your adverts, otherwise you have wasted both your and the candidates’ time when it comes to the interview, and you will create a reputation of being deceptive and for lowballing offers. Nothing is worse for prospective candidates than putting the time in to apply for a position, only to be offered a much lower salary than advertised. Instead, be open, honest, communicative, and respectful to ensure candidates will apply in the future.
- Have an engaging social media presence – and not just LinkedIn!
As more Gen Zers enter the workforce, social media is becoming more and more essential in attracting talent. Beyond LinkedIn, tune into other platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, as Gen Zers regularly use all of the above. Recently, in fact, TikTok launched TikTok Careers to capitalise on the Gen Z market. The #careersadvice on TikTok has been a huge hit, with Gen Zers engaging with content that gives them recruitment and interview advice as well as filling out video resumes. Having a reliable social media strategy takes time and investment, but will pay off in the long run by helping you create an effective company brand that will attract the right people. This includes our newest entries to the workforce who are bringing buckets of energy, enthusiasm, and new ideas.
Above all, recruitment requires flexibility at the moment due to candidates’ hypermobility and relative power in being able to look around for roles. Take the time to listen to what current employees and new candidates alike want and need from you as an employer, and make offers by taking their views and concerns into account. It may be more work, which is why updated data tools are key, but the result is that companies are becoming more inclusive, healthy, and motivating places to work. See this as an opportunity to create the best space possible to work, and in turn to reap the benefits of having committed, long-term employees.