Top Recruitment Trends to Expect in 2022

 Top Recruitment Trends to Expect in 2022

As we approach the end of 2021, it is time to reflect on the experiences of this year, learn from them and plan ahead for the year to come. The dramatic shifts in the job market this year – surge in hiring, lack of resources, skill gaps and changes in candidate expectations – have compelled recruiters and talent acquisition professionals to become increasingly agile. Inspired by the learnings presented to the recruitment market over the past few months, here’s a list of upcoming trends in recruitment that organizations must follow and challenges that they must be navigate in order to meet their hiring objectives effectively and efficiently.  

·     It is the candidates’ market 

With the economic recovery improving the overall business outlook, the job market has sprung back from downturns and layoffs in 2020 to active hiring towards the closing of 2021. This active transformation is building pressure on the recruiters. Employees are quitting their current jobs in search of perks such as work-from-home flexibility, stronger commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), and better benefits. According to the 2021 Recruiter Nation Report, nearly 59% recruiters have confirmed that their firms have experienced higher turnover since the pandemic began. Thus, with a shortage of qualified workers for a high number of vacancies, the job seekers have the power to pick employers on the basis of who best meets their demands and aligns to their values.

The report highlights that 49% recruiters have reported that job seekers were concerned about their potential employer’s DE&I initiatives, a 16% rise from 2020. Also, 51% applicants were seen demanding medical or dental coverage, while 44% demanded remote working. Interestingly, 73% recruiters saw candidates negotiating for higher salaries, up by 20% against the previous year. To navigate this trend, hiring managers must offer mobile job application processes, expedite the interview process and offer wholesome working conditions.

·     Recruiting for Recruiters

In the present employment marketplace, recruitment professionals are tough to find, which further creates hiring hurdles for enterprises. As per insights from LinkedIn, the need for talent acquisition professionals has amplified nearly seven-fold between June 2020 and June 2021. Research by Appcast reveals that three times as many companies were looking to fill recruiter vacancies in August 2021, in contrast to January 2021, with the rate of application for recruiter jobs going down month-over-month. This clearly indicates the situation is not improving any time soon. The research also shows that the main sources of new recruiters are other functions of HR, so recruiting internally can be a viable option for most enterprises. Moreover, employee referrals are still the number one method of hiring. Hence, organizations must enlist their existing employees for external searches by executing an internal employee referral program.

·     The Growing Role of AI & Automation

While many organizations are jumping on to the automation bandwagon, the year 2022 will be when it fully takes over the process of recruitment. Whether it is for saving costs, improving efficiency or enhancing the employer brand – automating parts of your recruitment process will help companies a great deal by taking away tasks to free the team’s bandwidth. While it will not be a replacement for your recruitment team, it will however help them carry out their jobs more efficiently allowing them to focus on more important matters. Algorithms and AI will automate the resume screening process and also ensure that all the applicants are responded to on time and are sent interview schedules. Your team is then free to do the actual hiring and can make sure that the candidate experience is smoother, personalized and effective, both offline and online.

·     Building talent community

Since the markets were down, recruitment was not a priority in 2020. In 2021, technology-focused businesses managed to overcome the disruption and sustain themselves. The year 2022 may bring pace to the talent acquisition industry but with the unviability of in-demand skills and talent, it would be wise to continue building and nurturing a talent pool. A collection of potential candidates who are enthusiastic to be associated with your brand and will work for you in the near future, these candidates are keep humored and engaged through strategies such as email campaigns, social media recruitment, etc. Businesses can keep these candidates warm and interested till a suitable role becomes available. Talent pools are a great way to reduce the time and cost of hiring skilled talent while ensuring a quality hire that’s passionate to be connected to your brand.

The year 2021 was packed with struggles and challenges in talent acquisition, providing actionable guidance for enterprises to prepare themselves with effective recruiting strategies for the future. It is now safe to say that 2022 will see some of these trends turn into best practices and priorities, so make sure to align your next hiring strategies to meet the current attitudes and market demands.