COVID-19 has had a big impact on many facets of HR, and recruiting is evidently no different with the rise of such trends such as the optimisation of candidate experience and the increased use of technology.
But what should we be continuing to adopt in the new year? Here are the top 5 recruitment trends of 2020 that should play a major part in your 2021 strategy.
Hiring remotely became normality during the COVID-19 pandemic, as work-from-home orders were put in place and candidates were unable or unwilling to travel for long-distance interviews.
A key part of remote interviewing involves job interviews taking place using video conferencing software, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and similar platforms. However there are also specialised video interviewing tools, such as HireVue and Montage where the recruiter, candidates and colleagues can join as if it was a regular interview.
As the pandemic eases up with the arrival of vaccines and other treatments, it is likely that remote interviewing will become less frequent but given its convenience and ability to be used when required on short notice, we predict that the remote interviewing trend will not entirely go away once the pandemic is over.
Diversity and inclusion are a major focus for HR leaders and those with hiring responsibilities. Recent statistics show that businesses with a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace have better productivity and profitability, and so enticing organisations to proactively look at ways in which they can boost the diversity of their workforces.
However, these goals bring their own challenges, and we must be careful not to instigate bias such as a racial or gender bias for or against certain candidates and inadvertently dismissing those highly experienced and suitable for the role.
2020 has been the year of the employee experience and organisations should focus on building a positive candidate experience again in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for employers to maintain the health and well-being of employees by giving them a positive experience during the difficult time. The emphasis on providing a good experience also extends to candidates that enter the hiring process.
Upgrading career sites and using surveys to get feedback from candidates are two ways that our clients have improved their candidate experience.
Career sites should be easy to use by providing candidates a quick and simple process to finding and applying for suitable jobs. If not straightforward, a business may lose talent to sites which are easier to navigate and candidates will be unlikely to recommend those which are not optimised for candidate use.
It is also important not to underestimate how candidates are treated. Just from how interviews are organised, conducted and follow-up processes executed, will tell candidates how professional a business is.
Contingent labour can help meet demands of the prolonged period of disruption and uncertainty that businesses are facing right now. A flexible workforce can ensure a business meets sudden changes of demand.
There has been an upward trend in using contingent workers and creating a hiring process specially for them. The talent acquisition process is different for contingent workers than it is for full-time employees. It is well worth considering a staffing agency to help develop a flexible workforce and this is something we can help you with.
One of the fastest growing areas of talent acquisition software today is the use of AI. AI is being used to find improved ways to source, identify and engage talent. These range from smart talent platforms to job-posting platforms, chatbots and natural language processing (NLP) capabilities. AI can also be used to help remove bias from candidate identification, selection and hiring.
Technologies can do a tremendous amount of heavy lifting at a high speed, while simultaneously adding value and automation to the talent acquisition process. The technology can source, screen, sort, and rank candidates to create a pipeline of qualified candidates that are likely to succeed in vacant positions, based on the skills and potential gleaned from candidate profiles and resumes. This can help recruiters and hiring managers save a lot of time during the hiring process.
Recruitment chatbots can help engage and support candidates by providing details about jobs while they search. While NLP enables job postings and offer letters to be written more attractively so that the use of language does not put certain jobseekers off applying. It also enables chatbots to be more user-friendly and accurate in its response to human interaction.
Gain an advantage in the continued war for talent by ensuring that you are mindful of these trends and incorporate them into your recruitment strategy this year.
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Contact us on 0115 786 0443 or email opportunities@source-talent.co.uk for help with your 2021 approach.
