National Hiring Trends 2021

about 3 years ago Amy Harris
National Hiring Trends
​ There’s no doubt, Covid-19 has rapidly re-shaped both how we recruit and how we work. Yes, there have been many redundancies and negative stories in relation to the job market, but what about the positives and what trends are we likely to see over this coming year?

The recruitment and general work landscape altered dramatically in 2020 and so we’ll take a look at what this means for 2021.

Remote hiring
Love it, or hate it, remote working is here to stay. Many businesses will choose to keep staff pared down in the physical office space until we cross a threshold with vaccinations. This means virtual interviews and remote hiring are here to stay also. Previously, certain businesses have been relatively closed to flexible and remote working, but the shift in the world may well have opened-up new avenues to this way of working. This of course means that the field of candidates is immediately broadened and so talent pools far greater. A bonus to the business, but more challenging to the candidate due to the competitive landscape.

The world will start turning again
As mentioned previously, 2020 saw many redundancies and recruitment freezes. However, moving forwards into 2021, legislation focussed on stimulus may help to staunch the wounds of the pandemic. Recovery won’t be immediate, that we know, but the view is that slowly and surely normalcy will resume, especially within key industries.

Increase in psychometric testing
Given the fact the recruiter/employer is less likely to see a candidate face-to-face, psychometric testing is a way of adding another layer to the recruitment process, to assess talent effectively from a distance.

Social media recruiting
A reported 85% of businesses say they now use social media and with success. This is no longer a supplemental channel and it’s important to understand that competitors will be utilising these sites, courting potential talent and cultivating relationships.

The talent pool
In a competitive recruitment environment, especially with highly skilled and specialist roles, it can be tricky finding the right candidate. However, growing a talent pool reduces both time and money spent per hire. Always ensure you keep this audience engaged and continue to share your employer brand position.
Automation
Over the last decade, recruitment has gone through dramatic digital transformation, with in-house recruiters exploring and reaping the benefits of automation and AI. As technology continues to strengthen and advance, more sophisticated technology will become available as this year advances. Finding a balance between this and human intervention, will be key this year.

Equality, diversity and inclusion
2020 wasn’t all doom and gloom…..It saw a positive step towards raising the awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion within the workplace. There has been a nationwide rise in organisations making statements and starting initiatives to ensure equal opportunities and focus on embracing diversity.

Soft skills
It is becoming increasingly important to consider the soft skills of employees, alongside their qualifications and specialist experience. Why? Well, we have to consider that the digital landscape drives a certain distance between employees and so these employees need to support in the building of bridges to remain a collaborative and connected workforce.
There’s no doubt that businesses will have to adjust their normal methods when it comes to recruiting the best talent, to stay viable in an increasingly competitive and volatile market.
A scattergun technique simply wastes time and resources. Though times have changed, the fundamental goal of recruiting is still the same: to get as close a possible match between the company’s needs and the candidate’s competencies. The only difference today is that businesses are expected to carry out a more sophisticated, targeted and intelligent survey of the prospective workforce, than perhaps ever before.

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