In our recent article about the top five list of HR priorities for 2023, we learnt that recruitment ranks fourth in the list of challenges that HR expects to face this year. You can deep-dive into the details here. Today, we further explore the subject based on a recent article published by HR Executive. It identifies the following emerging recruitment-related trends and recommendations for 2023:
– Planning for multiple potential scenarios during (and post) economic slowdown
Predictions for continued economic slowdown abound. Employers are warned not to drastically cut their workforce in response. The risk of exhausting those who remain is too great, as is the danger of not being able to hire back the right talent once the economy recovers. The article encourages HR professionals to conduct scenario-based workforce planning to prepare for the worst, average and best-case economic conditions, along with corresponding recovery plans, instead.
– Measuring success by results, not by hours spent in the office
Hybrid and remote working are now the norm, with most job seekers considering flexible working as essential for their new role. If their employers trust them to manage their schedules ‘fluidly’ – punctuating the traditional working day with non-work tasks and making up for the time lost outside standard business hours – job satisfaction, commitment and retention increase dramatically.
– Reimagining roles and side-way moves trump the idea of traditional career progression
Professionals are no longer thinking of career growth in traditional linear terms. Instead, they are making side-way moves internally to satisfy their career aspirations. HR professionals are increasingly relying on talent analytics, AI and workforce planning to determine which new roles are needed to futureproof their business and which employees will be a good fit for those roles. An increased accent on reskilling/upskilling programmes and tailored career development will boost the visibility of internal candidates and facilitate their career growth.
– More emphasis on interim or contract workers
Companies are expected to rely more on interim or contract professionals to meet scaling workforce needs. These highly-skilled professionals tend to assimilate quickly and bring unique skill sets and experiences to the table. HR managers will focus more this year on nurturing relationships with such workers.
– Boomerang employees on the rise
It turns out the grass isn’t always greener. Many retirees and former employees are asking their former employers to have them back. This represents a great opportunity for companies to regain all those former employees’ institutional expertise, proven skills and valuable contacts. Hence 2023 is expected to bring with it a greater accent on both the offboarding process and the nurturing of relationships with former employees so they know the door is always open.
– Promoting meaning and shared values
More than ever, workers are placing great importance on finding meaning in their job. They are seeking greater alignment between their own personal values and those of their company. Forward-thinking organisations are now focusing on promoting corporate values and missions in a bid to tighten the sense of connection with (and among) staff. The idea is that generating a sense of common purpose boosts employee engagement, loyalty, productivity, happiness, wellbeing and retention.
Interesting times! At ABL, we believe the importance of working with a transparent, trustworthy, truly expert recruitment agency also needs to be addressed as companies explore how they will face the unique – and constantly evolving – recruitment challenges of 2023. The right recruitment partner will efficiently find (and vet) talented, qualified, adaptable candidates who commit for the long term, saving hiring managers time and money.
If you’d like some support with your recruitment challenge – whether to fill gaps for temporary, contract or permanent positions – please get in touch. We have a vast pool of talented, active job seekers on our books and we will quickly source great matches for all your open vacancies. Please email us at info@ablrecruitment.com or call us on 020 7092 3911 to brainstorm the options.
