As an employer, you don’t want to fall behind on hiring trends. You want to know exactly how to entice job seekers to your workplace when you need to do your next round of hiring.
So, what are some hiring trends that you need to know?
Article Contents
1. Remote Work
The 2020 pandemic forced workplaces across the globe to go remote. Since then, many employees have become accustomed to the benefits of working from home.
Working remotely is a relief for employees who live far away from the home office and would rather skip a lengthy, traffic-filled commute throughout the week.
It’s convenient for employees who have young children–they can still manage tasks when their kid is home sick or has a PA day.
It’s also a health-conscious option for employees with chronic illnesses or sensitive immune systems. Working in a crowded office could put their health at risk (as the COVID-19 pandemic proved).
Many companies are ignoring this strong desire for remote work and are implementing mandatory “back to the office” policies.
These policies are pushing employees to go back to their cubicles, even if it’s inconvenient for them.
If you want to stand out in the job market, you need to offer remote work options to prospective employees. Tons of job seekers will be excited to see this description in your next job posting!
2. Hybrid Work Environments
If you can’t offer completely remote positions, consider setting up a hybrid work model.
A hybrid work model is a combination of remote and in-office work, asking that employees come into the office a minimum number of times each week.
The hybrid model allows employees to reap the benefits of in-office work, which includes face-to-face communication with colleagues, and remote work at the same time. It’s the best of both worlds.
3. Transparent Salary Postings
Not revealing the salary in a job posting is an all-too-common practice. The mystery of a role’s salary range is not only a problem for job seekers–it’s a problem for employers, too.
When you leave the salary range a mystery on the listing, you might lose candidates later on in the hiring process.
They may decline your offer because it didn’t meet their salary expectations or even their budgetary needs. This will be a colossal waste of time for you and the candidates.
Salary transparency is a growing hiring trend. Pay transparency laws have been passed in British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Prince Edward Island recently.
Even if your workplace isn’t subject to the law (for example, you don’t meet the qualifications for the number of employees), you should still consider taking up the trend and including the salary range in your job postings.
4. Focus on DEI
Companies across the country are implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives like bias training and inclusive workplace policy.
These DEI initiatives are meant to improve the workplace for current employees and attract new, diverse hires.
People of marginalized identities will be attracted to workplaces that openly support them and their needs.
5. AI in Recruitment
AI tools can streamline the recruitment and hiring process for employers. One popular tool is an applicant tracking system, which can screen resumes sent in to see whether they meet the qualifications needed for the role.
Not only does this save hiring managers from having to read through hundreds of job applications, but it can also eliminate unconscious bias in resume selection when it’s implemented ethically.
6. AI-Optimized Resumes
As an employer, proficiency with AI tools can be seen as an impressive skill. However, it might not be so impressive when those AI tools are used to pad a job seeker’s resume.
Many job seekers are using clever strategies to tailor their resumes to get past applicant tracking systems (ATS), whether they are fully qualified for the role or not.
These strategies can include stuffing their resumes with keywords and using AI-generated templates.
You don’t want to find out halfway through the hiring process that a candidate’s skills don’t match the resume they sent in.
One way to protect your workplace from this trend is to use a recruitment agency. A recruitment agency will vet candidates and their resumes ahead of time, so you can trust that you’re selecting a good match for the role.
7. Prioritizing Mental Health
Prioritizing mental health in the workplace is more important than ever. The Canadian Mental Health Association reports that the mental health of Canadians is three times worse than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
What can you do to prioritize mental health in the workplace? Get employee benefits plans that cover mental health services like counseling and therapy.
Offer flex days, which can be used for “mental health” days. Implement wellness programs and opportunities, like meditation breaks.
8. Outsourcing Recruitment
The modern hiring process is long. It involves screening through hundreds of resumes, conducting multiple rounds of interviews and running background checks, all before narrowing down the choices of candidates for the roles.
To streamline the hiring process, get professional help from recruiters. A recruitment firm like IQ PARTNERS will find you highly qualified candidates from its impressive talent pool.
The candidates they send to you will be thoroughly vetted, so you know they have the hard and soft skills to fulfill the role–and that the recruiters believe they will be a strong match for your workplace’s unique culture.
With a professional recruitment firm at your side, you can make the hiring process much faster. You’ll conduct the final interviews and choose which candidate to call for the final offer.
After that, you can move on to the onboarding process and get that new employee introduced to the office.
9. Flexible Work Schedules
Job seekers are looking for workplaces that offer flexibility. What does that mean?
It could mean flexible start times–instead of a strict 9:00 am clock-in, employees have the option to come in between 9:00 am and 11:00 am.
It could mean offering flex days so that employees have the freedom to do things like go to doctor’s appointments, go to dentist appointments or take mental health days.
10. Virtual Hiring Practices
The hiring process can be conducted entirely online. Job seekers can find postings and submit applications online.
Employers can conduct candidate interviews online, and even complete the onboarding process without having to physically meet.
Everything can be completed through email and video conference calls. This trend is incredibly useful for employers offering remote work options.
Don’t ignore these trends. If you want job seekers to flock to your workplace, then you should follow them as best as you can.
