Has recruiting changed along with how we work? And, most importantly—how different is it?
Working from home has become the standard since the start of the pandemic in late 2019 – 2020. With the death so near and so real, many people began to reassess their priorities, realizing that there was now an ability to balance their health and personal life, all while still maintaining a career.
Surveys and research prove that many employees don’t want to return to the office, desiring a minimum of three days of remote work per week. It’s such a dealbreaker that employees will leave an employer that removes remote work/flex work as an option. If you’re looking to hire and truly maximize from this period in The Great Resignation, read below on what candidates are looking for, trends, and strategies that may help attract and retain talent in this candidate market.
Here are four things that candidates are looking for:
- Feeling Valued. No more are the days when only employers are asking candidates what value and skills they bring to a company. Now candidates are asking similar questions—that is to say, what can the employer do for the potential employee. While questions about the company are appreciated, candidates are now asking hard questions and genuinely analyzing what employers and companies are saying—and determining if there is a proper fit.
- Feeling a sense of belonging and genuine inclusion. In the past, candidates tried well to mesh with the current culture, but now that is no longer the case. Younger generations are changing how we see the workplace and how culture can change. Employees want to feel they can be their authentic selves and be seen. Without this, attrition may be high.
- See the growth potential. Belonging to something isn’t always culture; it can also be an idea, something meaningful, and employees want to see the growth potential. Although picky, millennials and gen z can be loyal—as long as they feel aligned to the company’s mission and purpose, and they will want to be a part of that development.
- Flexible work schedules. One of the key decision-makers for candidates. Flexible work schedules and assignments are essential since mental and emotional health and wellness are necessary, especially after the pandemic and quarantine.
- Bonus. Employee experience reaches beyond work. The goal is to have an employee engaged, not just have them present. All the suggestions mentioned should help promote a culture that will drive and motivate employees to show up to work and truly put 100% and beyond into their work and their teams.
Here are five recruiting trends for 2022 that may improve your candidate outlook, hiring, and retention.
- Persuasive candidate experience. Rebranding may help here.
- Remote working. Since this is something that candidates want, then this is something employers are going to have to consider reducing attrition heavily.
- Social Media Recruiting. Social media is currently inevitable, and younger generations use social media for far more than entertainment.
- Predictive Analytics. Behavioral assessments allow you to hire smarter, improve engagement and empower their leadership teams.
- Shifting to project-based hiring. Using this approach to hire based on projects, you will be able to make things happen—innovating faster, quickly pulling skills internally and externally as needed. This allows your business to function more efficiently, modifying as required based on the needs of your business.
In order to attract and retain in this climate, you may have to redefine the work and how you work. This will be an ongoing effort, not a one-time fix. Consider your immediate, short-term and long-term objectives, and consider implementing strategies like the ones mentioned above to widen your candidate pool. With over 30 years of experience, we are also equipped to help with your recruiting needs. Contact us for a consultation.