Despite all the technological advancement, the success of all companies always depended on their staff and the talent pools they could tap into. So, you can see why HR and recruitment take such an important place in the current business constellation. This is even more noticeable in the SMB sector where manpower makes an even more critical asset.
However, it would be naïve to assume that human resourcing and recruitment were left out of the loop of the pending digital revolution. On the contrary – driven by the latest tech trends as well as business and social developments, modern talent recruitment is also undergoing a massive overhaul with its results left to anyone’s guess.
Well, let us take a look then at some of the major forces shaping the future of recruitment and try to see where they might lead us in the following years.
A stronger focus on the candidate’s experience
In recent years, the USA has experienced a very noticeable labor shortage. So, the candidates have become a very valuable commodity, and their experience during the recruitment a critical factor in the job selection process. This idea is implemented in several different ways. For a start, the brands are doing their best to promote their values and corporate culture from the first contact with the candidates. Second, the very recruitment procedures are becoming smoother, more streamlined, and candidate-oriented. These trends will become even more noticeable as Gen Z starts taking the spotlight from Millennials.
Data-driven decision making
All good decisions are based on relevant, accurate, and in-depth data. One of the most relevant issues of the modern HR sector is the fact that data pools that need to be processed are probably becoming too extensive for accurate human analysis. Here’s the point where the latest tech kicks in with full force. Powered by AI and machine learning, modern HR tools are becoming much more capable of sorting out candidate lists, extrapolating relevant data, and performing analysis based on the results. As candidates’ digital trails become more abundant, this trend will only take stronger roots.
Greater presence of AI-powered HR programs
Putting vast pools of data in a more manageable framework, however, is not the only area where AI is spreading its HR clout. The latest generation AI recruitment tools are capable of conducting a long list of duties ranging from conducting the basic first-round interviews to other offerings capable of filtering resumes, scheduling interviews, and even scouting potential candidates. All these things make the recruitment process faster, more affordable, and more streamlined. Of course, recruiters are not becoming obsolete as a result. They just have more time to focus on the more critical tasks.
Adapting to remote work realities
A shift toward remote work and telecommuting business models has been in motion for quite some time now and was clearly ushered by the arrival of cloud technology. But, it was the outbreak of COVID-19 that served as a global proof of concept that pushed this novel idea right into the mainstream. Be that as it may, the reality of today’s labor market is that a growing number of candidates are expecting flexible employment terms and hybrid work models. Recruiters need to adapt to this new reality and be ready to work on a much larger scale since local talent pools are effectively becoming obsolete.
Workplaces becoming more diverse and inclusive
This trend is a culmination of a whole slew of other important things. For a start, the new social discourse is becoming very intolerant of any kind of prejudice, bigotry, disrespect, or behaviors that are seen as offensive. Also, remote work and globalized culture opened the doors to teams that might consist of people with vastly different backgrounds. The goals of the modern HR sector are both to alleviate the transition to this new more social-conscious corporate climate and to use the perks brought by the more diverse talent market. This shift will become very relevant even in the narrow SMB framework.
Social media becoming more relevant in scouting venue
Up until recently, the recruitment process followed a decades-old pace. The businesses advertise the vacant position, the candidates send their resumes, and then the series of interviews sort out the rest. These days, though, recruitment has become a much more proactive affair, and social media serves as a perfect venue for a natural, long-term, and engaging outreach. Here is one of the areas where SMBs have a distinct advantage over larger corporate entities. Since they are exposed to smaller communities, they can make their marketing efforts more personal, human, and familiar.
Soft skills becoming a deciding factor
By this, we don’t mean that the good old degrees, position-related skills, and other recruitment heavyweights are going the way of the dinosaurs. They will always be there to help us differentiate prospective candidates from duds. But, we need to take into account that the corporate world is changing at a lightning pace and that all skills can become obsolete in a matter of months. Therefore, the goal of modern recruiters should be to head-hunt the candidates with the developed soft skills and greater potential for up-skilling and reskilling to keep future recruitment costs under control.
Conclusion
Well, we hope that these couple of mentions gave you a better idea about the shifts in the world of HR and recruitment and where these trends might lead us in the following years. And, as we can see, all things point out that the brave new HR world will be much more agile, diverse, and AI-driven. As long as we are aware of these changes and use them to our advantage instead of reacting to them, the future of talent recruitment will keep looking nothing but bright.
Marie Nieves is a passionate blogger with an eye for design, a flair for storytelling, and a love for culture. She contributes regularly to various blogs and online magazines, all while satisfying her wanderlust by exploring states and countries near and far.