The recruitment industry has changed completely last year — all because of the pandemic — and it is likely that the industry will witness some significant changes in 2021.
Fortunately, many of these changes will be positive and will remain for a definite period to make room for improvement and growth in the industry.
There is no doubt that recruitment and hiring will change dramatically in the upcoming years. Due to covid-19, the traditional recruitment process has been more difficult last year than ever before as recruiters and candidates scramble to adapt to a completely remote experience.
In almost all industries, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, forcing companies of all sizes to fast-track their digital plans. Experts expect that digital hiring and recruitment in 2021 will continue to face significant hurdles. Here are some tips and trends that will help you.
1. Learn the Tricks of Using Natural Language Processing (NLP)
The most significant trend shaping recruitment in 2021 (or beyond) will be the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to source, assess, and screen employees. The power of the Natural Language Processing (NLP) tool is poised to make a significant change at every step.
Manually screening resumes is still one of the most time-consuming tasks that recruiters face. But with NLP, the best applicants can be identified rapidly. NLP can also be used to interact with potential candidates and offer personal communication with the latest chatbot technology. Finally, NLP and voice recognition are being added to help analyze and review candidate interviews.
However, human bias is easily carried into the behavior of any AI model. To avoid this scenario, organizations should ensure that those producing the algorithms comply with the company-approved anti-bias guidelines to avoid this scenario.
2. Work on Employer Branding
Employer branding is more a fundamental part of recruitment than a trend. However, it is clear that 2021 will be the year when employer branding becomes an essential part of the recruitment strategies of many companies. We have always favored employer branding, and now it seems that everyone else is also waking up to its importance.
Employer branding is your reputation among candidates and employees; It defines how people inside and outside your organization view you as an employer. After some frightening stories from employers in 2020, it is no surprise that organizations worldwide are trying to improve their reputation.
Leveraging, building, and promoting your employer brand will all be high priorities for 2021 and the upcoming years. In a nutshell, the top talent will select your company more than others.
3. Focus on Retention
High attrition is never good for an organization. When an employee resigns, the employer has to pay benefits and exit costs. Then, the company has to invest in training and recruiting new employees. And in difficult times, it is better to have people who know the work, company, and share its vision.
The sudden change in industry is expected to affect companies’ retention strategies such as employee benefits, health insurance, holiday structure, and performance appraisals. An employer with a good reputation increases the likelihood of recruiting candidates who are looking for long-term employment.
The unprecedented crisis of covid-19 has forced the organizations to change the way they work. Employers had to ensure that their current employees were in the right mindset and ensure a smooth recruitment process while onboarding new employees. The second half of 2020 has seen an increase in employment. In 2021, HR managers must revisit their recruitment and onboarding policies, which are necessary for a smooth transformation and sustainable development.
4. Remote Work
It is no surprise that remote jobs topped the list for recruitment this year. Companies made rapid changes and moved to remote work in early 2020, while many kept the traditional work from office approach. But the pandemic and remote work changed the direction of talent acquisition and recruitment. Companies are now looking for individuals who work well in remote environments and are capable of collaborating remotely with coworkers.
According to FlexJobs, remote jobs at their site increased 12% between June and August of 2020. And 65% of those responding said that they wanted to continue working from home after the pandemic. But the recruitment of remote workers is different from traditional employment, so it is essential to understand how to target the right candidates.
5. Virtual Recruiting is Here to Stay
Companies have dubbed in the past with video interviews and remote evaluations, but the lockdown realities of COVID-19 have led them to build an end-to-end virtual recruitment process for the first time. And they are both noting and embracing the cost & time savings that the change has brought. In the same way, as the hybrid workforce of remote and onsite employees will become the norm, a hybrid hiring process that combines virtual and in-person elements will become the norm.
The challenges for companies will double. First, businesses need to refine their virtual processes as they nail the technology, while ensuring they continue to look for tricks to add human touch back to their systems. Second, they must decide when they will use virtual and how they will optimize the assessments advantages of in-person and candidate experience to leverage the speed and efficiency of the virtual environment.
Candidates for entry-level positions can experience an absolute virtual hiring process without even setting foot in the office until they are onboarded. The executive candidates will continue to receive more Bespoke processes with multiple onsite visits and face-to-face one-on-ones.
6. Upskill To Fill Hard-To-Hire Positions
Experts reported, even before the COVID-19, about the dawn of the skills gap in the future hiring patterns. The demand for many positions remains the same but filling those positions is quite challenging. So how can recruiters fill these hard-to-fill positions? The answer lies in upskilling.
Use technology and data to help people develop new skills. The fastest and most economical way to overcome the skills shortage is to use technology to provide skills to as many people as possible.
Despite an upward trend in hiring, 87 percent of employers say they struggle to fill positions due to a skills gap. In such a scenario, training and upskilling will help employees bridge the skills gap and provide employees a meaningful career and development opportunities.
Upskilling can be done at a faster pace in the year 2021. Big companies like Amazon already have upskilling plans in the pipeline. Amazon recently announced that they are going to upskill 100,000 people in the coming future. Now it’s your turn.
