As many in the staffing industry already know, recruiting looks very different today than it did a year ago. 2020 has forced many staffing firms to reevaluate their recruiting and talent acquisition strategies, and this has brought on new trends that comply with the drastic changes brought on by COVID-19. It seems that some of the strategies recruiters have adopted this past year are here to stay, as they are now improving and trending! In this blog, you’ll find the latest trends in recruiting and talent acquisition in 2021 that are here to improve your recruitment strategies in any circumstance going forward.

trends in recruiting

Virtual Interviewing and Onboarding
COVID-19 has thrown a wrench into the interviewing and onboarding process, forcing everyone to conduct these processes virtually. This has now become a trend as it became the new normal for recruiters and candidates alike. Remote interviewing has been done over phone calls and video conferencing software such as Zoom. Video software has made it easy for recruiters and other colleagues to join the interview process from any location. This has become a normal occurrence in the past year, and with technology always improving, it continues to be a trend and option for many.

Remote onboarding has also been a trend in recruiting in 2021. With the same technology listed above, recruiters and clients have been able to integrate new employees into the workforce culture. This is another tactic that became necessary this year and will continue as a trend in the coming years.

Remote Work
Along with remote interviewing and onboarding is remote work. Working remotely has become the new normal, and for many it has been successful. A new trend in recruiting is that businesses are now seeking candidates that are able to work well in remote environments and are able to collaborate with team members through other mediums that are not face-to-face. LinkedIn predicts that recruiters will lead the transition to remote work. Remote work also encourages “diverse talent pools, increased productivity and retention, savings on salaries and facilities, and reducing your company’s carbon footprint.”

Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) efforts will become a priority this year. The truth is, D&I has been a topic of conversation for many years, and several events in 2020 has brought it back to light making it a very important priority. A diverse workforce creates a company culture and environment where people feel welcomed and various mindsets are able to contribute to business success. Statistics have shown that a diverse and inclusive workplace has increased productivity and profitability. This is not just a trend in recruiting, but a necessary action all businesses need to take for equal opportunity.

Recruiting Through Social Media
Social media platforms have been an integral part of every staffing firm marketing strategy and recruiting efforts. Now, it’s being used for recruiting efforts more excessively. Many platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook allow recruiters to post jobs and attract top talent. As technology and social platforms improve, this trend will only grow stronger. In fact, 84% of organizations are taking advantage of this trend and use social media for their recruitment efforts.

Adopting the Use of Analytics
Another trend in recruiting, among other things, is the use of analytics. Analytics tools, such as application tracking software (ATS), has enabled recruiters to develop efficient talent acquisition and hiring plans and use data for future decision-making. Not only does the use of analytics deliver data-driven decision making and insights, it helps reduce the cost of recruiting practices and allows you to fill roles more quickly and efficiently. For instance, analytics provides recruiters with information such as:

  • Source of the hire
  • Time to hire
  • Cost per hire
  • Quality of hire
  • Diversity
  • And much more!

This trend in recruiting has increased significantly in 2021 and as technology evolves, it will become more relevant in recruiting processes.

Artificial Intelligence and Automationstaffing firm market research tools
AI and automation has been listed as a growing trend in 2021 for many different things, and one being for recruiting efforts. Say goodbye to repetitive and tedious, time-consuming tasks, and say hello to artificial intelligence! AI and automation technology is used to source, screen, sort, and rank candidates based on their skills, candidate profiles, and resumes. Other tasks AI does for you includes creating job descriptions, interview scheduling, candidate communication through automated email and chatbots, onboarding programs, and more. Stop doing all the tedious work yourself and open your business to this trend in recruiting.

Employee Experience
Employee experience has always been important, but it has become more relevant this year. Maintaining the health and well-being of your employees and creating a positive work-life balance is very important for new hires. Building a positive onboarding experience and creating a great company culture for employees has been found to be more successful and profitable for business. Not only does it help the candidate experience, but it guarantees employee retention.

These trends in recruiting and talent acquisition became essential in 2021. The global pandemic has pushed many of these efforts to the forefront of business, but they are evolving and are here to stay. For questions about your staffing sales strategy or recruitment process, contact us.

About S.J.Hemley Marketing
S.J.Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm focused on driving tangible results for professional services firms. Brand matters, but not without ROI. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within staffing and recruiting, we have helped to drive successful branding, sales training, lead generation activities as well as defining marketing strategy for top organizations. www.sjhemleymarketing.com