Modern-day recruitment is rapt in the technological evolution we all are witnessing and undergoing. While technology is blending with nearly all aspects of an industrial or manufacturing organization, recruitment is not untouched.
Nowadays, recruitment is not about rummaging through scores of applicants manually. It taps into smarter and more convenient methods to pool the choicest candidates for an industrial or manufacturing organization. This reliance on newer recruitment methods was further fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, which compelled employers to come up with adaptive measures for employing candidates remotely.
The pandemic might be behind us, but the changed post-COVID recruitment methods have stayed. Employers are building on them and eyeing the latest emerging trends to bring their recruiting process neck to neck with the changing recruitment landscape.
8 Industrial Recruitment Trends for 2023
Let’s look at some of the top recruitment trends for the coming year as backed up by some survey findings.
Remote Work/Work From Home
An increasing number of people prefer remote work as it saves traveling time and cost, relocation costs, provides the ease of living at home, and so on. As a result, employers must strive to allow flexibility in even industrial job profiles with minimal field work.
Per a Forbes article, remote work is here to stay. A study by Ladder estimates that 25% of all professional jobs in North America will be remote by the end of 2022.
Employer Branding
The current times have society demanding higher accountability out of organizations. In other words, industrial organizations and their operations are being observed very closely. As a result, they are more conscious of their goodwill and reputation. Anything from an organization’s environmental friendliness and corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies to work culture and working conditions can account for its reputation.
Candidates now don’t go exclusively after a high pay scale but also an organization’s image. In a survey-based research conducted by HR Daily Advisor in 2019, 50% of job seekers said they wouldn’t work for an organization with a bad reputation — even if they offered them a higher salary. Employers with good branding tend to attract and retain skilled talent.
Data-Centric Recruiting
Data-centric recruiting is all the rage. It is grounded in data and helps in effective recruiting via using technology embedded in the applicant tracking system (ATS) and recruitment marketing platforms. It gives employers a full layout of essential metrics per candidate, based on which they can develop and execute their talent strategy.
Such hiring metrics help funnel the recruitment process to the best lot of candidates. A study by Deloitte showed that 71% of companies prioritize data analytics to hire talent.
Diversity and Inclusion
The minority candidates also seek representation now. While doing their research, they are likely to probe whether an organization is accepting their status. Inclusivity is the buzzword these days, and employers have to catch up with it since, so far, only one in three recruiters track the diversity of candidates.
Employers must focus on candidate evaluation tools that also assess diversity metrics like gender or ethnicity. A diverse workforce envisions broad ideas and perspectives, leading to better output, brand visibility, and higher profitability. Additionally, such tools also do away with subjective bias in the recruiting process.
Soft Skills
Employers in the US are experiencing talent and skill shortages. There is a divorce between the skills employers look for, and the skills candidates actually possess. About 38.5% of candidates believe employers have unrealistic job requirements. Often, candidates apply for a job without having the concerned skills.
In addition to the knowledge of one’s job, employers must also prioritize communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, leadership, and other such skills. Research shows that around 66% of all new jobs will mainly shortlist candidates based on soft skills.
Young Applicants
Large-scale organizations and startups are witnessing an influx of youth. Employers must incorporate their demands as they are familiar with and in touch with newer technology and resources. Virtual upgradation is a must as we advance to keep up with not just the changing times but also the innovation of the young minds in your organization.
Economic Uncertainties
Speaking in terms of the economy, we are living in turbulent times. The COVID-19 pandemic took an unforgettable and unpredictable toll on the global economy. Such economic uncertainties always loom large in the form of recession, inflation, economic depression, and so on, in any organization. Such situations make it difficult to hire people. Thus, employers always need to be prepared for the worst.
Talent Pool Creation and Maintenance
Turning to the organization’s internal talent pool for recruiting employees for vacant job roles will become a go-to hiring strategy in 2023. This not only instills employees’ trust and loyalty in one’s company but also avoids hassles like remote hiring. Additionally, the perks of talent retention could not be more acknowledged by doing so.
By promoting good employees to higher posts and seeking referrals to recruit for the newly vacant posts, a company maintains and creates its talent pool simultaneously. This is not a new practice but one that will go uphill from here as it helps save recruitment costs and time and employ a trusted and recommended candidate.
