Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the staffing industry has had to adapt to a lot of changes to meet the demands of today’s labor market and environment. One of the biggest challenges has been the need to switch to remote work. Even now, with the worst effects of the pandemic seemingly behind us, many businesses are still using remote work or a hybrid approach to keep things moving. Virtual interviewing is certainly one aspect that we can expect to remain for the years ahead.
To stay afloat, every business must keep pace with current trends. A big question now for a lot of staffing agencies is what changes lie just around the corner in this post-pandemic world?
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at what these changes are so that you can guide your agency through them successfully. Some of these staffing trends have already been apparent for some time while others are relatively new to the field. Whatever the case, consider them in the context of your current business structure and plans for the future.
1. Virtual Recruiting
The use of virtual recruiting was already increasing before COVID-19 struck, but the pandemic has given a serious boost to it. Today, it’s the primary recruiting method for a lot of businesses, involving not just the search for candidates online but also virtual interviews and virtual onboarding processes. It’s proven to be effective for both employers and employees, allowing the hiring process to be speeded up, streamlined, and simplified.
We expect this trend to continue and become even more prevalent in 2022. Staffing agencies that can adapt and improve on their virtual recruiting process are sure to gain an advantage over their slower-moving competitors.
2. Remote Work
As with virtual recruiting, remote work looks to be another change that is here to stay. Even as offices reopen, the benefits of a hybrid approach appear readily apparent. Employers can save money on office space and supervision, while employees can maintain a greater sense of independence by working from home. However, it’s unlikely to become the primary way to work. Many companies still need plenty of staff to be on-site and there are still fears around employee time theft. Therefore, those working from home (either full or part-time) will likely only make up a quarter of the workforce.
Depending on what industry your staffing agency primarily focuses on, you’ll want to keep a close eye on what their approach to remote work is. If it looks as though it will become more prevalent, then you’ll need to facilitate your remote talent acquisition and retention in 2022.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI recruiting has become quite the buzzword in the staffing industry in the last few years. Doubts persisted for a long time as to whether it even worked effectively, but each passing year continues to bring new converts to the idea that it’s the future of the staffing industry.
AI recruiting involves the use of artificial intelligence to automate parts of the recruitment process such as candidate sourcing, resume screening, and interview scheduling. These systems can usually be adapted to sift through favorable candidates based on their answers for skills tests. When combined with data collection and analytics, recruiters can more easily narrow down the candidate pool to the most preferable choices, saving them a huge amount of time in the process.
This is certain to continue and may even become an industry norm in the coming years. As more recruiters get used to the concept of having AI take over the more repetitive and data-heavy tasks, the more prevalent it will become.
4. Diversity and Inclusion
Since remote work became widespread, diversity levels have increased. Employees are now being hired based on their skills and knowledge rather than their location. A workforce that’s diverse in terms of culture, race, religion, and gender will have a greater number of viewpoints to draw on, making them less biased and more adaptable to changes. It also looks good for companies that want to show they take things like diversity, inclusion, and equity very seriously.
This is a pretty big thing for employers and employees these days. Every business should commit to diversity and inclusion. Candidates will be more drawn to join your agency if they see this as one of your company policies. Clients will also favor those agencies that have taken a committed approach to this.
5. Social Media Recruiting
The way recruiters go about finding candidates is currently going through something of an evolution. Right now, social media is a huge part of our lives, allowing us to communicate, express opinions, and find career opportunities. One survey found that 78% of recruiters have begun expanding their search for candidates beyond traditional sites like LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and Indeed. They’re now also using Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media sites to find the right people. This is proving to be an effective way to reach younger age groups, Generation Z in particular.
The use of social media for recruiting is likely to grow with each passing year. Having a strong social media presence for your agency is also a good way to develop your branding and marketing more effectively. Staffing agencies that use this to the max are sure to stand out from the competition.
Final Thoughts
The key thing for any staffing agency that wants to keep up with current trends is to take a proactive approach. Devote time to looking at how your clients’ needs might be changing and how you can more effectively meet those needs. Determine what potential candidates are looking for and why they might be drawn to work for your agency.
Effective recruiting today also requires being able to leverage technology to your benefit. AI, automated recruiting systems, and integrated tracking systems, like those provided by Timerack, can make your job a whole lot easier and more effective.