With the new year just on the horizon, we’re reviewing the top 12 recruitment trends that will continue to be prominent in 2022. The recruitment landscape has evolved rapidly over the last two years, with a global movement to virtual recruitment, candidate shortages at an all-time high, and added pressure of tech integration. From the remote revolution to the importance of brand, continue reading to ensure your business has these top recruitment trends on the agenda.

1 – Strong employer brand

Having a strong employer brand in 2022 will be key to staying ahead in the recruitment space. Your employer brand is not just your brand colours, fonts and logo, employer brand goes way beyond this. Having an employer brand that stands out involves communicating your employer value proposition, your company culture, what your company stands for and everything in between. Candidates are more likely to choose an employer with an authentic and trustworthy brand, those employers who get it right will be at a great advantage when it comes to attracting top talent in 2022.

2  – The remote revolution

Remote working is nothing new, flexible working has been a growing trend for the last few years, the difference now, is candidates expect more from their employer when it comes to remote working, flexibility, and work life balance.

Employers who want to stay ahead, and improve their employer value proposition must motivate their employees by allowing them the flexibility to optimise their own time, to create a healthy and sustainable work life balance. In 2022, remote working will no longer be considered an added benefit, but a given for many businesses. 

3 – Clear Career Pathways 

Internal recruitment, often referred to as talent attraction, has been a great focus for many organisations in 2021, with many looking to further expand their internal teams with the best talent in 2022. One of the key HR trends to look out for is a clear, structured career pathway for internal colleagues. Not only will a clear career pathway attract more talent, but it will help to retain your very best employees.

Looking to join a company with a competitive career pathway? Click here to find out how you can work with us. 

4 – Stronger focus on retention

Following The Great Resignation, where companies who did not prioritise their people throughout the pandemic have been experiencing mass talent exodus, reduced productivity and a damaged employer reputation, employers are now taking a closer look at their retention strategies. Retention again ties into your employer brand, your employer value proposition and career pathways. Read more on the importance of retention by clicking here.

5 – Innovative social marketing

The last couple of years we have experienced a large overlap between recruitment and marketing, the lines are becoming increasingly blurred. One trend to stay on top of in 2022 is ensuring you have a strong strategy around social media recruitment advertising. Recruiters are becoming increasingly savvier with how they target candidates, develop relationships with candidates and engage with their candidates, and social media advertising integrates both intelligent targeting whilst building meaningful relationships. 

6 – Candidate experience

Companies that focus on creating a positive candidate experience and company culture for employees will be more successful and profitable. This does not only mean upgrading your career site to provide a slick application process, or providing feedback surveys to your employees, candidate experience involves aftercare, such as wellbeing initiatives, diversity and inclusion strategies, and a healthy work life balance.  

With a combination of effective technology and human touch, organisations can deliver a bespoke, personalised, yet time-efficient and positive candidate experience.

7 – Quick, Seamless, Virtual Hiring

Following on from a positive candidate experience, an emerging trend in recruitment is to provide a quick and seamless virtual hiring process. With candidate shortages and job postings at a record high, ensuring each touchpoint with candidates is effortless is key to staying ahead of the competition. Employers have already adapted to a virtual world, however, to remain competitive you need to ensure your virtual hiring process is personable, smooth and a positive experience that brings your company culture to life. 

8 – Artificial intelligence

The working environment of your company can be improved if you integrate machine learning into your services. Artificial intelligence can be deployed in functions that are common to all recruitment companies, such as virtual assistants. To take full advantage of machine learning in your business, it is important that these systems are implemented correctly. This will solve several problems, such as predicting the behaviour of your customers and prospects; helping your business to thrive in 2022. 

9 – Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion within the workplace has become an increasingly discussed topic and although we have seen recognisable progress over recent decades, not all employers or recruiters have this at the top of their agenda. Building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive team is extremely important and there is a clear business case for it. Research has shown many benefits from retention, profitability to employee satisfaction. Research has found inclusion within the workplace is one of the most important factors in retaining your employees, with inclusive organisations demonstrating a 5.4 times higher employee retention rate.

10 – Sustainability 

The effects of climate change and how it is impacting the planet is becoming an increasingly discussed topic in day-to-day life, and this passion for sustainability and the environment is gravitating towards job seekers. Job seekers prefer employers that align with their own values, a Glassdoor survey found more than 70% of job seekers wouldn’t apply to work for a company unless it aligned with their core values.

Clients are demanding more from their recruitment partners, and candidates are demanding more from their employer, so, if you haven’t started thinking about your sustainability efforts and strategy, 2022 is the year to do it.

11 – Reskilling and training

With the demand for top talent at a record high, companies can’t expect new hires to hold all the relevant skills to their vacancy. If they do have all the relevant skills, technology evolves rapidly, meaning it is no longer enough to recruit for the skills needed today. To stay on top of business demands, companies need to recruit new hires who have the capability to constantly adapt to the ever-changing recruitment world, and learn new skills that may not yet exist. 

12 – Technology & Software

In many of the trends mentioned, technology will play a vital role, not only for recruiters, but for HR, finance, marketing and payroll functions. Investing in the very best technology and software, and integrating it correctly within your business, can help you adapt and power a more efficient recruitment process. From candidate management, payroll, marketing communications, to sharing information with clients and candidates, a more strategic look at the technology your business uses will keep you ahead in 2022. 

The recruitment world is rapidly adapting and evolving to worldwide events, staying on top of current and upcoming trends will ensure your business is remaining competitive.