2020 changed the way we lived, worked, and hired. This is flowing into this year, however, I am feeling a lot more positive about next financial year. Based on Clicks’ market research, my 20 years’ experience in the recruitment industry, what I’ve read and heard from speaking with hiring managers and job seekers, here are my predictions for the hiring trends that will shape the rest of 2021/22!
Increased Hiring
With vaccinations underway, unemployment figures decreasing, and job advertisements increasing for the tenth consecutive month, you don’t need 20 years in recruitment to know hiring will increase this year. But did you know, Clicks’ IT Recruitment & Retention report – which surveyed more than 400 organisations – reveals employers expect IT budgets and demand for permanent IT staff to be higher this year than pre-COVID? With increased hiring activity, the challenge for organisations will be how to secure candidates in a competitive market after enjoying a healthy pool of active job seekers last year. Review our report to learn more about forecasted IT demand and the most sought-after IT skills for 2021/22.
A Focus on Learning Agility
Adaptability and resilience were a common theme in the personal and professional lives of many people last year. Those who were able to demonstrate strong learning agility were able to respond well to the challenges and changes of 2020. Learning agility is linked to having a growth mindset, problem-solving ability, innovation, and creative thinking. While the market is definitely picking up, we are not ‘business as usual’. That is why I predict the ability to learn and adapt will be a top soft skill sought by employers in 2021/22.
Creating Diverse, Inclusive, and Equitable Workplaces
The social and political events of last year have pushed organisations to reassess their efforts in relation to diversity and inclusion. Not only is a diverse workforce good for business, but it’s also good for hiring. A recent survey revealed 70% of job seekers value an organisation’s commitment to diversity when considering prospective employers. Further, 39% of respondents turned down or did not pursue a job due to a perceived lack of inclusion. To drive business outcomes and compete for top talent, organisations will be investing in diversity and inclusion initiatives this year.
Remote Work
I predict remote work practices will continue. The ability to work flexibly is valued by employees and job seekers – and employers know this! In our recent workplace survey, offering remote work and flexible work hours was reported by organisations as their most effective recruitment and retention strategies. Offering flexibility is not only important when trying to compete for top talent, it also broadens candidate pools by removing location as a barrier. Remote work may be useful for organisations that are seeking to address gender imbalance and create a multi-generational workforce. It has been reported that remote work appeals to women and Gen Z employees.
Automation and Data-Driven Recruitment
As hiring increases, recruitment teams will look for ways to work smarter. Just as we are doing here at Clicks, many hiring teams invest in technology to minimise the repetitive and administrative aspects of their roles. This allows them to spend more time engaging with hiring managers and candidates. Investment in technology helps provide richer and more reliable data. Data-driven hiring can help save time, money, improve the candidate experience and remove bias from hiring decisions. I’m expecting this will be a growing area of focus in 2021/22 and beyond.
Virtual Interviews Become Standard
I can’t stress how important creating a positive interview experience is – which is why I wrote a blog about it! As the market picks up, creating a positive candidate experience will be even more important. I’ve conducted numerous virtual interviews and the reduced non-verbal cues – that I can provide or receive –took a bit of getting used to. To provide a seamless experience, I encourage you to give some thought to how you intend to build rapport as well as structure and manage a virtual interview (if that is not something you’ve had to do a lot). Additionally, working remotely lends itself to a more relaxed dress code, but what does that signal to the candidate who has suited up for the meeting? I think a bit of planning and clear, upfront communication with candidates will help you make the most of your virtual interviews.
Investment in Employer Branding, Social Media, and Unique Hiring Campaigns to Attract Top Talent
Gone are the days of putting up a job ad and wishing for the best. Due to a range of reasons including effectiveness and cost (especially during a pandemic), many organisations are becoming more innovative with how they fill their vacancies. Organisations are leveraging marketing principles to build out their employer brand, hiring through social media, and this clever recruitment campaign for programmers and tech specialists. This all suggests hiring is increasingly a more complex and multi-faceted process. Organisations understand this investment is important to securing great people – which is after all, their greatest asset.
There you have it, my predictions for hiring trends for FY2021/22 ! If you’d like to talk further about any of these topics, please email me or call me directly on 0438 355 792.
Clicks specialises in IT recruitment. Our recruiters have 12 years’ industry experience on average. We can help you find top talent, fast! If are hiring this year, please reach out to me or your Clicks Account Manager to see how we can help. If you are interested in discussing diversity, including females in leadership roles, diversity hiring targets, and hiring neurodiverse talent, please let me know. You can read more about Clicks’ ongoing work on diversity in recruitment here.
Nick Bacon
Regional General Manager, NSW
