By Sean Behr, CEO at Fountain
As we go into 2023 with economic uncertainty, talent acquisition teams will need to be more adaptable in the way they operate by using different hiring methods. Although uncertainty abounds, so far the hiring market has remained resilient in the UK.
However, recruitment teams cannot afford to take it as a given that this will remain the case and must be adaptable in the months ahead. Given the complexity of today’s hiring market, finding applicants with the right skills will require new approaches and processes that tap into people’s everyday routines.
Meeting Gen Z’s needs
Generation Z is highly digital, which means they require a candidate experience that is up-to-date and keeps them engaged. Understanding how Gen Zers search for jobs is the first step in targeting them in the right place and at the right time. For example, 86 percent of Gen-Z job-seekers use social media at some point in their search. Gen Zers also prefer fast communication and value mobile-friendly functions, therefore recruiters should use a multi-channel approach when hiring and should keep them updated throughout the process on a regular basis, to ensure they are aware of their employment status.
Diverse and Inclusive Workspaces
Creating a working environment which is inclusive begins with having an intuitive recruiting process. By making a couple of changes, it is possible to build recruitment practices that cater to all identities, highlighting the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
One way of doing this is by using gender-neutral pronouns for job descriptions. A 2021 study by Bigeye revealed that 50% of Gen Z and over half of Millennials believe that traditional gender roles and binary gender labels are outdated. With this in mind, recruiting materials should avoid using words like “he” and “she” and should replace them with gender-neutral pronouns like “they”.
DE+I should be in the DNA of your brand when trying to attract and retain talent. Organisations should prioritise diversity in the recruitment process, as research shows that more diverse teams make better decisions 87 percent of the time. Producing a diverse workplace will have a positive effect on the overall performance of your company.
Creating goals and objectives in the hiring process is the only way to evaluate whether the changes are making an actual impact. Companies that are building out a diversity hiring plan can begin by assessing the candidate pipelines. A good starting point is to implement an initiative to increase the number of ethnically diverse candidates by a specific percentage.
Employee retention
Retention issues are unlikely to cease in 2023 unless recruitment acquisition teams refocus their efforts on post-hire and onboarding initiatives. Poor onboarding processes which lack engagement can lead to lower productivity and a high employee turnover. Research shows that 88% of organisations have poor onboarding, which means there needs to be an improvement on gauging the happiness of employees and their general wellbeing. The efficiency of your onboarding process is directly linked to new hire retention rates. This is borne out by data from Glassdoor, which shows that companies with a strong onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82 per cent.
Onboarding should start as soon as a candidate has accepted the position. It can be as simple as sharing a congratulatory note with them. The next step is by personalising the onboarding experience. Information on how to do this for each candidate can be done by asking them a question in the recruitment process that gives you an idea on the candidate’s interests (e.g. their favourite hobbies, sports team, etc.)
Moreover, by assessing the underlying causes of employee turnover, companies can improve employee retention. Incorporating employee pulse surveys is one way of achieving this, as it allows talent acquisition teams to address the issues as they arise. Workers appreciate feeling like their opinions are being listened to and will value the opportunity to give feedback.
An optimistic outlook
Adopting a positive outlook may seem difficult to do, but by putting effective hiring methods to good use, companies can stay ahead of the shifting trends. The current hiring market is composed of a mixture of demographics and may require a re-evaluation of recruitment efforts. This means talent acquisition teams must deploy DE+I initiatives, improve employee onboarding schemes, and cater to the next generation of job-seekers to remain successful during economic uncertainty.
