Top HR and Recruitment Trends for 2022

After a turbulent 2021, HR and recruitment professionals across the globe have found themselves battling for talent in an extremely competitive environment that is set to influence the top HR and Recruitment Trends for 2022.

As well as a global pandemic to contend with in-house recruitment teams are now facing the consequences of accelerated digital transformation, record numbers of job vacancies and significant changes in candidate expectations which will ultimately shape strategies as they look to plan for the next 12 months and beyond. 

It's not only attracting top talent that is a priority for organisations but with growing fears of the ‘Big resignation’ retaining top talent is also a primary concern for any organisation. 

Whilst the advancements in technology will go a long way to help to engage and manage employees, organisations may need to dig a little deeper into building a winning recruitment strategy for 2022. 

Take a look at our Top HR & Recruitment Trends for 2022

1. Increased Focus on long-term retention of top talent 

Almost a quarter of UK workers are planning to change jobs in the next few months as part of the “great resignation” according to recent data. The trend of more employees switching employers has been caused by post-pandemic burnout and more job vacancies.

Retaining top talent is a strategy in itself and HR and recruitment teams need to where possible safeguard the risk of losing employees. During the pandemic, employees have encountered new ways of working, increased flexibilities and have had time to reflect on what they want from an employer. 

Whilst it is impossible to prevent employees from leaving your organisation, there are obviously a number of key considerations that can help to ensure that employees feel valued and are less likely to look for an alternative role. 

These include: 

• Paying above-average salaries - make sure you are aware of what other organisations are offering for similar roles. 
• Giving your employees a voice -  encourage feedback and allow all employees an opportunity to say how they are feeling
• Showing appreciation and respect  - acknowledge the efforts of individual employees and the workforce as a whole
• Encouraging employees to grow - provide clear career paths and invest in growing the skills of each employee. 
• Maximising flexibility - whether it be working from home, flexible hours or anything in between where possible gives your employees the flexibility they need.
• Improving your onboarding process - Outline expectations and give employees the confidence that they are joining the best organisation for them. 

2. Upskilling existing employees is set to become more of a priority

Upskilling your existing employees can deliver 3 key benefits: 

• Increased employee retention therefore lower recruitment costs 
• Improved employee morale and overall company morale 
• Increased knowledge to deliver better solutions increasing customer service

Training your employees and giving them new skills is not only a great way to close skills gaps and make employees more productive in their current roles and prepare for future requirements. 

It will form and integral part of the increased focus on employee retention as outlined in the point above. 

Accessibility, multiple variations and delivery techniques and personalisation will be key considerations especially given the increase in working from home and the need to engage with a multi-generation workforce. 

3. Perfecting remote recruitment processes 

Before the pandemic, only around 5% of the workforce worked mainly from home, but as we approach 2022, surveys suggest that 58% of respondents report wanting to be full-time remote employees post-pandemic, while 39% want a hybrid work environment. 

The ability to work from home has opened up brand new talent pools that organisations are keen to exploit, However despite the benefits remote working also presents a number of challenges too. 

Defining and communicating your core values throughout the entire employee journey is essential. From job advert to application to onboarding and induction, the need to make your company culture come alive has never been as important. 

Whilst managing candidates across the globe obviously presents practical challenges such as time zones, organisations also need to make sure that they make the necessary adjustments to avoid isolation, immerse new employees into their corporate culture and look at new ways to collaborate with employees. 

4. Enhancing and promoting your employer brand is paramount 

50% of candidates say they wouldn't work for a company with a bad reputation, even for a pay increase but 92% of people would consider changing jobs if offered a role with a company with an excellent corporate reputation

Having a reputable employer brand is no longer a nice to have, but an extremely important part of your organisation’s recruitment strategy and will have a significant impact on your ability to recruit the best candidates, reducing turnover, reducing time to hire, and minimising advertising costs. 

The combined outcome of a global pandemic and a highly competitive job market has seen jobseekers become much more focussed on the type of organisation they want to work for, what that organisation should stand for and what they want to achieve. 

As a result, organisations across the globe are reviewing, analysing and looking to improve their employer brand. 

If you are looking to improve your employer brand in 2022, take a look at our guide: The power of a strong employer brand 

5. Looking at new and previously unexplored talent pools 

81% of jobseekers want to see job opportunities posted to Facebook and the percentage of workers likely to click on a job opportunity posted by someone in their social network currently stands at 82%.

Whilst the increased options of home working have allowed organisations to expand their talent search in terms of locations, as the war for talent continues to become more competitive, HR and In house recruitment teams will need to look at new and previously unexplored pools of talent as part of their recruitment strategy. 

Facebook, which previously used to be a ‘nice to have’ element of job advertising is today an extremely popular primary source of recruitment, as organisations seek to exploit the wealth of exposure and brand awareness that can be achieved through this platform. 

For many organisations this will also include paying greater attention to the power of employee referral programs or establishing direct links with colleges and universities. 

It is expected that recruitment as a whole will become much more innovative as we progress through 2022. From advert design to onboarding organisations will no longer be able to simply advertise on job boards if companies wish to reach the best candidates. 

6. Managing multi-generational workforces 

For the first time, we’ve got the potential for five different generations in the workplace at the same time. The multi-generational workforce now includes everything from the traditionalists (born 1927-1946) to Generation Z (2001-2020). 

Organisations that have a multi-generational workforce will undoubtedly benefit from improved innovation through the sharing of knowledge and best practices as well as a healthy pipeline of talent. 

However, as expected, managing 5 different generations also comes with some challenges. Work styles and needs will vary from generation to generation but will need to work collaboratively in order to maximise productivity. 

The type of technology they use and how they use them is just one way in which each generation will differ, but it’s also important to identify the key characteristics to ensure that you can manage your workforce effectively. How often do they change roles? How important is career progression? What is their preferred method of communication? How competitive are they? How important is corporate social responsibility to them? 

All of these characteristics should be taken into consideration. 

But whilst it’s obviously important to consider the clear difference between generations, there is also a need to recognise that there will always be similarities too. 

Summary 

In addition to the HR Trends and Recruitment Trends set out for 2023, there will be a natural continuation of those outlined for 2021 and 2022.

Technology and the use of AI will continue to dominate discussions as organisations try to work out how they can utilise the latest technologies to streamline efficiencies and attract top talent. 

For many the immediate appeal of gimmicks will be sidelined for practical innovations that truly help alleviate the challenges of recruiting in the modern world. 

Diversity & Inclusion will also remain a key priority for organisations as they strive to reflect what employees actually seek from employers and minimise any potential discrimination issues.