Top 5 recruitment trends for 2023

Over the course of the past few years, recruitment and HR professionals have had to go through an array of obstacles - a worldwide pandemic, uncertainty across the economic and political climate, nationwide talent shortages, growing candidate demands... The list goes on.  

While times have been tricky to navigate, they have also brought on a significant shift in the way we work and have changed the lives of many employees for the better. 

There is no doubt that 2023 will be a challenging year – with a looming recession and a cost-of-living crisis causing inflation to skyrocket, businesses will be forced to make adjustments to their processes in order to succeed in tackling the many hurdles ahead. 

Here are the top 5 recruitment trends, bound to be influencing strategies and planning for the upcoming 2023: 

Employer brand will become even more important 

In a highly competitive, candidate-driven market, employers need to up their value proposition and employer branding in order to successfully attract top talent. Workers are no longer looking for just a role, they want to be a part of an inclusive, diverse organisation that truly supports their employees in the current uncertain situation. High-quality candidates know they’re in demand, so they have the luxury of choice when it comes to selecting a company to join, and if you want to attract those candidates – you have to make sure you stand out from the competition. With the increasing popularity of social media networking and professional websites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn, organisations can’t afford to not build a strong employer brand. 69% of job seekers report that they are likely to apply for a role within a company that actively manages their employer brand, so it’s clear that businesses need to adjust to this and start allocating resources to enhance their branding and overall online (and offline) presence. 

Career progression and upskilling will be a focus for many  

The uncertainties of the current market are bound to be making employees wary of change – especially considering that the UK is set to be in recession at least until summer 2023. With many workers actively looking to advance their careers and gain new knowledge and skills, progression and development will remain a key priority. Employers who fail to accommodate this need are bound to see some of their top talents get swept away by competition, so it’s important to put strategies in place to help avoid such situations. Investing in additional training, providing channels for feedback and setting up each employee with a clear path to career progression will help your business retain its best performers and build up engagement and satisfaction. 

The push for flexible/remote work will continue 

The Covid-19 pandemic introduced remote work as the new normal, and now – a few years later, many businesses have comfortably settled into a hybrid/remote working model. Flexibility is the second most sought-after element of a remuneration package, making it imperative for businesses to implement strong policies in support of working from home. Whilst the switch to remote work has brought a lot of benefits, for many it has been quite an isolating experience and employees are starting to feel increased levels of loneliness and disconnect from their organisations. Addressing those issues will be a main priority for employers in 2023, as demotivated and disengaged workers will lead to a decrease in productivity and employee morale. It’s highly likely for businesses to start utilising smart technology and AI to help bring their teams together when working remotely, so a rise of virtual office tools is well within the realm of possibilities that 2023 will bring.

Improving the candidate experience will be key  

Talent shortages are set to continue impacting most sectors nationwide, so focusing on enhancing the candidate experience will be a main focus for employers looking to attract and retain high-quality talent. The true cost of a negative candidate experience is too big for most businesses, so it’s important to start implementing changes and crafting a roadmap to a consistently positive candidate experience. Tackling things such as lack of onboarding and communication, all the way through to salary transparency will be a dominating trend for HR and recruitment professionals in 2023.  

Recession will be a dominating factor 

One of the key influences on the Top 5 recruitment trends for 2023 is that both employers and employees will be affected by the recession. For many businesses, that would mean cutting costs and looking for ways to optimise efficiencies and increase productivity. Switching to remote work will help many organisations make savings on office spaces and equipment, but what would that mean for employees whose bills keep getting higher and higher? With the cost-of-living crisis continuously straining households across the UK, many workers will be looking for new, better-paying opportunities early on in the new year. Although some businesses will be forced to reduce staff, the ongoing talent shortages are bound to help keep the balance and the unemployment rate is set to only reach 5% - a much smaller figure than in previous difficult years.

The rise of smart technology and remote work will continue to be a key influence over the recruitment trends in 2023. While many will be faced with difficult decisions early on in the year, forecasts predict that the dire situation won’t last too long and things will start to even out towards the last two quarters of 2023. 

In these times of uncertainty, it’s important for both employers and employees to stay on top of their game and ensure they work together to find positive solutions for any difficulties faced. These Top 5 recruitment trends for 2023, are potentially just the tip of the iceberg but will inevitably help pave the way to a brighter and more rewarding year for HR teams across the UK.

Why not check out our IRIS recruitment solutions and see how we can help make attracting and retaining top talent easier than ever before!