Key Recruiting Trends for 2024: What to Watch

Increasing competition for talent, increasing demand for diverse workplaces, and growing employee expectations for better financial and mental well-being will continue to test companies in 2024. That's why you need to keep up with the latest trends in recruiting to continue attracting top talent.

To stay competitive, it is important for companies to keep up with the latest recruiting trends. It also ensures that they are able to meet their hiring needs in both the short and long term.

The latest trends in recruiting reflect ongoing changes in society, the current state of the labor market and new technological advances.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to 9 recruiting trends to watch out for in 2024. And we give you practical tips on how you can make the most of the individual trends.

1.Trends in recruiting: The use of AI in the hiring process

Artificial intelligence was already one of the top trends in recruiting in 2023. And the popularity will only increase in 2024.

According to GoodTime's 2024 Hiring Insights Report, over 45% of talent acquisition leaders used AI in 2023. And they plan to continue using AI in 2024 to make their work easier.

There are many HR tasks that you can automate using AI and make hiring processes more efficient. Some of these tasks are:

OFFER AND ONBOARDING

A positive and engaging onboarding experience leaves a positive impression on your new employees. And with AI-based tools, it has become easier for companies to create a personalized onboarding experience for their new employees.

For example, AI tools can help create a gamified onboarding experience. This ensures the new employee stays engaged and motivated as they learn more about your company and their role.

CREATE JOB POSTINGS ON A LARGE SCALE WITH FEWER RESOURCES

AI job description tools automate the tedious process of creating job descriptions. They also remove unconscious bias from your job descriptions.

For example, IceHrm's Text Analyzer is a powerful tool for reducing bias in the language of job descriptions. It reviews the language of your job descriptions and identifies gender-specific language. Here’s how to make your job descriptions as gender-neutral as possible.

Using gendered words can turn off applicants of all genders. If you remove these gendered words, you can actually increase your application rate by 29%.

Certain terminology used in the business world can also deter applicants from diverse backgrounds. IceHrm's Text Analyzer helps you identify these biased expressions and words. This allows you to target diverse groups of applicants and also avoid racial bias in hiring (and 12+ other types of bias).

IceHrm's Text Analyzer goes beyond identifying gendered words and racist language in job descriptions. It also looks for industry buzzwords and "boring" language that might scare away your potential applicants and creates consistent, compliant JD templates in just a few clicks.

TALENT EVALUATION

Companies use AI-powered talent assessment tools to measure applicants' personality traits, skills, and competencies. These tools provide an efficient and comprehensive way to assess applicants' skills using behavioral assessments and gamification.

This process saves time and resources for companies. And it provides a great experience for candidates by making it easier for them to showcase their skills.

However, there are still concerns about AI bias and the lack of human contact. In 2018, Amazon had to remove a tool that showed bias against women. HR teams need to strike a balance between using AI to increase efficiency and maintaining the personal touch when interacting with candidates.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR MAINTAINING A HUMAN TOUCH WHEN USING AI FOR HIRING

Maintaining a human element in your AI recruiting process will keep your candidates engaged throughout the process. Here are some tips to help you:

• Use a 50/50 onboarding approach

Using automated systems during onboarding saves time. However, it is better to take a 50/50 approach during this process.

For example, if you're setting up systems for employees to fill out their own documents using technology like Docusign, consider having team members walk them through the process for next onboarding programs.

• Maintain transparency

Let your candidates know that you use AI. Explain the data collected and the steps where AI is used throughout the process. And let them know that they can provide feedback if they feel influenced by the AI.

• Maintain human involvement in decision making

Use AI for the first steps such as screening. However, maintain human involvement for the final decisions such as interviews and the offer stage.

2.Recruitment Trends: Internal Hiring for Vacancies

There is intense competition for talent in the current job market. This strong competition has led to companies increasingly wanting to fill vacancies internally in 2024.

Additionally, hiring current employees has benefits such as: Less time, effort and costs spent on hiring external talent. Providing your current employees with more opportunities for advancement can also increase employee retention.

PRACTICAL TIP FOR INTERNAL STAFF RECRUITMENT

If you want to successfully hire your current employees for new tasks, follow these steps:

• Create an internal talent inventory: Capture your employees' professional goals, skills and desires in professional development conversations. This will help you know which employee to hire first when you notice a skills gap in the company.
• Promote job openings internally: Use your organization's newsletters and company communication channels to advertise the positions you would like to fill.
• Create employee referral programs: Encourage your employees to refer colleagues who they think would be a good fit for new open positions. Offer them rewards for referring a talented employee.

After all, internal recruiting is an ongoing process. Be willing to receive feedback and adapt.

3.Recruiting Trends: The Rise of Generation Z in the Workforce

Generation Z is the generation of people born between 1997 and 2012. This generation is tech-savvy, diverse and open-minded.

And in 2024, there will be a sharp increase in Generation Z in the workforce. This means hiring managers must adapt their hiring strategies to meet the expectations and unique preferences of Generation Z.

Generation Z candidates value mental health, professional development opportunities and work flexibility more than other generations.

Companies that attract, hire and retain Generation Z employees benefit from digital skills, fresh perspectives and a forward-thinking approach to innovation. This will help companies thrive in the ever-evolving business landscape.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR ATTRACTING GEN Z

Follow these steps to better target Generation Z candidates:

• Promote diversity and inclusion

A lack of inclusion and diversity makes it difficult to attract and retain Generation Z employees. For example, ensure your company is diverse in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability.

In this way, you signal to your Generation Z applicants that your company values everyone.

• Promote mental health awareness

Generation Z employees want to work for companies that value mental health. Therefore, companies must create a stigma-free work culture and integrate mental health programs throughout their organization.

• Provide opportunities for professional development

A 2023 report from Linkedin shows that 31% of younger workers, which includes Generation Z, value opportunities for professional development, learning and expanding their skills.

If they don't see these opportunities, they will likely leave the company. So, offer them career development programs, conferences, and online courses.

• Promoting work-life balance

A flexible work environment is an important motivating factor for Generation Z employees, so offer them generous paid time off and flexible remote work options.

Finally, talk to different Generation Z employees to understand what they want from your company.

4.Recruitment trends: Skills gap in the market

Although the supply of applicants in 2024 is higher due to layoffs in 2023, most applicants do not have the skills that companies are looking for. According to executives surveyed by HR Daily Advisor, the problem of skills shortages will continue to be a challenge in 2024, just as it was in 2023.

Modern jobs require new digital skills that some candidates do not possess. For example, technical skills such as programming, cloud computing and data analysis are in demand.

These technical skills are not only in demand by technology companies. They are also in demand in other sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture and customer support.

And there is also a shortage of soft skills. Many applicants lack skills such as problem-solving, leadership, adaptability and communication that are important in the modern world of work.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR FIXING SKILLS DEFICIENCIES IN 2024 AND BEYOND

HR managers need to conduct an audit to understand their organization's skills gaps. The following tips can help you:

• Conduct a skills gap analysis: This will help you deconstruct the work your employees do, the skills they have and the skills they lack to do their jobs well.
• Introduce professional development plans: Introduce career coaching sessions to speak to your employees. This way you will find out what goals they have and what they need to develop further.
• Offer a training budget: Give your employees the resources they need for any type of training. This could be, for example, a workshop or conference that they believe will help them.

5.Trends in Recruiting: The Age of Contracts and the Gig Economy

Since 2020, companies have been relying on seasonal, temporary and freelance employees in order to be able to react better to changing market conditions and to have a competitive advantage.

This gig economy trend will continue to grow in 2024. It is predicted that 86.5 million people will be freelancers in the United States by 2027.

The challenge with the gig economy trend is the complexity of compliance management. Because correct worker classification, faster hiring cycles and rapid onboarding and offboarding are important to maintaining a dependent workforce.

Therefore, to make managing your external workforce easier, you should define a set of processes, roles and projects for which you want to hire contractors.

For example, instead of writing general job descriptions, write down the specific tasks that contract workers need to complete (e.g. writing 4 blog posts per month) or the processes they are expected to complete (e.g. payroll).

Don't forget to check your country's local laws regarding hiring contractors.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR HIRING CONTRACTORS

The process of hiring contractors is different than hiring full-time employees. To be successful you should do this:

• Use social media for recruiting

Freelancers and contractors don't visit well-known career sites. They are on social media and online communities. For example, focus on Twitter and Linkedin to build relationships with them.

• Understand different service models

Some contractors prefer hourly billing, others prefer monthly billing, others prefer a fixed price, and still others prefer to be paid per project. Therefore, check whether your company's accounting department can cover all proposed payment terms and cycles.

• Offer fair compensation

If you don't pay your contractors well, they will leave the company - just like your regular employees. So pay them well and take into account that they also have to pay their taxes.

6.Recruitment Trends: Strong focus on talent retention

Even in difficult economic times, many employees still quit their jobs. Workers in 2024 want a job that gives them security. They also quit for a better company culture, new challenges and higher compensation.

The new Generation Z entering the job market has also shown that they do not want to stay in one job for long. This is especially true if you don't take care of their mental health.

According to a Qualtrics 2024 Employee Experience Trends report, new employees leave the company quickly. And some only stay 6 months.

This shows that companies need to focus on improving employee experience to increase employee retention. For example, in 2023, 83% of tech companies are looking to change company culture to retain their employees.

PRACTICAL TIPS TO IMPROVE TALENT RETENTION IN 2024 AND BEYOND

To ensure you retain your talent for the long term, follow these steps:

• Create a supportive and positive work environment

Create a culture of respect and trust. Additionally, invest in the well-being of your employees and offer them professional development opportunities. For example, offer your employees support for their mental and physical health.

• Offer fair compensation benefits

Conduct market research to ensure you are offering fair compensation to your employees. Also, offer them comprehensive benefits like paid time off, health insurance, a family health package, and other perks like weekly lunch.

• Reward your employees' achievements

According to a study by Nectar HR, 71% of employees would be less likely to leave their company if they received more recognition for their work.

So you can recognize your employees' achievements in different ways, such as: For example, by setting up recognition programs for colleagues, providing gift cards, offering career opportunities, and posting praise on social media.

7.Recruiting trends: The rise of remote work

The need for employees to work remotely has increased and will continue to increase in 2024. The problem, however, is that many employers want their employees to return to the office.

The only companies that will manage to recruit top talent in 2024 are those that offer their employees flexibility at work.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR CREATE WORK FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility in the workplace is important for the future of work. Use the following strategies to stay ahead of the future:

• Develop a flexible work policy

What is flexible for one worker may not be practical for another worker.

For example, some employees always want to work from home to care for children or an elderly parent. Another employee may prefer to work half the day in the office. Other employees may prefer to travel to different locations for work.

• Invest in tools and technology

After you create a flexible workspace program, you should give your employees the tools they need to perform their jobs well. This can include communications, project management and cloud-based software.

• Adjust your policies

Creating flexibility in the workplace is not a one-time project. Get feedback from your employees and managers to find out where you need to improve.

For example, you might notice from the feedback that the program does not favor working parents.

8.Recruiting trends: Addressing passive candidates is more important than before

The strong competition for the best talent will continue in 2024.

Therefore, as a hiring manager, you should put more effort into targeting passive candidates. This is particularly important for critical business positions and leadership positions.

However, getting the attention of passive applicants is not easy. To be successful, you should follow the practical tips below.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR CONTACTING PASSIVE APPLICANTS

• Personalize your outreach methods

Personalized communications and messaging are essential when engaging with passive candidates. So write messages that speak to their interests, goals and career aspirations. This is how you make your offer stand out.

Also, write effective job descriptions that interest them in the position. Passive candidates will not apply for your job if your job ad is good.

• Build relationships with them

Focus on maintaining a good relationship with your passive candidates. Do this by engaging with them on networking platforms, focusing on knowing their goals and showing that you are authentic. This way you can stay top of mind when they look for a new job.

• Be patient and persistent

Be patient and ensure that your communication does not come across as intrusive to your passive candidates.

Make sure you let them know about the opportunities available to you as soon as you have the opportunity.

9.Trends in Recruiting: Increased focus on data-driven hiring

Data-driven hiring strategy has been a trend in recruiting for several years. According to Lever's Employ 2023 Recruiter Nation Report, 24% of hiring managers will continue to invest in data-driven recruiting in 2024.

The reason for increased investment in data-driven recruiting is to increase recruiting speed and efficiency. Real-time data provides information about important recruiting metrics such as the time to fill the position, the acceptance rate of offers and the effectiveness of recruiting.

Companies that don't develop data-driven hiring strategies in 2024 will have a harder time recruiting top talent than companies that take advantage of analytics.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE DATA-DRIVEN RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

A data-driven recruiting strategy can be successful if you follow some of the following steps:

• Set goals and define your KPIs

First, set clear and measurable goals. Align these goals with your company's business goals. For example, do you want to fill niche positions, improve hiring speed, or reduce hiring costs?

Examples of KPIs you can use to track your progress include time to fill, new hire performance rate, and time to hire.

• Collect and organize data

Relevant and accurate data collection is important to generate meaningful insights. For example, you can collect and analyze data from social media platforms, job boards, applicant tracking tools, and internal talent pools.

• Refresh your hiring process

Use the insights from your data to improve your hiring process. If you e.g. For example, if you find that your application process is taking too long, you should find ways to improve it.

Finally, continue to measure and improve your processes.

As recruiting evolves in 2024, leverage tools like IceHrm to navigate AI, internal recruitment, and data insights for top talent acquisition.