Highlights
- IMS People Possible provide 2020 insights and an exploration of key trends for the year ahead in the UK recruitment industry.
- 2020 will likely be another year dominated by technology in recruitment; however, with soft skills and branding becoming so crucial to the candidate, the human aspect of recruitment will arguably be the essential focal point.
With the arrival of the new decade imminent, IMS People Possible look at the year ahead and provide our insights into the key aspects of the year in recruitment for 2020.
Employer Branding:
The current job market is highly competitive to secure the top talent available, making a compelling company brand integral to attracting potential candidates. According to research from LinkedIn, over 75% of people consider the branding and reputation of a company before applying. A reliable brand reflects the consideration of image from the management to their employees and the general public; it also aids long-term employee retention rates. Next year firms will be even more conscious of their brand and overall image to maintain competitive in a market experiencing huge candidate skill shortages.
Soft Skills:
The skill shortage present in the job market can be attributed to numerous factors, from Brexit to school funding, and soft skills are currently lacked more than any other ability. According to McKinsey, the demand for employees with excellent soft skills will increase by 22% over the next decade in Europe. So, recruiters are hunting for those candidates that possess skills surrounding problem-solving, collaboration and communication. Soft skills are vital to address the needs of the modern workplace, so in 2020 candidates should work to actively improve their skills and employers should be even more conscious of the need for them.
Proactive Recruiting:
The role of the recruiter is ever evolving, with new technologies and tools in the hands of everyone, the need to innovate recruitment tactics has never been more vital. Proactive recruiting enables recruiters to create a vast talent pool to work from when vacancies arise in the future. Employers are also proactively recruiting to strengthen areas that they may be lacking in for future projects. By continually evaluating your strengths and weaknesses company-wide, you can get ahead and bolster your ranks. 2020 will be a year of competitive recruitment; firms should consider proactive recruitment to avoid missing out on those that could be a great asset for the future.
Digital Innovation :
A variety of technological advancements were made in 2019, with Artificial Intelligence at the forefront of them all. 2020 is set to follow the same trajectory as more apps, software and platforms become available to recruiters worldwide. Virtual Reality is currently touted to be the breakout of 2020, with the ability to interview candidates remotely proving to be the key selling point. Virtual Reality can also provide support across many other aspects of recruitment, such as client meetings, virtual tours, and assessing candidates. The technology will allow candidates and clients alike to be more involved and active in the recruitment processes.
2020 will likely be another year dominated by technology in recruitment; however, with soft skills and branding becoming so crucial to the candidate, the human aspect of recruitment will arguably be the essential focal point.
