The past year has brought some big changes to the talent acquisition industry including an upswing in the use of artificial intelligence and an increase in employee flexibility. So, what lies ahead for 2020? To find out, we did a deep dive into Glassdoor’s 2020 Job & Hiring Trends report to learn more about the factors that will shape the industry over the next year — and beyond.
Before we dive in, it’s important to have an understanding of the talent acquisition landscape as a whole, and some of the key factors that will shape hiring trends over the next year. We’ve written before about the strength of the current job market and how employers need to prioritize candidate experience to stay competitive. That trend appears poised to continue in 2020, with the U.S. unemployment rate dropping to a near all-time low of 3.5% in November. But while hiring challenges continue, solutions to overcome them are increasing and the big talent acquisition trends we’re likely to see next year speak to those changes.
Culture Will Continue to Play a Key Role in Recruiting
Culture has been a big buzzword in the recruiting space for over a decade, and it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the importance of culture is likely to become even stronger in 2020 due to a recent decision by the Business Roundtable, a group of nearly 200 prominent CEOs, which put employees ahead of shareholders as the focus of modern corporations.
What’s more, the emphasis on workplace culture is mirrored by American workers, 22% of whom say that culture and values matter most when it comes to employee satisfaction, ahead of other factors such as senior leadership and career opportunities. To continue attracting top talent, it’s no longer enough to just make culture a priority, it needs to be a core part of your employer brand and your recruiting strategy.
Artificial Intelligence Will Become Even More Important
Another key trend we’re likely to see over the next year is an increase in the use of AI, particularly when it comes to tasks such as scheduling interviews, screening resumes and communicating with candidates. Recruiting platforms and candidate engagement platforms are the most popular types of AI-driven solutions and their popularity is going to continue to grow over the next year.
The automation of routine management and training is also likely to increase over the coming months, with tasks such as basic employee coaching moving toward an AI-focused model that can provide real-time feedback. While this may sound somewhat lacking in the human touch associated with real feedback, the hope is that these types of technologies will free up managers to handle more nuanced issues and bigger-picture problems.
Diversity And Inclusion Will Take a Front Seat
The past five years have seen a large increase in employee-focused diversity initiatives, in both the U.S. and abroad. Those initiatives will continue to gain popularity in 2020, with companies increasingly prioritizing inclusion and creating new programs to ensure they are carried out. A recent Glassdoor survey found that hiring for diversity and inclusion jobs is up 30% year-over-year, while 64% of workers say that their companies are investing more in diversity programs than they have in previous years. “With more attention on workplace diversity in recent years, it’s encouraging to see jobs data that affirms employers today are in fact investing more in diversity and inclusion by increasing hiring for jobs to support these efforts,” says Daniel Zhao, a Glassdoor senior economist.
The combination of artificial intelligence, culture-based recruiting and inclusion programs are set to reshape the industry over the next year, and in the years to come. To stay competitive, and attract the best talent, it’s important to figure out the right way to incorporate these trends into your recruiting strategy. It’s also important to recognize that even the best recruiting strategies may not prevent employee turnover.
“What I hope happens in HR and talent acquisition, is that we stop managing like employees will be there forever,” says Maren Hogan, CEO of Red Branch Media. “It’s not cynical to recognize the facts, that employees will probably leave after two to four years, if not sooner. It might not be as sexy as AI or Big Data, but succession and workforce planning, and aligning your company’s vision with the career ambitions of the market is the next big thing.” Staying truly competitive then isn’t just about anticipating the things you can anticipate, but also planning for the ones you can’t. By doing both simultaneously, you’ll be able to set yourself up for success and rise to whatever challenges and opportunities the future holds.
Want to improve your talent acquisition strategies even further? Learn how to recruit career changers and how to develop an effective Gen Z recruiting strategy.
