What's going to happen in recruitment in 2023?

Well if I had a crystal ball that would be an easy question to answer, but here are my thoughts as we start the New Year.

? Economists predict that the global economy is heading towards a recession in 2023. In the UK, inflation has been rising for some months, fuelled by a combination of factors, including Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This could affect the number of available job vacancies and could also increase the continued talent shortage. However, the UK has had a record number of job vacancies in the last few months of 2022, so it is unlikely that these will decrease too rapidly.

? The difficulty in finding candidates to move jobs won't get any easier any time soon. I keep getting asked if I expect an influx of people now It's January - NO is my answer! I think that if people want to move, they will whatever time of the year it is. The cost of living crisis has seen a lot of people either put their job hunt on hold as they are suddenly nervous of moving to a new company.

? The working population is hugely slowing down and even declining in some of the world’s biggest economies – in 2050, the working population is only expected to be 1.5% bigger than it is today.

? Agility will be the key to hiring, surviving and thriving.?Despite the numerous challenges out there, people are fluid and learning how to deal with rapidly changing situations is vital to surviving and, beyond that, thriving.

? Flexibility is key, as is the need to move quickly – the old saying “you snooze, you lose” couldn’t have been more true for the last 18 months in recruitment.?

? Hybrid working is here to stay - it's not going away and has become and will remain a big reason for people to move or stay where they are. Office working 9-5 doesn't cut it with a lot of people any more (although I appreciate that not everyone can offer hybrid working).?

? On the flip side of that, the cost of Gas and Electricity may make some jobseekers decide to return to the workplace, as it's cheaper than heating their home offices.?They will be weighing up the cost of fuel and transport as well as parking options though as well.

? Positive Candidate Experience. It is expected that there will be an increased focus on experience during the job recruitment process, particularly for candidates.?This also includes the whole recruitment process - you can't afford to not reply to people who apply or leave them hanging for ages!?

It is expected that there will be an increased focus on experience during the job recruitment process, particularly for candidates. It is important that employers improve these experiences to attract the best talent. There are plenty of job vacancies available in the UK at the moment, so the employer needs to highlight why the candidate should choose their job.?

? Happiness is Key for Employee Retention?- We can also link positive candidate experience to general job engagement. It is essential that employers keep employees engaged in order to increase employee retention. In 2022, one of the main reasons for employees leaving a job was unhappiness in the role, which highlights the importance of creating a good job culture. If employees experience a positive culture, they are less likely to look for outside job opportunities. There is an increased focus on well-being, and it is essential that employers consider this when they are recruiting

? Retirees Re-Entering the Workforce - Due to the increasing costs of living, many retirees are being forced to re-enter the workforce to top up their funds. Often, they are taking part in low-skilled and part-time jobs. This influx of new skilled workers could help to fill some of the jobs which employers have been struggling to fill and could help to decrease the ongoing talent shortage

?? Half of UK workers realistically expect a pay increase of more than 10% in 2023 according to a recent report by CV Library.?We are seeing a wave of strike action across the UK across various sectors (mainly public to be fair) as people demand more money to cover their costs

?? Benefits are becoming more important. People of my age (53 +) will be looking at pension contributions, but also a lot of people will be looking at basics like holiday entitlements as they strive for a better work/life balance

? Those business who "partner" with a recruitment agency will have more luck finding staff than those who open their vacancies to multiple agencies.?We are becoming “strategic partners” to our clients.?We are able to take the pulse of the market for both clients and candidates.

Think about it, why would I put a lot of time, effort and money up front (with no guarantee) to do a whole load of advertising and searching when you have the job with 4/5 agencies.

Ultimately we are all "fishing from a small candidate pool" and unless we specifically have our own network that other agencies don't have then those candidates who have their CV's out on job boards will be getting multiple calls from agencies about the same job - what a complete waste of time for the agency and a nightmare for the candidate. Also, it gets you into the "which agency sent the CV first" scenario as a client.

It's also about the agency and the client investing time with each other to teach and learn about the company culture, values, visions and growth plans as well as the specifics of the role you are recruiting for. This time up front is VITAL for us to build an ongoing relationship and helps us to really sell your jobs.

So that's my take on what I think. I am sure there are many points I have missed, so please do feel free to comment below and add them or add your thoughts!

We are living in an incredibly volatile time, where we have to expect change rather than fear it.

I'm more than happy to chat to anyone looking to recruit and doesn't know where to start, or wants some help with salary benchmarking, writing compelling job ads and interviewing advice.

07974 429217?[email protected]?#recruitment?#recruiting