A new year brings new challenges. Find out what’s ahead for talent teams across the globe.
The latest whitepaper report from the SD team outlines the major talent trends 2019 will bring. From political upheaval to the talent shortage, we summarise the main points you and your hiring team need to know for the year ahead.
The Global Talent Shortage
44% of talent leaders surveyed said that their main concern for 2019 was the global talent shortage. Over a quarter stated that overcoming this shortage was their top priority for the coming year. With fewer quality candidates available and increasingly fierce competition for both passive and active talent, it’s no wonder that talent leaders are worried about filling vacancies in the next twelve months.
When asked how they planned to meet this challenge, 70% of respondents planned to improve their hiring process, closely followed by improving the candidate experience (59%). In the Glassdoor era one negative review could put off a ream of potential applicants, and so it’s crucial to endear candidates to an employer’s brand by ensuring that they feel cared for and supported throughout the hiring process. However, having the capacity within an internal recruitment team to give each applicant a great experience isn’t always easy; 24% were concerned about their current team’s capacity and resources.
Technology
13% of talent leaders regret not having increased their use of technology during 2018. AI came to the fore last year and according to Forbes, it isn’t going anywhere for a long time yet. Enhanced tech capabilities enable the identification of passive talent, improve the hiring process and even facilitate improved quality of hire.
Despite the significant number of respondents who wish they had got on board with tech sooner, just 6% say that it’s their top priority for 2019. More than double that number (12.6%) believe technology will cause more disruption than any other factor over the next twelve months.
The discrepancy between these figures may be due to the aforementioned concern talent leaders have over capacity and resources; HR departments may not have enough room in their budget to implement new technology, nor sufficient manpower to trial innovative solutions. Talent leaders are understandably concerned about the impact this disconnect will have on their ability to source top talent in 2019.
Political Upheaval
With Brexit drawing near, the rise of populism and nationalism in Europe, and an unpredictable leader in the USA, it’s understandable that talent leaders are feeling uneasy about how these tensions may impact the availability of talent and the ease of sourcing candidates, particularly when sourcing internationally. Over a quarter (27.1%) felt that political and economic upheaval would cause the biggest disruption to their talent sourcing efforts in 2019.
“The political climates in the US, UK and Europe are causing uncertainty for businesses as well as candidates. People won’t relocate for work if there’s any doubt that they’ll be secure economically and in terms of visas and immigration regulations.” – Survey respondent
Brexit and its economic impact, fears of a recession or economic downturn, US trade policies, and concerns over changing immigration regulations were all issues raised by talent leaders as part of their worries over political and economic disruption.
Taking on the Challenges of 2019
It may be true that talent teams are feeling the pressure this year, but bringing on a specialist recruitment partner helps to fill the gaps in internal capacity and resources. If there’s no room for your hiring team to test the latest technological HR innovations, why not engage a partner who does?
At Solutions Driven, we maintain our reputation of excellence by staying at the cutting edge of recruitment best practice. From improving and preserving your employer brand and reputation for candidate care to using the most effective assessment techniques in the STEM industry, we’re best-in-class for working alongside in-house teams to prove superior outcomes.
Get your 2019 off to the best start possible. Contact us today to learn how we could help you overcome the barriers to success.
Gianna has degrees in English and Marketing, and spends her days with Solutions Driven researching and reporting on the latest trends and recruitment industry insights.
