Need some good news? We are just days away from bidding 2020 goodbye forever and are set to welcome a new year that holds immense promise for the staffing industry and beyond.
After the long and ever-changing year that was 2020, the future of the hiring and staffing industry in 2021 is looking more promising than ever before. This was a difficult year for the economy, but it has brought about some of the most positive changes we’ve seen in the hiring space in a long time.
In anticipation of the year ahead, we’ve compiled a list of recruiting, hiring, and staffing industry trends for 2021, along with inside information on why this year could be your year to own a staffing agency franchise. Here are our top 6 anticipated trends for 2021’s recruiting and hiring industry:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a top priority
Realistically, diversity shouldn’t be considered a “trend”. I’m sure we all agree it should be a routine way of hiring. But because of the huge strides and awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement this past year, more workplaces than ever before are prioritizing diversity. And that is a great thing. You can expect to see a strong push toward creating an inclusive office environment in companies across virtually all industries, along with increased demand for diversity training programs in the workplace, as we begin to demand social justice in all facets of our lives.
We will also see a lot of diversity in the backgrounds of new hires as people continue to change industries. We can anticipate greater multigenerational diversity as Gen Z enters the workforce and with Baby Boomers retiring later, so recruiters will have more selection than ever before when it comes to filling key roles.
The economy will start to recover
The year 2020 was not a great one for employees (or employers). Having to furlough or let people go during a pandemic is rough. Thankfully, as businesses are adapting and rising to the challenges 2020 has presented, 2021 is looking promising for new hires, and the staffing industry is on pace to help companies fill some of these positions with qualified employees.
Though it sounds odd to credit the events of 2020 with something positive, the necessity for companies to pivot to remote employment can prove beneficial for workers looking to add flexibility to their schedules and create a healthier work-life balance. Many companies took the time to learn that remote work and flexible working hours actually are possible, and are now willing to embrace this beyond the pandemic to offer their employees an improved way of life. For staffing industry professionals, this can mean a larger pool of talent, as stay-at-home parents and others who are unable to physically commute to an office seek telecommuting opportunities from local businesses.
Candidates will begin asking recruiters to prioritize jobs that offer remote or flexible work options, and companies that offer such positions will reach out to recruiters to attract these prospective remote employees.
Employers will need to focus on their brands
As we mentioned above, employees or job candidates will demand better treatment in their workplaces moving forward. This includes the promise of remote/hybrid work schedules, home office stipends, and other ways to make work more enjoyable. By prioritizing employer branding, staffing agencies can help companies present their offers in a more appealing way in order to attract ideal candidates.
As a NEXTAFF Franchise Owner, you can assist companies in your region by helping them prioritize good matches between available positions and qualified candidates. The staffing industry is all about helping companies prioritize better hiring while also helping job candidates find better career matches for their qualifications, skill sets, and personalities. With our exclusive X-FACTOR recruiting process, NEXTAFF Franchise Owners can help local business owners find employees who are in true alignment with their brand values, company culture, and goals more effectively than staffing industry competitors who use other recruiting methods. Working with hiring and staffing agencies can help employers to focus on creating a positive brand image of a desirable workplace.
A.I. will influence both job seekers and providers
According to Recruiting Brief, 2021 will be the year of Artificial Intelligence. There will be an impact of A.I. on both sides- the job search, and the recruiter side. By using A.I. to help identify top candidates, both companies and job seekers stand to benefit.
As a franchise that already uses more sophisticated methods to effectively match prospective employees with positions, NEXTAFF is a step ahead of this staffing industry trend, putting our Franchise Owners in an excellent position for success in the coming year. Our proprietary X-FACTOR system goes beyond traditional recruiting methods that are as much as 100 percent more successful than our staffing industry competitors.
The candidate experience will be prioritized
After a full year of Zoom calls and Google Hangouts, interviews are starting to feel more like actual conversions, and we’re here for it!
Since candidate interviews are an integral part of the staffing agency experience, NEXTAFF Franchise Owners can help companies prioritize the importance of face-to-face interactions, first impressions, and more. We go beyond other agencies in the staffing industry, who may just be matching prospective employees with jobs based on their resumes. We want to learn all about candidates’ experiences and personalities so we can ensure they are the right fit for a company. Simply being “good on paper” isn’t enough for us!
By conducting interviews in this manner, not only does the candidate have a more positive experience that creates a sense of interest and excitement about a particular position, but the hiring company also gets to see how the candidate can fill an unmet need in their organization, creating a mutually beneficial partnership. Remember, positive experiences in the hiring process lead to more positive experiences in the workplace!
Since many organizations simply do not have the bandwidth to go this in-depth with their hiring process on their own, the crucial interview process, and the candidate’s overall experience, can sometimes lose priority. The staffing industry exists to help take this important but time-consuming process off a company’s plate, delivering only the prime candidates who have already been determined to be an excellent match after being interviewed and thoroughly vetted by hiring and recruiting experts. This invaluable service is poised to be highly sought-after by companies as candidate experience becomes a larger priority.
Remote work is here to stay
With the rise of remote and freelance work in 2020, the job market will likely continue this way and is not stopping any time soon. Companies that don’t embrace remote work or fail to create a positive hybrid working environment will be left behind.
It is common knowledge at this point that employees can be productive in their home environments, and are now expecting more flexibility when it comes to remote work. Not trusting employees to work remotely is a huge red flag for companies and will make it difficult to hire quality candidates in the future.
According to Seifert, a whopping 91% of staffing professionals have started or drastically increased their use of video interviewing and conferencing solutions since COVID-19 began.
Remote work is here to stay, and must be embraced to have success in this industry!
The Takeaway for Staffing Industry Pros
As the economy continues to improve in 2021 and with remote work and diversity as major hiring trends on the horizon, the staffing and hiring industry is only on the way up this year. Businesses have adjusted their strategies and are ready to grow again, and will depend on staffing industry professionals like NEXTAFF Franchise Owners to help them take the next steps toward building a stronger organization.
Given the top 6 forecasted trends for hiring in 2021, we can expect the recruiting industry to be a profitable one for many. Thanks to our extensive back-office support network that handles virtually every aspect of the employee recruiting process, NEXTAFF Franchise Owners are primed for success in their markets even with no previous staffing industry experience, making us an ideal franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs wishing to capitalize on these exciting recruiting and hiring trends for the coming year. Make 2021 the year you use the business skills you already possess to take your career in an exciting new direction with NEXTAFF!
Interested in turning your corporate career experience into entrepreneurship? For more information on NEXTAFF franchising, visit our website here.
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