#BizTrends2017: Differentiating HR in the sea of same

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Recruiters however, will be much busier in 2017. This is according to LinkedIn’s 2017 Global Recruiting Trends report, which surveyed 3,973 talent acquisition decision makers who work in corporate and non-corporate HR department in 35 countries.

In no particular order we look at what 2017 holds when it comes to HR trends.

Trend #1

Quality of hire and turnaround-time

Relationship-building gives the recruiter opportunities to know potential candidates on a much deeper level. It’s important to improve your hiring experience if you want to stand out in 2017!

Change and adapt – here’s what to look out for:

1. When top performers enter the job market, they are likely to be quickly inundated with recruiting requests and offers, which means that often they will only be on the job market for a matter of days.
   
2. Top candidates don’t have to come at a hefty price tag – be quick!
   However, once a bidding war starts with a candidate because you have dragged your heels with your recruiting process, their salary demands will invariably increase once they realise their true market value. You will also become known as a slow decision-maker and lose the talent to your opposition.
   
3. The longer you take to recruit, the lower the quality of candidates in the pool will be - top candidates get placed quickly.
   
4. You can lose revenue, productivity and even core staff because vacant positions are open for too many days. Most importantly, your customers will feel the negative impact of slow hiring.
   

Trend #2

Enrich the UX in your recruitment process:

It’s all about hyper-personalisation.
Do something that no-one else is doing. Recruit like no-one else is recruiting!
Your recruitment process should resemble more of a consumer experience on social media platforms or e-commerce sites.
As an employer, you should design an experience your future and existing staff will never forget.
Meet candidates where they work and live or even after hours – be more flexible in your recruiting process.
Develop innovative recruitment tools.
Provide guidance and support.
Celebrate achievements.

Trend #3

The digital employee:

Today employees have digital competencies that would have been almost unthinkable a decade ago. These employees belong to the ‘internet generation’. They don’t know a world without the web or indeed a mobile phone – and they seamlessly integrate their offline and online lives.
These tech-savvy employees expect to access services, tools, content or information / communication via digital channels anytime, anywhere. This will result in empowering your staff but also result in resolving operation problems quickly and efficiently.

Trend #4

Telecommuting / virtual employees:

The digital workplace is an HR mega-trend concept.
Virtual workplaces in tech and specifically the creative industry is fast becoming the way of the future – these highly talented virtual-employees are able to get things done around the clock, work unconventional hours, with no commuting, less interruptions and have a higher productivity rate.

Setting up an infrastructure to support telecommuting employees allows managers to hire the best person for the job, regardless of location.
Telecommuting options can also help you retain top talent if an employee needs to relocate.

As technology continues to improve, we'll see changes in how companies approach and embrace telecommuting in their workforce.

Trend #5

Improving employer engagement:

Employee engagement will be the buzzword for business leaders and HR departments in 2017.

Remember that recognition drives engagement. It’s your ROI.
By having an emotional connection with your employees, you show them you care. Start recognising and rewarding their efforts.

In a workplace that overlooks employee recognition – you stand to lose out in terms of attracting talent, let alone keeping it.
Disengaged staff has a negative effect on fellow colleugues, customers, productivity and general retention in your business.

Trend #6

VOE (voice of the employee) will take centre stage in 2017:

Voice of the Employee initiatives deliver insights that help you engage your workforce to deliver across your business objectives.

These engagement tools will give employers a deeper insight about their organisations:

• 360 feedback surveys - providing a holistic view on an individual’s performance and a powerful tool for career development.
  
• Annual employee engagement surveys.
  
• Touchpoint, or employee insight, surveys.

Trend #7

ERPs: Employee Referral Programs will be the rage in 2017:

Recent studies found that the HR professionals surveyed agreed that employees hired through referrals stay longer, feel more satisfaction and are better cultural fits.

How to make your ERP work:

1. Offer incentives: It could be money, a tech device, study program or even a holiday.
   
2. Let employees know the moment you have an opening in the company – it has to be in the news and current. Use social tools to inform them of upcoming talent needs.
   
3. Make sure the job descriptions are not vague – this way you will eliminate lower-quality candidates.
   
4. Engage with your staff – provide quality feedbacks on their referrals Open communication is how employers keep these programs alive and thriving.
   
5. Implement global or local recognition platforms for “referral rock stars.”
   

Trend #8

Digital Interviews:

Rethink how you reach out.

Online interviewing is becoming increasingly popular for both job seekers and employers, especially as an initial screening tool.

Even a short drive across town can be impractical for a candidate who only has a lunch hour for the interview. Employers can interview distant candidates and save thousands on travel and hotel expenses.

On-demand digital interviews allow employers to standardize the interview process. You can see firsthand how candidates answer the same important questions you set them. Also, several of your managers can view the interview questions for collaborative decision-making.

Digital interviews have brought some much-needed positive disruption to the recruiting process, while satisfying the employer and job seeker alike.

Trend #9

Employers become brand ambassadors

Smart solutions bring creative agencies, marketers, brands, and recruiters together. We are all strategic partners, who need to join forces – to create a mega-brand experience for future employees.
Employers are becoming more specific about who they want to target and employ.
Whether you are a recruiter hiring on behalf of a client, or a talent manager hiring internally – be a true brand ambassador. Sell the benefits of the company, the culture, the brand and values, but also the key aspects of the job.

Your team needs to live and breathe the brand – differentiate the employee experience by setting an example and inspiring your team in 2017!