It’s crazy to think about how much the world has changed in the last few years.  Pick your subject – business, politics, technology, etc.  And it’s more of the same in the world of work.  Innovators embrace change and find new ideas, goods, and services to positively (hopefully!) advance civilization.  While I’ve touched on various hiring trends in previous posts (see the links below), I now take a holistic look at the future of work because companies are facing a major shift that requires them to rethink their recruiting strategies.  Embracing and adapting to emerging trends is no longer a luxury (remember life before smartphones??) but a necessity for attracting and retaining top talent.

Here are a few of the trends I have observed or followed recently:

1) Skills-Based Hiring (Skills First Hiring – The End of College Recruiting?) – Companies have de-emphasized traditional degrees over identifying/assessing specific skills needed for each role.

2) Remote/Hybrid Work (CEO vs Employee:  A Remote Work Showdown)  – While there has been an increase in Return-To-Work (RTW) initiatives, candidates now expect flexibility and prioritize companies that offer remote or hybrid work options.

3) Technological Advancements (Candidate Cheat Codes – Can AI be used to Deceive Interviewers?) – Lots has been written about AI but still evolving is exactly how it will transform hiring and how HR teams will need to be upskilled to deal with it.

4) Gig Economy (a future blog post!) – More and more people are interested in freelance project work, leading to a shift in how companies engage and utilize talent.

5) Employee Wellbeing (To Your Health) – Work-Life balance has become a mainstay for candidates considering new employment leading companies to offer comprehensive benefits, mental health support, and flexible work arrangements.

It’s one thing to recognize changes but another to be the innovator.  Will leaders embrace a “Discover the Possibilities” mentality and look for ways to transform their workplaces?  And, if so, how do they go about this?  Some ideas:

• Embrace Flexibility
  • Offer remote or hybrid work options if possible.
  • Implement flexible work hours.
  • Move away from time-based goals (“be in the office 3 days a week”) and toward milestone-based goals.

• Consider Skills-Based strategies
  • Focus on specific skills needed and experience beyond traditional degrees.
  • Cross train employees – invest in their futures with training AND time to practice/utilize new skills.
  • Work with universities and other learning institutions to create curriculum that develops skills needed for specific jobs at your company.
• Leverage Technology
  • Utilize AI-powered recruitment tools to streamline the hiring process.
  • Make sure the applicant tracking system (ATS) is up-to-date and useful features are turned on.
  • Invest resources to allow recruiting teams to try out new technologies and build business cases for adoption of the good ones.
• Adapt to a Gig Economy
  • Investigate how gig workers can be utilized across the company.
  • Develop strategies for recruiting and managing a flexible workforce.
  • Create clear, consistent contracts and payment structures, aligned across all departments.

Any trends I missed? Add your comments! For more information on this topic, read LinkedIn’s The Future of Recruiting 2025.

ES Talent Solutions has helped many companies improve their processes by removing the hidden barriers that keep companies from meeting their hiring goals. Visit our website  ES Talent Solutions) or contact Eddie directly (estewart@ESTalentSolutions.com)  to learn more.