It's been tumultuous, to say the least, with 2022 bringing more ebb and flow than a high tide at Scarborough's North Bay! Of course, some recruiters would say that's the nature of the beast in our sector every year… although it feels like the last twelve months have been particularly tricky to navigate. And we don't know about you, but we're more than ready for a break!
Of course, it hasn't all been doom and gloom – far from it for Team 121, working our way through the maze and smashing goals as we went! Before we enjoy a well-earned rest with our families this Christmas – and partake in a little merriment, too – let's look back on a year in recruitment: industry hurdles and highlights!
Wow, 2022 - you were certainly different!
To us, it's been the craziest year in a long time for recruiter types. Perhaps no surprise, really, as the world continued to come around from the Covid pandemic – at times, arguably tougher than during the pandemic itself…!
It was as if everyone expected normal again – and in reality, we were still miles away from reaching it. Because you can't have two years of lockdowns and expect ‘business as usual’, surely? There has to be an aftermath to such unsettled times. And 2022 made sure the unexpected vibe continued!
Key recruitment trends during 2022
1 We went back to the office. Kind of…
Hybrid working became THE big thing this year. While many workplaces reopened in 2022 thanks to the demise of lockdowns, employers realised an opportunity to provide greater flexibility for staff who had shown their capability to work remotely. By blending roles to become part workplace/remote based, they could give their people a better balance.
It's a trend that has caught on, so much so that many people looking for work now only consider roles offering this level of flexibility. It's also massively popular while inflation is climbing and people want to reduce living costs. And that's not always straightforward for us recruiters, depending on the businesses we're placing people into and their approach to hybrid working.
2 We 'quiet quit' our jobs – which means we cared way less about them than before!
The quiet quitting phenomena swept far and wide. But it wasn't about workers leaving their jobs as the name suggests but doing less than ever during their work hours because, hey, less is more, right?!
Whether it's down to Covid burnout or a new-found desire to spend time on activities or hobbies outside of work, workers are now setting their own terms, and for many, it means arriving for and leaving work on the dot. No overtime, and absolutely no going 'above and beyond' our job description EVER!
3 We hunted for talent. And struggled to find it!
The talent was there. But it sure wasn't easy to track down! Why this was the case is down to numerous factors.
Some workers still felt loyalty toward a boss who had stuck by them during the pandemic. Others liked what their employer had to offer in terms of flexible working, or their approach to 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion' – another workplace framework trending highly this year. So, even when we uncovered talent, it didn't always want to be found.
And we won't give too much airplay to those super keen types desperate to secure a new role, only to vanish again as if they were a ghost…
2022 is a candidate's market
The above factors and others have helped create a candidate's market, allowing those hunting for work to become rather picky about that next gig. Which is fine if you're a recruiter with a few tricks at the ready to manage the market accordingly!
Despite the ongoing challenges in our sector, the team at 121 Recruitment is happy to be closing the year off with one huge collective smile. Not least because smiling is how we roll – more because our highly personable process continues to work regardless of the happenings around us.
Recruiting people the 1-2-1 way!
The key to our placing people successfully relies on having a deep understanding of two things: the business on the hunt for talent and the people who have the required talent. Sounds simple, right? But it’s not always the case, particularly when the sought-after skills are thin on the ground… Our expertise has helped us to continue making placements this year despite the market conditions – including many senior roles in both the private and third sectors – thanks to the following:
- Utilising our extensive Search/Headhunting capabilities to uncover talent when our clients were struggling to find the right people
- Recognising where skills were transferable – thanks to knowing our clients so well – and turning people who might have been overlooked into qualified candidates
- Supporting hiring managers to relax their person specifications in light of the limited talent pool – and where receptive, we have placed people successfully
While it’s great to have one eye on the break, businesses will be keeping the other one fixed on their growth plans for 2023 – including the people required to help make it happen. It’s no different for our team, with many client catch-ups to get through this month before taking that well-earned break.
So, if you’re hiring people in 2023 and want help from an experienced, personable team who gets recruiting done successfully despite the market conditions, book your new year chat with 121 today!
A heartfelt thank you to our Class of 2022 Clients and Candidates! We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a successful 2023!