2021 Hiring Trends

Hiring in 2021 will look a little bit different. The Covid-19 pandemic and the social movements of 2020 have shifted companies and job seekers’ priorities, needs, and concerns. Here are some of the hiring and recruiting trends that you can expect to see throughout the year:

Emphasis on Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion efforts are important to candidates. A recent Monster survey found that 86% of candidates globally reported that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is important to them. Job seekers want to work for diverse companies, and consumers want to support companies that prioritize DEI. Employers are using the current emphasis on DEI to work on eliminating hiring bias and reaching previously untapped or underrepresented talent pools such as disabled workers, thosewithout a college degree, and candidates with nontraditional backgrounds.

Remote Hiring and Employment

Staff will start returning to the office, particularly in the second half of the year. However, remotework and remote interviewing will remain common in the post-pandemic work world. Remote hiring has helped companies streamline their recruiting processes and open up roles to a wider talent pool.

Telecommuting is sometimes criticized for its lack of human connection and team building capabilities, but it can be a great financial choice for many companies. Office real estate in top industry cities such as New York City and San Francisco can be a huge expense. A switch to telecommuting or partial telecommuting allows companies to save money on office space, and often salaries as workers outside of these high cost of living cities can also fill positions and are affordable resources. Large Companies such as Pinterest have already ditched their large corporate headquarters.

Growth in the Gig Economy

Both employers and job seekers are taking a greater interest in the gig economy this year. Recent survey data collected by Monster shows that 92% of job seekers believe that now is a good time to look into joining the gig economy.

For employers, uncertainty is a driving factor. Companies are hesitant to build up their headcounts in a permanent manner due to fluctuating local laws, covid concerns, and consumerbehavior. ProUnlimited, a contingent workforce management software and services firm, has released research findings indicating that over half of skilled workers could be contingent by the end of 2021.

Tim Sackett, SHRM-SCP, president of HRU Technical Resources emphasized the benefits of using short-term labor rather than hiring on regular staff in 2021; “The focus on hiring more contingent is a better strategy over the next 12-18 months, to ensure they will have much more flexibility and the ability to move quickly to move their headcount up and down based on immediate business needs”. Finding on-demand labor for your business shouldn’t be a hassle. Faveo makes hiring short-term help easy so you can operate with flexibility and efficiency. To learn more about the benefits of using gig workers and how Faveo can help you get started check out our overview of the gig economy.

Promoting From Within

Learning and development for staff will be a big focus for companies. Recruiting budgets have been cut for many companies, but training and development budgets remain. As companies remain hesitant to increase their numbers, cross-training and promoting from within will allow them to fill necessary roles with existing staff. In 2020, we saw internal hiring rates of 19.6%, an increase of about 3% from 2019. Internal hire and promotional rates remained fairly steady evenas overall hiring decreased.

Get Ready to Hire in 2021

Faveo is here to help you find the talent to fill your staffing needs throughout this potentially turbulent year. To learn about some of the roles we can help staff and how your industry is expected to fare in 2021, check out our industry spotlight. Hiring skilled short-term workers with Faveo is virtual, quick, and simple and allows your business to scale up and down as needed to meet changing demands and market conditions. Reach out today to learn more about how Faveo can help your business with its hiring needs.