The year 2023 marks a new era in recruitment, characterised by the accelerated adoption of technology and a shift in the preferences and behaviours of both candidates and employers. The data gathered shows a constantly changing landscape, where traditional recruitment strategies are giving way to more innovative and flexible approaches.
The growing influence of social networks and technology
Today, social networks are virtually ubiquitous, taking market share from most ‘traditional’ media (TV, radio…) and occupying an ever-increasing amount of available brain time. It’s no surprise that this also applies to the job search and recruitment.
The rise of social networks in the job search
The use of social networks for job hunting has exploded in recent years. By 2023, 82% of jobseekers will turn to these platforms to find professional opportunities (source of the statistics mentioned in the first part of this article). This trend is not surprising, as social networks offer unprecedented accessibility and connectivity.
64% of employers use at least two social networks for recruitment, with a marked preference for LinkedIn (94%), Facebook (66%) and Twitter (52%). These figures underline the importance of companies maintaining an active and engaging presence on these networks to attract talent.
Today, LinkedIn, led by Ryan Roslansky, is focusing on skills evolution and technology adoption to improve recruitment processes.
In a publication on LinkedIn’s official website, the CEO shared his vision of a skills-based economy, highlighting LinkedIn’s efforts to help companies adopt a skills-based approach to talent development. He also mentioned initiatives such as the enhancement of LinkedIn Recruiter to highlight skills and the introduction of LinkedIn Learning Pathfinder to help members acquire the skills they need to achieve their career goals.
The Impact of AI on the recruitment process
At the same time, the integration of artificial intelligence into recruitment is gaining ground. Around 44% of companies are actively looking to integrate AI into their recruitment processes. This technology offers substantial advantages, particularly in terms of the efficiency and accuracy with which job applicants are matched.
The adoption of AI is supported by HR professionals, with 77% believing that it enables them to recruit better candidates. This should come as no surprise, “In the age of AI, human creativity and innovation will become even more valuable in the workplace, as machines take over routine tasks and allow people to focus on generating new ideas and solutions“said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet (the group behind Google), while Rob Thomas, Vice President of IBM, said “AI is not going to replace managers, but managers who use AI will replace those who don’t”.
As a recruiter, you know full well that some of your work is repetitive and requires no more skills than application and memory. What makes you a good recruitment professional goes beyond that: your human intelligence, your intuition, your empathy, your methods and your knowledge of the field. If a good recruitment software like Jobaffinity already helps enormously to save time, the AI can take care of all the tasks that don’t require these skills and know-how without making a mistake.
Partial automation of the recruitment process, from sourcing to the signing of the contract, is another aspect of the impact of AI. Automation can reduce recruitment time by almost 40% while improving the quality of recruitment: writing or rewriting advertisements based on job descriptions, even writing job descriptions, monitoring candidates, reading emails, scheduling appointments, etc. Jobaffinity is starting to include AI directly in the tool, and this is only the first step.
The importance of employer branding and flexibility
Employer branding and flexible working have proved to be fundamental elements in the recruitment landscape of 2023. They are intimately linked and play a crucial role in attracting and retaining talent.
A strong employer brand can reduce the cost and time of recruitment, while increasing the number of qualified candidates, as we have already discussed in various articles.
The demand for flexibility, including hybrid and remote working, is on the increase, as we have already discussed. Employers who offer these options are more likely to retain their employees and attract new talent. Flexibility is not only an attraction for candidates but also a key factor in retention. Employees who are satisfied with their level of flexibility are less likely to look for new opportunities.
The importance of employer branding: statistics 2023
We’ve translated a number of statistics from English-language websites for you. While cultural differences obviously need to be taken into account, we all know that what happens on the other side of the Channel or the Atlantic will have a knock-on effect in France.
Source : Zippia, “20+ Essential Employer Branding Statistics [2023]“
- Impact on recruitment costs: A good employer brand can lead to a 50% reduction in the cost per hire.
- Pre-research of candidates:75% of candidates research a company’s reputation before applying, and 86% study company reviews and ratings when deciding where to apply.
- Influence of reputation: 92% of people would consider changing jobs for a company with an excellent reputation, even without a pay rise. In addition, 84% of job seekers say that a company’s reputation is important.
- Trust in current employees: Job seekers are three times more likely to trust current employees than CEOs. While 79% of CEOs believe that their employees trust them, only 65% of employees actually do.
- Refusing to work for a bad reputation: 50% of candidates would not work for a company with a bad reputation, even for a pay rise.
- Responsiveness to reviews: 80% of Glassdoor users say that seeing a company respond to reviews improves their perception of the company.
- Generational impact: 68% of Millennials look at employers’ social media to evaluate their brand, compared to 54% of Gen Xers.
- Attractiveness to women: Women are over 28% more likely to refuse to join a company with a poor reputation.
- Attracting qualified talent: Employers with a strong brand receive 50% more qualified talent leads.
- Investment in employer brand: 59% of recruitment leaders are investing more in employer brand, and 55% have a proactive employer brand strategy.
- Reducing recruitment time: A good employer brand can reduce recruitment time by up to two times.
- Reducing staff turnover: A good employer brand can reduce staff turnover by 28%.
- Impact on revenues: 96% of companies believe that employer branding can affect revenues.
Work Flexibility in 2023: Statistics
In the same way, we have translated for you a set of statistics on the importance of flexibility in the workplace and its impact on recruitment.
Source : CIPD, “Flexible and hybrid working practices in 2023”
- Increasing demand for flexibility: Three-fifths of employers already offer flexible working arrangements (a mix of face-to-face and teleworking), but there is unmet demand for various types of flexible working.
- Importance in job advertising: 66% of organisations believe it is important to provide flexible working as an option when advertising jobs.
- Increase in flexible working arrangements:60% of employees say they have flexible working arrangements in their current role, up from 51% the previous year.
- Importance to candidates: 71% of people believe that having a flexible working model is important when considering a new role, and 69% say the ability to work remotely is important.
- Employees’ priority: Employees highlight flexible working (53%) and remote working (53%) as key elements when considering a new job.
- Productivity and efficiency:Nearly two-fifths (38%) of organisations say that home/hybrid working has increased their organisation’s productivity/efficiency.
- Investment in the hybrid working:A fifth (20%) of organisations are looking to put in place additional measures or investments to enable more hybrid or home working in the next six to twelve months.
These statistics and perspectives highlight the need for companies to cultivate a positive employer brand and offer flexible working options to attract and retain talent in a constantly changing working environment.
Talent retention and candidate experience
Talent retention is a key issue in the world of recruitment: turnover is expensive, especially with the global shortage of candidates. Retaining talent means knowing how to implement different axes so that employees don’t try to leave their job: improved quality of life, benefits, internal communication, health and safety at work, internal mobility, employer brand…
Talent retention: statistics for 2023
We’ve translated some interesting statistics on talent retention for you.
Source : People Managing People “Employee Retention Statistics You Should Know in 2023”
- Organisational concern: 93% of organisations are concerned about employee retention, according to LinkedIn Learning’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report.
- Resignation planning:According to Joblist’s “2023 United States Job Market Trends Report”, 67% of employed employees plan to resign in 2023, 34% of whom have no new job in sight.
- Seeking new opportunities: 59% of employees surveyed in Future Forum’s Winter Pulse Survey, published in February 2023, said they were open to looking for a new job in the coming year.
- Preference for hybrid working: 67% of workers prefer a hybrid role with the option of accessing a physical office space.
- Internal mobility and retention :Companies with high internal mobility (i.e. those that hire and promote internally) retain their employees almost twice as long as those with low internal mobility (5.4 years versus 2.9 years).
- Skill utilisation: Employees are 10 times more likely to look for a new job if they feel their current job does not use their skills well.
- Factors affecting retention: The five main factors that respondents take into account when considering a new job are remuneration and benefits, flexibility, challenging and impactful work, opportunities for career growth within the company and opportunities to learn and develop new skills.
- Motivations by age group: Employee motivations vary by age group. Workers aged 18 to 34 favour learning, skills development and career growth, while those aged 35 to 49 value jobs that offer work-life balance. Workers aged 50 and over are looking for stimulating, high-impact work.
The Candidate Experience in 2023: statistics
We’ve translated some interesting statistics for you.
Source : Starred “Candidate Experience Statistics 2023: Stats, Facts, and Data You Need to Know”
- Lack of feedback: 78% of candidates report never having been asked for feedback after the recruitment process.
- Impact on recruiter performance: 64% of companies link recruiter performance to positive candidate feedback.
- Withdrawal of applications: 60% of applicants have withdrawn an application due to its length or complexity.
- Importance of the employer brand: 75% of candidates say they consider the employer brand before they start applying.
- Influence of experience on referrals: 66% of candidates say that a positive experience increases their chances of referring others, with this figure rising to 79% for companies offering an exceptional candidate experience.
All of which goes to show just how important talent retention and the candidate experience are for companies. A global strategy encompassing employee well-being, internal mobility and a positive recruitment experience is needed to attract and retain talent in a rapidly changing working environment.
Recruitment trends in 2023 point to a shift towards methods that focus more on technology, flexibility and the candidate experience. Companies need to adapt to these changes to remain competitive in an increasingly demanding market. We need to adopt innovative strategies and enhance our corporate culture in order to effectively attract and retain the talent needed to thrive in today’s economic landscape.
Strategies and advice for optimising recruitment in 2023
In the light of these recruitment trends for 2023, what lessons and advice can we draw from them? Our blog is full of specific advice on all these points, but here are a few examples:
Embracing technology and innovation
Adoption of AI in recruitment: With 44% of companies exploring the benefits of AI, it is essential to integrate AI tools to automate and optimise the recruitment process. AI can help to better match candidates to jobs, reduce recruitment time and improve the quality of hires.
Use of online recruitment platforms (Jobboard): 70% of companies already use these platforms to advertise their job vacancies. These tools offer a broad scope and make it easier to manage applications. Our Jobaffinity recruitment software allows you to multicast on several job boards at once with a single click.
Focus on Employer Brand and Flexibility
Employer brand development: 90% of employers recognise the importance of employer brand management. Effectively communicating the company’s values, culture and benefits is crucial to attracting quality candidates.
Teleworking vacancies and flexibility : With a 50% increase in teleworking vacancies, companies need to consider flexible working options, including hybrid models, to remain attractive to candidates who value work-life balance.
Improve the candidate experience and talent retention
Investing in the candidate experience: A positive candidate experience is crucial, as 60% of candidates abandon a recruitment process due to a negative experience. Companies must ensure that the application process is transparent, engaging and respectful. We need to put the tools in place to speed up the recruitment process
Workplace wellbeing programmes: 85% of employers invest in these programmes to improve employee satisfaction. Offering attractive benefits and professional development opportunities can help retain talent.
Diversity and inclusion
Discrimination-free recruitment policies: With 80% of companies having these policies in place, it is important to actively promote diversity and inclusion to create a rewarding and respectful working environment.
Prioritise soft skills:80% of employers believe that soft skills are more important than technical skills. Recruiters need to assess candidates not only on their technical skills, but also on their ability to integrate into the company culture.
An update on technology and people
In the world of modern recruitment, where technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly transforming traditional methods, the importance of a balanced approach between technology and human interaction is becoming increasingly apparent. Technology, particularly AI, offers substantial advantages in terms of efficiency and personalisation. It enables recruiters to rapidly process large quantities of data, refining the search for talent and improving the accuracy of matches between candidates and jobs. However, this technological efficiency must not overshadow the crucial importance of human interaction in the assessment of candidates, particularly when it comes to judging aspects such as personality, cultural compatibility and interpersonal skills.
The use of technology in recruitment also raises important ethical issues. Concerns about potential bias in AI algorithms and their impact on diversity and inclusion are at the heart of current debates. It is essential that companies strive to ensure that their technological tools are used in an ethical and non-discriminatory manner. This implies adequate training for recruiters and HR managers, not only in the effective use of technology but also in recognising and mitigating potential biases.
For 2024 and beyond, the challenge for businesses will be to find the optimum balance between the benefits of technology and the importance of human interaction. Using technology to automate repetitive processes and analyse data, while reserving final decisions and more nuanced interactions for recruiters, seems to be the way forward. Companies that succeed in harmoniously integrating technology and people in their recruitment processes will be better placed to attract, engage and retain talent in a constantly changing working environment, while ensuring fairness and diversity in their recruitment practices.
As 2023 draws to a close, what about recruitment in 2024?
As 2023 draws to a close, the world of recruitment is preparing to embrace the innovations and challenges of 2024. This year has seen significant transformations in recruitment strategies, with a particular focus on employer branding, flexible working, talent retention and the candidate experience. On the eve of 2024, emerging trends point to new opportunities and challenges.
New trends and our predictions for 2024
Continued technological advances: The year 2024 should witness the increased integration of AI and predictive analytics into recruitment processes. These technologies could become more sophisticated, offering greater customisation and increased efficiency.
Employer branding and social responsibility: Companies could step up their efforts to link employer branding with social responsibility initiatives. Transparency, ethics and a commitment to sustainable practices will become key elements in attracting aware and committed candidates.
Flexibility and innovative working models: Faced with a growing demand for flexibility, employers could explore even more flexible and personalised working models. This could include full-time remote working options, compressed working weeks and flexible hours, but also new technological tools to facilitate collaborative working and cybersecurity.
Focus on the candidate experience: The candidate experience will increasingly be seen as a reflection of the company’s culture. Companies could invest in technologies to make application processes more interactive and intuitive, improving candidate engagement and satisfaction.
Skills development and lifelong learning:Lifelong learning and skills development will remain at the heart of retention strategies. Companies could increase their investment in training and development to prepare their employees for future roles and market developments.
Diversity, inclusion and equity : Diversity, inclusion and equity will become even more important pillars of recruitment strategies. Companies could adopt more proactive approaches to creating more inclusive and diverse working environments.
Preparing for the future
2024 promises to be a year of exciting change for the recruitment industry. The companies that succeed will be those that adopt a holistic approach, combining technological innovation with a human-centred strategy. The balance between advanced technology and personalised human interaction will be key to attracting, engaging and retaining talent.
As we prepare to enter 2024, it is crucial for recruiters and HR managers to be at the forefront of these trends, ready to adapt and innovate in an ever-changing working landscape.
2024 promises to be a year of new opportunities and challenges in recruitment, where adaptability, innovation and a people-centred approach will be more important than ever in attracting and retaining the best talent.
Let’s attack 2024 together for more effective recruitment!
