It’s that time of year again, time to reflect on the past year to consider what worked and what might have gone better.

When your talent acquisition team sits down to strategize for 2022, here are some of the trends that they will want to understand and include in their planning.

The Pandemic is Still Having an Impact

After 2 years, the pandemic is still impacting everything. In the workplace, it creates uncertainty and a level of anxiety about physical well-being and job security. There will be contention around vaccine mandates for employers and by employers for employees. Companies will want a vaccine policy to adhere to but should maintain the flexibility to update the policy as new science or situations emerge.

The pandemic forced hiring and onboarding to go virtual, as much of the workforce shifted to working from home. Leaders say hiring and onboarding remotely is more challenging. It seems that remote interviews work well, though, so those are probably going to stick around. Recruiting managers can review how the interview process was conducted and what needs to be changed to increase efficiency and improve the candidate experience.

Talent Shortages Continue

There will continue to be a talent shortage, so candidates will be selective about the offer they accept. Recruiters are reporting that candidates are asking about a company’s DEI initiatives more often than they did in 2020. Working for a company that embodies similar values is important to these candidates, and companies need to be transparent about their mission and how it shapes day-to-day work.

Candidates are also looking for quality perks like medical and dental coverage, 401(k) plans, and work from home flexibility. It will be important to know what the market rates are for the positions you want to fill in 2022. A low offer can be passed up by talent with options.

Data and Technology Will Be Important Recruiting Tools

Data-driven recruiting will continue to be important. Figuring out how to collect and use technology and real-time data analytics to improve the candidate experience and the quality of hires is one key to improving your hiring strategy. Automated candidate nurturing can help make the candidate experience better and save time, reduce time to hire, and keep candidates in an active talent pipeline.

Internal mobility will be a key factor in both attracting new talent and retaining existing talent. Offering training for advancement will keep your employees engaged, and be compelling to jobseekers. By creating an internal talent pool you can hire people with the needed soft skills and teach them the day-to-day operations.

Don’t Try to Do It All

We have talked about many of these trends in previous posts, and they will be as important in 2022 as they are in 2021. Hiring managers and recruiters will continue to be in demand as companies work on ramping up their staff for the coming year. Consider a recruiter who specializes in the talent you need to attract and hire. Their expertise and insights on the current market can save you time and money by guiding your efforts to what will have the most impact on your hiring.