Creating the Future of Talent Acquisition and Hiring

In the rapidly evolving landscape of talent acquisition and hiring, there are a number of key trends emerging that will re-shape how we attract, hire and develop our future talent. Some of these trends could be game-changers for business leaders and HR professionals, as they represent a shift in workforce dynamics, whilst shaping the future of work and potentially leading to a rethink of traditional HR practices.

My close friend, co-author and co-collaborator Matt Alder has been writing and documenting these shifts through our co-authored books, and his research for podcast interviews and online courses, and I recently had a conversation with him on my HR Means Business podcast to better understand how some of these emerging trends will impact the future of hiring and retention.

We identified and discussed five main trends.

1. Skills-Based Hiring

Hardly a brand new development, but skills-based hiring is definitely a growing trend amongst Talent Acquisition and HR teams as organisations increasingly recognise the limitations of traditional hiring practices that prioritise previous experience over potential. Skills-Based hiring focuses on hiring individuals based on their current skills, and on their ability to develop new ones, rather than rely on their past job titles or educational background. There are 3 key benefits to this approach:

• Broader Talent Pools: By focusing on skills, organisations can tap into a more diverse talent pool, including candidates from different industries and backgrounds
• Enhanced Diversity: Skills-based hiring promotes diversity by reducing biases associated with traditional hiring criteria
• Future-Proofing Workforce: This approach aligns closely with the evolving nature of work, which we see as increasingly valuing skills and competencies over specific experiences

2. Total Talent Thinking

Total talent thinking is about breaking down the silos within HR departments and approaching talent management holistically. It involves integrating talent acquisition, talent management, and learning and development, to create a cohesive strategy that comprehensively addresses an organisation’s skills needs. There are certain key components that you need for a Total Talent Thinking approach:

• Collaborative HR Functions: This approach relies on different HR functions working together seamlessly
• Strategic Workforce Planning: Identifying and planning for the skills that will be needed across the organisation to achieve commercial goals
• Flexibility and Adaptability: Building a workforce that can adapt to changing business needs and technologies

3. Impact of Generative AI

Whatever you think about Generative AI there is little doubt that it’s transforming Talent Acquisition by both automating various aspects of the hiring process, and also providing new tools for both employers and job-seekers. Generative AI’s full potential is still developing and unfolding, but its current applications are already making significant impacts:

• Increased Efficiency: AI can streamline the recruitment process by automating routine tasks such as CV screening and initial candidate assessments
• Enhanced Decision-Making: AI-powered tools can provide insights and analytics to help HR professionals and hiring managers to make better hiring decisions
• Job Seeker Empowerment: Candidates are using AI to craft tailored CVs and applications, which can increase their chances of getting noticed, provided they use it as a tool to help support their job applications, rather than rely on it to be the application

4. Future-Casting and Strategic Foresight

Matt and I have been talking about Future-casting for a few years. Basically it involves anticipating and planning for future trends and disruptions in the workforce. It requires HR and Talent professionals to adopt more strategic foresight tools and methodologies to try and predict – and so be prepared for – changes that might shape their organisation’s future talent strategies. There are 3 component parts:

• Trend Analysis: Identifying and analysing the macro and the micro forces that are driving change in the workforce
• Scenario Planning: This calls for HR and Talent professionals to develop – and prepare for – multiple future scenarios so they can remain agile and responsive
• Embracing Uncertainty: Recognising and planning for unknowns and uncertainties, such as technological disruptions, economic shifts or – as in the case of Covid – factoring unforeseen epidemics

5. Smart Automation

Automation, powered by AI and other technologies, is set to redefine many aspects of work – not least in the attraction, hiring and onboarding of talent. Smart automation goes beyond simple task automation and includes more complex processes and decision-making functions:

• Redefining Job Roles: Automation will change the nature of many jobs, requiring employees to adapt and develop new skills, and HR to develop enhanced role profiles
• Efficiency Gains: Automated processes can lead to significant efficiency improvements and cost savings
• A Focus on Higher-Value Work: As routine tasks are automated, employees can focus on more strategic, creative, and value-added activities and processes.

You can find out more about how we see the future of Talent Acquisition – and our approach to Total Talent Thinking – on this episode off the HR Means Business podcast –