Technology, politics & economics have and always will call the shots as far as recruitment trends go. The outcome of the US elections, Brexit impacting UK & European economy and its further impact on trade relations and movement of workers will definitely start percolating down to how companies manage their workforce. However, some trends have been gathering steam through 2016 and are possibly heading towards full expression in 2017. These are by no means all the defining ones, but a quick look at some of the top trending ones and most definitely should not be missed by folks spearheading this industry.

 Welcome the ‘GIG’ Economy: Increase in Contingent workforce

The era of the gig workers is here. As more and more companies try to attract and retain the best possible talent on the most flexible terms, consulting or contracting is fast becoming the norm. Technology has also made it possible to hire remote workers who work on flexible terms ensuring a happy marriage between companies who have to constantly watch their base lines as projects come and go and business development strategies change and workers who like to retain a modicum of control on how they like to manage their life and work. Some companies of course, would continue to recruit workers on permanent payrolls.

 Let Data rule.

More and more companies are waking up to tapping into the storehouse of HR data at their disposal. Data can not only be gainfully used to search candidates but engage with them throughout the recruitment cycle. Contrary to popular beliefs, Data can actually enhance the humanistic approach towards candidates allowing HR teams to customize their approach based on behavioral patterns and work history. This could significantly enhance employee retention and create an efficient HR system built on behavioral data. The challenge would be to find ways and means to convert data into actionable insights. Cloud based recruitment software synch data on the go making them indispensable.

Stay Mobile and on the go.

The competition to attract the right talent would increasingly be in the mobile space. With positions at mid and entry levels being filled by Millennials, companies would have to optimize web pages and content which is mobile friendly and showcase the benefit as succinctly as possible. Mobile applications and enhanced user experiences would be the driving force for recruitment and staffing agencies in 2017 and mobile recruiting pretty much the norm.

Social integration.

Whilst LinkedIn is the Holy Grail for most job seekers on the social platform, increasingly candidates are spending time on social sites like Instagram, snapchat which would make video content more relevant and in demand. Applicant tracking systems and the best recruiting software would be equipped with video capability to conduct interviews and review video profiles as well as integrate seamlessly to enable social recruiting.

Artificial & Emotional Intelligence.

Whilst Technology gains momentum, it would enable a real connect between recruiters and candidates connecting opportunities and talent as efficiently as possible. One of the fears expressed with the rise of AI is, it would harbor a cold and clinical environment. Automation is not always a bad thing. It would effectively take away the burden of cumbersome and resource heavy administrative tasks giving recruiters scope to engage in a more compelling manner with potential recruits.

We’ve just scratched the surface with our Top 5 trends. As the year progresses, it would be interesting to see how technology and human capability collaborate to create a vibrant ecosystem. Share with us what you feel would be the defining elements in the Staffing and Recruitment industry in 2017.

To your success and a fabulous 2017! Stay tuned!

About TargetRecruit: TargetRecruit is a fully integrated & customizable workforce management solution created for managed services and staffing companies. TargetRecruit featured on the INC 5000 2016 list of the most successful and fastest growing businesses in America. Gartner listed TargetRecruit in their 2016 Market Guide for Service Procurement Solutions as a representative vendor.

About the author: Reena Gupta is the founder and CEO of TargetRecruit LLC and its parent company Avankia. Reena was selected for CRN’s ‘Women of the Channel’ 2016, 5th time in a row. She also featured in Insight Magazine’s 50 most empowering women in business.