Candidate Experience in 2022: 5 Trends that Employers must Consider

In an employment market where job seekers are increasingly reconsidering their career options and employers face high competition to fill vacancies, offering a good candidate experience has never been more important.

So in 2022, which trends must employers factor into their recruitment process?

Higher candidate expectations

As the pandemic caused people to rethink their priorities and the resulting Great Resignation trend took hold, jobseekers began to expect more from employers. With the likelihood that the employment market will remain in the jobseeker’s favour in 2022, it is even more important that employers listen to what candidates expect to receive in return for their hours and loyalty.

Increasingly, candidates demand that employers provide:

• employee mental health and well-being procedures
• diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
• flexible working
• well defined career paths
• professional development opportunities

Moreover, jobseekers want to know about the above factors and the complete salary package at the point of application. They want to know exactly what they are applying for from the outset.

Employer brand transparency

Jobseekers aren’t simply interested in transparency of the salary package and benefits that a company provides. They also demand transparency around employer brands:

• What is the full reach of this company in markets, services, products, and locations?
• What does the company stand for? What are its values and missions?
• How has the company adapted in the current climate?
• What future plans does the company have?
• What is the company’s approach to topics such as DEI, flexible working, and employee wellbeing?
• In essence, what is the company culture?

Embracing brand transparency will always be to the employer’s benefit. Presenting a clear picture of what a company stands for will attract a calibre of candidate who shares in those values and is the right fit for the company’s culture.

As an employee, these candidates are more likely to experience a higher level of engagement and remain with the company. Both of these factors – employee engagement and retention – are issues that employers have struggled with during the Great Resignation.

Recruiting through social media

As employers struggle to fill vacancies, social media can provide the perfect opportunity to reach out to new markets. Instead of relying on active jobseekers, adverts and posts on social media channels such as LinkedIn can reach passive candidates. These individuals aren’t necessarily looking to change employers, but finding a job advert as they scroll through their social media feed may stir their interest.

With the vast appeal of social media to the UK public and the high number of employers taking advantage of this reach to promote their brand on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, social recruiting can be a cost-effective method of reaching candidates.

Where an employer already has a social media presence, jobseekers can easily find all the information they need about the company.

The importance of internal candidates

One key method of retaining employees in 2022 will be to prioritise the mobility of the existing workforce. There are several benefits to internal recruitment:

• Internal candidates are a known quantity, including their job performance, personality, and fit with the company.
• An internal recruitment process generally takes less time and is more cost-effective.
• Knowing that there are opportunities to further their career path with an employer makes for a more engaged workforce who is less likely to look elsewhere for their next role.

However, prioritisation of internal candidates must also be accompanied by a willingness to provide these employees with the same quality of candidate experience as an external jobseeker.

Uncertainty

This isn’t so much a trend as an ever-present reality while pandemic restrictions remain in place. The possibility of future lockdowns, calls to work from home, and a requirement for COVID passports are just a few of the factors that may affect employers in 2022 and have a knock-on effect on candidate experience.

How can employers continue to recruit in the face of this uncertainty? Flexibility in the application process is the most constructive response.

Move your application and recruitment process online. Be prepared to interview virtually and have a range of ways to reach potential candidates. Plan a virtual on-boarding process.

Develop a plan and procedures for remote and hybrid working. This serves three purposes. First, it enables recruitment plans to go ahead regardless of whether employees must work from home for a period of time. Second, it assures candidates that the employer is keen to protect the safety and wellbeing of their workforce. Finally, it makes clear exactly what new employees will face when they begin their new job.

The CIPD have provided an extensive guide on how employers can plan for and manage a move to hybrid working.

Final Thoughts

2022 is almost here and many of the recruitment developments we have seen this year will continue over the next twelve months. However, the new year provides an opportunity for employers to take advantage of those trends, rather than suffer through them.

Author biography:

Fi Phillips, Freelance Copywriter working with JobLookup. Fi specialises in blog posts and web articles about the world of work and business. She is especially interested in how the pandemic has changed our attitudes to work-life balance and career development.