Recruitment Relationship: The Future of the Workplace

When hiring the right person, we’re all now looking to machines to find the perfect match.

Recruitment is stagnant, a retro business model that no longer seems to have a place in our modern world. Between industry irrelevancy and a dated one-size-fits-all approach, it seems that both employers and employees are left feeling lacklustre.

It may be difficult to predict what the future holds, but changes have already become evident across most industries. Our reliance on machines is now a thing of genuine significance, as we’re always looking to find the most tailored result to suit our searches - and that includes people too. From relationships to hiring the right person for your team, we’re all looking at machines to find the perfect match.

But what we’re searching for has also changed dramatically - there’s more weight on quality, and much less on quantity. In the case of recruitment, it’s no longer just about lengthy CVs and cover letters, it’s about the person, their personality and what they can really bring to the table.

If we really want to progress as a society, we need to be able to separate the “bad” from the “good”, and be willing to make impactful changes - goodbye legacy issues, hello new world order. The first place to start? The actual workplace itself.

The New World Order

The term “working from home” is taking the workplace by storm, where both employers and employees are becoming increasingly comfortable with the notion. The popularity of the practice has even led it to become a company benefit, where often questions around the allowance come as early as the interview process. And most companies have already jumped on the bandwagon, wearing the “working from home” badge of honour when talking to the world - from careers pages to Linkedin conversations.

But working from home also has financial benefits, it’s not just a good way to keep your staff happy to do their job. It can mean cutting down on office costs, and often companies will dismantle their old school 9-5 office and opt for a well coordinated group of flexible workers instead. In scenarios like this, productivity and mutual respect are at an all time high, allowing employers and staff to be the best they can be. And with a virtual workplace structure the talent pool is immense, as skilled workers from around the globe can take jobs anywhere in their internet connection will take them.

Everyday Is A School Day

With knowledge and experience comes power, so the race to the top has plenty of competition. It’s a constant battle of one-upmanship, where talent needs to be on point, and employers need to know exactly what they’re looking for.

Traditionally, careers were always built from the ground up, and for the most part, this will always still be the case. But in today’s social media-savvy world, we often come across those looking for shortcuts to the path of glory - think of all the self-proclaimed “influencers” out there. And when it comes to hiring, the uber street smart are actually those that get picked first.

With competition fierce, and so much talent trying to claw its way in, getting good at what you do is vital. It’s often the case that workers will ask for more responsibility and demanding tasks, just to sink their teeth into something they can call their own.

More emphasis should be placed on accumulating new skills and advancing to much bigger projects - with no limitations and clear incentives that will ensure the hunger to be the best will never fade away.

Don't Rage Against The Machine

Would you be surprised if you woke up one day and machines had taken over the world? If so, it might be because you probably don’t realise the power they have over you right now. But the truth is, without human intervention, machines wouldn’t be as powerful as we know them to be - the human race built them up, and can tear them down just as easy.

When it comes to recruitment, the future does look like a digital one. Machine learning will come into play at a much higher rate than it is now. Some platforms have already emerged, where promises include less human interaction, and more machine involvement. But even if AI took over, it would require some level of management from a person, so don’t wave goodbye to humans just yet.

It’s important to plan ahead and make sure that we use technology to the best of its ability, with the added bonus of the human touch. Great talent needs a platform to have a voice and shout about why their good, giving employers absolute control over who they hire for the job.

Change can be a good thing. In fact, it may be the only option, and when it comes to the workplace-recruitment relationship it can only be a good thing. Employers are changing as much as employees, there’s no doubt about this, so why should hiring stay the same. When the desire for quality is seen to override the desire for quantity, what’s next should be no surprise - give opportunities, use technology and let those looking for staff take control into their own hands.