Balancing automation with human workers, the impact of chatbots and a widening talent mismatch are among the trends expected to shape the recruitment market in 2019, says recruiting expert Hays.
As demand and supply issues intensify, organisations across the industry will need to “up the talent ante” to achieve growth while “striking the right balance between technological integration and human skills,” says Nick Deligiannis, Hays managing director in Australia and New Zealand.
Hays has identified a host of talent trends for 2019. Among these are:
- Integration between humans and machines
“Could a robot do my job?” was a common question in 2018 – but then Elon Musk, reflecting on manufacturing delays for his latest Tesla, admitted “excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake… Humans are underrated.” Hays says employers have taken note and are looking to achieve the “optimal balance” between human workers and robotic automation. The question for 2019, then, is: “How will automation be integrated into my role?”
- Digital upskilling retains talent
Major brands like Walmart are already upskilling staff by teaching them to embrace new hardware and a new mindset. Hays says this approach can help with retention. The 2018-19 Hays Salary Guide found 59 per cent of Australian workers want a job offering ongoing learning and development opportunities.
- Big data gets bigger
Big data insights are no longer the preserve of big companies. And this means data scientists are in demand. The Internet of Things market is set to double by 2021, and companies are getting better at using previously hidden “dark data”, Hays says. But most importantly, they need people who can “derive actionable insights from that data”. Hays also expects to see greater regulation surrounding data protection and privacy, which will impact the skills employers require.
- Chatbots will influence company brands
The use of conversational artificial intelligence within the recruitment process will rise in 2019, but organisations must assess and address the potential impact on an employer brand, Hays warns. Advanced chatbots can now offer personalised responses to initial candidate telephone enquiries and common queries based on set rules and algorithms. While the automation of such conversations can free hiring managers to focus on non-routine job tasks, organisations must consider the brand impact.
- Diversifying diversity
The business benefits of a diverse workforce are now better understood – but Hays says organisations need to “accelerate the pace of change to achieve genuine results”. Businesses will also look to widen the terms of reference to cover more demographics.
- Flexibility is the norm
With more employees considering flexibility – of hours or place – the norm, the organisation that doesn’t review its flexible working policies will face an attraction and retention shortcoming in 2019, Hays cautions.
- Beware the talent mismatch
Australia’s talent mismatch – the skills of jobseekers versus the needs of employers – will expand in 2019, even after growing for the past five years. “Employers will find it harder to hire people with the expertise they need, particularly in high-skill industries and for roles that require highly-skilled professionals, such as IT, engineering, financial services and professional services,” Hays advises. This will lead to employers exploring a wider range of talent attraction and retention strategies in 2019.
- Specialisation, strategic thinking and stakeholder engagement
Employers will focus on expanding their teams with deep expertise and wide perspectives, Hays adds. With technological change, employers will be on the hunt for candidates who can think strategically to leverage new technologies, trends and opportunities. Employers will also be on the lookout for people with strong stakeholder engagement skills.