Future of Work Global Survey 2021 – 82% of employers plan to hire this year

There’s no downplaying the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on the world of work, from the tools and methods employers use to hire and train candidates, to new policies around remote work and flexibility, to a redefined concept of what it actually means to find “the right fit” between candidates and employers.

In fact, change was the overarching theme of our annual Future of Work Global Survey, which connected with both recruiters and candidates across the globe.
Despite the lingering uncertainty and fluctuating jobs market, let’s start with some good news: The 2021 hiring outlook is positive. Of the 82% of employers who plan to hire this year, 47% say it’s to replace or backfill staff, while 35% plan to hire for new positions. What’s more, 9 in 10 recruiters say they are confident they can find the right candidate.

To delve deeper into the mindsets of both recruiters and candidates, the comprehensive Future of Work survey explored a variety of topics including:
• The Hiring Outlook
• The Pandemic Impact • Virtual Recruiting
• Fit & Transparency
• Navigating Skills Gap • Tools & Resources
• Diversity & Inclusion

From the vast amount of data that resulted, which will be explored in more detail in the full report to follow, it’s worth highlighting the top three recruiting challenges identified by employers for 2021:

1. Finding candidates with the right skills: In fact, 87% of employers say they struggle to fill positions as a result of skills gap. This is particularly acute for finance and technology sectors.
2. Work/life balance expectation: Pandemic-fueled policy changes like remote flexibility, new health policies, and a reduced workplace footprint are likely here to stay.
3. Virtual recruiting: The U.S. is leading the charge at adapting to virtual recruiting practices (with 7 in 10 doing virtual interviews and onboarding), but more than a quarter of global respondents are still struggling with it. What’s more, both employers and candidates (Gen Z in particular) are finding virtual recruiting a challenge for getting a true feel for culture and value alignment, and it’s a particular pain point for small and medium- sized businesses.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story @ THE FUTURE OF WORK – 2021 Global Outlook