In the 2017 Staufenbiel study, HR departments in 297 companies were surveyed about new trends regarding Recruitingprocesses, skills shortages and employer branding. With ongoing digitalisation, processes and the expectations of potential applicants are changing. Regarding potential employees, their demands of the world of work have changed. The market must therefore react and adapt its corporate values and benefits in order to secure the best talent.
In times of increasing skills shortages, companies rely on motivated employees who contribute to economic growth. Not only politics but also companies have a duty to rethink. Otherwise, the shortage will become immeasurable in a few years. That is why one percent of employers are already specifically focusing on recruiting qualified refugees. As the staffing problem is not new but a long-term challenge for companies, new ideas and solutions are in demand.
Filling a new position typically costs a variety of companies between four and twelve weeks, with a fifth of companies even stating they need 12 to 16 weeks for one vacancy. From job advertisement to signing, it's not unusual to take three months or more. The application process is often extended by assessment centres, telephone interviews, and face-to-face interviews. Most HR professionals carry out initial selections personally. Despite digitalisation, forty per cent still rely on their experience rather than trusting applicant tracking systems.
TRENDS IN EMPLOYER BRANDING
A strong employer brand is now defined by employer branding, as the attention of potential candidates needs to be drawn to companies in order to survive the war for talent. Job advertisements are mostly communicated through well-known recruiting channels such as company career websites, events and trade fairs, as well as online advertisements. To attract junior staff in the age of social media, companies are increasingly relying on popular professional networks such as Xing or LinkedIn. Facebook and increasingly self-produced video contributions on YouTube & Co. are also used to reach candidates. WhatsApp and Truffls are two further exciting applications that are attracting attention in the HR category. Job searches are increasingly taking place via mobile phones. Already every second interested party is using their smartphone. Half of the companies have to optimise their career websites in order to meet market demands and attract applicants.
Active sourcing has established itself as a successful recruitment method. Graduates used to be approached in person; now, the search is increasingly taking place online. Candidates no longer apply themselves; they are actively contacted via active sourcing channels, which include personal networks, in-house talent pools, career events for students, and, most importantly, social media. Contact is most frequently made via platforms such as Xing, LinkedIn, or Facebook. Companies in the IT/telecommunications, as well as banking and financial services sectors, are particularly advanced in direct approaches.
The challenges of employer branding are becoming ever greater. Two thirds of candidates currently have higher expectations of companies than they did a few years ago, and the trend is rising. Companies should give potential applicants the opportunity to get to know the company and examine the corporate values more closely. The HR and marketing departments are currently still responsible for these „insights“.
With changing candidate demands in the job market, companies suffering from a shortage of skilled workers are being forced to rethink their strategies. Potential applicants expect a good working environment, responsible tasks, and a healthy work-life balance. Career progression and high pay are no longer as important as they were a few years ago. Companies believe that benefits such as flexible working hours, home office, and performance-related bonuses are important to applicants. Long-term, staff retention, talent acquisition, and the improvement of leadership culture should be on the agenda of HR departments. High staff turnover occurs when employees are dissatisfied and the company values and bonuses do not align with the company they work for. The consequence is that employees look elsewhere and leave the company.
