The HR industry's biggest challenges. Are there any?

Challenges and problems are an important part of life that give us experience, allow us to learn, and help us become wiser and stronger. Challenges make us change, gain experience and allow us to grow. We also deal with them in many business areas. What is difficult to predict affects many industries. HR is an area where we observe a lot of changes and, most importantly, we react to them.

What is HR faced with?

My experience and active participation in the recruitment market allowed me to identify the main challenges that companies have been facing in the recent, very unpredictable time.
Of course, what always accompanies us at work is facing an extraordinary amount of applications and resumes, analyzing the skills and experience of the candidates, preparing the right questions. That's the norm. But is there anything new in that area?
We've written on our blog before about working online. And as it turns out, this continues to be one of the biggest challenges for HR.

Remote working - the new reality. Do we miss the office?

If we haven't already loved it, we need to love it now. For many of us, remote work has recently become a considerable part of our lives and it is unlikely this trend will change. In pre-pandemic times this was an option for many companies, today it is the norm. COVID caused employers and employees to adopt new tools and policies at an accelerated pace, for some turning predictable lives upside down. Like everything, it has its pros and cons. The obvious advantages for employees include time savings related to commuting, agile combination of professional and private duties and for employers - savings related to rent and maintenance of the office There are also disadvantages though: impact on social relations, lack of time management skills. And for recruiters? Virtual hiring can be a challenge for some of them.
Recruiting these days relies heavily on technology whether it's the application process, candidates submitting documents or organizing information. Everything requires technological proficiency. And what is missing from this process? A one-on-one interview which is crucial for evaluating a candidate.
Virtual interviewing has filled that need, but it's not quite the same. Recruiters are increasingly pointing to the personal element of the interview, being in the same room together, as this gives recruiters a chance to get to know the candidate's type and observe their non-verbal language. Perhaps the solution is to introduce a hybrid model into the recruitment proces.

How do you create a long distance relationship?

I think this is a question HR experts around the world are asking themselves more and more often.
For both the recruiter and the candidate that bond is crucial and is often the main reason for deciding if a company is right for them.
How do you do this when the recruitment process is online? I have encountered many solutions: video conferences with team members, videos about the company, presentation of projects. Today there are many opportunities to learn about the company - webinars, podcasts, interviews with team members and it's all online. Therefore, it is important for companies to be present in the virtual world and show their expertise in the new reality so that the potential candidate can feel the atmosphere of the company. This requires from us to be creative and find ways to keep the candidate interested in the company.

How to find a gem?

Recruiting is all about searching, asking questions, observing and matching companies and candidates. It requires knowledge, intuition and contacts. Today, with personal contact made more difficult, it calls for a new approach. No doubt about it: finding a rare gem is not easy!
The world has shifted to a remote way of doing business, communication with candidates is often virtual, from application to contract offer. This requires new skills. The job market is changing after steep layoffs in 2020 and is now revisiting job growth. Have employee expectations changed? Is that a challenge?
These days, finding the perfect employee has become a little more difficult for recruiters. Why? Because now the ideal candidate may have a long list of wants and needs. Like the aforementioned remote work. Most employees are in favor of keeping it. In addition, increased needs for health services including those for wellbeing or telehealthcare.

Is diversity a challenge?

The issue of diversity in the workplace is nothing new. Many companies have increasingly structured policies to promote diversity. Creating a diverse work environment can bring in money.
As companies focus on increasing diversity and inclusion, this can lead to financial growth. An open and tolerant organizational culture influences brand recognition and attracts talent.
This also means a more skilled and productive workforce. And for employees, it means a healthier and more innovative workplace because people from different backgrounds may have different perspectives and think in different ways. This is a clear benefit for both parties!

These are just a few of the many challenges we face in the recruitment market. For us it is important to maintain a continuous dialogue with clients and pay attention to trends that occur in the market. Recruiting is a three-way exchange and constant learning, it's sensing the needs of two involved parties. And the right solutions bring the incredible satisfaction we enjoy so much at RICG.

Are there challenges in our industry? Yes. And there are solutions. Putting them into practice gives us a sense of accomplishment and peace of mind for our clients.