The recruitment industry is set for an exciting year, with familiar trends like using platforms and AI to improve efficiency continuing and new ones emerging, such as adaptations to economic and legislative changes that will occur in 2024.
What changes can be expected in blue-collar recruitment in 2024, and how will all parties involved in the EU labor market need to adapt?
With over 15 years of experience in the recruitment industry, our CEO and founder, Johan van Zutphen, offers his insights and advice on this subject.
2023 Trends That Are Here to Stay
Platformisation of Recruitment
The trend towards platformisation shows no signs of slowing down. Job seekers desire more control over their employment choices, including where they live and work and under what conditions.
Only platforms can provide these opportunities and offer a transparent market. These models benefit companies that value people and provide fair working conditions, as employees can leave reviews and feedback, painting a clear picture of the culture and working environment.
What could have an even more significant impact on the industry is the platformisation of housing. As the workplace often depends more on housing than the work itself, it is beneficial for employees to have control over where they live and how much they pay for their accommodation.
For foreign staff, having control over their living conditions significantly impacts their duration of stay.
Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment
AI is one of the major trends we have seen, and there is a reason for that. Artificial Intelligence is undoubtedly making recruitment more efficient, as we have seen in several use cases.
AI helps match job offers with candidates more accurately than before and is starting to play a role in analysing interviews and creating candidate assessments. These are just a few examples of AI tools that have demonstrated effectiveness within our network.
While AI’s impact is growing, it will enhance rather than replace human-driven recruitment in the foreseeable future. AI will take at least 5 years to get specific business knowledge and create solutions around it.
Internationalisation of the Market
The recruitment market is expanding internationally, resulting in a larger pool of candidates for employers and more job opportunities for candidates. To remain competitive and attract foreign workers, employers must offer appealing benefits.
Aside from salary, other conditions can play an even bigger role in choosing a workplace.
A survey conducted by LANDED breaks down the top benefits blue-collar workers find most attractive:
- #1 Paid vacation and sick time (69% of respondents)
- #2 Flexible scheduling (65% of respondents)
- #3 Competitive pay and health insurance (63% of respondents)
Even more recent reports from the market show that inclusion and diversity play a huge role in choosing a job. Companies in the Netherlands and Germany are opening up to foreign workers, facilitating a more inclusive culture where all employees feel welcome.
Besides these initiatives, what else can we expect in 2024?
Recruitment Predictions Shaping 2024
Slow but Steady Start to the Year
The year is expected to start slowly. In particular, the Netherlands will see a significant rise in the minimum wage, which may temporarily deter companies from hiring new employees.
Traditionally, the winter months are quieter in terms of recruitment. Following the disruptions caused by COVID-19 and the energy crisis, this year might return to a more regular pattern.
The period leading up to major holidays and key shopping events, such as Easter and Black Friday, typically sees an increase in job openings as businesses prepare for higher demand.
Therefore, after a slow start, recruitment activity is anticipated to accelerate as the spring season approaches.
More Employers Embracing Platformisation
This year, we expect more employers to recognise the benefits of using online recruitment platforms. Showcasing company qualities on these platforms not only broadens the pool of candidates but also helps employers attract the right talent for the job.
A growing number of companies joining our platform and the results they’re already seeing keep us optimistic that more employers will recognise the value of this trend in 2024 and reap its benefits.
Borderless Recruitment
Can we expect employers accustomed to hiring local staff to consider candidates from other countries more openly in 2024? Our take on this is yes, as we’re seeing a growing understanding that a varied workforce can bring fresh perspectives and skills to a business.
According to Team Stage’s Diversity in the Workplace report, businesses open to inclusion are 120% more likely to meet financial targets, and an increasingly diverse team has the potential to increase GDP by 26%.
We hope to see more employers in 2024 recognise that the differences in culture can be bridged and that there are substantial advantages to working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Advice to Recruiters in 2024
At Hire Abroad, we always keep an eye on changes and share our market insights to help employers and recruiters navigate any uncertainties with confidence. When it comes to 2024, this is our top advice for recruiters:
- Leverage Online Tools: Using online tools can significantly increase work efficiency. With a variety of tools available, it’s worth researching those that best support your workflow. Use them to streamline your tasks and improve productivity.
- Specialise: Focusing on one particular area or sector can greatly increase your impact in the market. By specialising, you’re more likely to find candidates who are a perfect fit, as well as longer durations of stay. Ultimately, that means more business for your company.
- Focus on Your Strengths and Outsource the Rest: Don’t try to manage every aspect of your recruitment business alone. Outsourcing tasks you dislike or aren’t skilled at leads to better results. For instance, if invoicing and sales aren’t for you, you better join Hire Abroad. Similarly, if you aren’t a marketing expert, consider hiring an agency and paying for the leads they bring.
- Use Data: Track and analyse factors that affect your business, and use data to make improvements. You might discover, for instance, that not all clients contribute to profits. Consider the 80/20 rule: often, just 20% of your clients generate 80% of your revenue. Focus your efforts on them and prioritise specialisation in areas that yield the most benefits with the least effort.
Advice to Employers in 2024
When it comes to employers and ensuring they get the best talent in 2024, our advice is short and straightforward:
- Be Ready to Compete: International competition is growing. Ensure your offer (Value Proposition) meets the expectations of foreign workers and is compelling enough to make them prefer your company. Offer attractive conditions to attract and retain top global talent.
- Create Opportunities for Non-English Speaking Candidates: If the job doesn’t require specific skills, consider forming teams of three to four foreigners where only one speaks English fluently. We’ve seen this work great with companies like H&M, as it not only provides opportunities for those less fluent but also helps retain employees.
Because there are fewer opportunities and no language barrier, they tend to stay longer in the company, form stronger bonds, and experience fewer misunderstandings.
As you face growing international competition, exploring alternative ways such as this can help you find and keep high-quality employees in 2024.
Is the New Era of Recruitment Here?
Google might develop an advanced tool that could transform the recruitment landscape entirely. The possible impact on the industry makes it worth noting, even though it depends on a number of conditions being met.
Leveraging artificial intelligence, this tool could automate the entire recruitment process and take over the global market. It would be able to predict employer needs before they’re even aware, matching them with the best candidates for the job.
With such a streamlined process, the traditional role of recruiters would eventually cease to exist. Even though it is unlikely to happen in 2024, this is something we anticipate seeing in the future.
Grow Your Recruiting Business with Hire Abroad
While the future may be unpredictable, Hire Abroad helps you grow and develop your business in the present moment.
Our platform connects trusted employment and recruitment agencies, giving them all the tools and resources to focus on their line of work and match top candidates with open vacancies.
In addition to improving the quality of your matches, we also help you save time and effort by taking care of all the secondary tasks. Contact us to find out how you can join Hire Abroad and what impact it could have on your business.
