Channel recruitment trends in 2022

Recruitment and the retention of staff continues to be one of the leading issues across the IT channel and there are no signs that this is going to change over the next 12 months. The ongoing shortage of candidates for roles in the IT channel has not been helped by a combination of the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit. With this in mind, what should companies and hiring managers be aware of as we move into 2022?

Candidates are demanding more from employers

The way we negotiate with our employers is shifting. Work is no longer just something we do with an employer. Lots more people are realising that they make too many sacrifices for their career, and they want more — either more flexibility, higher salaries/commission, or more choice over their environment and what they do. Employee experience is paramount. And if you want to attract new talent, candidate experience is paramount too.

We know remote working works

And talent pools are not restricted by location as in the past. You are no longer restricted to hiring in the locations where you have an office. And if you want to take advantage of having the world's best talent in your business, your recruitment processes will need to adapt to reflect this.

People are leaving their jobs in droves. The Great Resignation is upon us. Standing still and using the same hiring processes you always have is not an option. You have to adapt and futureproof yourself now — or you'll be left behind. Hiring managers need to look at the "candidate experience" and develop talent pools, as opposed to having a "break-fix" relationship to hiring and think long-term as opposed to short-term.

Need to see beyond a candidate's CV

The more I speak to business leaders/owners and hiring managers there has been a real realisation that having a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves can lead to a form of bias and can narrow your scope to a very specific candidate profile. Before going to market for a new hire, companies should be re-assessing what exactly they want people to deliver on - and what skills they can take from other areas that they can bring into the role you need.

Focus on retention

Thanks to the pandemic, half of the workforce are looking to change roles in the next 12 months. With vacancies reaching peak numbers in the UK, businesses need to move quickly to retain talent. Making a ‘counter-offer' might provide a quick fix to retaining staff but is usually a very short-term solution to a bigger issue. It is important to understand the causes of employee churn and then put in measures to help mitigate against them.

One thing for certain in 2022 the hiring and retention of people will remain one of the key challenges that we all need to balance with our day-to-day roles. The IT channel has led the way with innovations in hiring and "thinking outside of the box" since the start of the pandemic and will no doubt rise to meet these challenges head on in the next twelve months.

Marc Sumner is CEO of Robertson Sumner