The talent road ahead: Strategic hiring, AI and ethics

As we dive into the new year and reset on what’s next for our industry, it’s interesting to reflect on where we’ve been and what this might mean moving forward. Over the coming months I will take the time to comment on the journey talent teams are on and to provide commentary on some of the themes I have gathered from insightful conservations. 

 What have we learned: 

• In the US in December 2023, job growth showed workforce stability. While various sectors had slower hiring than others, there was interest across the board in strategic planning for the new year and what this means for the talent space. 
• AI remains a top priority for companies. Ensuring upcoming regulations are met is of critical focus to establish ethical compliance. Testing new tools and features will be the playground of early 2024 that will help inform later strategic planning.  
• Allowing for tech to absorb time consuming tasks can provide more human focus on the key parts of hiring that matter most. If tech can seamlessly run interview scheduling for example, then a human can spend more time focusing on the actual meeting and candidate experience.  
• DE&I is not just needed to stay fair in hiring, but to stay competitive. There is very much a tie between the brand and employee promise and a great DE&I hiring strategy, and these will be of renewed focus in the coming months. 
• Each sector is seeing their own unique set of challenges, and industries need specific hiring solutions for them from partners with a breadth of experience and the ability to customize by vertical. Banks and financial institutions may be looking for new technologies to engage with a saavy generation of users, meanwhile retailers may be looking more at how to harness insights for hiring.  

Looking forward to a great 2024 where we can all collaborate and evolve in this exciting modern talent space!