What’s in store in the world or HR and recruitment? It depends on who you ask. However, there are some common threads we can weave together to get a glimpse of what trends will dominate the HR landscape this year.
Here are our predictions for the top HR trends of 2024:
1. AI-Boosted Recruitment
It should come as no surprise that GenAI tops the list of trends in hiring and HR. Because generative AI has implications for just about every job in every business sector, it’s bound to be a pervasive force in the HR world in 2024.
Accessible AI is reshaping nearly every aspect of our lives and our work. But it’s important to view AI as a tool in your toolbox – not a competitor for your job.
In 2024, we expect to see HR professionals leveraging generative AI technology to simplify the parts of their jobs that don’t drive hiring decisions. For example, consider using AI to write more accurate job descriptions, but not to evaluate candidates’ abilities directly. Legislature is already being put into place to protect job seekers from unintended discrimination by algorithmic candidate selection in places like New York, so it’s best to keep AI-based decision making out of your end-of-funnel hiring process for now.
AI chat bots are also going to be an excellent way to provide a positive candidate experience, offering applicants the ability to have their questions about your hiring process in real-time. This effectively reduces friction from a candidate perspective, but also saves the time internally from employees who would need to field these questions.
At least this year, the “human” will remain a core part of “human resources.” Human oversight will be instrumental in preventing biases from creeping into the AI-powered hiring process. Consider AI tools a way to free up your time and energy for the human side of running a business: engaging with candidates, fostering a healthy work culture, and achieving your goals.
2. Skills-Based Hiring
One thing that’s “out” in 2024 is hiring for a specific pedigree. The reality of the tight labor market of the last few years means that you’re unlikely to find the perfect candidate on paper. And that’s alright – because the reality is that the candidate on paper never mattered much anyway. It’s the how that candidate shows up in person that matters most.
What does this mean? It means that 2024 is the year to truly embrace hiring for skills and potential over specific work history. Evaluating a candidate for their potential to learn and acquire new skills over their current knowledge base, past job titles, or education.
Skills-based hiring is the way to go for identifying candidates who have the capacity to succeed and get up to speed quickly on the job. This year, we’re predicting a shift that focuses on candidate abilities and potential to learn skills over traditional evaluation metrics.
3. Internal Mobility Programs
In 2024, high turnover is anticipated to stay a top issue for organizations. With this in mind, it’s critical to nurture and engage your current workforce this year. One tried and true way to support and connect with your employees is through internal mobility programs.
Internal mobility programs are a great tool for improving retention and increasing workplace engagement. Internal mobility, also known as talent mobility, lets you tap into the full potential of your employees by recognizing, developing, and supporting their interest in other roles at your organization.
If you haven’t already, 2024 is a great year to start developing the talent you’ve already got on payroll. A effective internal mobility program empowers employees to grow their skillsets and careers within your organization (instead of leaving to do that at another company). Lean in to continuous learning and support your employees with opportunities to grow their skills with training and mentorship programs.
4. Building a Culture of Trust
As HR professionals look to drive up retention and improve employee engagement rates, there’s nothing like the power of a strong, healthy company culture to keep people connected and feeling valued. And in 2024, one of the most important markers of a positive work environment is trust in leadership.
In fact, data from Culture Amp demonstrated that confidence and trust in leadership are direct drivers of employee engagement in their recent employee engagement survey.
So how can you foster a sense of trust in your leadership team? It largely boils down to communication. Implementing an open-door policy, hosting regular sessions where employees have the opportunity to ask questions of your organization’s leaders (anonymous AMAs or fireside chats are both great options), and maintaining transparency are all key to establishing and renewing trust.
Bonus tip: you can highlight this culture of trust and transparency with clear communication throughout your hiring process, not just after onboarding.
What will the top HR trends of 2024 be?
The year is just getting started, so we’ll see which of our trend predictions hold true in the coming months. And regardless of their popularity, leaning into any of these four trends – AI tools, skills-based hiring, talent mobility, or improving company culture – will lead to positive outcomes for your business by year’s end.
