The workplace is going through a shift. A big one.

After a mass global disruption, organisations and its leaders are going through extreme change in the way we live and the way employees work, view and take on new opportunities. Theres no better time to take a minute to reflect, reset and change.

What was acceptable before 2020 is now a hindrance when it comes to the way we hire. So , lets take a deep dive into the 5 biggest recruitment challenges were looking at facing in 2023 and what we can do to overcome them.

Heres the thing - the recruitment process is intricate, time-consuming and complex. Everyone needs to be on the same page - this takes structure and everyone working together to achieve synergy. Because of this, there will always be challenges to find the right person for a specific role and be able to retain them.

When it comes to recruitment, some obstacles will never change, but after the pandemic, its now harder for recruitment teams to find quality talent. On the flip side, not choosing the right person for the role may also ripple into that employees experience in the workplace, leading to consequences like higher turnover and absenteeism.

On that note, here are some of the biggest challenges recruitment is facing, and some tips to help overcome the hurdle.

Free Download : 10 Leadership Qualities That Will Help Solve Challenges in 2022

Finding the right candidate for the role is hard, no matter how many people apply. You could have over 50 applicants, but if the talent doesnt match what is required of the role, the likelihood of finding what you need is slim.

The clearer you are with the role requirements, the better. Providing specific questions for the candidate that accurately reflect the role is a good way to address any concerns and gain a clear understanding of the candidates compatibility. Hiring managers must also be able to clearly understand the role to set/ask the right questions to screen candidates.

We know theres great talent out there Growth Faculty speaker Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers and Impact Players , can attest to that, but sometimes recruiters need to look beyond the obvious. In fact, she recently gave the Australian HR Institute some valuable insights.

She says there are two qualities to look out for when sifting through existing or externally sourced talent: a proactive mindset and an opportunity orientation. In other words, someone who a) works to solve a problem rather than someone who avoids having to deal with it, and b) someone who steers towards new opportunities rather than being fearful of the unknown.

.

The best candidates are off the market in 10 days and 75% of people wont accept a role in a company with a bad reputation, according to LinkedIn. Good candidates are approached regularly to fill positions and are likely weighing up more than one offer at a time.

What does this mean? The recruitment candidate relationship has flipped. Instead of candidates actively approaching companies, now extra effort is needed from recruitment teams to grab the candidates attention. In fact, according to LinkedIn , 76% of recruiters admit that one of their biggest challenges is attracting the right candidate for the role.

Build a strong brand. Trying to connect with a candidate who is already being pursued is a big obstacle to overcome, but with a strong brand potential candidates can begin to envision themselves with your company. This might be with a unique, strong career page, real stories from existing employees or even a clear About Us page. And according to the research , a strong employer brand reduced turnover by 28% and recruitment costs by 50%.

So, when a potential candidate begins to complete their research (or they click through to what you have sent them) theyll be able to understand how your company stands out from the rest.

Along with a strong brand, is ensuring you have a psychologically safe workplace and a positive, strong workplace culture is non-negotiable.

The research says 63% of recruiters think the impending skills gap is their biggest challenge. Simply put, there are not enough qualified candidates out there to fill the jobs required. And frankly, if youre in HR, its a nightmare. Recruitment ends up wasting time and resources sifting and screening irrelevant applications - therell be multiple rounds of interviews and time spent to no avail.

On the flip side, there's the risk of hiring candidates who do not have the skills to adequately fulfill the role at the time they were hired. Rather than working up to the role and developing the necessary skills over time to reach the right experience level, they jump into a more senior role than they're ready for. Retaining employees in these positions become harder while the skills gap becomes bigger and bigger.

The extra time spent of being clear and concise with your job descriptions will likely save you time down the track. Hiring managers who are looking for broad skillsets (both rhetorical and professional) often shoot themselves in the foot with applicants who are not really compatible for the role.

Narrow down on the skills required for the role and set hard pre-requisites. In the meantime, look for any room to create positions that match employee skills and set precedents to develop experience to progress into more senior roles at an organic pace.

We work differently now. In organisations that have the liberty to manage the workload from home, offering flexibility is a must. In fact, there has been a 135% rise in offering work as a result of the pandemic. This means either the ability to work from home at any time or working within a hybrid model - that is set days in the office and set days at home.

For those who work in trades or in hands-on industries such as factory or warehouse environments, flexibility may look like flexi-hours and flexi-days rather than a remote work option.

If you can, a working hybrid arrangement is a good way to help retain employees. With this said, think about how your organisation could increase flexibility - including thinking about L&D strategy changes to incorporate training staff from home.

Have you ever been in a role and still find yourself scrolling through social media, LinkedIn or Seek just to gauge whats out there? More often than not, some of the best candidates are no more than passive observers keeping their eyes peeled for a more appealing opportunity. In fact, 73% of job seekers are passive job seekers and 89% of job seekers use their mobiles for essential job seeking with 45% using it at least once a day. So, if your recruitment methods arent getting the hits that you want, it may be time to switch it up.

Whether a candidate is on the hunt for a job or not, making yourself and your company known is crucial. Other than your standard platforms, using social media to target potential talent is a great way to widen the net and build your brand.

Recruitment and talent-sourcing will always have its challenges. But with our Growth Faculty Pass , youll learn from the best leadership minds in the world to help you overcome some of the biggest challenges arising in a changing workforce. Get exclusive access to weekly live, interactive and virtual masterclasses to discover how the best leaders are achieving results.

Our authors and speakers include Jim Collins, Liz Wiseman, Stephen Covey, Whitney Johnson and more.

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash