HireVue’s global trends report: The resurgence of hiring and lasting impacts

Last year was a whirlwind with unemployment skyrocketing and rebounding and we wanted to get some insights into the lasting impacts. At the end of last year, HireVue surveyed 1,142 hiring leaders across the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom to get answers to questions such as: How did hiring leaders worldwide adapt to an overnight need for remote hiring? What worked, and what didn’t? Which challenges do we still face, and what new opportunities now exist?

We aspired to identify and understand how 2020 changed the hiring experience for both companies and candidates.

The results showed that hiring teams didn’t just find ways to sustain the hiring experience, but to improve it. The HireVue 2021 Global Trends Report revealed three key themes, (1) technology’s rapidly expanding role, (2) prioritization of diversity, equity and inclusion and (3) a new focus for hiring leaders. A global focus on these three trends tells us that the future of hiring is hopeful.

Trend #1: Technology’s rapidly expanding role

Organizations forced into rapid digital transformation in 2020 found that the technology they needed to keep employees and candidates safe was already waiting for them. In the future, organizations will turn to technology to continue improving the hiring experience for both hiring teams and candidates.

Key takeaway: The strategic integration of technology is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a “must-have” for hiring teams. Last year the workplace moved from an in-office experience to a temporary, fully remote one; but in the future, it’s settling into a hybrid model. Companies that don’t invest in technology that prioritizes personalization and a human touch now, will become obsolete when the next inevitable disruption arrives.

Trend #2: Prioritization of diversity, equity & inclusion

Many leaders who previously took a passive approach to diversity, equity and inclusion formed action plans in 2020 to fight hiring bias. To accomplish their new, loftier DEI goals, respondents plan to expand recruiting networks, partner with equity-minded organizations, and recruit from diverse student bodies.

Key takeaway: The future of hiring must focus on equity. With many organizations planning rehiring campaigns for 2021, the opportunity for meaningful change is here. Increased applicant volumes are a minefield for unconscious bias; but by removing split-second, subjective decisions about who moves to the next step in the process, hiring leaders can feel confident in hiring the most qualified person for the job.

Trend #3: Pivot toward process efficiencies

In 2020, hiring teams moved away from performing administrative tasks, and toward creating engaging, happy hiring experiences for candidates. Moving forward, hiring leaders want to spend less time on scheduling and more time on candidate engagement.

Key takeaway: Technology is the new team member in the room. When hiring teams are overwhelmed and understaffed, don’t just add to the headcount - consider automation instead. Doing so empowers your valuable hiring leaders to maximize time spent with candidates and minimize the time they spend scheduling interviews.

We believe the future holds less of a return to normal, and more of an invitation to make hiring better than it was before. See how you can leverage technology to make hiring faster, friendlier and more fair.

Download HireVue's 2021 Global Trends Report.

The State of Hiring Experience