No matter what kind of placements your agency specializes in, be it temporary or permanent, the cornerstone of its success is growth. But, when it’s your business to grow other companies by supplying them with talent, it can be easy to overlook your own agency’s evolution. The last year has brought a lot of challenges and changes to the staffing industry. We’ve seen continuing fall out from the pandemic as well as industry disruption caused by “The Great Resignation.” And, through it all technology continues to advance at a staggering rate. With this tumultuous year rapidly drawing to a close, it’s once again time to prepare for a new set of challenges and trends as we embark on 2022. For staffing agencies, planning for the future should be a constant, and to that end, here are Work4’s top tips to grow your staffing agency and stand out not only in the new year but in the years to come.
Stay on Top of Trends
Each year brings new changes, challenges, and trends to the staffing industry. In order to stay current in a constantly changing landscape, it’s necessary to adapt to trends, rather than resist them. In recent times we’ve seen an unprecedented acceleration in technology, a rise in remote work, and shifts in the priorities and needs of the workforce at large. Remember to remain flexible and open to exploring new tactics in order to stay ahead of the curve and on top of the competition. To find out what trends will be shaping the hiring market next year, register to attend our 2022 Hiring Trends You Need to Know webinar below or download our 2022 Hiring Trends Report.
Don’t Just Talk, Listen
In the last few years, employers have been affected by pandemic-induced changes just as much as job seekers. New restrictions and protocols have reshaped candidate expectations in both how they look for jobs and what they look for in job opportunities. Determining exactly what it is that each individual client and your candidates need won’t happen overnight. Now more than ever, it is important to understand how your clients have changed over the past year, what changes they are planning for in the year ahead and how they may continue to evolve in the future. Agencies that are able to listen to what their candidates and partners are looking for are better positioned to develop and maintain stronger working relationships. With each new relationship, client or candidate, take the time to listen to and understand what their needs and goals are. Based on current trends, here are some of the features that clients and candidates may be looking for in 2022:
Communication
Open, honest and transparent communication from their hiring partners. The modern work landscape is filled with uncertainty, communication is the key to developing trust with partners.
Diversity
Workplaces that value diversity, culture, and equality. During our trends survey, we found that diversification was the number two priority for recruiting managers, topped only by candidate nurturing.
Clear Mission and Values
Defining your company mission and values can help to better guide business decisions, inspire longevity in employees and enhance customer loyalty. Agencies who take the time to clearly define their mission and activate values to support them are better positioned for long-term success in today’s rapidly changing business climate.
Proven Practices
Hiring partners want to see that you have a robust and efficient recruiting system. One that can be relied on to provide top-quality hires, a reduced time to hire, and effective placements. If you need help getting this system in place, contact Work4 today. Our candidate lead generation system is an effective tool for efficiently sourcing candidates at scale.
Fine-tune Your Marketing Strategy
In the age of technology, as the workforce floods with digitally native candidates, one constant in the way that professionals look for partnerships and candidates look for work is through online search. In our recent surveys, we found that 93.4 percent of candidates say they use social media in their job searches. Additionally, 74 percent of recruiters say that they plan to increase the use of social media for the new year. Both job seekers and employers are spending a great deal of time online, so investing in digital marketing if you haven’t already is non-negotiable. According to one survey, 86 percent of recruiters feel that recruitment is becoming more like marketing. With that in mind, now is the time to fine-tune your strategies, assess what is and isn’t working, and adjust as needed. Two key things to keep in mind as you develop your marketing strategy include:
Employer Branding
As we approach a new year, it’s time to perform a search for your organization and audit what prospective candidates might see. The key to developing a strong presence is to enhance your credibility through Employer Branding. Find out what sites show up when your organization is searched as well as what current and previous employee reviews say about you. Take the time to respond to reviews. Even negative ones can be a positive with a well-written response. Studies show that 62% of job seekers say their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review.
Focus on Conversion Rates
The time it takes to create a marketing plan could be wasted effort if you still aren’t getting the candidates you need. Use conversion marketing to turn passive candidates into active leads while tracking your KPI’s. The top advantage of conversion marketing is the ability to drill down on analytics such as the number and source of applicants, specific channel conversion rates, hire rates by source, cost per lead, cost per applicant, and cost per hire. This type of marketing allows you to place your focus on your recruiting goals, by optimizing recruitment campaigns for your desired goal action.
Evaluate Your Technology
As we’ve said before, technology is advancing at a staggering rate. Now is the time to evaluate the technology your team uses for recruiting. Modern ATS systems offer features like job posting, email marketing, resume importing, and candidate tracking. API systems keep all of your tools working in sync and streamline recruiting processes. Ensure that your tech stack is agile, responsive, and doesn’t waste money or time on features you don’t use or need. You’ll also want to make sure that your clients know how your setup works or integrates and can use it effectively.
Retention vs Acquisition
When it comes to building and maintaining your customer base for 2022, focusing on fostering existing relationships will be just as important as acquiring new customers. In our recent survey, we found that employers will be highly focused on internal initiatives like employee retention. It follows suit then that client retention may prove to be an important strategy at a time when acquiring new customers may not always be easy. Look to initiatives that focus on building and maintaining client and candidate relationships to keep your company ahead in the new year.
Focus on the Long Term
As we prepare to leave 2021 behind and face 2022 it’s imperative to remember that if this last year has taught us anything it’s that anything can, and will, happen. But, that’s also what makes this such an exciting time to grow your staffing agency. The important thing is to have processes and plans in place to help mitigate crises and periods of insecurity as effectively as possible. Plan to be active, as changes happen, not reactive. In 2022 and beyond, both candidates and clients will be looking for partnerships with agencies that have not only taken the time to address current issues but also have a plan of attack in place, to handle a rapidly changing recruiting landscape.
While it’s not possible to predict everything your agency may face in 2022, you can future-proof your business by maintaining an agile and flexible business model and presenting your brand as one that is ready for anything. And, if you’re ready to move into the future with a partner who can help you reach your staffing and placement goals for 2022 and beyond, contact Work 4 today.
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