Recruiters and talent management professionals face many challenges in the months ahead. Austerity remains the byword for many businesses and the need to balance short-term security with developments aimed at future growth is a high priority for many. This will influence the recruitment and talent management industry in a number of ways.<br />
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For many businesses, balancing short-term survival with the need for a long-term development strategy will be a prime target as they struggle to rise out of the economic mire. This balancing act will include a need to attract talent to cover short-term needs and meet longer term projections. In recent times, fiscal constraints have seen this aspect of business development neglected, but in 2013 more businesses are expected to shift their focus. And, while they may not recruit in the same numbers as they have in the past, they will seek to identify and recruit critical staff in the face of stiff competition.<br />
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As businesses seek to build a presence in the global arena, they will be looking for talent where they see markets emerging and they will treat job candidates as clients in an effort to attract the best prospects. With a view to the future, they will also seek to locate and identify talent that they might be able to exploit later once the fiscal restraints that prevent employment at the present time have eased.<br />
Workforce planning will be a major consideration in the year ahead. In a highly competitive atmosphere, businesses will need to adopt strategies designed to retain essential staff. Workers have been left exhausted by economic uncertainty; many feel insecure; and, many feel that their employers lack commitment to them.<br />
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This means that businesses need to make an effort to engage employees in the company. They will need to help their employees achieve their full potential and goals by implementing development plans, concentrating on internal mobility and up skilling existing employees. Those seeking to offer solutions to staffing questions will therefore need to be not only highly innovative but also to implement these innovations to stay competitive.<br />
There is also expected to be an increasing diversity of employees in the workplace. For example, areas that were once dominated by men will see far more women assuming roles. In addition there will be greater cultural diversity among workers, reflecting society as a whole, so human resources providers will be expected to meet this trend.<br />
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In conclusion then, recruitment and talent management specialists can expect to see the following:<br />
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<li>Targeted recruitment and the identification of talent for possible future development, including on a global scale</li>
<li>Increased in-house development and engagement of employees to retain and realise the full potential of existing staff</li>
<li>Innovative recruitment and development strategies</li>
<li>Greater diversity in the workplace</li>
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<p>We predict that in an increasingly complex and globalised business world, only recruitment companies such as Randstad which understand and can respond effectively to these trends will stay ahead of the competition.</p>