In 2024, 56% of recruiters say they often use videoconferencing during their recruitment (compared to 25% in 2017). Tomorrow, will we all recruit via video?
Benoît Serre: Hybrid recruitment will continue, because it facilitates processes and allows access to a larger pool of candidates. On the other hand, I do not believe in the future of 100% remote recruitment. In a world that increasingly values soft skills, physical meetings are a necessary step, especially in the last stage of the recruitment process.
As for hybrid work, the model mainly adopted by companies is based on a balanced remote/face-to-face mix. What do we think of the calls for a return to the office relayed in the media?
B.S : Some leaders are now calling for better structuring of telework, but they will not eliminate it. I find it hard to believe that we will go back, it remains to be admitted that it takes time to adapt to this change in working methods, particularly in terms of management.
After the upheavals linked to the health crisis, are employees now looking for stability?
B.S : Two years ago, there were fears that the Great Resignation would affect France after the United States. But it didn’t happen with us. Particularly because the permanent contract is the norm in our labor market and offers a form of job security. On the other hand, we have witnessed a large movement of professional mobility. After the health crisis, the rate of employment growth exceeded economic growth, due to a drop in our productivity. We are no longer in this situation today. This change in context has an impact on recruitment projects, but as soon as economic activity picks up again and demographic effects come into full play, the job market will resume its old dynamics.
What HR issues arise from this situation?
B.S : The real problem for companies is to succeed in retaining their employees, at least for three or four years. This is crucial in a context of an aging population and concentration of needs in professions where candidates are rare. To do this, they have several cards to play: remuneration, development prospects, the quality of onboarding, the quality of management and the development of access to training. In the past, in a context of mass unemployment, people’s obsession was to have a job. Today, their priority is to have a job that interests them, offers good conditions, in a working environment that they like and is fairly compensated.
Are companies moving towards a model more in line with the expectations of candidates and employees?
B.S : Yes, because they are pragmatic: these transformations of work and management are inevitable. The health crisis has only accelerated these developments. Companies are looking to innovate on onboarding, on the employee experience. It will take a few years, but management models will be rejuvenated.
How will HR be doing in 2024?
B.S : HR is everywhere! They are tackling vast reorganization projects, they anticipate the fact that we could find ourselves in a delicate economic situation and they express concerns about the gap between the expected skills and the skills actually present on the labor market. Some also feel like they have been demoted within their organization after occupying a central position during the health crisis. But that’s far from the majority.
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