Three Key Staffing Trends Drive Increased Opportunities for Staffing Agencies

Staffing and recruiting professionals who have weathered the interesting economic conditions experienced in the past year may already be experiencing some key trends. However, other people may be just beginning to notice the subtle changes to the market which will make having the right recruiting software critical. According to a study from technology staffing firm Yoh (a Bond International Staffing and Recruiting Software customer), 88 percent of major U.S. employers surveyed expect that their 2013 rate of hiring will meet or exceed the rate of 2012. Of the companies that answered positively for increasing hiring within those 12 months, 83 percent predicted that they will increase staffing levels by at least 3 percent, reported the Society for Human Resource Management.

The survey was administered by Amplitude Research during January 2013 and used the responses of 150 human resource executives and hiring managers at some of the largest employers in the nation. Each of the companies surveyed had revenues of at least $750 million and a workforce of at least 1,500 people.

“The optimism evident in our [study] is tempered by persistent economic uncertainty and operational efficiency that has reduced demand for workers,” said Yoh President Lori Schultz in a statement about the findings, according to the source. “In addition, as the workforce grows more complex through, for example, the use of contract labor, a majority of organizations will be left flat-footed since they haven’t adjusted their workforce planning habits to account for this complexity. Now more than ever, systematic workforce planning is crucial to quickly sourcing, recruiting and hiring top performers.”

While there are still concerns over the economy due to the slow climb from the recession, many businesses and staffing and recruiting professionals are finding that the change may be slow, but it is happening.

Here are three key trends you may or may not already be noticing:

1) Increased contingent forces. Almost every staffing and recruiting professional will say that they are seeing an increased number of contingent, temp and part-time work being offered. This trend is being seen in both the service and professional services sectors as employers look for greater flexibility. In the IT sector, the use of contingent labor has proven successful as those workers gain higher salaries and greater control over what projects they work on instead of traditional benefits. Other professional industries are looking to adopt this model to boost employment numbers. As this trend develops, utilizing the best staffing and recruiting software will position your agency for success.

2) Competition is fierce for top talent. Due to the increased usage of contingent labor for projects, companies are finding, especially in certain industries, that there is a lot of competition for workers. For jobs like occupational therapy in healthcare and infrastructure development engineering for IT, there is a dearth of qualified personnel who have the talent, experience and personality for the job. As a result, staffing and recruiting professionals who work in these sectors are being forced to compete, offering these workers competitive benefits and interesting projects to lure them away from other potential jobs. The right staffing and recruiting software will ensure that you are able to stay competitive in these sectors.

3) Companies are struggling with workforce planning. According to the study from Yoh, many companies report that they struggle with workforce planning. Recruiters and staffing professionals outfitted with unified staffing and recruiting software can provide a comprehensive consultation service to these organizations and help meet their needs.

While many of the companies who were surveyed reported that they intend to increase hiring in 2013, only 13 percent had a workforce plan with defined standards and milestones. By hiring a staffing professional, a company can better create a step-by-step workforce plan that could better reduce risks associated with bringing onboard a large number of people in a short amount of time.