As we enter 2016, experts in every industry are beginning to offer their predictions for the coming year. The latest come from Futurestep, the recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) division of Korn Ferry, concerning recruitment and hiring.

“Today companies are taking an even more strategic approach to talent acquisition, becoming increasingly inventive to attract and retain valuable candidates,” says Byrne Mulrooney, CEO of Futurestep. “While 2015 indicated the start of this thoughtful attitude to hiring, next year we expect this approach to pay off as organizations start to see the fruits of their labor.”

Several trends that Mulrooney and Futurestep believe will shape the global recruitment and talent management industry in 2016 include:

Candidates in the driver’s seat

McKinsey's 2015 Global Growth Model study found that from 2005-2015, there were three times as many workers as retirees. By 2025, the ratio of workers to retirees will be 1:1, making the candidate pool much smaller. Couple that with a need for specialized employees, especially in the technology and life sciences fields, and it is clear candidates are in the driver’s seat, Mulrooney explains.

“Often entertaining multiple job offers, workers are choosing the employer whose values align with their own and one that lays out a clear path to career advancement for them – making a strong employer brand critical to winning the best talent,” he says.

Investment hiring to edge out competition

Companies are increasingly looking beyond just the skills and background workers bring to the table. Instead, they are hiring people with the right traits and motivations who can be trained on-the-job for professions from software coding to customer service. More often than in the past, these employers are becoming less adamant about hiring only college graduates and are evaluating people on their ability to perform in the future, Mulrooney says.

Embracing diversity proving key to growth

While equal opportunities in the workplace have always been important, employers more than ever must view equality as a true necessity. This year, organizations began to understand the real value of minority groups, including women and veterans. Moving forward in 2016, they will receive even more attention. New data constantly supports why diversity positively impacts business performance and in 2016 employers will begin to see its impact.

Smart data to source, develop talent

Metrics like time-to-hire, cost-per-hire and source-of-hire, though still operational metrics, are now simply table stakes. Many employers today are hiring full-time analysts to mine for more in-depth talent metrics, including analysis of competitor talent pools to find candidates with the right skills who have potential to join their organization. 

In addition, employers are using data to capture a "whole-person" analysis of candidates to determine if they have the competencies, experiences, traits and drivers to succeed. When hired, this type of data can help guide individualized development programs.

Streamlined HR tech enabling centralized global recruitment

Increasing globalization has been the catalyst for many organizations to consolidate their HR function, acknowledging it as a shared service in line with IT and finance – the ultimate aim being to align talent with wider business strategies and improve operational efficiency. HR technology will become more streamlined as clients turn from multiple HR technology vendors to bundling their Human Capital Management, Applicant Tracking Systems and video interviewing, all on one platform, Mulrooney says.

Candidate concierge experience

Talent acquisition leaders are more conscientious of the candidate experience and 2016 will see a rise in adoption of new services and investments designed to make a lasting impression on future employees, according to Mulrooney. Services will become more personalized as the likes of Candidate Concierge services come into play.

Here, candidates are sent a link to download an app for their mobile device that would offer GPS guidance to the exact location of an interview, a complete rundown of with whom they will speak, and, when on the corporate campus, geo-location beacons that send notifications as candidates pass campus landmarks.

Talent from within: a true asset

Instead of focusing outside of their organizations for talent, many companies are integrating formal internal mobility programs with dedicated portals for employees to learn about opportunities and share their interests and abilities. Sourcing internally has its benefits, from a shorter time to productivity – existing employees already have an understanding of the business – to lower staffing costs, which as a result means better financial performance.

Grad recruiting for today, into the future

College recruiting is more prevalent than it’s been since the great recession, Mulrooney says. Employers see grads as a strategic asset because they bring new, fresh thinking, drive innovation and change, and can immerse themselves and ‘seed’ the culture of the organization, making them “home-grown talent.” If they don’t have all of the needed skills and experiences, they can be trained on the job. In addition, graduate hires can create a sustainable managerial/executive pipeline of high-potential talent.

Get the latest news in recruiting delivered straight to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to HR Dive: Recruiting.