46% of professionals admit that recruitment is now taking longer than a year ago. Employers are making more cautious decisions and the processes are more complex.
The ambiguous situation in the labor market has not halted companies’ activity, but lengthened recruitment processes. According to a July report by Hays “Labor market 2024. Biannual review of trends,” 84% of organizations plan to recruit in the near future, which is only 3 percentage points less than a year ago. However, a more significant difference is noticeable in the length and complexity of recruitment processes. Up to 46% of specialists and managers say that they are currently more time-consuming.
Recent activity in the Polish labor market has declined. Although there are fewer offers than at the peak of the recruitment boom, employers are not planning to fully give up on hiring, and candidates continue to search for new, more attractive career opportunities. Both parties, however, are looking toward the future with more caution. This means that changing jobs is a more demanding project, which often takes longer than a year ago.
More time needed to change jobs
Although most specialists and managers do not plan to change jobs in the second half of 2024, many declare a willingness to consider attractive professional offers. In addition, there are plenty of people planning to change their place of employment over the next 6 months – this is nearly 1/4 of respondents in the Hays “Labor market 2024. Biannual review of trends” research. This is due to not only the desire for higher remuneration or better development opportunities, but also job cuts and uncertainty about their future at their current workplace.
The conditions accompanying the change of employment are currently less favorable than in the same period in 2023. This is confirmed by the latest Hays Poland study, conducted in July among over 800 specialists and managers. Almost half, 46% of respondents think that recruitment processes are currently longer than a year ago. 19% disagree with this view, and 35% cannot give a clear answer to this question.
Karolina Szyndler, Senior Director at Hays Poland, notices that the lengthening of recruitment processes is a phenomenon currently affecting almost every industry. “Employers conducting recruitment want to be sure that they are making the best possible choice, and the risk associated with hiring a new person will be minimized. As a result, decision-making processes may be prolonged, and candidates – who used to receive cooperation proposal often on the same day, or even during the first recruitment interview – currently have to arm themselves with greater patience.”
No room for ill-considered decisions
The fact that recruitment processes are currently longer than a year ago is not due to employers’ malevolence. On the contrary, organizations are aware that search for candidates taking too long is less effective. However, they currently operate under more demanding business conditions, which directly affect the course of recruitment.
Both sides can be intransigent
Hays’ research shows that the most common reason for changing jobs is the level of remuneration. Professionals receiving a new job offer want potential risks associated with its acceptance to be compensated with more attractive salaries. However, employers’ offers often do not meet this condition and negotiating is currently more difficult than a year ago, which is noticed by nearly 1/4 of the study’s respondents.
The current situation and moods prevailing in the market indicate that the upcoming months will probably see equally thoughtful and comprehensive recruitment processes. Although for candidates actively striving for a job change this can be frustrating, a job offer preceded by a thorough analysis on the part of the employer may work in their favor – increasing the probability of stable and successful cooperation.
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/sytuacja-na-rynku-pracy-wydluza-procesy-rekrutacyjne-66396
