4 Job market trends coming in 2022

In the last two years, the Covid-19 Crisis has changed the job market in ways we’ve rarely seen before. Now, at the start of a new year, the effects of the pandemic are still having an impact, but it feels as if things are at least starting to settle down. Against the backdrop of the most disruptive time many of us have ever experienced, there are a number of questions around the job market trends that we can expect in 2022. 

What will remain and what will change in the job market this year? What should companies be looking out for when searching for skilled professionals? We’ve identified 4 major trends that we expect to see in 2022: 

1. Skills shortages will remain big issue in 2022

There’s no getting around it: the seach for suitable candidates in skilled jobs will not be easy for global companies this year, as the shortages that affected companies in 2021 will continue thanks to the needs of companies and the ever-increasing demands of candidates. 

The number of employees quitting their current position is higher than ever before – which naturally contributes enormously to the skills shortages since it puts more pressure on companies to offer what they think (or, more importantly, what their people think) their competitors can offer. Technology-based roles are particularly affected: digital security, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data analytics – all aspects that are needed for a digitalised economy are subsequently highly in demand and rely on specialist, knowledgeable, trained professionals to do them right. 

Against this background, it is even more important for employers to grant employees more freedom: flexible working, remote working and other such benefits are now expected by skilled workers and are a simple way to create a compelling work environment that can help you retain them. 

When it comes to sourcing new people with the right skills, it helps to look beyond your own industry network. The digitalised world means that skilled professionals aren’t necessarily limited to one area – just because a data specialist has worked in automotive their entire career, doesn’t mean those capabilities couldn’t translate to a similar role in energy. Knowing what you’re looking for and understanding what skills are transferable is going to be the key to getting past the skills shortage this year – and it helps to have a team of specialist recruitment professionals who know where to look.   

In 2022, the option of remote working and flexible working time models should be more than a matter of course. In addition to incentives in the form of interesting benefits, a competitive salary is also crucial to being seen as an attractive employer and attracting suitable candidates.

2. Home office culture grows - and increases salaries

In the wake of the pandemic, millions of people have now adapted to working from home and there are many who are now reluctant to return to the office full time. Concerns of the past (that people won’t work as hard if they think you can’t see them, that there’s no way to tell if they’re working, that people need formal structure and environments to remain professional) have been largely proved wrong and it’s now clear that many businesses can remain just as productive – if not more productive – when their teams are able to work from home, whether it’s all the time or part of the time. 

And of course the development of new COVID-19 variants and resulting precautionary measures in many countries means that many are still concerned about going back to a busy office.  

All this is to say that in 2022, the option of remote working and flexible working time models should be a matter of course. 

This does of course impact the other ways you’re able to offer benefits. With people working from home, it’s harder to retain a good company culture that is so important to being seen as an attractive employer brand and retaining great people. If you want to ensure you’re attracting the best talent, you’ll need to offer other incentives. And very often that can simply come down to offering higher salaries. 

In addition to incentives in the form of interesting benefits, a competitive salary is also crucial to being seen as an attractive employer and attracting suitable candidates.

Job trend number 2, however, also predicts a change in salary structures: the ever-increasing offer of remote working for employees does not only come with advantages for companies. On the one hand, mobile working does allow companies to hire top candidates who are not from the region - on the other hand, remote working has become a standard and more and more employers are advertising home office jobs. Companies are thus forced to offer further incentives to keep up with the competition: First and foremost, a higher salary.

3. Lack of diversity unacceptable for more and more candidates

One trend that is not derived from the pandemic is the requirement to showcase yourself as a diverse and inclusive employer. And this really isn’t a trend, it’s a massive cultural shift that aims to reset the scales for a more equal work environment for the future. 

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace has been a prominent topic for a few years now, and it’s no longer uncommon to find annual D&I reports or updates on initiatives on company homepages. This has now created expectations that you will have to prove you can live up to if you want to be seen as a positive employer. 

Candidates are increasingly looking to work in an inclusive and diverse environment. While many companies around the world are committed to transparency, the reality is that on many executive floors there is still very little diversity: Most of the higher positions are still occupied by men, and in terms of the age of men and women, many companies are still a long way from achieving diversity. 

Candidates know to look for these things now, so the quicker you can make those positive changes the better chance you’ll have of finding and retaining those people. Those who do not at least invest in D&I measures in 2022 risk being seen as a less attractive employer. 

4. Increasingly diverse types of work 

Labour market trend number 4 describes the ever-increasing diversity of work types: freelance, contract work, project work and one-off assignments or self-employment - all these options are becoming more popular. This is mainly because, in light of recent events, more and more people want more flexibility, for which regular hourly jobs are no longer sufficient.  

Part of this is down to stability – those who have always worked full-time jobs have suddenly found them much less secure than they expected following the turbulence of the last two years. And part of it is simply a reaction to having spent more time focusing on what they want. Torn away from the routine of day-in, day-out work and having spent more time at home, finding new ways to occupy themselves, people are turning away from the traditional perceptions of a normal work life and are putting more focus on freedom. Freedom to take on projects as and when they see fit, freedom to work wherever they want, freedom to work at different times of the day. 

Whether it’s shorter contracts, flexible working hours or the ability to work across different projects – maybe even with the chance to develop new skills in different areas – the more flexibility you can offer, the more attractive your employer brand is going to be. 

How to attract and hire suitable candidates despite change

If you want to find talented professionals quickly despite change and obstacles, you should turn to an experienced recruitment company with specialist teams who can source the best candidates for your role. With our extensive global network of Technology and Advanced Engineering experts, our proven search methodology and our international client base, Amoria Bond can help you find the best candidates.

Our role is not just to place, but to work collaboratively with you to understand your specific requirements and offer specialised recruitment services, well beyond headhunting. From market and competitor analysis to optimising the entire recruitment process, we cover the full cycle your new hire needs: whether it’s freelance, project work or permanent.

All these aspects ensure a shortened recruitment time, lower recruitment costs and an improvement in the overall quality of the process. Don't hesitate to contact our experienced recruitment consultants today to learn more about our Best Service and take off in 2022 with the best Technology or Advanced Engineering professionals.