The recruitment industry is going through a transitional phase as we enter a new age of work caused by the pandemic. Links’ Country Director, Keith Wong, gives his thoughts on the trends in the industry and how Links is preparing for the future.
1. Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Recruitment Industry?
The pandemic has definitely changed the way the recruitment industry works! In an industry that relies so much on social interaction and relationship building, COVID has restricted many of our common practices. Adaptability has now become the number one skill for recruiters, as all the shifting and changing in the business world is altering how everything operates.
Meetings and interviews have been moved to a virtual setting which is completely different to what recruiters are typically used to or trained for. We have had to retrain our recruiters on how to communicate with clients and provide consultations on how to advise candidates going through the new age recruitment process.
Market demands are also changing. A lot of industries are booming during the pandemic and the best recruiters are finding big opportunities to expand their client base and teams. Businesses in all functions are going through digital transformations, leading to a rise in demand for talent with tech-related expertise.
For example, we are seeing the strong need for eCommerce professionals in Sales and Marketing, HCM specialists in HR, Cybersecurity and Cloud Architect experts in IT. Our team has had to go the extra mile to identify the best talent in the niche talent pool and be able to recommend clients on local vs overseas talent to resolve their hiring needs.
2. How Does Links’ Culture Help with the Changes in Recruitment?
The trend of remote working plays into the culture at Links, as we have always believed in a trust-based management style with high levels of autonomy and independence. We want to give as much freedom as we can to our recruiters as we believe it fosters innovation.
Our aim is not to focus on KPIs and targets but to provide all the necessary resources to help our recruiters thrive. If our consultants are happy and enjoying their work, they will naturally develop exceptional recruitment skills and reach their full potential.
Sometimes the best management is less management. We don’t want to be micromanaging our staff, because to put it simply, no one likes that. It lowers employee engagement, restricts creativity, increases employee turnover and limits the growth of our business. It’s detrimental to both the business and the employee. We want to be as hands-off as possible and give our employees the flexibility to run it like their own business.
This doesn’t mean we aren’t there to help when needed. Anytime our team need help we are there to share best practices and act as a soundboard to help resolve their challenges. We’ve built a selfless and collaborative culture that makes it enjoyable for everyone in the team. Our purpose of work is to help our consultants uplift their enjoyment at work and have the best career prospects!
3. How You Are Gearing Up for the Future Changes in The Recruitment Industry?
In today’s world, providing your typical recruitment services is no longer enough! Clients are no longer looking for just a transactional service to fill headcount, they want us to have an in-depth understanding of their business goals, advise them on talent planning strategies, succession planning, as well as retention.
We have been gearing up for these demands by diversifying our services to increase client engagement levels and expanding our geographical coverage to 12 offices across APAC. We want to go above and beyond what other competitors can offer and position ourselves for the trends in the industry.
For example, we offer Outplacement services for clients going through restructuring which has proved to be very popular in the pandemic. We also have more clients enquiring about our Employee Assistance Programmes, as they realise that providing support for their workers during these unprecedented times has been crucial for keeping morale and productivity up.
We have also recently introduced Links Technologies due to many companies needing to revamp their operations through digital transformation. This tech consultancy service offers end-to-end technology solutions from consultation, implementation, and the completion of IT projects, with Links now being certificated by large software players, like SAP.
We are always looking to understand the needs of the market and our clients to adapt our business to the demands. Links feels optimistic about the next 10 years for the recruitment industry and believes there will be ample opportunities for anyone looking to start a career in recruitment. The ever-evolving business environment will always mean that talent will be at the heart of any company’s success, it is all about adapting to future changes and needs.
Want to Be at a Place That Offers the Perfect Work-Life Balance?
At Links, we aim to offer a great working environment that is flexible for the needs of all our employees. If you want to build a career in recruitment and the autonomy to manage your own projects, look no further!
Contact us now to learn more about the work culture here at Links and see what opportunities are currently available! Don’t wait and start your recruitment journey today!
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Links International is an industry leader in innovative HR outsourcing with services such as payroll outsourcing, visa application, PEO/EOR Secondment, outplacement, recruitment and more! Contact us for more information on how we can help leverage your HR function.
