Bullhorn – GRID Talent Trends Report

Providing an incredible talent experience has never been more important. Here’s what today’s talent expect from staffing firms in 2023 and beyond.

Introduction

What does it take to produce a loyal, engaged talent community? Consistent engagement and smart use of technology, to start. We surveyed 2,000+ global temp workers on their experiences working with staffing and recruitment firms in 2022 to produce this year’s GRID Talent Trends Report.

Read on to discover:

  • Why do workers choose one staffing firm over another?
  • How do workers want recruiters to reach out to them and how often?
  • What problems are most damaging to the talent experience?

Recruitment Industry Sentiment

Temp workers consider reputation and personal experience when choosing an agency to work with, but many report a poor recent experience with their agency. Workers who report a strong talent experience are significantly more likely to work with their agency again.

Choosing an Agency: Reputation Matters

What is the primary reason you choose to work with your specific staffing firm/recruitment agency?

Roughly half of respondents chose their agency based on the strength of the role; the other half cite positive associations with the agency — with the reputation of the agency itself exceeding interactions with any individual recruiter.

Expectations for Recruiters: Opportunities and Expertise

 

What is the greatest value a recruiter can add to your experience?

What do candidates expect out of working with a recruiter? A streamlined job placement process tops the list, but the human touch is also a major consideration.

Staffing Firm Loyalty: Talent Experience Impacts Redeployment Opportunities

Would you work again with your staffing agency with the right role?

57% say they would work with their most recent agency again, but the experience on a worker’s most recent assignment heavily impacted responses. Workers who reported a strong talent experience throughout the lifecycle were six times as likely to consider future opportunities with their firm.

Talent Experience Throughout the Lifecycle

Talent cite a variety of challenges throughout the lifecycle, but communication and efficiency are among the most important factors in determining a positive experience. Agencies that leverage technology and engagement best practices throughout the talent lifecycle are significantly better positioned to attract and retain talent.

Communication Preferences: Choosing the Right Channel

What is your top preference for how recruiters reach out to you on assignment?

Email is the most popular communication method of choice during the hiring process and while on assignment, but it’s not the only one. Understanding candidate preferences matters: When recruiters don’t reach out via the preferred communication channel, respondents were twice as likely to say they wouldn’t work with that firm again.

Communication Preferences: Frequent Outreach Throughout the Lifecycle

How often would you like your recruiter to reach out?

Three out of five of workers want recruiters to reach out at least once a week, but less than 45% say their recruiters reach out that often. Agencies may want to consider technology to automate certain communications to better meet candidate needs.

66%

of candidates say they’ve given up on a promising opportunity because it took too long

Talent Lifecycle Challenges: Every Stage Matters

Top 5 Most Common Problems Throughout the Talent Lifecycle

Talent report challenges from onboarding through redeployment, but poor communication and limited responsiveness rank among the most common challenges plaguing candidates, with roughly a third reporting poor experiences in the aforementioned areas in their most recent assignment.

Talent Experience Dealbreakers: Communication and Onboarding Problems Leave an Impression

Top 5 Problems Most Correlated With a Poor Talent Experience

Infrequent recruiter responsiveness and onboarding issues were heavily correlated with a negative overall talent experience, as workers who weren’t trained for a role were 124% more likely to report a poor experience with the firm. Additionally, workers who reported multiple problems were significantly less likely to work with a firm again than those who reported any one challenge.

Redeployment: Major Missed Opportunity?

Did your firm reach out to you while on an assignment about future opportunities before your assignment end date?

A third of respondents say their recruiter didn’t reach out about future opportunities, including 20% of workers who actively wanted to work with their firm again.

Conclusion

Despite an ever-evolving jobs landscape, the thriving recruitment industry still offers ample room for growth to agencies that can find and retain top talent. Which agencies are best-positioned to create a loyal, growing talent pool? The findings suggest that consistent engagement tailored to the communication needs of each candidate is essential. Likewise, costly onboarding mistakes can permanently sour a worker’s experience with a recruitment agency. Agencies that leverage technology to provide a personal, streamlined experience are likely to see increased redeployment opportunities and a bolstered reputation, providing a major competitive edge when it comes to winning and retaining talent.

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