The Ultimate Checklist for Effective Talent Acquisition in 2024

This ultimate checklist will equip you with the key steps to build a robust TA strategy for 2024, ensuring you find the perfect fit for your organisation. Let’s dive in.

Organisational culture

Although pay remains a top priority for people, for many businesses, increasing wages simply isn’t an option. Those organisations must then focus on changing and improving their work culture to target other pain points. These include work-life balance and job security, of which 32% of UK workers are concerned about. No wonder just 9% are engaged at work.

Without engagement, workers simply don’t perform as well as they should, if they perform at all, preferring to work elsewhere. With the labour market set to remain tight for the foreseeable future, savvy HR leaders will look to increase trust from their employees by investing in a more open and transparent organisational culture, where well-being, communication, connection, and meaning are encouraged. Showcase what sets your company apart, from unique company culture initiatives to remote work options or employee wellness programmes. 

Remote work and the battle of the office

The pandemic made remote work the norm. Now, bosses are eager to drag workers back to the office. This has been met with hostility at best and mutiny at worst. Many studies show that people want to work from home at least some of the time due to a better work-life balance as well as time and money saved on the daily commute.

The good news for companies that want people back in the office is that 85% of employees currently working from home want a ‘hybrid’ approach of both home and office working in future. They don’t mind coming in if they’re given a legitimate reason to do so. No matter how good technology gets, it can never replace the connections that people forge in person, so HR leaders would be wise to schedule team meetings, lunches, conferences, and events to give employees the space to connect and grow.

Skills will become more important than jobs

Job vacancies in the UK have been on a steady decline for some time, as has the unemployment rate.  And with 8.70 million people aged 16–64 currently economically inactive, it’s no wonder that companies still struggle to find talent.

Forward-thinking organisations should take 2024 as the year that they embrace continual learning and development. This year, an effective talent acquisition strategy is more than just filling open positions. It involves investing in your team to develop their skills by attending conferences, webinars, and training sessions to stay ahead of the curve. After all, no one knows what skills your business needs better than you and your employees. Work with them to grow your next generation of leaders.

HR technology

2023 was the year of many things, but it truly was the start of the AI era. Now, many businesses can’t even imagine a world without this life-changing tool, with 76% of HR leaders believing that if their organisation does not adopt and implement AI solutions such as generative AI within the next 12 to 24 months, they will fall behind.

We can expect that attitude to only increase in 2024 as Generative AI continues to improve the lives of HR. Imagine chatbots effortlessly answering employee questions, personalised learning paths tailored to individual needs, and data-driven insights revealing the secrets of employee experience, turnover, and leadership development. 

The potential is exciting, but remember, the foundation still matters. Investing in robust data infrastructure and ensuring ethical AI implementation are crucial steps towards unlocking the true potential of this revolution. So, get ready to embrace the future of HR tech: a world where AI becomes your trusted partner in building a thriving, engaged, and future-proof workforce.

Automated reference checking

Finding the right talent is crucial as the battle for top talent increases and resources become ever more scarce. HR professionals, talent acquisition managers, and compliance officers across industries face the pressure of a fast-paced hiring process. This is where reference checking software comes in, offering a powerful tool to simplify and optimise your hiring game.

What is reference checking software? As the name suggests, it automates the time-consuming task of reference checks, eliminating phone tag and manual documentation. This software, also known as automated employment reference checking software, empowers you to gather and assess candidate information efficiently, boosting your hiring process.

Just some of the benefits of automating reference checks include:

• Efficiency: Save valuable time by automating reference requests and responses, freeing up your HR team for other critical tasks
• Accuracy: Reduce human error and ensure consistent, reliable information through automated reference checks
• Compliance: Stay compliant with strict regulations in industries like healthcare and hospitality by securely storing and retrieving reference records
• Improved Hiring: Gain deeper insights into candidates' backgrounds and make informed hiring decisions, leading to higher-quality talent
• Cost Savings: Reduce administrative expenses and minimise the risk of hiring the wrong person, saving your company money

Reference checking software is a game-changer for HR professionals. It accelerates the hiring process, enhances the quality of hires, and ensures compliance, giving HR professionals a competitive edge in the talent acquisition landscape.