Reflecting on a Year of Opportunity

As the year winds down and holidays approach, it's a season for celebration but also reflection. I am so grateful for the incredible companies, HR professionals and hiring managers I've connected with this year. It’s been a year of growth, resilience and opportunity.

This is a great time of year to assess your hiring goals and strategies for 2025. With that in mind, in this month’s newsletter — my last for the year — looking back at the biggest changes in HR this past year, plus how you can buffer your odds with a recruiter. Read on.

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐑

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the major shifts and milestones that defined the HR landscape in 2024.

The rise of AI in HR: AI became essential for automating certain AI tasks, personalizing employee experiences and supporting decision-making.

Focus on employee wellbeing: Mental health initiatives, in particular, took center stage, with a lot of organizations invested in programs promoting psychological safety and resilience in uncertain times.

A lot of fluctuation in work models: With organizations striving to balance flexibility and collaboration within their workforces, some companies took it to extremes — either demanding all their people come back to work, STAT, or making work even more flexible for modern employees.

The influence of Gen Z: Incoming folks new to the workforce brought fresh priorities on meaningful work, mental health and values alignment.

Pay transparency initiatives: More organizations adopted pay transparency, promoting equity and trust while navigating complex conversations about compensation.

These are the trends I noticed as a recruiter at KIP Search. Now it’s your turn. What did I miss?

𝐁𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median tenure for US workers is currently down to 3.9 years, where a decade ago that number was 4.6.

It’s getting harder and harder to get good employees to stick around.

Of course, hiring the right people in the first place — people who aren’t just qualified and experienced, but are actually the right cultural and value-based fit for your company — is the key to improving your own retention stats.

As a recruiter for many years, I have a lot of experience matching job seekers up with the right roles — a skill that requires lots of practice as well as a pretty intuitive gut.

If you’re looking to fill a role you won’t want to have to fill again in 3.9 years, reach out today to get started on that search.

𝐆𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫

As we head into new year, it’s time to plan ahead for creating or expanding upon your dream team in 2025. Here are three things you can be doing to get organized around your hiring plans.

1. Review your upcoming hiring goals: What skills and roles will you need to achieve them?

2. Freshen up job descriptions: A periodic review of the various job descriptions you tend to reuse can help eliminate bias and appeal to a younger generation at the same time.

3. Collaborate with a recruiter: Share your vision so we can find candidates who align with your values and goals.

Here’s to wrapping up 2024 on a strong note and welcoming 2025 with excitement and purpose. Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season filled with peace, laughter and success.

2025 is going to be your year! Reach out today to organize your thoughts around hiring.