HR and talent acquisition leaders must hire employees who can meet today’s demands while also addressing future business needs, even under unforeseen conditions. According to a Gartner survey of over 1,400 HR leaders across more than 60 countries, this challenge goes beyond simply filling roles; organizational culture and strategic workforce planning are equally important considerations as companies work to attract and retain top talent.
Building a workforce in this era requires future-focused thinking. “To me, fast-adapting talent acquisition means staying ahead of both macro labor market shifts and micro-level changes in candidate expectations, while being agile enough to adjust strategies in real time,” says Barbara Matthews, chief people officer at Remote—a global payroll and HR platform for distributed teams. She offers five strategies HR leaders can apply to stay competitive in their talent acquisition efforts.
A big mistake HR leaders make is assuming candidates prioritize compensation and titles above all else. Matthews says her org’s research reveals a stark reality, as reported by 2,000 full-time, desk-based U.S. workers. The survey found that job seekers prioritize “stable and reliable organizations, flexible work arrangements, and clear career growth and development paths.”
However, survey outcomes show a disconnect, revealing that only 17% said their employer currently provides sufficient resources and support to help them feel stable and motivated. This misalignment costs organizations top employees, as nearly three-fourths of companies surveyed in Remote’s Global Workforce Report acknowledged losing talent to organizations providing more flexible work options. The same research found that nearly all candidates considering job offers reported flexibility as a top factor for joining a new organization.
To meet the desires of job seekers, Matthews says, HR leaders must restructure their value proposition. Instead of leading with salary ranges and benefit packages, job postings should emphasize work/life balance, career development pathways and organizational stability.
“HR leaders should respond by moving their strategies away from ‘selling’ the job based on traditional incentives,” says Matthews. “Instead, they need to clearly showcase how their companies actively support employee wellbeing, career development and flexible work arrangements.”
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Talent acquisition for generational differences
The workplace now spans multiple generations, whose members likely have fundamentally different priorities. In fact, many organizations now have five different generations collaborating, an environment that some experts say requires a range of employee recruiting and engagement strategies.
Matthews has found that younger workers often prioritize maximum flexibility and work/life balance, whereas older generations may lean more toward traditional career progression and stability.
Rather than trying to apply one approach to all candidates, Matthews says, HR leaders need to develop different communication strategies for different generational cohorts. She recommends creating clear communication frameworks, even suggesting that HR professionals help their team members understand how best to keep in touch. She’s crafted a “personal ‘user manual’ of sorts as a manager, outlining my expectations of the team, feedback style and communication preferences.”
Integrate AI with human connection
Staffing firm Insight Global served more than 1,000 U.S.-based hiring managers in late 2024 and found that 99% of respondents said they use AI during the hiring process. The AI saturation in recruiting presents both urgent challenges and significant opportunities. Matthews points out that Remote’s Recruiting Report found that 65% of recruiters report a surge in AI-generated applications, with 73% of businesses encountering AI-generated resumes containing false information.
However, Matthews says, dismissing AI entirely puts HR teams at a competitive disadvantage. Strategically implemented AI can streamline administrative tasks, improve candidate-job matching, reduce unconscious bias and enhance overall efficiency. For international teams, AI can be invaluable in sourcing global talent by quickly identifying qualified candidates from unfamiliar markets.
HR leaders should start with automating repetitive tasks before advancing to tools that impact decision-making. “Aim to choose solutions that are built with transparency and fairness in mind,” says Matthews. She suggests HR leaders only use platforms that align privacy laws and standards with AI regulation. Most importantly, “all final hiring decisions remain firmly in human hands.”
Matthews believes AI’s true potential lies in eliminating time-consuming barriers, allowing HR staff to focus on what matters most. “You can start small, like automating the repetitive tasks first before advancing your approach with tools that impact decision-making,” she advises.
The organizations that will win the talent war are those that understand the new rules and adapt accordingly, according to Matthews. She suggests that HR leaders must apply AI thoughtfully to streamline efficiency in talent acquisition without compromising human judgment and empathy.
Create transparency for remote-first hiring
When candidates may never meet hiring staff in person, like at an all-remote firm like Matthews’, traditional relationship-building approaches may need to be revamped. She emphasizes that “a ‘no surprises’ culture means clearly setting expectations from the outset of the hiring process.”
Remote makes its employee handbook publicly available and Matthews says that job postings are descriptive, detailed and outline every step of the hiring process. This includes tidbits that job seekers want to know, including who they will speak to, what will be discussed, the hiring process steps, how long it will take for a decision to be made, benefits, salary and more. “We never lose sight of the human element of this job,” says Matthews.
When candidates do join the team, the onboarding process includes “deliberate, intentional coffee chats” so they can get to know their colleagues. Matthews says that recruiters and hiring managers prioritize frequent employee check-ins to understand what’s working—and what’s lacking—in their processes. “This approach builds trust, connection and clarity, crucial for remote teams,” she explains.
For organizations hiring across multiple regions, the challenge is maintaining consistency while respecting local expectations. Matthews manages this complexity by “establishing regional teams that operate under a unified global framework.” She explains that these teams leverage local insights to adapt hiring processes appropriately, meanwhile keeping up with Remote’s core values and standards.
Prepare for the wellbeing crisis
Declining employee wellbeing has created new challenges for talent acquisition globally. Gallup’s annual worldwide survey of worker quality of life shows that after several years of steady improvement, the percentage of employees who consider themselves thriving has dropped over the past two years—with two-thirds of more than 227,300 surveyed reporting they are struggling or suffering.
Matthews identifies a key reason for this as “the pressure to deliver greater impact and output has created a sense of instability for employees who once thrived in more supportive environments.”
HR leaders must address this reality both in their messaging and their actual support systems. Matthews and her team at Remote emphasize resilience-building within employee assistance programs, equipping employees to navigate stress and adapt to ongoing changes effectively. “If employees aren’t equipped to handle change, it becomes much harder for them to succeed in fast-evolving organizations.”
