Recruiting In A Hybrid Working Era

Recruiting in the hybrid working era is challenging. HR has had to rethink hiring processes, blending traditional recruitment methods with virtual hiring tools. Here we give some guidance to help you re-engineer how your organisation’s recruits.

What Is Hybrid Recruiting?

Hybrid recruiting is all about blending virtual tools with traditional hiring strategies to create smarter processes.

For example, the global pandemic meant companies were forced to increasingly depend on hiring software and connected platforms to build and manage talent relationships. But, post-pandemic, face-to-face engagement has made a comeback.

Hybrid recruiting is about taking advantage of all available methods. Top businesses pick the combination of old and new to best serve their recruiting process. By combining technology with traditional hiring methods, employers can reach and connect to a broader talent pool.

Trends Emerging From This New Era Of Recruiting

A Balance Between Old And New

Virtual interviews and using automated screening save companies time and money during recruitment. But, the human aspect is still a necessary part of this process.

Hybrid recruiting combines technology and software resources with traditional methods like in-person interviews and job fairs.

Recruiting From A Wider Field

With the right recruitment software and management tools, employees can be recruited entirely independently of the employer’s location. This means businesses now have access to a bigger talent pool. Unfortunately, long-distance recruiting has also seen an increase in employees being poached by companies with more attractive employment offers.

Less Time In The Office

In most cases, the traditional function of office space is changing - the new normal trends towards flexible office hours. Employees may work from home and come into the office a few days a week.

Tips For Recruiting In A Hybrid Working Era

Make The Most Of Available Recruiting Tools

You can use various recruiting resources at different steps of the hiring process. For example, virtual screening technology can help you sift through large numbers of applications and single out suitable candidates. Tools such as AI for resume scanning or candidate questionnaires can ensure that you only see pre-qualified applicants for in-person interviews and skill assessments.

Show Transparency

In this hybrid work environment, transparency is important. Being clear about expectations and emphasising organisational goals helps reduce future problems between employees and employers.

Define employee expectations and be open about issues like salary and work hours. Provide as much information as possible before an interview through detailed job adverts.

Let Feedback Drive Change

Gathering feedback through ratings, feedback forms, and interactive surveys helps identify and rectify any issues with the recruiting process. The organisation can then make real-time changes to improve the recruitment strategy and keep up with ongoing change.

The Human Element in Digital Recruitment

You know what's fascinating about modern recruiting? Despite all our fancy tech tools, the human connection remains critical. I've seen this firsthand—companies investing thousands in AI-powered screening only to realise they're missing that spark of authentic interaction. It matters.

Connect deeply.

Working with recruitment teams across industries, I've noticed how the best ones maintain warmth even through digital channels. They've mastered the art of making candidates feel valued—whether they're sitting across a desk or connecting through a screen halfway around the world.

The recent "Hidden Recruitment Factors Report" by TalentScope (published just this January) found that candidates who experienced at least one meaningful human interaction during the recruitment process were 43% more likely to accept offers—even when competing offers had higher compensation packages! Isn't that revealing about what truly drives decisions?

When redesigning your recruitment approach, think about creating moments of genuine connection—like sending personalised video messages instead of template emails, or having impromptu "coffee chats" with promising candidates before formal interviews. These touchpoints—casual yet purposeful—can transform the experience.

I remember talking with a tech recruiter who told me, "The applications where I sense real enthusiasm are the ones I fight for"... which made me wonder how many qualified candidates we miss because their humanity gets filtered out by our processes.

Balancing High-Tech and High-Touch

Let's be honest—recruitment has become overwhelmingly digital, and sometimes that's left candidates feeling like they're shouting into the void. Have you ever applied for a position and heard absolutely nothing back? It's disheartening, right?

Technology should amplify human connection—not replace it. The most successful organisations I've worked with use automation for the repetitive stuff while protecting time for meaningful interactions. They might use AI to handle initial screening, but they ensure personalised feedback loops exist throughout the process.

Consider building what I call "humanity checkpoints" into your recruitment workflow—designated moments where a real person reviews decisions or reaches out to candidates. These pauses in the automated journey can make all the difference between a process that feels cold and one that resonates with potential talent.

According to the niche "Workforce Experience Barometer" published by BrightSide Analytics in November 2024, companies that implemented these human checkpoints saw candidate satisfaction scores increase by 27%—and recruitment efficiency didn't suffer! Sometimes slowing down actually speeds things up in the long run.

Remember—technology is your toolkit, not your replacement. The future of hybrid recruiting isn't about choosing between digital efficiency and human warmth—it's about thoughtfully blending both to create experiences that attract the right people to your organisation.

What's your approach? Finding this balance takes practice—and it's worth every effort.

We're Here To Help

graylink's digital talent solutions can help you source in-demand candidates and take the hassle out of the initial searching and screening process. Get in touch for a demo on our Neptune software - a recruitment CRM that helps to ensure efficiency and compliance in the recruiting process, or txthr, our chatbot for improved talent engagement.