With remote and hybrid work becoming so commonplace during the pandemic, the “war for talent” is taking on a very unique look in 2022.  That’s the finding of a recent study from Northeastern University, which suggests that executives need to significantly rethink their approach to hiring and retaining employees.

The researchers quizzed around 1,000 executives, who revealed that the pandemic has prompted an increase in investment in technologies such as AI.  They are also far more likely to utilize remote work in a strategic sense to allow them to tap into much bigger pools of workers.  This coincides with greater investment in training and development to try and address ongoing skills gaps.

“What’s really unique here are the shifts in behaviors, attitudes, preferences, and strategies of companies from all demographics,” the researchers explain.

A fresh approach

The study reinforces the clear trend towards digital acceleration during the pandemic, with investments in automation and AI continuing apace.  Alongside this investment, the respondents revealed a similar surge in support for training and recruitment to ensure that the workforce is equipped to work with these new technologies.

As has been evident throughout the pandemic, these are not new trends, but rather an acceleration of pre-existing trends.  They have nonetheless resulted in corporate priorities shifting somewhat.

“Prior to the pandemic, there was less of an investment in and retaining employees,” the authors explain. “Now, it appears that’s a top priority” for companies moving forward.”

Nowhere is this more evident than with remote working, with 62% of respondents saying that they were more likely to leverage remote working to significantly expand the talent pool available to them.  Indeed, over half of respondents said that hiring people who work primarily remotely will be a key part of their recruitment strategy in the year ahead.