As we reach the mid-way point for 2024, hiring managers are beginning to look towards trends in 2025 in an attempt to get a head start. The landscape of hiring has seen significant changes driven by technological advancements, workforce changes, and the global change towards sustainability and inclusivity. For companies in New Zealand, staying ahead of these trends is crucial to attract top talent in the coming months and years. Here are our top 5 hiring trends that we believe will shape the future of recruitment in 2025.
✓ Stay ahead of the hiring demand for tech skills, as they will increase in 2025.
✓ Offering hybrid/remote work is likely to be the norm by 2025.
✓ DEI will continue to be an important part of a company.
✓ The gig economy will continue to rise in 2025, make sure to utilise it.
✓ Promoting sustainability will attract top candidates.
To the surprise of no one, the digital boom continues to accelerate, and businesses across New Zealand are increasingly seeking candidates with strong digital skills. From data analytics and cybersecurity to artificial intelligence and blockchain, the demand for tech-savvy professionals is skyrocketing. Whilst the demand for direct tech positions like software developers in tech is clear, this trend is not confined to the tech industry alone. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, and retail are also increasingly looking for employees who can navigate digital tools and platforms, or develop specialised software in these industries.
As the demand for tech roles rises, the cost of acquiring talent in this area will follow suit. Therefore, investing in identifying and recruiting talent with diverse digital skills is a great way to stay ahead. Another great strategy is to upskill your current tech employees, offering resources, workshops, and incentives to help them learn new and emerging tech skills that are relevant to your company industry and future goals.
The pandemic has left a permanent change in the way people work. With a hybrid model of work becoming the norm, employees now expect flexibility in where and how they work. With this becoming a necessity for lots of job seekers, companies are responding by offering remote and hybrid work options in hopes of attracting and retaining top talent. This is particularly relevant to Kiwi businesses, as we value our work-life balance highly.
To make sure you don’t fall behind in what is expected from employees, it’s the norm to offer flexible work arrangements. When posting job openings, make sure you highlight remote and hybrid work models at your organisation. Alongside this, developing effective remote work policies and investing in tools that facilitate collaboration and communication in a hybrid work environment will mean that you’re not only fulfilling the needs of employees in terms of work structure, but also in collaboration and company culture.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has seen the shift from being a corporate buzzword to a critical part of businesses. This is a sign that companies are recognising the value of diverse and inclusive teams in driving innovation and better decision-making. In 2025, we expect DEI to be at the forefront of recruitment strategies, with businesses actively seeking to build a work environment that includes everyone.
Implement DEI-focused recruitment practices within your organisation. This includes conducting a thorough review of your hiring process to identify and eliminate any biases present. You can also promote job opportunities to diverse talent pools or work with organisations that support underrepresented groups.
As we have covered in our previous blog here, the gig economy is flourishing. With more and more professionals opting to freelance over traditional employment every day. This shift can also benefit companies, allowing for greater flexibility and access to more talent. In New Zealand, the gig economy is expected to grow as businesses look for specialised skills on a project-by-project basis.
You can consider incorporating freelance and contract workers into your workforce strategy. Whilst having in-house talent is important, specific skills that may only be required for one project can be fulfilled by a contract worker without having to undergo a costly recruitment process. We encourage you to start building a network of reliable freelancers and contract workers that may be required in the future.
Sustainability and ethics are increasingly important to both companies and candidates. In 2025, we expect businesses to demonstrate their commitment to environmental and social responsibilities. This may be in the form of adopting sustainable hiring practices, like having virtual interviews, or by hiring for specific green roles to optimise the sustainability of their organisation. To discover which green careers are on the rise, see our blog here.
To attract candidates who are increasingly focused on the sustainability of the companies they apply to, you should incorporate sustainability into your hiring process. Make sure you highlight your company’s CSR initiatives in job postings and during interviews. You can also educate your current team on the importance of sustainability to create a company culture that supports it.
Recruitment in New Zealand is changing rapidly, and staying ahead of this is essential. By focussing on digital skills, embracing hybrid work models, prioritising DEI, leveraging the gig economy, and adopting sustainable practices, you will be positioned to stay ahead of the trends and attract top talent in 2025 and beyond.
If you’re looking to increase your hiring efforts, need HR support or are interested in more insights and updates in the world of NZ recruitment, please reach out to us at Paragon Recruitment
As we reach the mid-way point for 2024, hiring managers are beginning to look towards trends in 2025 in an attempt to get a head start. The landscape of hiring has seen significant changes driven by technological advancements, workforce changes, and the global change towards sustainability and inclusivity. For companies in New Zealand, staying ahead of these trends is crucial to attract top talent in the coming months and years. Here are our top 5 hiring trends that we believe will shape the future of recruitment in 2025.
✓ Stay ahead of the hiring demand for tech skills, as they will increase in 2025.
✓ Offering hybrid/remote work is likely to be the norm by 2025.
✓ DEI will continue to be an important part of a company.
✓ The gig economy will continue to rise in 2025, make sure to utilise it.
✓ Promoting sustainability will attract top candidates.
To the surprise of no one, the digital boom continues to accelerate, and businesses across New Zealand are increasingly seeking candidates with strong digital skills. From data analytics and cybersecurity to artificial intelligence and blockchain, the demand for tech-savvy professionals is skyrocketing. Whilst the demand for direct tech positions like software developers in tech is clear, this trend is not confined to the tech industry alone. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, education, and retail are also increasingly looking for employees who can navigate digital tools and platforms, or develop specialised software in these industries.
As the demand for tech roles rises, the cost of acquiring talent in this area will follow suit. Therefore, investing in identifying and recruiting talent with diverse digital skills is a great way to stay ahead. Another great strategy is to upskill your current tech employees, offering resources, workshops, and incentives to help them learn new and emerging tech skills that are relevant to your company industry and future goals.
The pandemic has left a permanent change in the way people work. With a hybrid model of work becoming the norm, employees now expect flexibility in where and how they work. With this becoming a necessity for lots of job seekers, companies are responding by offering remote and hybrid work options in hopes of attracting and retaining top talent. This is particularly relevant to Kiwi businesses, as we value our work-life balance highly.
To make sure you don’t fall behind in what is expected from employees, it’s the norm to offer flexible work arrangements. When posting job openings, make sure you highlight remote and hybrid work models at your organisation. Alongside this, developing effective remote work policies and investing in tools that facilitate collaboration and communication in a hybrid work environment will mean that you’re not only fulfilling the needs of employees in terms of work structure, but also in collaboration and company culture.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has seen the shift from being a corporate buzzword to a critical part of businesses. This is a sign that companies are recognising the value of diverse and inclusive teams in driving innovation and better decision-making. In 2025, we expect DEI to be at the forefront of recruitment strategies, with businesses actively seeking to build a work environment that includes everyone.
Implement DEI-focused recruitment practices within your organisation. This includes conducting a thorough review of your hiring process to identify and eliminate any biases present. You can also promote job opportunities to diverse talent pools or work with organisations that support underrepresented groups.
As we have covered in our previous blog here, the gig economy is flourishing. With more and more professionals opting to freelance over traditional employment every day. This shift can also benefit companies, allowing for greater flexibility and access to more talent. In New Zealand, the gig economy is expected to grow as businesses look for specialised skills on a project-by-project basis.
You can consider incorporating freelance and contract workers into your workforce strategy. Whilst having in-house talent is important, specific skills that may only be required for one project can be fulfilled by a contract worker without having to undergo a costly recruitment process. We encourage you to start building a network of reliable freelancers and contract workers that may be required in the future.
Sustainability and ethics are increasingly important to both companies and candidates. In 2025, we expect businesses to demonstrate their commitment to environmental and social responsibilities. This may be in the form of adopting sustainable hiring practices, like having virtual interviews, or by hiring for specific green roles to optimise the sustainability of their organisation. To discover which green careers are on the rise, see our blog here.
To attract candidates who are increasingly focused on the sustainability of the companies they apply to, you should incorporate sustainability into your hiring process. Make sure you highlight your company’s CSR initiatives in job postings and during interviews. You can also educate your current team on the importance of sustainability to create a company culture that supports it.
Recruitment in New Zealand is changing rapidly, and staying ahead of this is essential. By focussing on digital skills, embracing hybrid work models, prioritising DEI, leveraging the gig economy, and adopting sustainable practices, you will be positioned to stay ahead of the trends and attract top talent in 2025 and beyond.
If you’re looking to increase your hiring efforts, need HR support or are interested in more insights and updates in the world of NZ recruitment, please reach out to us at Paragon Recruitment