By REDi Holbourne Recruitment Group – 02 December 2024
At the REDi Holbourne Recruitment Group, we specialise in global talent acquisition, offering powerful insights across the industries we serve. From middle to senior management and C-Suite placements, our expertise reflects a deep understanding of market dynamics. As businesses navigate the year ahead, we share strategies for smarter hiring and help candidates position themselves for roles that align with their passions and ambitions. Partner with us to connect exceptional talent with opportunities that drive success.
- The hybrid work model
It is becoming a lasting feature in many workplaces, with companies increasingly balancing in-office time and remote flexibility. While many organisations are calling staff back full-time or at least a few days a week—driven by office costs and the need to strengthen company culture, collaboration and performance —this model may not appeal to everyone. Location can also play a significant role: head offices in attractive locations like Cape Town can give a company an edge, enticing employees with lifestyle benefits that other locations may lack.
However, for those prioritising flexibility, the option of remote work remains highly appealing, and businesses that embrace hybrid options may hold a distinct advantage in the talent market.
- Efficient Talent Acquisition: Reducing Hiring Time and Cost While Ensuring Quality
As recruitment needs become more complex, the involvement of expert recruiters is increasingly vital, especially for companies with small HR teams or limited
While in-house teams can often struggle to find the ideal candidate, agencies step in with their extensive networks and expertise in sourcing candidates with the right skills. Recruitment agencies are also playing a key role in supporting clients throughout the hiring process. Claire Kedzierski, Senior Recruiter at REDi Recruitment, observes, “We’re seeing more clients realise the importance of understanding how to advertise roles effectively, plan and execute candidate interviews, and ask the right interview questions. Our role is to bridge the gap between a client’s specific needs and the personality and skill set of the candidates they are interviewing, ensuring a strong match.” With their experience and insight, recruitment agencies provide critical support, helping companies refine their hiring strategies and make more informed, successful placements.
- AI-Driven Hiring
In 2025, artificial intelligence is poised to play an increasingly transformative role in recruitment trends. AI empowers recruiters by handling tasks like skill assessments, psychometric evaluations, automated communications, and CV filtering—allowing recruiters to dive deeper into aspects such as cultural fit and the hard-to-measure realm of soft skills. “AI is not a replacer but an enabler,” notes Pascal Vandenbergh, International Recruiter at the REDi Holbourne Recruitment Group who’s based in Spain. From his experience, he emphasises that while AI drives efficiency by tracking candidate journeys, refining searches, and managing talent systems, it still requires human oversight to achieve the best outcomes. The value of AI in recruitment lies in supporting, not substituting, the intuition and empathy that recruiters bring to each process, ultimately facilitating stronger, more strategic, and relationship-focused hires in today’s competitive talent market. Or as we like to say it at REDi Holbourne: “ Maintaining the human element in the recruitment process for our clients and candidates”.
- Employee Experience
Focusing on employee experience will become a powerful recruitment trend. When companies create workplaces where people feel valued, employees naturally become brand advocates, authentically attracting top talent. By prioritising well-being, growth, and inclusivity, employers show their commitment to a positive, human-centered environment—something job seekers increasingly look for.
“We see this happening a lot”, says Alexandra Ackron, Human Capital Partner at REDi Holbourne Recruitment Group she continues, “ Candidates are choosing to interview with companies that align more with their values and personal needs, as work-life balance is important for many candidates.”
The benefit here for companies seeing this and having some flexibility, not only attracts candidates but also improves their retention and loyalty to the business, giving companies a strong competitive edge in today’s tight job market. Companies must stay relatable to truly respond and react to employees, which in turn keeps them engaged, motivated, and committed to the organisation’s success and inspires existing employees to thrive, creating a cycle of positive growth and sustained competitive advantage.
- Recruitment Marketing Powered by Employer Branding
As competition for top talent intensifies, companies are investing in recruitment marketing to stand out. This means marketing goes beyond traditional job postings, using tools like social media, storytelling, and employee testimonials to highlight a company’s values and culture. By promoting their employer brand through company sponsorships, employee activations, and internal events, companies aim to build a strong reputation that attracts the right candidates.
- Skills-focused hiring for a more diverse pool of talent
“There is a definite shift from focusing on candidates’ degrees and job titles to prioritising skills.
It’s here employers focus on whether a candidate has the skills needed to succeed in the role”, says Cathy Machingaidze, Legal Partner at REDi Holbourne Recruitment Group, she expands her thoughts by sharing that these skills include both technical skills (like coding or data analysis) and soft skills (like communication or problem-solving stakeholder engagement), encourages continued learning for employees, and to be able to adapt quickly to changes in technology and industry needs. This approach broadens candidate options, promotes diversity, and opens up opportunities for training in fast-changing fields.
- Signs of Global Recovery and Growth Across Key Sectors
Earlier in the year we saw a slowdown in recruitment due to an economic downturn and in our business assumed it was linked to the South African elections, which happened in May. Then post our elections we saw an upturn and then it flattened out and declined again. This made us realise the importance of the US elections have a far-reaching global economic impact, and now that those elections are done, the global economy can start returning to normal hopefully this means that we can recalibrate and then early 2025, we’ll start to see an uptick and growth in the economy which means growth in recruitment.
In the Tech/Digital space there’s an ongoing focus on AI, cybersecurity, and data-driven solutions, roles in data science, machine learning engineering, cybersecurity analysis, and cloud architecture continue to be in high demand. Companies are investing heavily in tech talent to keep pace with rapid innovation and secure their digital infrastructures.
“ There has been a huge focus on female recruitment and a drive to bring onboard more females in the workplace,” says Nicole Dodd, Partner in Tech/ Digital. Sarah van der Walt adds that South Africa’s tech and digital landscape is facing a critical skills shortage, particularly at the management level. She continues that this critical skills shortage is due to various factors such as a skills gap, emigration of skilled professionals (the brain drain), limited training opportunities, and a high demand for IT projects.
Financial Services are seeing a rise in demand for roles in risk management, fintech, investing, and financial analytics. As companies prioritise sustainable growth and digital payment solutions, financial professionals with expertise in technology and ethical investing are highly sought after. While the talent pool remains limited, the demand is growing, and more professionals with these skills will continue to surface over time.
Executive Search will focus on finding leaders who can drive growth and adapt to fast-changing business environments. Partner at Holbourne Advisory, Michael Bremermann shares his understanding of this market saying, “ Companies will turn to expert recruiters to find top talent who can lead effectively and efficiently in what are volatile and unpredictable times. C-suite roles are critical in shaping strategy, driving innovation, and profitability to stay ahead of the competition ”.
