read the article and answer the questions that follow

HR Trends and Predictions for 2023: Will Recession Help to Hire?

A majority of hr and technology trends forecasted by experts in 2022 didnt come to pass, thanks to the widespread political and economic standoffs weve all witnessed in the last year. Generally, the once fast-paced, innovative it industry that embraced rapid transformation post-covid-19 is today facing new challenges and the situation could worsen.

Soft Skills and Communication Skills in Recruitment

High-tech companies are now looking beyond strong coding skills and relevant technical certifications when interviewing candidates to join them. An evaluation of soft skills and communication competency is now becoming standard in any typical recruitment process. The ideal top talent for hire in the current job market demonstrates high proficiency in both technical and soft/communication competencies.

Entrepreneurs Will Be Looking for More Niche-centric Business Opportunities

Data-driven trends in HR industry indicate that entrepreneurs will be exploring alternative business options come 2023, in a bid to navigate the murky economic downturn and boost profits. While technology will be a huge defining factor in the type of businesses entrepreneurs branch out to. Some innovations that were once heralded as the future will gradually phase out.

For instance, Meta services and NFT technology will most likely take the back seat in innovation. As of today, the average of an NFT at a secondary marketplace has fallen by 92%. Investment appetite around this field will be low. At the same time, 2023 may not be the hallmark of blockchain as the tech is still nascent and requires a lot of improvements.

Product Innovation and Transformation are Inevitable

In terms of innovation, businesses will be transforming or upgrading their existing products to match the foregoing market and consumer needs. This trend will be more prevalent in businesses dealing with consumer-facing products that didnt generally perform well over the last two years.

As this forecast takes shape, hiring trends in IT industry, especially for a typical software development team will also shift. For instance, the demand for product management specialists, such as business analysts or product managers will be on the rise.

Business Processes Optimization Will Be a Priority

2023 w2023 will also be a period to reflect on the mistakes learned from tech industry hiring trends of the past years, and design strategies that will help startups bounce back into business. Most companies spent the last two years restructuring and hiring candidates to fill vacant job positions that were affected by the pandemic.

The focus will now shift to technology and how innovations can help optimise day-to-day business processes. New technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning will take centre stage in various business processes, such as social media, customer engagement, HR functions, as well as project and portfolio management.

Employee Development

It is unfortunate that 44% of workers feel side-lined by their current employers when it comes to personal development and forging compelling career paths. If this challenge is prevalent in your organization, employees might be prompted to seek growth opportunities elsewhere.

Nonetheless, there is still room for improvement. 2023 is the time to support your team members in all ways. Help them build competitive soft and communication skills because they strongly matter in future job opportunities. Alternatively, you can make it a habit of encouraging your team to attend both virtual and physical courses, conferences, workshops, or even seminars.

Questions:

1.2. It is unfortunate that 44% of workers feel side-lined by their current employers when it comes to personal development and forging compelling career paths. Recommend interventions that organisations may implement to ensure their employees are not included in the above statistic. (25)