EXPECTATIONS FOR 2022

Throughout this article, I will discuss my expectations and predictions for 2022 within Germany, the recruitment world and the JavaScript market.

German Economy

• The number of people in employment in Germany could return or even exceed to pre-COVID-19 levels of the crisis in 2022 (Institute for Employment Research)
• The German government predict a “boom” to take place in 2022 with a GDP growth of over 4.5%. Germany has struggled to maintain growth momentum in recent months, with its manufacturing-heavy and export-dependent economy particularly exposed to supply disruptions.
• German economic output is expected to reach pre-crisis levels in the first quarter of next year.
• Of course, COVID-19 is still around and so this all will be clouded with a high level of uncertainty and volatility, but it’s more optimistic than last year.
• COVID-19 is a factor in all companies, but has mainly disrupted the hospitality sector and some industrial sectors too. The Technology industry has actually increased due to the great demand for digitilisation.

Recruitment Expectations

• During 2021, we have seen a significant change in the recruitment world as we shift to a candidate driven market. There are far more available jobs than there are candidates, giving applicants more power than ever before, and more options! With plenty of jobs out there, companies compete for the best talent. It also means that us recruiters work harder to stand out and attract the top talent for our clients too.
• In 2022, I expect to see a lot more creative recruitment strategies and campaigns. With organisations struggling to find, secure and retain the best talent for their teams, I am sure it will be a very very busy year ahead for us recruiters! Retained recruitment projects are likely to be more popular next year too.
• The “Great Resignation” (the ongoing trend of employees voluntarily quitting their jobs) still remains a fear among business owners, and how best to recruit and retain their employees. We can still expect this challenge within organisations and I expect to see a continuation of high counter offers etc. to keep their staff.
• The war on talent in 2022 is going to intensify and I believe that to ensure you get the best talent, organisations will need to do things differently to stand out. If you’re not offering remote working possibilities in this current market then you’re almost definitely going to be left behind for example.
• Flexibility and work/life balance is seemingly becoming the most important factor for a large number of the candidates that I speak to on a daily basis (sure salary and learning/development opportunities are high on that list too). Individuals are wanting to be in control of their future as so much is changing around them. Perhaps people have experienced working from home more often than they used to before, and have started to get used to it and even prefer it to the daily office commute.
• Yet, it’s not just hybrid/remote working that’s going to be required, in this competitive market salaries need to be attractive. Companies that low-ball offers are going to waste a lot of time recruiting whilst their competitors secure the top talent and progress forwards.
• As we have seen during 2021, remote recruitment looks like it is here to stay. Video interviews and remote on-boarding is clearly the way forward to ensure you do not miss out on talent. So expect plenty more of “I think you’re on mute” and “Someone needs to let me into the meeting…” . Video interviews make the interview process a lot more efficient and saves time for all parties – which could be the difference between securing that candidate or not!
• Increased notice periods are becoming more popular too as candidates look for a bit more security in a volatile market. Alongside this, probation periods (often 6 months as standard in Germany) have been more regularly reduced down to 3 months for example, again giving the candidates more peace of mind.
• Finally, there will also be an increased emphasis on diversity in the workforce as companies realise it is central to a company’s success. In fact, a report from McKinsey & Company (2020) demonstrates that more diversity has led to higher profitability. 

Industry Trends

• Cloud Computing & DevOps – this was already big in 2021, but this of course will continue to grow in 2022. With remote working ever present, cloud technology is essential to make your applications and files accessible to employees across the world, and increases collaboration and efficiency.
• Data Analytics & Predictive Analysis – this will be one of the biggest trends that falls into almost every industry and every domain of business. "Predictive analytics encompasses a variety of statistical techniques from data mining, predictive modelling, and machine learning that analyse current and historical facts to make predictions about future or otherwise unknown events".
• Smart City Tech – increased populations creates an increased demand for more effective and efficient cities. I predict smart city tech to boom next year!
• Metaverse – I’m sure you’ve all heard about this already (or you've been living under a rock). Essentially it’s a space where the physical world meets the virtual world - Augmented Reality will also be huge next year.
• Medical Robotics – using robots in the MedTech world lowers the risk of infection, human error and malpractice. The COVID-19 pandemic has just accelerated this.
• Web3 - This has been coined the internet's "next phase" or revolution. It is really starting to pick up now as venture capitalists are becoming more educated and less skeptical, but there's still a long way to go.

JavaScript Market

• JavaScript is the most popular and used programming language in the world for a 9th year running according to StackOverflow.
• Full-Stack Developers will continue to be some of the most sought-after hires in the tech industry in 2022. They have specialised knowledge in each stage of software development including frontend, backend, design and sometimes security & server operations too.
• From my experience, most recently there has been a huge demand for developers with Vue.js or React in the Frontend and PHP in the Backend.
• Frontend Vue.js Specialists also seem to be in very high demand, along with Node.js Backend Developers. 

Conclusion

No matter what industry you are in, change is inevitable. Even more so now, due to COVID-19. Therefore, by understanding the current trends and market, it puts you in a far better position to take challenges head-on, recruit the best talent, and stay one step ahead of your competitors in 2022.