As a senior recruitment specialist, I’m sharing my latest insights into the shifting recruitment landscape, drawn from ongoing conversations with agency owners, hiring managers, and senior industry leaders across the events and experiential sectors. With economic uncertainty looming and hiring confidence on the edge, my first-quarter analysis uncovers growing tensions between employers and job seekers, the pitfalls of DIY recruitment, and the inevitable changes in how we work.
Here are the key trends from Q1 2025, along with my forecasts for the rest of the year.
Q1 Trends
Trend 1: Employers Are Pushing Back
After several years of seeing employers concede to candidate-led demands—like remote working and pay rises—I’ve noticed a shift. Employers are starting to push back. With the job market tightening, National Insurance contributions rising, and mounting global economic pressure (particularly from the US), many companies are feeling cornered—and they’re responding accordingly.
I’ve heard agencies telling potential hires: “This is what we need. If it doesn’t suit you, this role isn’t for you.” It’s a tougher market now. The days of pick-and-mix job offers are fading. Employers are being less flexible and more assertive, because they feel they’ve been subservient for too long. It’s a reset moment—and it’s changing the tone of recruitment.
Trend 2: The Rise (and Risks) of LinkedIn Recruitment
With squeezed budgets, some companies are leaning heavily on LinkedIn for recruitment—but often with chaotic results. LinkedIn is flooded with inane job posts that lack any kind of strategy.
If your only social content is the occasional International Women’s Day post or a black square for Black History Month, and then suddenly a job advert pops up with no salary range, no compelling reason to apply, and no sense of brand—you’ll be inundated with irrelevant CVs.
A well-thought-out social recruitment strategy can be powerful, but too many employers skip the basics. It’s not just about posting a job; it’s about understanding your audience, having a strong employer proposition, and actually knowing how to write an advert. Right now, too many are just winging it.
Trend 3: Working Patterns Will Change
While many employers are sticking firmly to old expectations, there’s a growing undercurrent of structural change in how we work. The conversation is no longer if things will change; it’s how. The four-day week is still being discussed, but I’m hearing more about the six-hour day—which I believe is the future of work.
Either way, we’re reducing the time we expect people to be “on,” focusing more on output than hours. Employers who cling to rigid schedules will be left behind. This isn’t a passing trend—it’s a shift in social behaviour and mindset.
Forecasts for 2025
Rethinking the Rules in 2025
2025 is becoming the year that challenges everything we thought we knew about work. It’s not just about how we hire, where we work, or who’s leading the charge—it’s about completely rethinking the rules.
Flexibility isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of smarter, more effective business. If all you’ve got to shout about is flexibility, you’re stuck in an old model—and competitors who adapt faster will leave you behind.
The UK Employment Bill Will Be Watered Down—but Still Has Teeth
The government’s proposed Employment Bill has stirred plenty of debate—especially around NI increases, worker protections, and flexible working rights. But I don’t believe we’ll see it in full. There’s no political appetite for it.
What we’ll likely get is a diluted version, delayed implementation, and a lot of vague promises that look nice on paper. Employers should stay alert, but don’t expect a seismic shift this year. That said, gut-feel hiring and “give ‘em a go” recruitment will land you in trouble.
It’s Not About Where You Work, It’s About When
Flexibility in 2025 is shifting focus from where we work to when we work. Hybrid, flexible, and remote models became the norm during the pandemic—but the next step is about time.
Weekend schedules, staggered hours, and project-based timelines are becoming key. The traditional 9-to-5, Monday to Friday simply doesn’t suit everyone. Clinging to it risks alienating talented people who thrive on different rhythms.
If someone wants to knock out a project on a Saturday and take Monday off—why not? It’s about output, not clock-watching. Businesses that get this will not only have happier teams—they’ll perform better.
Senior Leaders Are Back in the Office
Senior leaders are spearheading the return to the office. After years of remote work, many MDs and C-suite execs want to be where the buzz is—three, four, even five days a week.
After makeshift home setups, glitchy Zoom calls, and the isolation of remote work, they’re eager to reconnect with the energy of the workplace. It’s not just about getting stuff done—it’s about leading from the front and setting the tone for their teams.
Clinging to the Office Obsession? Say Goodbye to Your Team
But here’s the warning: if you’re demanding your team be in the office more than three days a week, be prepared to lose them within 18 months.
Insist on four or five days, and you’ll fast-track the exodus. The talent pool is shrinking for companies stuck in a “bums-on-seats” mentality. People have had a taste of flexibility—and they’re not going back.
Stick to the office-first approach, and you’ll be left with employees who are disengaged—or worse, just waiting for something better to come along.
Collaborations and Acquisitions, Not Mergers
In 2025, acquisitions will lead the way. The idea of a “merger of equals” is fading. Now, it’s all about acquiring success.
Being acquired isn’t seen as failure anymore—it’s a mark of achievement. Smaller, high-performing businesses are hot targets. At the same time, I’m seeing smaller agencies banding together in smart collaborations to fend off the big players.
Think partnerships, communities, and shoal-like strategies—where smaller businesses team up to outsmart the sharks. It’s not survival of the biggest—it’s survival of the smartest.
For more of my insights, subscribe to my Recruitment Report, where I share no-nonsense updates, industry trends, and practical advice for both employers and candidates navigating the changing world of work.
Remote = never in the office
Hybrid = fixed number of days WFH/office
Flexible = fixed number of days, but fluid in application
The next quarterly recruitment report will be published in July 2025.
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