#BizTrends2025: 7 trends impacting the HR and recruitment sector in 2025 and beyond

Phillipa Geard, founder and CEO of RecruitMyMom and its sister platform, RecruitAGraduate.

Here are 7 trends that will continue to shape HR and recruiting in 2025.

1. The new employment dilemma: flexibility vs. talent

The tug-of-war between securing top-tier talent and the push to bring employees back to the office is still ongoing. Working more flexibly has become a non-negotiable for many professionals.

After experiencing remote work's benefits, many employees prioritise jobs that offer hybrid or fully remote options, even over other perks — provided the remuneration aligns with their expectations.

This need presents a crucial balancing act for employers: the demand for exceptional skills versus the insistence on a full-time in-office presence. Striking the right compromise will be pivotal in attracting and retaining the best talent.

Hybrid working offers both employers and employees the benefit of face-to-face interaction, informal learning, team collaboration, and ideation while providing the benefit of flexible working.

2. SA employers will increasingly compete with global employers for SA talent

With a highly educated workforce, cost-effective solutions, and an ideal time zone, South Africa is well-positioned to continue meeting the growing demands of international employers.

Our neutral English accent and strong cultural alignment with Western markets make us attractive for global companies looking to grow their teams.

As the competition for top talent intensifies in South Africa, wages are expected to rise. The future of work is global, and South Africa is very much part of this trend.

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3. Flexible working as a growth catalyst

Start-ups and high-growth companies navigating the dual challenges of scaling and refining their business models will increasingly turn to innovative and flexible hiring strategies to remain cost-optimised and agile.

From independent contractors and fractional C-Suite expertise to offshore cheaper talent and part-time professionals, these flexible hiring approaches will help businesses grow. They empower businesses to adapt quickly, access specialised skills, and manage resources strategically — all without the long-term commitments of traditional hiring.

4. Employers will hire younger

As AI and other technologies reshape the workplace, employers are increasingly favouring younger talent that is learning agile and technologically astute. This shift, however, exacerbates the challenge of ageism, which continues to affect older job-seekers and is likely to intensify with the growing adoption of sophisticated AI tools.

HR managers play a crucial role in managing discriminatory hiring practices and responsibly off-boarding and preparing retiring employees for their next season, particularly as many may need to supplement their retirement income.

The upside for South Africa's youth is that, where other countries face ageing populations, SA has abundant young talent. However, ensuring they are skilled correctly to meet the demands of the job market is vital.

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5. The importance of upskilling and reskilling will increase

AI will impact many jobs and industries. Leaders cannot deny AI's impact on livelihoods, particularly in third-world countries with high levels of unskilled and semi-skilled workers.

Governments and advocacy groups will likely pressure companies to ensure upskilling and reskilling employees to prevent a large-scale unemployment crisis. Early identification of valuable talent for reskilling and upskilling as technologies are introduced becomes imperative for HR managers.

6. HR in the C-Suite is essential

In today's rapidly evolving work environment, it will be essential for HR managers to be in the boardroom, leading critical discussions on talent attraction, retention, and future skilling.

With global forces and technological advancements reshaping industries, the strategic insight of senior HR professionals at the C-suite level is not just valuable — it's vital.

Effective human resource planning will have as significant an impact as AI on an organisation's ability to thrive. Without the expertise and forward-planning of HR leadership, businesses risk missing out on the essential talent strategies that drive long-term success.

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7. Empathetic leadership will be in demand

The predicted mental health pandemic is upon us, and the burden has fallen to employers to deal with the fallout. This means managers and leaders must lead with empathy, balancing the economic pressures for businesses to flourish.

Empathetic leadership, which comes more naturally for the majority of female leaders, should be encouraged and taught if it is to have the required effect of helping employees cope. The demand for female managers will grow as this need for empathy at the management level continues.

To conclude

The trends shaping HR and recruitment in 2025 and beyond are not just shifts in thinking or practice — they represent a broader redefinition of work.

In the face of technological disruption, global competition, and evolving worker expectations, the organisations that will thrive are those that prioritise agility, empathy and strategic foresight.

HR leaders, recruiters, and employers have the opportunity — and responsibility — to shape a workforce that is prepared for the future and inspired to create it.