The unemployment rate dipped to 3.7% in 2018, hitting a 49-year low and painting a vivid picture of the challenges employers face in the current market. Not only do employers have to contend with fewer available full-timers, according to the numbers; they have to accommodate members of a growing contingent workforce with its own expectations and needs.

To cope, companies fought to stand out, broadcasting their new benefits — including employee development and predictive scheduling — to capture the attention of a fickle market. Employers now must be open to share their company culture, which has changed how recruiters approach talent acquisition (and retention) from almost every angle.

Old challenges remain, too. Diversity remains a key workplace issue and employers are struggling to maintain lines of communication during the hiring process to avoid "ghosting" applicants on accident, lest the applicants "ghost" in turn. But 2018 was also a year of serious innovation for the talent space, setting talent managers up for an interesting 2019.

We gathered up some of the biggest talent stories of the year below. Read on to reminisce — or recall what happened during this tumultuous year.

1. You've made a bad hire — what happens now?

   Just because a manager is disappointed by a lackluster newbie doesn't mean he or she needs to be shown the door just yet. Read More »

2. Walmart announces predictive scheduling for all US stores

   Employees can work a set schedule for months at a time, or opt for more flexibility — with all scheduling administered through an app. Read More »

3. Report: Uber to launch on-demand staffing service

   Following a trial run in Los Angeles, the company has been focused on Uber Works in Chicago. Read More »

4. What recruiters need to know about 'total talent acquisition'

   The standard recruitment approaches of today will not keep up with the way of working tomorrow, experts say. Read More »

5. Overqualified or over the hill? The pitfalls of experience ranges

   In the same way that ruling out a candidate based on poor "culture fit" can be cover for bias, experts say experience ranges can be a dog whistle for age discrimination. Read More »

6. Are your applicants ghosting you?

   Candidates — and new employees — falling off the face of the earth? To minimize the chances of it happening at your company, better communication policies may be key. Read More »

7. Why Netflix was named a top employer brand

   Increasingly, employers have to both build a strong company culture and spread the word about their employee experience to attract top candidates. Read More »

8. New hires want onboarding to spell out performance expectations

   However, only one-third of respondents in a recent survey said that onboarding gave them those resources. Read More »

9. The solution to a high quit rate is right under your nose

   The employee quit rate rose to 2.4% in May — a 16-year high. So what's an employer to do? Read More »

10. Walmart's director of HR strategy talks overhauling employee development

    The company revamped a development program that was once in place more for "reputation" than for impact to better prepare for the future of work. Read More »