The job market is facing the changing demands of a new workforce and a new economic environment, but it remains strong. More than half of Canadian companies plan to make a new hire this year Study by recruitment agency Robert Half found.
A survey of more than 1,400 managers was conducted on behalf of Robert Hoff from October 20 to November 3, 2022. Respondents had hired responsibilities in finance, accounting, technology, marketing, creative, legal, administrative, customer support and human resources. Companies in Canada with 20 or more employees.
The survey found that 51 per cent of the companies are planning to make appointments to permanent positions. The highest need for staff is in the administration, customer service, marketing and creative departments.
The survey revealed that employers look for key characteristics such as punctuality and professionalism, knowledge of the company and passion for the company’s mission when interviewing potential hires.
Gartner’s “9 Future of Work Trends for 2023” Study, in comparison, indicates that organizations are diversifying their talent pipelines by pursuing non-traditional candidates. Hiring managers are less concerned about industry experience and technical skills than ever before, and now seek to assess candidates solely on their ability to perform the role.
Companies aim to get more people back into the office, but need to strike the right partnerships with employees, who are looking for more choice and flexibility in how they meet their job responsibilities, David King, Sr. said Managing Director, Robert Half, Canada. South America.
Ahead, More than 60 percent of respondents in Robert’s study say they are turning to adding more contract employees as a strategy to manage heavy workloads, increase support for major projects and reduce burnout, King said. explained.
Having more contract workers tends to better sync with the new generation, who are mostly expected to stay on the job for a maximum of 2-3 years and then move on to the next opportunity. “The whole gig economy mindset is very much alive in our new demographic in the workforce. Let’s face it, they are no longer generally being offered pension schemes or things like that, which would have been more fashionable in previous years,” said Raja.
Accordingly, Gartner says that savvy HR leaders will take advantage of alternative approaches to recruiting by hiring gig workers or calling on former employees to flexibly bring in talent only as needed, a practice known as “quiet hiring.” is known in Silent hiring also involves enhancing the skills of existing employees and focusing on internal talent mobility to meet organizational priorities without making changes to the workforce.
Efficiency is also a key factor the new workforce is looking for, despite concerns that automation and artificial intelligence could take away everyone’s job.
In fact, automation is actually changing the nature of work and adding a whole set of new jobs, said Jeremy Shakie, chief executive officer of the tech education firm. Lighthouse Labs,
Shakey said that companies use new technologies mostly to increase productivity and tasks rather than to replace people. But employees also need to make sure they are comfortable and up to date with their use of technology, AI and data because, at some point in their careers, these new technologies will interact with their roles in more meaningful ways.
In addition, big tech companies that are laying off thousands, and subsequently automating roles such as marketing, customer service and sales, are taking a big risk in doing so, Shaki said, because customers, in general, From, there is still too much priority to talk about. For a person than for an AI.
“When you deal with customer service that comes from somewhere other than your backyard, and not in person, you hear a lot of complaints and negativity about it. And I don’t think we’re there yet.” [with AI]”Shaki confirmed.
Recent tech layoffs have, undoubtedly, raised concerns over impending job losses, but King argued that “headlines” fail to include the types of profiles, and are therefore not an accurate reflection of the broader tech market. That, in fact, there is still a high demand for digital talent.
These layoffs are rather the result of a recruitment spree during the pandemic that is not suited to today’s reality and economic conditions. The number of layoffs appears massive, but in reality, it is only a fraction of the number of new employees added in 2022 alone. Tweeted Tom Goodwin, author of Digital Darwinism.
In addition, the Robert Hoff study emphasized the need for a streamlined recruitment process. Recruiters claimed that they conduct about four interviews with a candidate before making a job offer.
“Recruiting mistakes and regrets can happen when the pressure on staffing to fill a role overwhelms the search for the right candidate,” said King. “However, a drawn-out recruiting process can also be a barrier to securing top talent, who may lose interest or accept another offer if the timeline is not streamlined.”
Shaky said that more organizations are using AI in their recruiting process, and while it can be effective in dealing with large numbers of applications, some companies will use it poorly and “automate out” talent.
Gartner pointed out that the ethical implications of using AI for recruitment are also becoming increasingly prominent in terms of fairness, diversity, inclusion and data privacy. Organizations and vendors using AI and machine learning will face pressure to be more transparent on their AI use, publicize their data audits, and give employees and candidates the option to opt out of AI-led processes.
King said an efficient recruiting process helps with a company’s branding, as well as the information they put out there. “Given the reality of social media and access to information, companies have to be very conscious of their brand. And if their brand is not supportive of initiatives like DEI or ESG initiatives, it can portray a negative brand in the market. Can do, and that can affect its ability to attract talent.
But implementing new HR measures that align with a new generation and a new set of values may irk existing employees. The Gartner study showed that 42 percent of employees believe their organization’s DEI efforts are divisive. And two in five agree that a growing number of employees feel alienated, or even resentful, of their organization’s DEI efforts.
