By Todd Nelson
Companies are facing different challenges with a competitive talent landscape and pressure to control costs and will need to address these, as well as many other trends going forward as they set strategic workforce and talent goals.
“Quiet Hiring” Is The New Thing
Despite worries about the forthcoming recession and a wave of tech companies announcing layoffs in late 2022 that continue in 2023, the labor market remains hot. More HR leaders are becoming optimistic about the market cooling off in the next six months, but a majority still expect it to get more competitive. Organizations find themselves with a unique challenge: keeping the in-demand talent they have and finding the competitive talent they need when staff budgets are contracting or staying flat. Fighting for new headcount will be challenging, so organizations will have to get creative, causing HR leaders to turn to “quiet hiring.” When they quietly hire, organizations first look internally for the skills they need, then experiment with alternate employment models to obtain what they can’t find in-house. This approach can help keep payroll costs low, assist with retention, and cultivate skills internally.
Hybrid Flexibility For Front-Line Workers
Entering a more permanent era of hybrid work for desk-based employees, organizations struggle to find equitable flexibility for frontline workers, such as those in manufacturing and healthcare. While desk-based and deskless workers will never have the same experience of flexibility, the best organizations will invest in maximizing flexibility where they can for all types of workers.
Managers Are Squeezed By Leader And Employee Expectations
Low- and mid-level managers have a more critical role to play than ever before. For hybrid and remote workers, managers are now the primary, if not the only, colleagues their direct reports interact with regularly. Managers are often pushed to the breaking point while navigating conflicting mandates, expanding responsibilities, wider spans of control, and accelerated turnover. Senior leaders direct managers to implement corporate strategy, particularly regarding hybrid work, productivity, and culture while their direct reports expect them to provide a sense of purpose, flexibility, and career opportunities that do not always align. To relieve pressure on managers, companies will provide support and training to mitigate the widening managerial skills gap. The same approaches that were successful pre-pandemic no longer apply in today’s workforce. In addition, HR leaders will clarify manager priorities and how managers should allocate their time when their responsibilities have increased dramatically and redesign their roles where appropriate.
Pursuit Of Nontraditional Employment Prospects
Two trends are forcing business leaders to follow through on their past talk as it relates to the strategic value of diversifying their talent pipelines. To fill critical roles, organizations will need to become more comfortable assessing candidates solely on their ability to perform in the role rather than their
credentials and prior experience. This could mean relaxing formal education and experience requirements and reaching out directly to internal or external candidates from nontraditional backgrounds who might not have access to certain professional opportunities or even be aware of them.
Many businesses will change the way they think about hiring nontraditional talent. Those that succeed at recruiting and retaining “outside the box” candidates will have a leg up in the talent market.
Todd Nelson is the owner of Venture X Dallas – Braniff Centre near Love Field. Venture X provides flexible offices with a selection of semi-private, dedicated & shared desks, furnished private offices, and move-in-ready spaces. Call Todd at 972-972-430-4084
