There is no doubt that 2016 was an eventful year both politically and economically. Looking ahead, it is tough to predict how the employment market will evolve in 2017 as the full ramifications of Brexit are yet to materialise. In this uncertain and potentially volatile marketplace, recruiters need to remain highly focused and ensure strategies truly reflect the changing workforce dynamic. So what do we know for certain, and how should this shape our resolutions for 2017?
Multi-Generational Workforce
One fact is clear, 2017 marks the arrival of another generation in the workforce. While Generation Z (Gen Z) is creating a new set of employee expectations and requirements to understand and manage, organisations clearly cannot overlook the needs of the existing Millennials, Generation Xs and baby boomer employees. Clients will require support in successfully recruiting a cross-generational workforce, from benefits packages to corporate social responsibility strategies.
Personalisation will become ever more important as recruiters look to reflect the likely demographic of prospective candidates for each job. From the content of job ads (to ensure they reflect the expectations of each generation, from benefits to corporate values) to the way in which technologies are used to attract candidates, even training individuals in interview skills, a one size fits all approach is not an option.
Online Job Boards
Certainly the way in which jobs are advertised is critical. And while an individual’s approach to career change is dependent upon a number of factors, from age to seniority/ job role, candidates share one key trait: the online job site is still the number one preferred starting point. According to research undertaken on behalf of Bond International Software, of those looking for a job in the last year, 81% used online job sites.
But, again, there are trends within online board use to understand. Firstly, there is a strong trend towards niche boards, with 62% of office workers preferring to use an industry or skill specific job board. Secondly, in a workforce increasingly dominated by digital-first candidates the online experience must be optimised. That means mobile optimised to provide a great experience across every device and ensuring all jobs are available in one place, rather than expecting candidates to trawl around the individual career pages of multiple agencies.
Social Evolution
One big question for 2017 is how social will evolve. Certainly 2016 did not herald the social media dominance many pundits expected, but the fragmentation of social over the past 12 months and the rise of specialist social media platforms within particular industry sectors is significant. These platforms will have new ways of capturing data relating to their subscriber bases – giving recruiters interesting tools to help analyse who might be suitable for a job. In addition, social should be playing a bigger role in raising an agency’s overall profile as an essential component of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies this year.
Either way, recruiters need to keep track of the way in which candidates are using social platforms. From the rise of WhatsApp amongst Gen Zs and Millennials to the use of LinkedIn by C level executives, good social strategies demand an understanding of which social media platforms candidates prefer.
Conclusion
While the economic outlook for 2017 may be tough to predict, it is clear that the biggest changes facing recruiters this year are all about managing the diverse attitudes and desires of a multi-generational workforce. Opting to personalise strategies around this new workplace dynamic would certainly be an excellent resolution for 2017.