We’re a couple months into the new year, and you’re likely seeing some new developments in the workplace. If you’re battling it out with your competitors to secure the most talented new recruits or simply to retain the talent already on your team, it’s important to know what to expect from workplace trends in the coming months. This will help you structure your recruiting, onboarding and retention programs so that you remain competitive without straining your budget.
If you’re actively searching for a new position, upcoming workplace trends will determine the experience that you encounter when applying for jobs. There are some predictions that will work in your favor this year, so it’s a good time to jump into the market either as a recent graduate or in an effort to advance your career or switch to a new line of work entirely.
To help you remain proactive and ahead of the competition, we compiled a list of three important workplace trends expected to hit in 2017.
1. Job candidate experiences will become more important.
According to a recent survey of more than 800 job seekers and nearly 400 employers, more than 70 percent of job seekers who have a negative experience applying for a position will leave feedback about that experience online. This occurs mainly through job-related review sites and forums, and it can have a damaging impact on the companies involved.
Most job seekers reported that they’re unlikely to apply for future positions with a company after having one negative experience. The feedback that dissatisfied candidates leave online could persuade many other talented candidates from considering those companies. If those candidates are also potential customers, negative impressions could lead them to buy from competitors in the future.
Due to the popularity of social media and review sites, employers are expected to pay more attention to candidates that they don’t hire in 2017. Something as simple as informing applicants that they haven’t been chosen and encouraging them to apply for positions that open in the future could make a big difference.
2. Freelancers will have a greater presence in the workplace.
At the height of the recent recession, many highly talented people were forced to make their own professional opportunities because they were forced out of the workplace. This has produced a healthy selection of freelancers and independent contractors who don’t want to return to the cubicle now that jobs are reappearing on the market.
Companies big and small enjoy many benefits when working with freelancers, and it’s expected that in-house employees will have to work with outside freelancers more frequently in 2017. One study that included 600 human resource professionals and nearly 1,000 freelancers determined that nearly half of participating employers plan on increasing their relationships with freelancers by at least 30 percent. More than 50 percent of companies expressed their plans to hire more freelancers than full-time employees in the future.
The blend of full-time employees and freelancers who work from home or appear less frequently in the office will change the way many businesses operate. This changing dynamic will likely impact the skills that employers look for when hiring full-time employees. For instance, managerial candidates may need to effectively manage remote employees and professionals may need to communicate well over video or other high-tech mediums.
3. Technology is going to take center stage.
Can you imagine a recruiting campaign that utilizes virtual reality? What about a workplace that incorporates virtual reality into daily operations? Virtual reality is changing how kids play video games and how some adults search for their soul mates, so why wouldn’t it impact the workplace as well? This year, many companies are going to find creative ways to use this technology plus many other high-tech developments in their recruitment, onboarding and retention programs.
This is a timely development, since gen Z is now hitting the market with high expectations for their employers. These young adults have never known a world without computers, and they’re all about finding fast and efficient ways to get big jobs accomplished in little time. This mindset will join forces with advancing technology to change the way many businesses operate.
The focus on technology can easily change the skills that employers look for in new talent. It may also put pressure on older workers who need to catch up to gen Z when it comes to tech applications in their fields.
How do you expect these trends to impact your workplace decisions? Whether you’re contemplating a career switch or you’re trying to strengthen your team to hit your yearly goals, now is the time to act according to these trends. Determine what it will take to stay ahead of the competition, and then take swift action to win the employees or the job that you deserve.