Five Workplace Trends for 2017

Reports suggest that in 2017, the job market will continue to improve causing both job seekers and employees to have more leverage, which will cause salaries to increase and employers to invest more job advertising, staffing firms and employee benefits.  The demand for a more flexible work environment will continue and we will start to see an emergence of Human Resource managers with new skills, including a focus on people analytics, Internet marketing for recruitment and position advertising and the use of more technology in providing recruiting and HR services.

Let’s examine some of the trends we expect to see happening in the workforce in 2017.

  1. An increase in using a blended workforce. The “blended” workforce means full-time employees working along with freelance support or contractors.  Depending on your industry it can be a challenge to find the right skillset at the right time.  Tapping into consultants or freelancers gives you an opportunity to acquire and utilize the skillset that you need.    org has reported that the “rise of freelance workers” was one of the top 5 employment trends that they have seen in recent years.  Various studies including one from Intuit suggest that as much of 40% of the workforce will consist of freelancers in the near future.  Hiring on-demand is a trend that will be on the rise in 2017.
  2. Performance Reviews will involve to be more of an incessant process. Professionals today desire instant feedback.  One of the top discussions in HR circles is performance reviews, how to improve them and implement something new that serves both managers and employees.   Millennials and the younger generation tend to be less patient and unwilling to wait a full year prior to having a full performance review.  Twenty five percent of employees feel that annual reviews do not help improve their performance.  The annual performance review is going the way of the dinosaur.  In 2017, we expect many organization to conduct more regular performance reviews with companies like GE and Adobe already moving in this direction.
  3. New Tech will be used more in HR and recruiting practices. Technology allows us access to information in a quick and easy manner.  The Internet is always on meaning that you can research practices, send email and communicate 24/7.  Technological advances in areas such as virtual reality will be used for everything from career fairs to other recruiting practices.  Wearables can even give candidates tours of the work environment and workspace.  It is difficult to find and retain Millennials, who are making up a large portion of the workforce.  Wowing them in the recruiting process can help with acquisition and retention of these candidates.
  4. The need to do more with less. Never has there been a time when there is so much competition for talent recruiting.  There has been a shift from the employer to the candidate or potential employees when it comes to negotiating positions and contracts.  Expect more of this in 2017, as the talent pool becomes more finicky in selection of the positions they apply for and actually take.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States, the average tenure for employees is 4.6 years and further research suggests that millennials leave after two years of service.  Do you have a recruiting strategy that factors this increasing trend?
  5. Shifting trend to focus on team performance vs individual performance. Call this another result of the Millennial, but there has been an increasing trend in organizations focusing on team performance as opposed to individual performance.  Creating high performing teams can help an organization remain competitive in the future.  The rise of millennial and gen Z workers who grew up playing team sports and have the same expectations for their work environment means a shift towards collaboration may be in your future.

Technology, a younger workforce, and other items are defining a new era of employment standards.  Are you ready for the next stage in HR and recruiting practices?  Employers need to be agile and strategic with their HR and recruiting efforts.  Developing a modern HR Strategy Plan is a must if you wish to acquire and retain top talent regardless of industry.

Are you an HR Manager who needs some HR consulting or recruiting assistance? Contact Aspire Recruitment Solutions at 778-484-0161.

Aspire Recruitment Solutions is the leading human resource solution and employment agency provider to clients in Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops, Northern BC and Alberta. We connect great employers with the best candidates every day.