Workforce trends affect us every day and like all things, they change over time. In today’s business economy, the employers who have a pulse the latest workforce trends, stand to gain more from their recruiting efforts. Some of the hottest workforce trends in years past, were trends like casual attire, flexible working schedules, and working virtually. Today, we may still have those trends, but they–like many workforce aspects– have either evolved and or changed. In 2016, for example, we still had some of those trends, but others came to the forefront such as boomerang employees, Generation Zers, increased freelance market and more. So how did we fair with those trends? Not so bad because according to some experts, many of those trends will continue to thrive in 2017.
Take a look at the 2016 workforce trends that are expected to grow next year.
The Boomerang Employee Effect: A Boomerang employee is defined as “an employee who leaves a company, works somewhere else for a while, and then comes back.” In the past, this practice was frowned upon. In fact, many companies had policies forbidding the rehiring of former employers. Like many things in the workforce, things change. The boomerang employee effect could stem from companies unable to find the right fit. Regardless of the reason, this trend looks like it’s here to stay. The biggest issue with accepting a boomerang employee was loyalty. Brendan Browne, VP of Global Talent Acquisition at LinkedIn, wrote an article recently about boomerang employees, stating that “most employers today understand that loyalty doesn’t go away when employees walk out the door; rather, it can stay with them throughout their careers and flourish over time as they navigate the workforce.” Before you say “no” to boomerang employee, take a closer look at the position and your needs and see if this trends applies to your business.
Freelance Market/Blended Workforce: Last year, the trend of Freelance workers increased in the workplace. There are many factors attributing to this ongoing trend including a post-recession and a new gig economy. A recent article from WorkPlace Trends stated, “the gig economy challenges the traditional concepts and notions of work, and it is driven by motivated individuals who see the value in the work they do. As more people become freelancers, we can expect companies to build or build towards a framework that benefits employees and non-employees to stay engaged and collaborative.” In 2017, look for this trend to continue to grow is what’s being called “the blended workforce” and according to many recent studies, it is the “future of work.”
The Generation Z Growth: We’ve talked about the Generation Z and their potential impact in comparison to Millennials previously here. It’s no surprise as the first wave of graduates hit the workforce this year that his trend would continue to grow in 2017. But what the workforce expect from this trend? Since this is the first full year we can expect this generation to hit the workforce, you bet this group will make an impact. Their numbers might be small now but by 2019, “it is estimated that there will be more than 30 million employed Generation Zers.” How they will mesh with Millennials and Gen Xers is still to be determined. As we previously mentioned, this group is wired differently than Millennials. They have different expectations and a unique approach.
Last month, we discussed a salary increase trends for certain industries that may affect your business. Visit here for more information on what to come in 2017. Other trends like automated services, improving candidate’s experiences and offering more alluring benefits will continue to grow as well in the next year. The good news it there is much to be learned from these trends and from what we’ve seen so far, it’s only going to get better.
For more information on how to capitalize on these trends for your business, contact us via the contact form located on the side of our blog for a free consultation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ingrid Moore
Ingrid Moore is the President and Owner of Corporate Resources of Illinois, an employment & staffing agency with over 20+years’ experience located in Schaumburg, IL. Ingrid and her team assist employers with finding the right hire for their business. For more info, follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page, or follow us Corporate Resources of Illinois‘s Google+ page.
