Examining trends in workforce recruiting
Posted On April 17, 2024
There is value to remote working arrangements. Workers often prefer it. Productivity typically hasn’t been affected – and in some cases even increases. The pool of talent from which a company can recruit isn’t bound by geography.
But most companies that embraced it by necessity during the pandemic are moving away from it. So says our guest in a recent episode of “What’s Working with Cam Marston” – Chris Lawrence of the Chicago-based recruiting firm Hirewell.
Lawrence, who is based in Hirewell’s Atlanta office, says the prevalence of remote work made for a banner year for recruiting firms in 2021. While it’s still a valuable tool in recruiting, particularly when searching for highly skilled candidates, most of his clients now prefer a hybrid schedule.
“Most clients still want people to be on site in some shape or form,” he said. “As a recruiting firm working with a lot of candidates, it’s become a challenge because so many professionals, or those who can do their job remotely, really want to do that.”
Another trend Lawrence is seeing is what he calls “The Great Hesitation” – employers who are indecisive about hiring because they have trouble nailing down just want they want in a role or a job description.
Not only that, but sometimes they’re indecisive about whether they want to hire at all. He’s seen companies start candidate searches only to cancel them a month later. Part of the trouble, he says, seems to be the perception that the economy is in rough shape even though the stock market says otherwise.
Lawrence says he’s also seeing burnout and an increased emphasis on work-life balance – and not just among the younger generations.
“We talk about younger generations really having meaningful work and working for different reasons than other generations. But in my experience and perception, my opinion is that all generations are struggling with the value of going to work, climbing the ladder, really devoting so much time, energy and effort into work,” he said. “And I think that’s a big trend we’re going to continue to see.”