Recruitment IS marketing. If you’re a recruiter nowadays and you don’t see yourself as a marketer, you’re in the wrong profession.” – Matthew Jeffrey, Global Head of Sourcing & Employment Brand @ SAP
Have you ever been so anxious to close the door on one year and launch yourself ahead into the new year, as you find yourself in this 1st quarter of 2021?
Little could have prepared your staffing business for 2020, but thankfully, that isn’t the case as we move into 2021. No, the new year does not come equipped with a crystal ball. But what the pandemic taught us throughout 2020 can be used to navigate the waters of 2021.
We’ll get to the predicted trends for the year ahead in a moment, but first, let’s look at what industry-experts advise for what promises to be yet another year of change. Caitlin Delohery, Editor-in-Chief of StaffingHub, gathered advice on how to lead during ever-changing, challenging times—a description that certainly fits both the near past and the days that lie ahead.
One pearl of wisdom comes from April Hansen, EVP of Workforce Solutions and Clinical Services of Aya Healthcare, who stresses the need to be adaptive and utilize a leadership style that can respond quickly to changing conditions.
“There are certainly times — and especially in times of constant chaos — when you need a leader to be a bit more directive, you need this autocracy that comes in and says, ‘This is what we need to do.’ Then,” continues Hansen, “there are other times where it’s completely applicable to lead our groups by democracy and get that vote and see what’s going to happen. Being able to pivot, and being able to adapt situationally, and adjust is a key leadership trait.”
Now, let’s tackle a few of the many trend predictions for 2021.
“Work from home” is out . . .
But “work from anywhere” is in. Already affixed with a nifty initialism, WFA removes the negative branding that can’t help but be associated with isolated, stuck-at-home scenarios. The term “work from anywhere” better communicates the flexibility and freedom that remote work allows while steering us away from the pessimistic vision of being imprisoned within one’s home.
And, as Danny Crichton reminds us, work from anywhere literally means anywhere, which can include the office when meetings and collaboration are on the agenda. On other days, the to-do list will benefit from the seclusion of the home front. “‘Work from Anywhere’ perfectly encapsulates that freedom and dynamism our schedules deserve,” concludes Crichton.
Whatever you call it, work away from the job site provides many advantages on both sides of the employment equation. And even as news of widespread availability for the COVID-19 vaccine bolsters hope of a return to “normal,” the positive light shed on remote work by the mandatory lockdown will continue to highlight these advantages.
The 9–5 workday will get a makeover
“One of the biggest trends we’re seeing is a steady shift outside ‘normal’ working hours,” notes Candace Nicolls, SVP of People and Workplace at Snagajob. “In many ways, the traditional 9–5 workday has been upended as a result of COVID-19. I predict we’ll start to see an increasing number of businesses acknowledge and adapt to these preferences in 2021.”
Greater utilization of talent pools
With the fierce competition for talent impacting many industries across today’s workforce, an interesting emerging trend for 2021 appears to be a return to the basic strategy of talent pools. Imagine the security of having personal connections to a talent pool of reliable, well-trained internal and external candidates at the ready to meet your clients’ staffing needs. There’s no more consistent way to ensure you’ll be able to quickly find qualified, experienced hires than a substantial, deep talent pool.
A shakeup in the perks and benefits department
Many standard workplace perks became out-of-step with the times when the coronavirus shut down busy as usual. And now, with the COVID-19 crisis stretching into 2021, thoughts must turn toward the long-term future of perks and benefits that had become staples but no longer fit the bill. These unprecedented times call for an innovative, creative approach to find perks and benefits that will mesh with work from anywhere, non-traditional work hours, and greater flexibility concerning the how, when, and where work happens.
ASJ Partners knows that keeping your staffing firm front and center has never been more critical. Our comprehensive 6-step process will zero in on what will keep your firm top-of-mind as the country continues to recover from the coronavirus’s devastating impact. Contact our team today to see what ASJ can do for you!
