From artificial intelligence in management to more boomers and politics in the workplace, the new year holds old, new, and unexpected challenges and opportunities for employers.
As the global economy shows signs of slowing and trade wars affect manufacturing and other fields, there may be new opportunities to attract and keep good workers in 2020. However, this will require some new directions, innovative hiring solutions, and a more focused use of technology. A new report details some top trends for the new year and how you can get ahead of them.
If you’re not leveraging technology for hiring, you likely will be way behind the eight ball in 2020. Artificial intelligence (AI) is more sophisticated, easy-to-use, and affordable than ever; and more companies will be recruiting through social media and mobile devices. Employers will need to consider whether traditional hiring models are ready for tomorrow’s digitally-savvy job candidates.
At the same time, AI will make its way into management suites by taking over some tasks previously handled by humans. These include the use of onboard AI supervisors for delivery fleets that monitor fuel use, braking, time away from the driver’s seat, and other information. Elsewhere, AI increasingly will be used for real-time coaching and guiding employees in their work by using data to monitor tasks, provide instant feedback, and make recommendations via algorithms.
Other 2020 trends include:
- Companies will refresh hiring playbooks ahead of a potential recession. With all signs pointing to the possibility of a recession in 2020, more employers are shifting toward higher-quality candidate channels, those that deliver more well-matched candidates and a higher ratio of hires-to-applicants.
- 2020 will begin a culture-first decade for employers. Expect a tidal wave of culture-first thinking among companies. This will include efforts such as online workplace transparency, a greater shift toward knowledge-based work, and a greater focus on establishing and nurturing a strong workplace culture. This culture will emphasize nine values: agility, collaboration, customer service, diversity, execution, innovation, integrity, performance, and respect.
- Employers will prioritize diversity and inclusion jobs. Watch for more companies to hire leaders and managers who will help facilitate the mission of building a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
- Expect more 65-plus employees and job candidates. Boomers show no sign of slowing down or retiring any time soon, so be prepared for a wave of older job applicants. While the overall U.S. labor force is expected to grow by 3.5%, the 65-plus workforce will rise 61%. There are many benefits to hiring these workers. They have significant institutional knowledge and a wide range of professional contacts; and many are knowledge-hungry and tech-savvy.
- More people will find their next job on a mobile device. Within five years, the vast majority of internet users will access the web exclusively through a mobile device. Be prepared to streamline your mobile job application process, making it faster, easier, and more personalized.
- The 2020 election cycle will bring out companies’ (and employees’) political side. In recent years, the country has seen both greater political awareness and more polarization. In the new year, employers and workers alike are expected to actively engage in the national election cycle. You can prepare for this in several ways. For instance, have a clear and widely communicated policy regarding political discourse and expression in the workplace. Elsewhere, more employees and job candidates will want to know where the organization stands on various issues; so consider, as appropriate, developing a fact sheet that includes some of this information.
