Still reeling from the effects of the Great Resignation, the workforce landscape has yet to settle. Compounded by an uncertain economic outlook and louder calls for a more positive employee experience, smart organizations are rethinking their labor policies and considering ways to restructure their workforce to stay productive and generate profits.

Let’s explore rising workforce trends and the most effective strategies to stay ahead.

Healing pandemic trauma to boost productivity

While the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has receded, societal, economic, and emotional turbulence remain a reality, resulting in overall negative emotions in the workplace. In 2022, 48% of U.S. employees felt stressed on the job, and over 70% of those surveyed believed their organization did not care about their well-being, according to research by Gallup.

Companies are taking note of these concerns, seeking to better support their employees via employee-centric initiatives such as proactive rest and schedule flexibility. These recovery strategies, which encourage workers to stop and recharge guilt-free, have significantly reduced employee burnout while enhancing performance and productivity.

With this focus on healing, some businesses are also creating open forums in which employees are invited to raise concerns and voice their opinions. Such discussions, held without consequence or judgment, provide reliable insight into employee experiences and pinpoint opportunities for improvement.

Further, more managers are being trained in trauma counseling and conflict resolution. This training helps them navigate difficult conversations with employees, alleviate employee stress, and create a more enjoyable work environment.

Restructuring the workforce

The Great Resignation was an eye-opening experience for a vast number of organizations. Paired with economic uncertainty, the record-high quit rate turned the workforce status quo on its head. As a result, many organizations abandoned their traditional staffing models to commit to the “new normal” of remote workers and hybrid flexibility.

Frontline workers, like those in healthcare and manufacturing, soon realized there are different types of work available to them — many with much more flexibility than they were accustomed to. They are leveraging these opportunities to have conversations with their employers about job satisfaction, stability, and retention.

Moreover, advancements in collaborative technology permit a significant rise in part-time and temporary hires — otherwise known as contingent workers.  This workforce enables businesses to boost productivity, meet growing market demands, scale effectively, reduce risks, and manage costs.

To encourage contingent workers to join their organizations, businesses are turning to employers of record (EORs) that handle more than just payroll. Indeed, some EORs provide complete HR solutions, including but not limited to:

• Handling all expenses from personnel to insurance
• Managing benefit, retirement, and worker compensation plans
• Tracking personal and sick leave
• Ensuring compliance with local employment law

Hiring nontraditional candidates

The phenomenon of “quiet quitting” has dominated work-related headlines over the past year. Quiet quitters — i.e. employees who do no more than the minimum required to retain their employment — do more damage than it may appear. Unwilling to offer discretionary effort, they hinder business’ ability to meet customer demands and establish strong relationships between co-workers and management.

Moreover, many employee career paths operate on nonlinear trajectories, which blends roles and responsibilities into one another. Pinpointing suitable people to fit ever-evolving positions is a challenge for companies — especially for employers seeking to diversify and expand their talent pipelines with fresh, albeit nontraditional, candidates.

To do this successfully, employers must be comfortable with new models of assessing and evaluating candidates— in some cases, removing prerequisites like formal education and specific experience requirements from job postings — to attract talent. This nontraditional approach can be a struggle, and businesses are increasingly finding the most effective strategy is to partner with staffing and executive hiring firms.

An experienced staffing partner has access to a wider pool of promising candidates and can guide their clients through the end-to-end hiring process. This approach saves time, money, and energy, of course. But it also alleviates HR’s burden by providing robust talent acquisition solutions, from screening candidates against organizational requirements, to running background checks, to negotiating contracts and wages on the employer’s behalf. Ultimately, outsourcing connects organizations with quality talent and reduces the strain on HR teams while producing better results.

Stay on trend with Maslow Media

Some workforce trends will peter out, as the Great Resignation seems to have. Other trends are becoming workplace norms, such as the demand for better employee experiences and greater flexibility. Organizations that orient toward new ways of working and develop strategies that safeguard productivity and profitability will keep their competitive edge.

So though businesses are still reeling from prior upheaval in the global workforce, the labor model is still evolving. That means it’s still crucial that businesses stay on top of trends.

Established in 1988, Maslow Media Group strives to be a single resource for its clients, providing qualified talent while offering comprehensive EOR, executive recruiting, and HR management services. With a team of over 1,800 talented individuals nationwide, Maslow Media is the name in workforce management solutions.