WORKFORCE
I
n recent years, significant changes have swept through both the workplace and our daily lives, with COVID-19 playing a pivotal role. Practices such as teleworking and the grow- ing spotlight on mental health are shaping how employees navigate the work environment and choose where to work.
Additionally, a generational shift is transforming the workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2029 more than 38.5 million people age 35 to 44, or millennials, are expected to join the labor force, outnumbering all other age groups, while the newest group to join the workforce, Generation Z—aka the “Zoomer” generation—has already overtaken the number of baby boomers in the workplace. With the rise of a new generational mindset, an updated approach to hiring practices is needed to draw in today’s diverse civilian workforce.
READ THE ROOM Before hiring, employers must ask themselves, who is the target audience? What do they want? Nuances among different gener- ations will always exist, but recognizing common characteristics between each group can assist employers in attracting the right candidates.
Employing the same hiring strategy for a Zoomer as one would a “Boomer,” or someone of the baby-boom generation, is likely to yield disappointing results. Unlike their predecessors, millennials and Zoomers have grown up in a digital age, using the benefits of advanced technology throughout most of their lives. Baby boomers and Generation X have had to adapt to this new tech- nology as adults. Furthermore, older generations exhibit greater loyalty to an organization, often staying within a single organi- zation for many years.
According to a report from Forbes, younger workers are more willing to leave the financial security of a position to pursue meaningful work that offers better work-life balance. Tey tend to value flexibility and stronger connections with their work. Mental health is a priority, while concepts like diversity, equality and inclusion are essential to fostering a positive work environ- ment. Unlike older generations, this workforce places a stronger emphasis on identity in the workplace over uniformity. With these characteristics in mind, employers adapting to this new work landscape have options for making improvements in the hiring process to attract candidates.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK Employees don’t work in a vacuum. Tey are often engaging in collaborative projects and trading input. Terefore, the hiring
process doesn’t have be in a vacuum, either. Employers should take advantage of the best resource around them: People.
Partnering internally and with other organizations not only increases the opportunity for referrals but improves the hiring process. For hiring managers that have been in the game for a long time, it can be hard to break away from old habits or see where new opportunities lie. Establishing a forum with other organizations encourages a sharing of best practices. In addition, it opens avenues for current or future recruiting opportunities, like job fairs and conferences, in underrepresented or overlooked talent pools.
Hiring managers shouldn’t be afraid to let team members get involved or ask them for feedback. Before posting a new job opening, the team can identify what assets a hiring manager should look for in a candidate beyond the baseline job descrip- tion. Tey can increase the efficiency of the process by offering helpful additions to job postings and thoughtful questions to use during interviews.
Employees don’t work in a vacuum.
MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE “We are currently in a candidate-driven market,” said Yolanda Compton, chief of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibil- ity (IDEA) office for the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center. In a candidate-driven market, prospective employees have a lot more leverage when it comes to the final decision, so employers must ensure strategies are interesting and strongly connect with target audiences.
What’s one way to do this?
“Appeal to the ‘influencer’ in each candidate. And demonstrate an interest in unique talents,” Compton said, adding that when advertising a job, employers should emphasize the role candi- dates will play in influencing the organization, speaking to their creativity and social recognition.
Employers need to be willing to meet candidates on their playing field. If a hiring manager is looking to fill positions for those early in their career, a GS-9 level or lower, digital platforms are key
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