When the pandemic forced workers out of their offices and into their homes, younger workers – ‘digital natives’ with superior tech skills – seemed best-placed to cope. But over a year into the pandemic, younger workers report being more stressed, less productive, and more isolated: and they’re finding it more difficult to progress in their careers.  Unsurprisingly, they are also among the most likely to look forward to getting back into the office, at least for some of the time, post-pandemic.

More than half of the nation’s total population are now millennials, Gen Z or younger, so employers need to take urgent action to keep younger employees engaged. 

Here are three steps employers can take to help younger workers do their best work, whether they’re fully or hybrid remote:

1. Help them create a functional home office

One of the most basic but important things employers can do is make sure their workers have a decent home office set-up. When the pandemic first struck, many workers enjoyed the novelty of working on the sofa, at the coffee table, or even while propped up in bed. That soon subsided as home working dragged on, and workers found that those very conveniences, over time, were leading to crippling back pain.

Often younger workers don’t have the means to build an ergonomically safe home office without support from their employer. Our research shows the battle for good candidates has never been more competitive, so employers should consider providing – or at least helping to pay for – adjustable desks, chairs, and monitors for remote workers. Being comfortable at work can have a significant impact on productivity, this one should be an easy win for employers looking to keep younger employees throughout and beyond the pandemic.

2. Make sure employees have space to grow

According to Springtide Research, 86% of young people say it is important that their supervisors offer them opportunities to grow. Yet, many younger workers feel they are missing out on the chance encounters, watercooler conversations, and lunch meetings that helped their older colleagues build great workplace relationships or secure career-advancing opportunities back in their day.

Access to formal and informal training can support their growth (and improve employee retention, according to our recent white paper). Employers can help by making sure there are regular online and in-person opportunities for younger employees to feel connected to their immediate team, and to network and build meaningful connections across the company. That could be hosting informal, cameras-on virtual coffees or outdoor offsite events, or it can more operational such as increasing the frequency of team stand-up meetings. The important thing is to keep young workers connected, visible, and – most importantly – included. 

3. Look after their mental health

Over half of American workers have reported suffering from mental health issues since the Covid outbreak started. This ‘mental health pandemic’ is even worse among younger adults, who are more susceptible to financial stressors. While many are parents of young children, others in the younger cohorts are single and spend entire days alone at home, leaving them feeling isolated and unsupported.

So, what can employers do? The most important thing is to normalize talking about mental health issues and create safe online and in-person spaces for these conversations to happen. Employers should consider investing in paid-for access to mental health resources for their workers and encourage employees to use them without fear of stigma. Immediate supervisors play a crucial role here, as they can watch for any signs of psychological distress.

At the same time, leaders should role-model work-life balance and create a culture of ensuring adequate breaks and downtime, even when working from home. In addition, managers should invest serious time getting to know their young workers, especially if many have been onboarded remotely and missed out on the opportunity to build strong relationships with their team

For more insights from Adecco on how our working world is changing – and to learn more about keeping your workers included and engaged on the journey – why not join us for ‘Resetting Normal,’ an online panel discussion on September the 2nd at 8.30 ET? You can register for the event here.

At Adecco, we’re experts in helping employers like you navigate all aspects of today’s tricky employment and economic environment. To learn more about how we can help your business thrive, click here!

temporary staffing agencies in phoenix, az

The post How can employers make remote and hybrid working easier on younger workers? appeared first on Paragon Strategic Staffing.

Employers across the country are in a fierce fight to attract temporary workers. To make sure your job offers entice the candidates you need, you must appeal to their unique, individual needs. We take a look at the top-three drivers for today’s candidates – based on a recent staffing industry survey – and explain how you can build a winning package that resonates with your target temps.

#1. Pay rate

Across the board, pay remains the most important criteria for temporary workers, with a definitive 90% putting it among their top-three decision criteria. Of course, few employers can afford to raise pay rates continuously, but there are many creative ways to boost the financial appeal of job offers. Have you thought about offering employees instant access to wages? Or paying out an attendance bonus weekly (or even daily)? When it comes to base pay, our free, real-time 2021 payrate calculator can help you get your offer right the first time.

#2. Location

Nearly two-thirds of all respondents (63%) cited this, but there were big differences in the opinions of certain types of workers. Generally, the higher up a worker was on the pay scale, the less they tended to care about the location. (A trend that’s likely to continue as white-collar workers work remotely, post-Covid.) On the other hand, workers in occupations like production and healthcare were the most likely to care about location, perhaps because they don’t want to travel far for late-night or early morning shifts. This means employers must carefully target outreach for those jobs on a geographic basis. At Adecco, we go to great lengths to make sure the right workers see the right job ads – with the right messaging – from hosting localized in-person and online job events, to sophisticated geo-demographic targeting on social media. The result? More applies and faster fills for our clients.

#3. Working conditions/culture

Across the spectrum, 54% of workers – from knowledge workers to healthcare practitioners – put this in their top-three. Perhaps unsurprisingly in the current pandemic environment, production workers (59%) were the group who found this factor particularly important

We advise clients on tools and strategies to improve workplace safety, particularly during Covid. If you’re an employer, you should regularly ask yourself: Can we make this job cleaner, safer, and easier? Can we relieve our workers of tedious and strenuous tasks with increased automation and ergonomics controls? If you are committed to worker safety and a great workplace culture, the word will soon get out. You’ll find it easier to attract much-needed temp staffers and enhance employee retention along the way.

According to the SIA survey, the other most important criteria for temp workers included: ‘work/life balance’ (43%); ‘close skills match’ (34%); and training offered (9%), but – again – with big variations between worker groups.

So, in a nutshell, how can employers better appeal to temporary job candidates?

Employers can dramatically increase success rates when hiring in-demand temporary workers: Segment your target candidates into different demographic and occupational groups, and then tailor offers to align with their unique drivers.

For more Adecco insights on attracting temporary workers, read our article on holiday hiring, our two-part series on winning the battle for candidates, and our white paper on seasonal hiring. Visit our Employer Resources section for more helpful insights, and contact us if you have any staffing needs.

temporary staffing agencies in phoenix, az

The post Need to hire temp staff fast? Appeal to their top motivators. appeared first on Paragon Strategic Staffing.