This month’s top trends in the world of work include:

1. A shift toward freelance work
2. Deploying technology to fight the Great Resignation
3. Ghosting in the hiring process
4. People’s readiness for the future of work
5. Reinventing company cultures

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This month’s top trends in the world of work include:

1. Rethinking pay in the market driven by high inflation
2. Attracting candidates through vacation schemes
3. Increase in work disengagement among women
4. Insight into the “antiwork” movement
5. AI becoming an integral part of recruitment processes

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This month’s top trends in the world of work include:

1. Salary transparency takes center stage
2. Tapping overlooked talent to combat candidate shortage
3. Longevity is another angle for a reimagined work environment
4. Jobs on the rise globally
5. Attracting frontline workers

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Based on our own internal data, both direct hire and temporary job growth for industrial truck operators in distribution centers has nearly doubled in some key markets, and hourly pay rates have risen as much as 50%. Furthermore, Indeed recently saw a 6% spike in forklift operator job postings spread out across the country. With package delivery booming, the hiring companies expect certified, safety-minded candidates to fill these roles.

New Collaboration

That’s why the Adecco Group Foundation US partnered with our client—a luxury home goods brand—to invest in innovative forklift training. The client had a high demand for forklift drivers and high expectations for their performance. And the candidates had a strong desire for advanced training in order to feel confident as they started their new careers. It made perfect sense to combine our own training acumen with the virtual reality experience.

New Training

Speaking of virtual reality, what a way to train people! Not only is it engaging and enjoyable, it provides a very real—yet not quite real—environment. The client’s Adecco associates sat in a real forklift and used the controls to conduct all sorts of maneuvers in a virtual warehouse. They familiarized themselves with the machine’s nuances and safety measures. And a Raymond employee was on hand the entire time to answer questions and ensure the technology ran smoothly.

Learn more about the training and listen to the impact it made by watching our mini documentary.

New Impact

The associates gained confidence, ramped up quickly, appreciated the investment in their development, increased their earning potential, and added a new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certification to their resumes. The client increased early retention, maintained productivity, improved inventory management efficiencies, and enhanced workplace safety. A true win-win.

“Totally, it helped me out… it got me ready for the job. The main key is safety. I feel like I’m ready and I can operate a forklift.”

-Armando, Adecco Associate

“I definitely see the excitement in my associates. Being able to tell them that they’ve been hand selected from their leadership (for this training)… it was pretty awesome to see their reactions.”

-Cynthia, Onsite Supervisor at Adecco

It’s success stories like these that continue to push the Foundation forward. Whether it’s certifying forklift drivers, assisting athletes with career transitions, or helping veterans enter the civilian workforce, the march continues on.

Get in touch with your local Adecco team to discuss custom training, onboarding, and HR solutions for your unique workforce needs.

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A record-high 11 million jobs are waiting to be filled across the U.S. This boom in available openings? You can thank the Baby Boomers.

According to Pew Research Center, the rate of retirement in Baby Boomers has accelerated since the start of COVID-19 with almost 29 million boomers retiring in 2020 – An increase of more than 3 million from 2019.

With 75 million Baby Boomers retiring by 2030, The Great Retirement is looking to supersede The Great Resignation as the biggest hiring trend for 2022. Here’s what you need to know:

How will Baby Boomers retiring affect the workforce?

One in four workers in the U.S. is a Baby Boomer, amounting to 41 million total employees. This trend of mass retirement will lead to an even wider workforce gap as companies race to fill positions left by retirees. As these workers also normally hold higher-level management positions due to their extensive working experience, the competition to find replacements will be tough with many businesses turning to recruiters to look for top talent.   

Why are Baby Boomers retiring now?

While Baby Boomers fall in the generation most at-risk for COVID-19, the main driving factor for retirement isn’t health-related. They’re looking for a better quality of life.

Famous for their strong work ethic and dedication (40% have stayed with their employer for more than 20 years), Baby Boomers commit to their jobs more than any other generation. After 40+ years in the workforce and a global pandemic, they’re re-evaluating their work-life balance. With quarantine rules keeping them at home but isolated, many are choosing to trade in their 9-to-5 for more time with friends, family, and to travel.

Those most likely to retire early? Women over the age of 65 are the group with the most retirees while the Hispanic Boomer population saw the biggest increase in retirement rates. Boomers residing in the Northeastern U.S. also saw a large increase in those retiring.

What can be done to prevent a workforce gap?

While Boomers may want to spend their golden years away from the office there is a silver lining to The Great Retirement: There’s a whole new generation (and two others) ready to work. Investing in these workers and supporting their development will be crucial to closing your workforce gap. Here’s how to attract and retain young employees:

1. Offer flexibility in the workplace

Gen X workers and Millennials are often working parents or caregivers to their parents or grandparents. With quarantine rules and distance learning changing often and suddenly, you’ll need to be supportive of employees who are pulling double duty working and taking care of their family during the day. Offering more flexibility to parents by letting them work from home and by measuring their performance on results (not hours worked) will help retain valuable employees who won’t have to choose between family and their job.

2. Close skills gaps with reskilling and upskilling

Younger workers, especially Gen Z, won’t have the decades of experience that retiring Baby Boomers have. Instead of brushing-off young talent for a lack of skills, take the time to train them on the skills they need. If your company doesn’t have a formal training program ask them to enroll in online courses like our Aspire Academy. There are dozens of training courses available at no cost.

3. Mentor, don’t manage

For many young people, a position in your company may be their first professional job out of college. They don’t just need a salary but need guidance on how to progress in their careers. In a recent survey, younger workers reported wanting feedback from their managers more frequently than their older colleagues signifying they need more support to know they are doing their jobs correctly. They also rank mentorship among the three most important aspects of choosing where to work. Setting up a mentorship program will not only attract top young talent but keep them engaged and loyal to your company.

Is your company feeling the effects of The Great Retirement? At Adecco, we pride ourselves on finding and connecting top talent with the right opportunities. Learn more about our staffing solutions and keep reading our blog to discover the other top hiring trends for 2022.

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Going green isn’t just good for the planet. It’s good for business too. Airline giant United Airlines saved $2 billion by making lighter, greener planes to drive down fuel costs. By switching from paper towels to air dryers Soldier Field is saving $12,000 a year. Amazon, Facebook, and Google? Their implementation of sustainable practices like wind and solar power is saving them 10% on their utility bills.

With top companies making green business practices more commonplace and 77% of American consumers motivated to purchase from environmentally-conscious companies, creating a sustainability plan is imperative to ensure success for your business.    

Luckily, it’s easy being green. Here are five steps to develop your own sustainable business plan:

1. Identify your environmental risks

Does your company rely on fossil fuels? Do you make products made from non-recyclable materials? The first step in creating a sustainability plan is to determine what aspects of your business practices can have negative impacts on the environment. Check out a full list of business environmental risks and be objective – How many risks have your company failed to address and how can your business correct them?

2. Match sustainability goals with business goals

It’s been proven that going green can add more green to your company’s bank account – but what about your other business goals? For example, if expansion is in your future how can you make sure your next offices are greener? Be specific in your goals to educate and motivate your employees and send a clear message to your consumers.

Keep in mind that adopting sustainable business practices isn’t something you can just do when Earth Day rolls around or for a flashy marketing campaign. It’s a lifelong initiative and the best way to future-proof your business. With two-thirds of Americans agreeing that the government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change and policies like a carbon tax attracting bipartisan support, we’ll be seeing more green legislation – and more penalties for businesses not being sustainable – in the coming years.

3. Partner with other environmentally conscious brands and communities

The average consumer isn’t just going green but is making more educated buying decisions. With two-thirds of customers saying they want to purchase from brands that advocate sustainability, green business certifications are on the rise to let buyers know they’re supporting sustainable companies. Membership in environmental communities like the US Green Chamber of Commerce can also show customers they can trust your practices are sustainable while connecting you with other businesses for partnership and advice.

Partnering with a non-sustainable company can negate any strides you’ve made in implementing your sustainable business plan. Working with green vendors can be as easy as partnering with a local business to reduce driving distance and fuel costs, partnering with companies that boast green manufacturing practices, or teaming up with a business that supports the local community.

4. Don’t forget about social and economic impacts

Corporate sustainability is comprised of three pillars: environmental, social, and economic. Make sure all three are incorporated into your sustainability plan. Socially, you’ll need to maintain acceptance from employees, stakeholders, and the public. This means treating employees well, making meaningful (and green) partnerships, and engaging with the community.

As for the economic pillar, align your company’s spending practices with environmental values and prioritize both equally. Incorporating economic factors into your sustainability plan will prevent you from adopting extreme measures in the name of going green. For example, transitioning from fossil fuels to cleaner energy can be taken in phases rather than all at once.

5. Build mechanisms for metrics and feedback

The success of your sustainability plan will be determined by both metrics and feedback from your consumers and employees. When writing your business goals determine how you will measure success. If you’re looking to reduce water waste this can be as simple as comparing your office water bill from one month to another.

Feedback on how your business is incorporating sustainable initiatives will help determine if your goals are attainable. Ask your leaders if they’ve had any problems implementing more sustainable practices and find solutions that still fit within your goals. Getting feedback from customers through surveys, social media, and live chats can confirm whether your sustainability plan matches consumer desire or whether there is another green initiative you can take to attract and keep loyal clients.

At Adecco, our goal is to help make your company future-proof, including by helping you create a sustainability plan to stay on top of business trends. For more insights on how sustainability is driving the future of work, read our article on green game-changers or check out which skills are in high demand for companies in the new green economy. 

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Ready to connect? As you start on the path to creating one of the best LinkedIn profiles out there, be sure to think big: How can you jump-start a conversation? How are you promoting your brand – your skills, expertise, and even your personality? But how to update your LinkedIn profile to be an authentic and engaging version of yourself isn’t just a one-step process.

Read on for our LinkedIn profile best practices.

1. Remember: You are more than your resume

Of course, your summary and job experience are absolutely essential, but this is also the time to let your personality shine. The best LinkedIn profiles also have a personal tagline, engaging photo, and a summary that doubles as your digital elevator pitch.

2. Your skills = Your keywords

When you look at “People also viewed” or “Who viewed your profile,” what comes up? Is it related to your career and interests? If it doesn’t, try changing up the wording in your skills section. It allows LinkedIn to better understand who you are and lets others in your industry find you easier.

3. Post often. Post smart.

Fewer than a third of users post at least once a month. Regularly posting means you’re regularly popping up on your Connections’ feeds. Stay away from bragging about yourself or your company – and instead share new insights you’ve learned from an article or virtual webinar. Or, post and ask your network for advice and insights.

4. Be social on your social

What you like, share, or comment on is visible to your network, so be purposeful in your interactions. Make sure to congratulate others on their latest successes or anniversaries, let someone know when you’re visiting their area – and in general, just try to share once or twice every time you log in.

5. Find your groups

When you join LinkedIn groups that reflect your interests, make sure to do some research on the group itself. What are the tone and the conversation like? Start by commenting on others’ posts and asking questions. (Avoid self-promotion!) As you become one of the “regulars,” you can slowly reach out to individuals and build 1:1 connections.

6. Ask for recommendations

You know which colleagues, clients, or managers can truly articulate your skills and work ethic. When you reach out for a LinkedIn recommendation, ask them to focus on the traits that made you stand out. Be sure to focus on the few who can give you a quality (and specific) recommendation

7. Showcase yourself

LinkedIn can be about more than sharing your accomplishments and awards (though it is great for that). Share your interests and association memberships with your network. Also, connect your website to your profile: It’s a simple way to enhance your profile (and your Google search results).

8. Make connections

Don’t just start sending requests out into the void. First of all, LinkedIn can mark your messages as spam and restrict your ability to send notes. Second, you want to find people who match up with your interests and send them a relevant, personal message.

Modeling your account after the best LinkedIn profiles takes some work. Still, it pays off the more time you dedicate to it – whether you’re actively looking for new career opportunities or just want to keep your options open. If you need more job search help or are ready to make a change, start with Adecco. We’re looking to connect candidates across the country with the right job for their success.

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This month’s top trends in the world of work include:

1. Key takeaways from a second transformative year
2. Executive focus on employee mental health in 2022
3. Retaining your workforce during the Great Re-Evaluation
4. The skills evolution
5. A spotlight on the gray-collar worker

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With Americans holding 55 million meetings weekly, chances are you’ve met with your team recently. The secret to making all these meetings as productive as possible? Making them as inclusive as possible.

A more inclusive work environment leads to increased productivity, improved efficiency, and a 59% increase in creativity and innovation – all elements which lead to more successful meetings.

“The one sure way to lose great talent, is to disengage them,” said Bridges Holmes, Vice President, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Corporate Social Responsibility at the Adecco Group. “This can easily happen by not intentionally including those team members in meaningful critical thinking opportunities, which can cause them to feel undervalued. Leading inclusively is free and the only cost is our ego.”

Keep reading to see how to make your meetings more inclusive.

1. Make sure all voices are being heard

A more inclusive group means more perspectives on how to solve problems and new ways your company can innovate. But only if these perspectives are voiced. Unfortunately, according to research, the most diverse voices, such as women and individuals from minority groups, are more than twice as likely to be interrupted in group dialogue. 

To prevent these interruptions, set clear ground rules at the start of every meeting. Determine how and when team members will voice their opinions and make it clear that cutting someone off won’t be tolerated.

2. Be candid and compassionate

Making your team members comfortable enough to participate is essential to running a productive meeting. Being transparent with your colleagues about how their feedback will be used will make workers more invested in the decision-making process, encouraging them to share ideas – especially ideas that provide a different point of view.

Meetings serve as an important tool for team building and collaboration. To build stronger relationships during meetings you’ll need to foster healthy debates between participants, encourage honest and helpful feedback, and show empathy towards your employees.

3. Be mindful of tone

The average worker in the US spends 2.8 hours a week embroiled in conflict, causing companies to lose $359 billion annually. A big cause of conflict isn’t a difference of opinion, but how we express it. During your next meeting make sure you adopt a calm and welcoming tone, give feedback constructively, and acknowledge contribution – research shows that employees prefer public displays of appreciation, especially in meetings.

With a more diverse team, tone is even more important. Some cultures talk more directly than others while generational differences shape the way people communicate. Set the tone at the beginning of each meeting of how to respectfully communicate and team members will follow your example, creating an inclusive culture.

4. Ask enough questions

Communication in management is important and meetings provide a clear pathway to connect with your team. Make the most of this time and leave no questions unasked. As you go through each agenda topic, pause to ask questions, agree on the next steps, and reach conclusions about points brought up.

Questions are critical in integrating all participants in the conversation. Some team members are naturally quieter or don’t feel comfortable giving opinions that dissent with the group. Asking them questions brings them into a discussion that they might not otherwise participate in.

5. Welcome new ideas

With a diverse group, you’re going to have diverse opinions. Make sure participants are comfortable sharing ideas that may differ from the group consensus. When stating the ground rules at the start of a meeting, encourage people to share differing opinions and to disagree respectfully.

Before your next meeting starts, send the agenda to your team members so they can come prepared with ideas free from the influence of others. Practice brainwriting, an exercise where participants write down all their ideas at the start of the meeting, to make employees more committed to expressing their individual ideas and not just go along with the group.

By following these steps to make sure your employees feel comfortable, valuable, and included in important decision-making, you’ll encourage an environment that fosters more diverse ideas, stronger team relationships, and eliminate groupthink which can prevent you from finding the best business decisions.

Diversity and inclusion are integral to a successful business. Adecco is here to help foster inclusive working environments to make the future (and meetings) work for everyone. Check out our blog for more posts on the benefits of hiring diverse working groups like veterans, and for more information on how to run more productive meetings read our article on common meeting mistakes and how to avoid them.

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Minimum wages are set to increase in a record number of US states and municipalities in 2022. In several states, the increases are part of scheduled raises on the road to $15 per hour. Learn more about what to expect for the upcoming year and how it might impact our country’s current hiring shortage.

When exactly do the new minimum wage rises take effect?

The first minimum wage increase went live in New York state on December 31, but most took effect on the first of the new year. Be prepared for changes throughout 2022 though: Hourly minimum pay for all federal contract workers – including disabled workers – will hit $15 on January 30, thanks to an executive order from President Biden last April. Then starting in July, minimum wage raises will take effect in Connecticut (up $1 to $14) and Nevada and Oregon (up 75 cents to $9.50 and $13.50, respectively). And Floridian workers will see a $1 increase to $11 on September 30.

Where are the most significant raises?

Virginia saw the largest 2022 increase, with minimum wages up $1.50 to $11 per hour. California, a leader on workers’ rights, also tops the wages table, with a state-wide minimum of $15 per hour. (For employers with 25 employees or fewer, it’s $14 per hour.) Parts of New York state, including NYC, also implemented a $15 minimum wage (the state-wide minimum is $13.20; fast-food workers made at least $15 per hour since July last year, state-wide).

For the record, several cities have gone past the $15 mark already. Seattle has the highest city minimum wage ($17.27) for most employers ($17.53 in SeaTac, home to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport). It’s $15.87 in Denver, $15.55 in Flagstaff, Arizona, and $16.40 in Apple’s hometown of Cupertino, California. Washington DC’s minimum hourly rates will hit $16.10 this July.

What about tipped workers and other exemptions?

Exceptions to the federal minimum wage apply for workers with disabilities, workers under age 20, tipped workers, and student-learners. However, several states and municipalities are upping minimum wages for groups covered by federal exemptions.

At the same time, the federal government is eliminating the sub-minimum wage for tipped employees of federal contractors by 2024. In addition, as of January 30, the federal government is extending the $15 minimum wage to federal contract workers with disabilities. (Tens of thousands of disabled workers in the US earn below the minimum wage, with some paid as little as $3.34 per hour.)

Employers will have to navigate complexity to stay compliant with different hourly minimums for different workers, employer types, and locations.

We stay ahead.

Over a million workers in America still earn the federal minimum wage or less, yet inflation is at its highest level in nearly 40 years. And although many employers hiked pay to combat labor shortages (Target and Amazon have a $15-per-hour minimum rate; Walmart has $12), inflation-adjusted average hourly earnings still fell by 1.9% in November 2021.

In today’s market, it’s more important than ever to be smart about offering competitive wages. In our work with employers across the country, we consistently find that those with the most success in attracting and retaining talent are those who own the market in wage rates. Working with Adecco means working with experts experienced in navigating local markets. You also get access to invaluable resources like our cost of turnover calculator and optimized pay rate calculator.

Learn how Adecco helped a leading fashion brand optimize pay for 100% fill rates, a 44% rise in applications, and a 52% boost in the interview-to-hire ratio. And find out how we can help you improve retention, reduce absenteeism, enhance productivity, and boost workers’ health, morale, and effort.

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