Employment trends that will shape the workplace in the new decade

What are the biggest employment trends shaping the workplace?

The top employment trends today include remote and hybrid work, a wider talent gap, more automation in hiring, a stronger focus on diversity, and a push for upskilling.

• Flexible work is now expected, not just a nice perk.
• Automation and AI keep reshaping how firms hire and train people.
• Outsourcing helps firms fill talent gaps and reach a global workforce.

Global employment keeps changing over time. Many forces shape it, such as technology, politics, and industry rules.

So employment trends always exist and shift. The past few years even resets some of these trends, making hiring pros and employers rethink how they work.

The good news is there is still time to act. This guide walks through the employment trends that will shape the global workplace, and how they affect everyone.

Employment in the new normal

Several employment trends have grown over the past decade. Recent global shifts only made them stand out more. As a result, firms now value aspects they once looked past.

Today, more companies embrace remote and hybrid work. Many workers also want hybrid setups. In this way, they can split time between home and an office. Smooth remote work adoption makes this easier.

Global hiring picks up with this pace too. Calls for better diversity and fairer hiring keep growing. Meanwhile, more firms hire freelancers or send work offshore as costs rise.

The future looks bright for work worldwide. Still, old and new challenges remain for the global job market.

Several employment challenges the world faces

The “Great Resignation” added new worry for global firms. As workers quit and ask for better terms, firms must spend more and find smarter ways to hire.

This adds to other hiring challenges that employers face today, such as the ones below.

Global talent gap

The global talent gap keeps widening and may grow further. Studies estimated that the gap could rise from 3% in 2020 to 11% by 2030.

Many things drive this gap. For one, automation now handles more non-core work, so some jobs fade. Because of this, workers must upskill to stay relevant.

Rising demand is another cause. As workers quit in large numbers, firms must compete and lift their benefits for key roles.

Reaching out to qualified talents

Firms also find it hard to reach skilled workers. Often, a strong candidate hears from recruiters all the time. Someone with rare skills may weigh several offers at once.

So firms often turn to passive candidates. To get noticed, they build their name and work hard to win these people over.

Establishing employer brand reputation

A good employer brand draws better candidates with less effort. Research from Glassdoor shows that a strong employer brand helps firms make more quality hires.

Firms can build their brand in two simple steps. First, be a good employer. Next, promote a healthy work culture.

Being a good employer means more than calling staff “a family.” It means fair pay, real benefits, and a solid work setting.

A good setting also makes it easy to share your culture. With staff support, firms can promote it on social media and their site.

Practicing fair recruitment

Recruiters admit that bias makes diverse hiring hard. Still, virtual hiring has helped improve this, at least in part.

Research in 2020 found that 70% of applicants want to work for firms that value diversity and inclusion. Even so, some job seekers wonder if this focus will last.

Firms still have a long way to go on fair hiring. On the bright side, more employers now treat it as a real priority. Strong diversity management helps them get there.

Health and safety

Health and safety stays a real concern in hiring. In some periods, travel limits made in-person hiring hard. Applicants also worried about their well-being.

Rules on this topic can differ by place. Some regions set strict health requirements for staff, while others limit such rules, such as the restrictions in Florida. So firms must know the local rules where they hire.

Employment trends that will shape the workforce

The right talent keeps a firm strong in its field. So employers still have work to do to manage staff and improve hiring.

As the market shifts, new and old employment trends open fresh ways to think about the workforce. Looking ahead, experts see the following trends emerging.

Demand for soft skills

Soft skills matter more in a flexible workplace. Now, employers watch how staff show creativity, empathy, and clear communication.

The majority of HR professionals now say soft skills “matter as much or even more” than hard skills.

Yet less than half of firms know how to spot them. So many employers now add clear metrics to their hiring steps.

Focus on diversity

Diversity shapes many parts of a workplace. For example, it guides how firms fight harassment and close pay gaps.

Most firms now see diversity as a real edge. Still, workers feel there is more to do.

In the latest statistics from Glassdoor, more than three in four applicants (76%) call diversity a key factor when they weigh job offers. So a weak record can cost a firm good talent.

Automation in the recruitment process

Automation and AI keep reshaping how firms hire. Big companies like Unilever have used AI to hire entry-level staff, and they liked the results.

These tools help with three key tasks: sourcing, screening, and interviews. Meanwhile, many candidates feel fine using automation to answer early questions.

Increased work flexibility

Work flexibility was one of four key trends in the 2019 LinkedIn talent report. It ranked with soft skills (91%), anti-harassment rules (71%), and pay transparency (53%).

The report called flexible work “a perk that’s no longer a perk.” Indeed, firms worldwide now feel this demand, as seen with the rise in remote work.

Remote work may stay the norm even as offices reopen. In fact, it can bring real gains to a firm.

Predictive analytics

Predictive analytics uses current data to forecast a candidate’s behavior. It gives solid results in areas like credit scoring, personalization, and hiring. Many teams rely on predictive analytics tools for this.

This helps firms plan their workforce with care. As a result, they can gauge each worker’s value to the team.

A report by Deloitte in 2018 found that about 85% of firms know the value of predictive analytics. Yet only 42% actually use it.

Increased importance for training and development

Finally, employers and workers now stress training and development at work. As automation grows, firms must upskill staff to keep them relevant. Strong upskilling and reskilling plans help here.

Workers also value training as a way to grow. So more employers now tailor training to each person’s needs.

How the employment trends will affect us

These trends do not hit just one group. In fact, they touch the whole world, since everyone adds to the global economy.

Here is how employment trends affect a few key parties.

Local employees

Casual roles keep fading in many fields as automation grows. So some jobs will be gone in the years ahead. Firms will also expect staff to be more flexible.

Because of this, local workers must keep up with hiring shifts. As much as they can, they should improve their skill sets to stay in demand.

Global businesses

For global firms, the future is more digital. So they must improve how they hire and manage staff. In this way, they can stay ahead of rivals.

The society

These trends also show that the world is more connected. Workers and firms now link across borders with ease.

As a result, more people gain better options in work and hiring.

Outsourcing companies

Outsourcing firms gain an edge from these trends. Employers that lack the means to hire locally can tap remote teams offshore or nearby.

In return, outsourcing firms provide better workforce management and hiring for their clients. Over time, this lifts their reputation.

One such provider is Outsourced, a leading outsourcing company in the Philippines. It enables companies to expand their workforce without the financial burden of local hiring.

How outsourcing helps improve global employment

Not every firm can afford in-house staff. Small firms often lack the means. Meanwhile, both small and large firms face a limited pool of suitable talent.

For decades, outsourcing has helped fill these gaps. It also lifts global employment, since firms can reach a huge talent pool for their roles. Watching key hiring trends helps firms plan ahead.

Many people fear the industry “takes away jobs.” Yet the opposite is often true. Through outsourcing, more firms can create better, higher-quality jobs.

Frequently asked questions about employment trends

What are the top employment trends today?

The main trends include remote and hybrid work and more automation in hiring. A focus on diversity and soft skills also stands out. In addition, firms now stress upskilling and training.

How is automation changing employment?

Automation now handles more routine work. So some roles fade while new ones appear. As a result, workers must learn new skills to stay in demand.

Why is work flexibility so important now?

Flexible work is now expected, not just a perk. Many workers want the choice to work from home or an office. Because of this, firms that offer it attract more talent.

How does the talent gap affect employers?

The talent gap makes skilled workers harder to find. So firms must compete on pay and benefits. Many also turn to upskilling or outsourcing to fill roles.

How does outsourcing help with employment trends?

Outsourcing lets firms reach a global talent pool. It also cuts the cost of local hiring. In turn, it helps create quality jobs in many countries.