Top Employers Institute’s Post

After Timm Chiusano's post on Blurring the line between modern blue collar activity, and in light of the current job market dynamics, I've delved into three insightful reports: the World Economic Forum's 2023 Insight Report on the Future of Jobs, TalentMapper’s Shaping the Future of HR: Key Talent and Development Trends for 2025 (shared by Martin Mason), and the Top Employers Institute's World of Work Trends 2025 (shared by Jake Canull), I cross-referenced the work of the three reports to identify the top five skills organizations will need in 2025. These reports highlight the essential competencies for the future workplace. 1. Leadership Development As the work landscape evolves with AI integration, data-driven decision-making, and continuous change, leadership development is paramount. Leaders will need to foster agility and adaptability to manage uncertainty and steer their teams through constant disruption. 2. Systems Thinking The growing complexity and interconnectedness of global challenges demand a holistic approach. HR professionals must develop systems thinking skills to create strategies that align individual needs, organizational goals, and societal issues, such as ethical AI implementation. 3. Adaptability, Resilience, Flexibility With the rapid pace of change, organizations require employees who can swiftly adapt to evolving roles, embrace new technologies, and navigate uncertainty. Agility in leadership and change management initiatives will be crucial to equip employees to thrive in constantly transforming environments. 4. Analytical, Critical and Creative Thinking In future work environments, problem-solving will hinge on analytical and creative thinking. These cognitive skills will be highly sought after, enabling individuals to analyze information, generate innovative ideas, and tackle complex challenges effectively. 5. Technological Literacy, AI, and Big Data As technology advances, proficiency in new technologies becomes essential. Organizations will prioritize training in AI and big data to ensure their employees can integrate and leverage these technologies effectively. Employees skilled in AI tools and data analysis will be crucial for informed decision-making. In the upcoming years, leaders, managers, and employees alike must cultivate skills that enable them to adapt to change, think critically and creatively, and leverage technology effectively. As a L&D professional, promoting professional growth and focusing on skills development will be key in 2025.

Blurring The Line Between Modern Blue-Collar & White-Collar Jobs It makes complete sense when you think about it, but at first, I was not entirely sure how to understand this one when I read it in the Top Employers Institute World of Work Trends report. However, how they translate that into Trend #3 (Transforming employee experience for all) is a fascinating take that makes complete sense after digesting their report. This shift, sometimes described as the rise of “new collar” jobs, combines the technical expertise often associated with blue-collar work with the adaptability and digital skills needed in today’s job market. Some of the best practices noted in the report, where companies are well ahead of this trend, involve creating more inclusive practices to ensure all employees feel valued and empowered regardless of their role. When Top Employers polled 2,300 global multinational organizations about this, 30% said the employee experience would become more important in 2025 because of this trend, which will also impact how job descriptions are crafted. Especially with Gen Z’s focus on practical skills over formal education and the ever-growing cry from everyone for more flexible scheduling, skills-based growth paths, and recognition practices at work. As always, Jake Canull is the guy to ask if you want a copy of this too. As I continue to geek out on their findings, two more trends are still to come.

DE&I has an inclusion problem Story time: We've developed a way to analyse employee retention. We can predict who's staying and who's leaving, and see which factors seem to contribute to those decisions. I had the chance to pitch our solution to the HR department of a large multinational that everyone will have heard of (exciting!!). Like most processes at big companies, it was taking a time to make a decision. 6 months of meetings and emails and it seemed to be going in the right direction. Until a senior Diversity & Inclusion person in EMEA became involved in the conversation. In all fairness, it was my fault. I suggested including them because I thought (and still do) that DE&I and retention go hand in hand. Initially, the meeting went well. Then, the big reveal:   We can analyse whether or not employees from underrepresented groups stayed as long as employees on average. The data from businesses we’d piloted this with was not great. People from underrepresented groups stay for roughly 30% less long than the company average. In other words, you can’t fix your DE&I problems with recruitment. The meeting ended. I got a call from the HR director the next day saying “Thanks but no thanks”. Confused, I called a friend at the company and they immediately knew how I’d managed to mess this up: DE&I’s most important targets are recruitment targets, they’re hitting their targets. C-suite is happy. Promotions all around. I told them that those recruitment targets aren’t enough. AND that I can measure exactly how they aren’t enough in a pretty little dashboard which C-suite can use to make their job harder. I get why the DE&I person said no. It’s a big, political organization. They’re career-oriented. It’s still frustrating. There are hundreds of tools and techniques which companies spend millions on just to hire more diversely. This is of course good. But... If people aren't staying after they’re hired, then are we truly solving the problem? P.s. I know that there’s more to this than just tracking retention. But solving a problem starts with understanding that you have a problem. Tracking retention helps you get to grips with what’s actually going on in your organization. #employeeretention #diversityandinclusion #dei #HR #HRanalytics

This article was released in 2021. Its core message is still relevant today. "In developing the jobs of the near future that will be filled by today’s talent, we need to focus on skills, not tasks. This will help to identify the right talent with the necessary skills to accomplish a goal, without locking individuals into a specific role or saddling them with inflexible job titles...Additionally, it’s important to build structure around core competencies and responsibilities at the individual level." With the rapid scale of change in most organisations today, a job description is often outdated by the time it's converted to pdf. Technology and tightening budgets have all but wiped out the entry-level administrative roles and most companies are facing the task of doing not just more but new work with less. Focusing on transferrable, adaptable skills, or behavioural capabilities, gives organisations greater flexibility to assign work based on capability and capacity without being confined by narrowly defined job descriptions. Organisations need to be mindful of the risk of blurring the lines of salary structures that exist to reflect the level of impact, influence or responsibility of a role or an individual. If they don't, expect to hear "That's well above my pay grade" more often than "Where's that written in my job description?". To kick-start your journey into capability-based hiring, you can download our capability framework for free: https://bit.ly/3PzMbbh #futureofworkisnow #capability #adaptivecapacity #hirebetter https://lnkd.in/d3jRcv2m

Navigating The New Way Of Hiring Practice And Skill Sets In today’s fast-paced job market, hiring practices and skills are constantly evolving. Technological developments, such as Al and tools when it comes to working from anywhere, have changed how companies find and evaluate talents. Have a Look Here: https://lnkd.in/dMHHxVuJ #recruitmentstrategies #employeeengagement #positiveworkculture #learningandupskilling

"With the rapid scale of change in most organisations today, a job description is often outdated by the time it's converted to pdf." This is all too familiar as someone who has worked in HR for most of my career. Especially in the realm of technology, by the time the advertisement has reached the internet, three new world-changing technologies have hit the market and the person you're hiring will be expected to learn those too. A rigid job description puts blinkers on the potential to grow and learn new things, whereas concentrating on the capabilities required in the role, like an interest in and capacity to learn new things, gives flexibility while setting clear expectations (and you don't have to rewrite the job description when the next ChatGPT is released! 🙄 ). It's also good to see some balance to the discussion on skills-based hiring and job descriptions, that, while these practices may give organisations a seemingly limitless degree of freedom to assign people to tasks at will, the underpinning purpose of remuneration based on influence, impact and responsibility can't be pushed to one side. This is particularly poignant given the recent release of the gender pay gap. Great article, thanks for sharing AbilityMap!

📊 Our latest research reveals that candidate career choices provide deeper insights into their true priorities. Although compensation, work-life balance, and flexibility have been the trifecta of top candidate concerns since 2022, from these 3 - it's actually flexibility that most often makes or breaks a candidate's decision. Read more on our blog below to see which stated priorities were backed up by action, after we compared what members say they want against where they choose to work. By aligning your employer branding with these preferences, you can attract and retain top talent. 🌟💼 Insights by Jamila Smith-Dell and Greg Lewis #EmployerBranding #TalentAttraction #recruiting #talentdrivers #employeevalueproposition #branding #hiring #LTSthoughtleadership #leadingwithinsights #insightsoninsights #leadingthroughinsights #ltstl

LHH's research reveals that a mere 8% of employees actively pursue internal opportunities, despite 64% expressing a desire for companies to prioritise upskilling existing staff over external hires. By fostering a culture that encourages career development and internal progression, we can unlock the full potential of our workforce, leading to enhanced retention, engagement, and overall productivity. Let's commit to investing in our people, ensuring they have the resources and support needed to grow and thrive within our organisations. Read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/gmNdy9w7 #LHH #Mobility #FutureofWork #Research

Thank you #WSG, for conducting the webinar - Employers Connect: Navigating Evolving Workforce Expectations. It was certainly an informative session with leaders within the recruitment industry sharing valuable insights on bridging the gap between employers and employees. One topic that resonated with me was attracting and retaining talent. The discussion surfaced recent findings that show while salary remains a common factor within the top 3 factors for attracting and losing talent, the other top factors identified in these two categories are work flexibility, rewards and incentives, and advancement opportunities. These findings reflect employees' priorities in deciding whether to stay in or leave their current roles, therefore highlighting the importance for companies to pay closer attention to these factors in order to remain competitive in the hiring landscape. I also appreciated another point brought up in the discussion - that in this two-way professional relationship, employees too have the responsibility of fulfilling their part of the deal. This means performing their roles responsibly and not abusing the privileges accorded to them. This mutual give and take will contribute to a respectful and fulfilling employer-employee relationship, conducive to achieving everyone's goal, which is essentially, growth and success. Conversely, when this mutual respect and effort are absent, employer-employee relationships become petty and calculative, detracting from the ultimate goal. This not only leads to companies losing valuable talent and incurring costs on re-hiring and training new hires but also results in employees constantly hopping from job to job, driven by perks rather than purpose. What strategies have you found effective in bridging the gap between demands and expectations of employers and employees? How do you create that thriving work environment for both employer and employee? Would love to hear your thoughts and experience on this! #WorkforceExpectations #TalentAttraction #TalentRetention #EmployerEmployeeRelationship #CareerGrowth #EmployeeWellbeing #WorkplaceCulture

#hrfacts #axiom #connections #learning 5 Fascinating HR Facts That Might Surprise You! 1. Employee Referrals Lead to Better Hires! Did you know that employees hired through referrals stay 70% longer in their jobs? They’re also quicker to onboard, and it’s no wonder that referral programs are one of the top hiring strategies used by successful companies. 2.Onboarding Impacts Retention – Big Time! A strong onboarding process improves new hire retention by 82%, according to a Glassdoor report. It’s more than just paperwork—it sets the foundation for long-term loyalty and company culture. 3. Millennials and Flexibility: The Perfect Match Over 75% of millennials consider work-life balance and flexible work arrangements as top priorities when choosing a job. Is your organization catering to the new generation of talent with adaptable work conditions? 4. Investing in Employee Training Yields High Return Companies that offer comprehensive training programs see 24% higher profit margins compared to those that don’t. The benefits go beyond numbers—training promotes engagement, reduces turnover, and enhances innovation. 5. Diversity Drives Innovation! Companies in the top quartile for gender and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above the industry median. Embracing diversity isn’t just a social goal—it’s a strategic advantage! Let’s Chat HR! At Axiom Consulting, we help businesses design better HR policies and foster success through effective employee management. Ready to enhance your HR game? Drop us a message!