December 2024

Question from a hiring manager

Q: We’ve got big team goals for 2025. What should I be doing in the final weeks of Q4 to help my team start the year motivated and prepared?

A: It’s tempting to use the so-called slower period around the holidays to finally cross those lingering items from earlier in the year off your to-do list, but we have a better suggestion.

Take this opportunity – and if necessary, create the opportunity – to pause and reflect on how things are going with your team, your goals, and the path ahead. You can do this in 3 main areas:

People: Go beyond the annual review process and really check in with your team members. If they’re struggling, do they (and you) fully understand why? If they’re doing great, what is your plan to keep them engaged and performing in 2025? Where does everyone see their careers headed, and are those expectations aligned with yours and the company’s?

Projects: What just happened? No, seriously: If you were asked to write a script about 2024 with yourself and your team as the main characters, could you identify the wins, the losses, the shocking plot twists and the lessons learned?

If you don’t understand the story of this year, how are you going to write a great sequel? We recommend taking an honest look back at this year’s key projects in terms of performance, and also the ROI on your team’s time, talents and patience. Then invite everyone to collaborate on a list of things you should Stop, things you should Start, and things that should Continue in 2025.

Planning: Congratulations! Everyone loved your 44-slide deck outlining the team strategy for 2025. Now how are you actually going to do all that?

This is where the homework you just did comes in handy. By now, you know your team well enough to tell if you truly have the resources you need to deliver, or if you need to bring in some additional help (perhaps from your favorite talent solutions firm). This is a great chance to give your top performers a meaty new project to feast on and generally put folks in a position to succeed and grow. It’s also the time to make sure your people are compensated appropriately so they keep on delivering.

Now grab your Stop-Start-Continue list and look at your  priority deliverables for the year. Are they truly in line with your vision and the company’s goals? What challenges and opportunities did you run into last year, and how could you attack things differently this year to take advantage of that insight?

By taking a few days to be intentional, you can draw a clear arc for yourself and your team. Not only is this a good map for you all, it helps you merchandise your wins and requests to your leader and the rest of the organization. Your 2025 self will thank you.

Hot off the press: Flexible work flexes

Work flexibility is still a hot topic for workers, but it doesn’t look the same as it did even 2 years ago. As a hiring manager, you may have more room to negotiate around in-office time if that’s a top priority. Or you can consider hybrid work as a powerful incentive to attract skilled candidates looking for more flexibility.

• Our research found that 37% of U.S. job seekers were interested in a fully remote position, while 60% were interested in a hybrid role.

• Voluntary quit rates climbed to 2.1% in November, suggesting that more employees are on the hunt for a new job. How will you attract the top talent that's looking for a new gig? As a hiring manager, you may have more room to negotiate around in-office time if that’s a top priority. Or you can consider hybrid work as a powerful incentive to attract skilled candidates looking for more flexibility.  But while work flexibility is still a hot topic for workers, it doesn’t look the same as it did even 2 years ago.

• Fully on-site roles continue to trend downward but may be stabilizing. We found that the rate of new, fully in-office job postings reached about 64% to 66% in Q1 of 2024, and continued to hover in that range through Q3. We’ve also seen hybrid and remote positions stabilizing, suggesting that many employers continue to see value in offering flexible work options for many roles – but not every role.

• Employers in more rural states — where it can be challenging to find available local talent — are offering more flexible work arrangements. Meanwhile, in states with larger metro areas, the trend is more toward hybrid work than fully remote.

Spotlight On: Navigating SMB challenges: Small and midsize businesses face a unique set of hiring challenges heading into 2025, according to new research from Robert Half. To succeed, SMBs should focus on what sets them apart: Flexibility, agility and speed.

• Money does matter: Nearly half of SMB hiring managers said meeting candidates' salary expectations is a top concern over the next year. When there’s a gulf between offer and expectations, a manager’s first step should be to research the market rate for similar candidates and roles. Our 2025 Salary Guide can help you understand whether a candidate’s expectations are misaligned, or if your offer is truly low.

• Think beyond salary: Fortunately, SMBs have more to offer than just cash. To stand out against larger employers, play up your company’s positive culture and values, flexible work options, generous time off policy, advancement opportunities… whatever makes your business a great place to work beyond the paycheck.

• Move it or lose it: About 4 in 10 hiring managers at SMBs said losing a top candidate to a competitor due to a slow hiring process was a major concern. So, make a decision already! Agility and quick action are key advantages for SMBs. If you move fast and make a solid offer, you may just lock down a great hire while the big companies they are interviewing with are still filling out paperwork.

Recruiter Real Talk

“Retention begins when you hire someone, not when you realize they’re about to leave.” - Ash Athawale, Senior Vice President and Senior Group Managing Director

‘Tis the season for gratitude, and that’s just as important at work as it is at home. Letting your employees and colleagues know you appreciate them goes a long way professionally, as well as being the kind thing to do.

Robert Half Recommends

• No rest for the Wicked: Wicked and its countless collabs have become as inescapable as a flock of flying monkeys. Whether it’s your entire timeline or the conversation at the water cooler, it's not a matter of if you’ll end up in a conversation about Galinda and Elphaba with your coworkers, but when.