The business world has changed rapidly over the past few years. First, it was the pandemic and figuring out remote work. Then, organizations dealt with The Great Resignation while still navigating the return to the office and hybrid work environment.
After all these changes, you may be wondering when the other shoe will drop. Without a doubt, the public sector will be facing some future challenges.
HR managers and professionals have been at the forefront of all the changes in the workplace, guiding the business and talent evolution.
The important thing to understand is that you must keep up no matter how hard and fast things get in a dynamic business landscape. We may not be able to predict the future, but we can learn to read the signs that signal potential changes and shifts.
Understanding Talent Evolution
The mass exodus of baby boomers retiring creates an ever-shrinking pool of talent to draw from, and the competition for public sector organizations is fierce. HR managers know that finding and retaining top talent is essential to delivering community services efficiently and making positive workplace changes.
Things like remote work, AI, automation and changing employee expectations have all driven the talent evolution. Tech and other advances have accelerated the way we communicate and share information, including:
- Digital transformation
- The internet
- Social media
- Smartphones and other technology
Plus, Gen-Zers are the newest arrivals, estimated to make up 27% of the workforce by 2025. As the first generation to grow up with modern technology and communicate with people all over the world, they have changed employee expectations.
These changes also mean you need to adapt your talent strategy, as trends shape the future of recruiting the best potential employees.
Key Trends Shaping the Future of Talent
The faster technology advances, the more significant its impact on workplace culture and recruiting will be.
New Technology and AI in HR Processes
Technology is one of the biggest factors affecting talent evolution and workplace changes. From digital tools to AI (artificial intelligence) to data analytics, it has revolutionized the way we work.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
DEI is a non-negotiable for the new working generations and plays a key role in talent acquisition. Public sector organizations realize the value of diverse perspectives and backgrounds in workplace culture and driving creativity and innovation.
Employee Experience and Engagement
The journey from discovering a potential job to accepting a position offered has become more important for employee satisfaction. The experience also makes them 38% more likely to accept a job offer, which is key as competition for top talent increases.
Strategies for Preparing for the Talent Evolution
Public sector organizations are notorious for not adapting to change but it’s necessary to adapt your talent strategy and business success moving forward.
Here are some strategies for preparing your recruiting process for talent evolution:
Strategy 1: Investing in Continuous Learning and Development
WorkStep surveyed over 18,000 hourly employees and discovered that no career growth was one of the main reasons for turnover. People want to feel like they are advancing, growing and developing skills, which in turn is also key to employee engagement.
Promoting a culture of continuous learning can provide personalized learning experiences. It can also make acquiring new skills more accessible and provide support for leadership.
Giving workers the opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills helps them advance their careers and stay competitive—two key elements of career success.
Strategy 2: Leveraging Data and Analytics
Leveraging technology, including data and analytics, is key to managing an organization efficiently and achieving goals. The right tools can help analyze your existing and future skill and recruiting needs.
Data and analytics help sift through numerous resumes and applications to find ideal job candidates and align recruitment strategies with organizational goals and culture.
While you may not have the answers to upcoming challenges yet, you can still gather valuable insights and understand your business needs and those of employees. Knowledge truly is power in these instances.
Strategy 3: Building a Strong Employer Brand
Developing smart talent development strategies also helps you tie everything back to your organization’s mission and values for a stronger employer brand. Consider how employee development will help your agency.
Cultivating skills that can benefit your organization the most not only helps employees become better at their jobs but also helps workers achieve personal and organizational goals.
Actionable Steps for HR Leaders
Preparing for future workplace changes and talent evolution is not just smart, it’s a necessity. Here are some tips on how to actually do it:
Leverage Data and AI: Like content, data is king. Analytics and measurement aren’t simply nice to have; they play a critical role in employee and workplace evolution. Get insights to make data-driven decisions and predict trends.
AI can help enhance productivity and efficiency and process information that can take the human mind a long time to analyze faster. Consider all the applications it has in your organization.
Interview Current Employees: Interview your workers to uncover hidden interests and talents. This step can help you discover the areas they want to grow in and reveal their current skills and abilities, helping HR better understand their employees.
Upskill HR Professionals: Workplace changes are reshaping HR practices, requiring HR professionals to develop skills in areas such as business acumen, workforce optimization and change management
Use Mentorship to Connect Leaders to High Performers: One-on-one mentoring allows mentees to define goals and set a plan to achieve them. It also helps them develop their skills and get powerful insights to help them on their chosen career path.
Use Career Pathing With All Employees: Career pathing helps employees improve their knowledge and skills while achieving their professional goals. It requires creating a unique path for each worker and matching them to various positions and opportunities within your organization.
Key Takeaways
One thing is certain for HR professionals, change is inevitable. After being reactive to rapid workplace changes in the past five years, preparing for talent evolution helps organizations become more proactive and mitigate risks.
HR will need the right talent strategy in the hyper-competitive recruitment environment. Let CPS HR assist you in preparing for the next talent evolution.