We don't claim to be seers or futurists, but these expected hiring trends will dominate hiring in South Africa in 2023. We acknowledge that hiring trends fluctuate yearly based on socioeconomic and political factors, so provided nothing too dramatic occurs, this is what we predict:
1. Diversity, inclusion and belonging
A workforce representing diversity, inclusion and belonging will continue to dominate human resource thinking. This is an essential factor for Gen Z's seeking jobs. They want to see diversity and inclusion and feel like they will belong in a company. Therefore, companies that can extract the diversity quotient rather than tick a box of diversity scorecards will be the companies that ultimately win in this area. The diversity quotient is the ability to unlock the powerful thinking and perspectives that diversity brings to a team or organisation. The lack of gender diversity, particularly in senior positions in South Africa, is still a concern and companies like ours continue to break down the unconscious bias towards working women and skilled moms in particular.
Find out more about the many attributes working mothers bring to the workplace here.
2. Getting to grips with GenZ
Gen Z's are the uber-tech young generation entering the workplace, and employers should seek to understand them to get the best out of them. Despite the continued trend of remote working, GenZ talent is more than happy to work in the office, provided they are given a level of flexibility. But more than this, for Gen Z's, the workplace has become more than a place of work. The office is where they find their purpose and seek out social and economic needs, which implies a potential company culture shift to accommodate this need. This video is worth watching where Simon Sinek explains how GenZ's deal with stress.
If you need any additional motivation for this hiring trend, here are 5 good reasons to hire a graduate.
3. Flexibility: a key benefit for attraction and retention
Flexibility, both place and hours, within the workplace is here to stay. Globally and in South Africa, we will see flexible working methods continue to be offered as a key draw card to attract and retain scarce skills and top talent. Each business needs to determine which type of flexible working works bests for your business needs, but ignore it at your peril. Remote working in some form is becoming the 'norm' for many companies.
4-Day week
With the pilot study taking place this quarter, the four-day workweek (which does not mean a Friday off) will see more airtime in South Africa. In the UK and other global markets, the benefits of the 4-day week are showing positive results from improved productivity, work-life integration, retention, staff attraction and a positive impact on mental health. So this is definitely a consideration when wanting to attract and retain good talent. To find out more about the South African pilot go to https://4dayweek.co.za/
Load shedding and flexibility
If there's one thing the pandemic taught, it’s that most businesses can function with a degree of remote and flexible working. Despite many companies deciding to give up their office space, the trend towards hybrid working methods will dominate how many businesses work in 2023. That said, if load shedding continues at the levels we are currently experiencing, employees may be forced back into offices to avoid long periods of no electricity. A great pity, given the strides towards embracing flexible working methods post-COVID, especially for working mothers.
4. Wage inflation
Wage inflation will continue for scarce local and global demand skills in sectors such as online education, digital marketing, technology, renewable energy and life sciences.
Globally we see the "triple-squeeze" happening, and in SA, we expect the same. According to Gartner, the "triple-squeeze" of pressure will be:
Rising inflation: Investec predicts inflation to be 5.6% in 2023.
Scarce, expensive talent: 50% of HR leaders expect increased talent competition over the next six months.
Global supply constraints: 48% of CFOs believe supply chain volatility and shortages will last beyond 2022.
5. Pay per output
Pay per output is a trend to continue as companies tap into independent contractors that can deliver a piece of work and get paid for the outcome. With new technologies able to measure output and the need for companies to have more flexibility in hiring, we have seen a fast-growing demand for our independent contractors, both locally and globally. Growth is expected to continue in all things tech, copywriting, digital marketing and design and financial services.
6. Employee wellbeing
Considering socioeconomic pressure and global uncertainty, employee well-being dominates the boardroom tables. Mental health and flexible working have been at the forefront of employee well-being conversations. As a result, mental health awareness and support have become a more considerable demand of employees, which lands squarely on the shoulders of employers and line managers. Creating an environment of open dialogue around these issues will become increasingly important for high-functioning teams.
Companies who invest in employee wellbeing will see a return on their investment through lower staff turnover, fewer sick days and a generally good vibe within the team.
Looking ahead to 2023, we are cautiously optimistic that the upward hiring trend of 2022 will continue in 2023. At RecruitMyMom and RecruitAGraduate, we have seen how using the best of our recruitment experience combined with technology assists us in matching talent to our clients. We look forward to partnering with you in 2023.
If you are looking to hire top calibre female skills or talented graduates, contact us today.
