The Changing Landscape of Employment

We speak with Amy Glaser, SVP at Adecco, about the trends shaping the employment space today and the outlook of the industry. Glaser also shares when we can expect to see a rebound in hiring.

What’s the biggest trend shaping the employment landscape today?

It is still an employee-driven market where flexibility is key. We continue to see the demand and interest for gig and freelance work increase. In fact, we are seeing a shift within companies that are traditionally “8-5” 40-hour schedules getting creative with schedules and adding part-time shifts, presenting the opportunity for workers to self-select their schedule based on availability, personal responsibilities and more as employers try to attract those interested in gig work.

How do you think the employment landscape will evolve in the next decade?

Soft skills and adaptability will continue to expand in importance for employers, as AI will continue to decrease transactional tasks and the human element will gain even more limelight. As generative AI continues to evolve, we will see companies matched with their target talent for open positions at an exponential rate, along with increased movement from talent shifting from job to job. As Gen Z continues to enter the workforce, there may be a gap in soft skills such as emotional intelligence, the ability to work in a team, managing their workloads and deliverables. Employers will have to navigate this through upskilling, which will place a premium on talent that already exhibits these skills.

Hiring slowed at the end of 2023. When can we expect a hiring rebound?

We have said and witnessed that the recovery from COVID would not be linear. Although we still anticipate a few bumps in the road, we are on a path to stability and expect the normal seasonal cycles of hiring to resume in 2024.

How will new technologies like AI, machine learning, and blockchain, impact your industry?

The world of staffing is a people business. These new and advancing tools, including AI and machine learning, will enable our teams to spend more time interacting with our clients, candidates and associates as these technologies will sit side by side with them and removes repetitive, time-consuming tasks that lack a value add.

Do you have any unique predictions on the outlook of your industry?

We continue to anticipate growth and demand for staffing and workforce solutions from both employers and prospective talent. We expect talent will increasingly seek and build themselves sustainable careers. Overtime, we’ll see the staffing industry increasingly shift away from only transactional activities to more meaningful, relationship-building opportunities with the active workforce. We’ve also entered a more flexible, but competitive, hiring climate. Because of this, we expect employers to be open to more untraditional candidates for future opportunities. This includes considering former retirees, who may be returning to the workplace for a multitude of reasons, for roles that would allow candidates with extensive experience to thrive.

This interview originally appeared in our TradeTalks newsletter. Sign up here to access exclusive market analysis by a new industry expert each week. We also spotlight must-see TradeTalks videos from the past week.