Because of the pandemic, employees are rethinking their priorities and relationships with employers. As a result, organizations are experimenting with new business strategies and workforce models. With an emphasis on flexibility and fulfillment, employees and leaders are looking at refreshing their approaches to building shared culture and values in the workplace.
The staffing industry has been part of this transformation. Demand for recruiters grew by a factor of 11 in some sectors, according to LinkedIn data.1 Staffing and recruiting firms are exploring how culture can evolve with employees to retain top talent.
Now is the time for learning and development (L&D) leaders in the staffing industry to address the demands of today’s recruiting workforce. This means placing a greater focus on skill-building to support flexible career growth and internal mobility.
“Employees expect opportunities to learn and grow without limitations,” says Gogi Anand, a senior people science consultant at LinkedIn.
Employees who feel their skills are not being put to good use in their current job are 10 times more likely to look for a new job than those who feel that their skills are being put to good use.2
Building a Culture of Continuous Learning
In this evolving landscape, L&D innovators are collaborating with HR teams to focus on talent development, skill-based planning and internal mobility.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all learning and development occurs in education modules and other formal L&D channels. Some of the most important on-the-job education comes from day-to-day interactions with managers.
That’s why teams in the staffing industry can foster a culture of consistent engagement between recruiters and their managers and why 49% of L&D professionals increased attention on manager training and support in 2021.2
Staffing firms that decide to foster this culture of consistent engagement and knowledge sharing between recruiters and their managers can unlock a competitive advantage.
Research shows that not only do strong bonds between managers and their direct reports translate to higher rates of retention, but success in this endeavor can bring growth in digital fluency — increasing efficiency and productivity — all while cutting back on high turnover costs.
Companies that struggle with manager care find that employees are nearly 50% more likely to apply for a new job.2
In a relationship-driven field like recruiting and staffing, keeping talent engaged and challenged means firms will be better positioned to stand out and protect brand equity.
Making Measurement Work for the Business
Even as L&D programs evolve, many L&D teams still measure success primarily with qualitative feedback. Reskilling, upskilling and leadership programs also need to be evaluated with quantitative measurements.
“We are leveraging predictive and advanced analytics as well as digital tools to not only make learning more quantifiable in its impact and more engaging in the experience, but also truly transformational,” as Sean Hudson, VP of digital and global head of learning and development at Pfizer, says in the most recent Workplace Learning Report.2
An Opportunity for Change
Staffing firms that take the opportunity to shift to a workplace that supports flexibility, learning and care will be poised to succeed in the current landscape. And firms that strive to truly embed these values into their company culture will be poised to succeed well into the future.
For more information, download LinkedIn’s one-page guide for retaining recruiter talent.
Sources:
- LinkedIn Data: “Talent Market Drivers Since the Start of COVID: US Report”
- 2022 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report