The one constant thing in the workplace is that it is always changing. It evolves to fit the current jobs and demand for applicants. Hiring managers and recruiters are a part of that evolution because they are the ones who have to ensure they keep up with it. Due to the technological advances in the past decade or so, the world could be facing the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Some obvious changes that have occurred, within the recent decade, in particular, include things like:
- A financial reliance of families on both parents working, rather than just the father as the head of the household
- A shift to technology-based shopping in many industries (i.e. retail, grocery, etc)
- Advancements in medicine and science, which rely on technology or automation
- Remote job culture, applications, hiring tools, and more
Compared to previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth is exceptionally fast. Consumer demand, for example, has pressured retail, grocery, and technology industries into adapting at a rapid speed due to the younger generation’s desire to get products quickly. The top industries affected in this revolution are robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence—all heavily reliant on technology directly.
However, this has also caused the job hunting and hiring processes to evolve.
A Changing Hiring Process
When technology evolves, new jobs are created. The hiring process as a whole must change too. A system behind the times can’t accurately assess the skills of the applicants whose experience has adapted to keep up with that technology. In fact, the past year has seen a global shift in terms of remote job opportunities and virtual hiring procedures. The COVID-19 pandemic forced that transition, which in turn caused many businesses to close and how hiring managers or recruiters brought in candidates. Automation tools such as technical skill assessments became more widely used as a result. Since the hiring process has adapted to those changes that have made hiring easier, they likely won’t fade out.
Enter: Talent Flow
Talent flow is known as the fluidity and management of employees through various divisions or departments. An example of this is cross-training, which means employees can do tasks in different departments within a single store. Being able to move people around inside a company could save money by eliminating the need to hire someone else, help it reorganize its structure on a major or minor level, or give employees different job opportunities.
Summary
Changes for a single company or globally can help things stay fresh, interesting, and a continuous learning experience. Recent years in the hiring process have seen less of a focus on technical skills and more of a human-based shift. In simpler terms, businesses are recognizing that people generally care about business culture, promotion opportunities, schedule flexibility, and so on than just their salary.
Evolution in the workplace will continue to happen as technological advances or shifts in perspectives take place. In the current industrial revolution of technology dependence, the speed of that evolution is likely to continue increasing.
