Recruiting News

October’s chill seemed to have brought a cold front to the job market last month. Taking a sharp decline following September’s strong gain of 297,000, the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) monthly jobs report showed that hiring decelerated in October with the addition of only 150,000 payrolls. While gains were seen in healthcare, government, and construction, losses were experienced in the manufacturing, information, and transportation and warehousing sectors. The unemployment rate also ticked up slightly to 3.9%.

Looking ahead, however, Monster data indicates that this slowdown may only be temporary with the number of active job listings on site up nearly 13% over the past month. Here’s our breakdown of the latest job numbers along with key takeaways to help employers plan for the months ahead.

Strikes Continue to Affect Job Numbers

Once again, workers’ strikes affected employment totals in the BLS monthly jobs report. In October, strikes hit the manufacturing and information sectors the hardest, resulting in a combined 44,000 net loss in jobs.

Comparatively, 2023 has seen an influx of workers on strike, from the recently settled SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike to the ongoing Kaiser Permanente and United Auto Workers strikes. This increase in strike activity, Monster Economist Giacomo Santangelo says, “can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the demand for higher pay in the face of rising inflation, staffing shortages leading to employee burnout in critical sectors like healthcare, and the apparent realization that the discontent that workers may feel is shared across the labor market, inspiring organized action to address concerns and improve their compensation and working conditions.”

Healthcare Hiring Remains Resilient

Despite the ongoing Kaiser Permanente strike, healthcare hiring remained resilient during the month of October. On par with its average monthly gain, the sector added a solid 58,000 payrolls in ambulatory health care services, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities, per the BLS monthly jobs report.

Likewise, on Monster, active healthcare job postings are up nearly 16% over the past month with listings for registered nurses #1 overall on site. Other top healthcare jobs hiring on Monster include:

• Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (#9 overall)
• Nursing assistants

How has healthcare hiring managed to stay strong amid workers’ strikes, compared to other industries? Santangelo says, “The essential nature of healthcare ensures a constant demand for services, regardless of economic conditions.” The aging Baby Boomer population and ongoing labor shortages worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, he says, also drives demand for healthcare workers.

Meanwhile, from a candidate perspective, Santangelo says job security and long-term prospects continue to attract more workers to this sector. Over the past month, some of the top healthcare jobs searched by candidates on Monster were for:

• Registered nurses
• Medical assistants
• Certified nursing assistants (CNAs)

Transportation and Warehousing Sheds More Jobs

Ahead of the holiday season and major hiring announcements from companies like Amazon and UPS, the transportation and warehousing industry cut 12,000 payrolls in October. Over the past year, the sector has shown little change in employment.

“Despite the flourishing holiday hiring and the continuous growth of ecommerce, transportation and warehousing sector employment may not surge in conjunction for a variety of reasons,” Santangelo says. “The adoption of automation to enhance productivity, coupled with labor shortages, can limit the sector’s ability to scale-up employment. Ongoing supply chain disruptions, economic uncertainty, and a focus on operational efficiency may also contribute. Another trend we have been seeing in recent months is firms attempting to streamline operations and maximize the potential of their existing labor force.”

Not included in October’s job numbers were the recent layoffs announced by ocean carrier Maersk, which will leave 10,000 people out of work across the globe. Santangelo warns this will likely have repercussions on the global supply chain and labor demand. “There exists a close link between transportation demand and global economic health,” he says. “Strong transportation demand typically aligns with a thriving global economy, while a slowdown may signal economic challenges in the near future.”

However, at least for the time being, Monster data suggests that hiring actually may pick up, with the number of transportation and warehousing active job listings up nearly 40% over the past month. Top jobs hiring on Monster include:

• Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (#3 overall)
• Light truck or delivery services drivers (#10 overall)
• Taxi drivers and chauffeurs

Meanwhile, on the candidate side, these job losses may be catapulting job searches within the category. Top jobs searched within the transportation and warehousing industry over the past month include:

• Delivery driver
• Forklift operator
• Driver

Last Year’s Wage Gains are Slowing Down

Wages continued to climb in October, albeit at a slower pace. According to the BLS monthly jobs report, average hourly earnings rose by 7 cents (0.2%) last month. Since its peak in April 2022, wage growth has been declining, down from 5.9% to 4.1% in October year-over-year.

“Last year’s robust wage growth was partly due to the unique circumstances of the early pandemic recovery when many workers returned to their jobs after layoffs, creating a surge in wages compared to the previous year’s depressed levels,” Santangelo says. “As the labor market stabilizes and nears ‘full employment,’ the incentive for employers to raise wages decreases, resulting in a more modest year-over-year wage growth.”

End-of-Year Hiring May Get a Boost

While the BLS job numbers were down in October, Monster data indicates that hiring may pick up as we near year’s end. Over the past month, the number of active job listings on Monster increased by nearly 13%. Top jobs hiring right now include:

• Registered nurses
• Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing
• Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
• Managers
• General and operations managers
• Stock clerks
• Customer service representatives
• Maintenance and repair workers
• Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
• Light truck or delivery service drivers

Stay Tuned for the Next Monthly Jobs Report

Monster aims to provide employers with the insight needed to move forward. As you plan your hiring strategy over the next month, check out Monster’s guide for managing amid uncertainty.

We’ll see you again in December when we’ll release our next take on the monthly jobs report.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)…a time for employers to not only reflect on their commitment to equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, but to take action to become a disability inclusion champion.  

The Importance of Disability Inclusion 

Despite being adaptable and resourceful – qualities every employer looks for – people with disabilities are often overlooked when it comes to the hiring process. In fact, according to CNBS’s Small Business Playbook, as much as 80% of people with disabilities are shut out of work. People with disabilities possess a wide range of experiences, and perspectives, making them extremely valuable to your organization. Diverse teams are more innovative, and employees with disabilities bring unique problem-solving skills, creativity, and a different viewpoint to the table. 

Hiring and promoting people with disabilities can boost your company’s reputation with your employees, as well as with candidates, customers, and companies you do business with. Beyond being a moral imperative – and good business – hiring individuals with disabilities is often a legal requirement in many countries. Laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States mandate equal employment opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities, so it’s important to be aware of any changes.  

Follow these tips to help ensure that you’re cultivating an inclusive, welcoming, workplace. 

Recruiting Employees with Disabilities 

Are your job postings accessible to everyone? Be sure to use unbiased language, provide alternative formats, and make sure your company website is compliant with web accessibility standards. Partner with organizations and job boards specializing in disability employment services; they can help you reach a broader pool of candidates.  

Review your interview processes to confirm that they’re accessible and that reasonable accommodation is provided when needed. Offering training to your HR staff and hiring managers on inclusive hiring practices is essential. You can help eliminate hiring decision biases by teaching your hiring managers how to better evaluate candidates based on job qualifications. Most importantly, focus on skills-based hiring rather than making assumptions based on disabilities. 

Creating an Inclusive Workplace 

Verify that both your physical and digital workspace is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Don’t guess or rely on anecdotal information when creating your inclusive workspace. Consult with appropriate legal counsel and government agencies like the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), to ensure that you’re not only meeting your legal responsibilities but also creating a welcoming workplace for all. And remember to get feedback from your employees with disabilities, to confirm that nothing is missed. 

Offering flexible work arrangements, like remote work or flexible hours, can accommodate various needs, including mobility challenges and medical appointments. Establishing mentorship programs and training initiatives that promote disability awareness and inclusion can encourage open dialogue about disabilities and create a supportive work environment.  

Being proactive in providing reasonable accommodation helps amplify the message of inclusion. Don’t wait for complaints to get ahead of potential issues; when they arise, always address them with openness and transparency. Collaborating with employees to identify and implement solutions will help promote equity and show that you’re cultivating an environment where all are valued. 

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) 

Creating ERGs or affinity groups supports employees with disabilities by providing a sense of community and a platform for advocacy. For example, Monster’s ERG, Abilities in Motion (AIM), focuses on providing support to employees who have a disability (visible or invisible) and those who are caring for someone with a disability.   

Amber Gopel, AIM’s co-lead, says, “We also bring awareness and provide education for those who wish to be allies. Abilities in Motion is a safe space to feel heard and seen and is a great platform to discuss ways that Monster can better support people with disabilities and their caretakers. As a caretaker to my spouse, this group has been an amazing source of strength. At the end of the day, it is all about being there for each other!” 

More Ways to Support Employee Development and Retention 

• Career Pathing: Are you doing everything you can to make sure that all employees with disabilities are aware of, and considered for, career advancement? Employer branding materials, like an employer value proposition or a career site, can often be a good place to start. 
• Mental Health Support: Recognize that disabilities can also include invisible conditions such as those related to mental health. Provide resources and support for mental health and stress management. 
• Feedback and Communication: Encourage regular feedback from employees with disabilities to better understand their needs. Keep those communication channels open and transparent!
• Partnerships: Is your organization looking for a business partner? You might consider working with a company owned by people with disabilities. Although many are small businesses, they cover a range of products and services that businesses of all sizes need. Additionally, working with these companies would increase your firm’s visibility and boost its reputation.

By recognizing the importance of inclusivity, expanding recruitment efforts, and supporting employees with disabilities, your organization can foster a workplace that values diversity and benefits from the unique talents and perspectives of all its members.   

To learn more actionable strategies that can boost your DE&I talent acquisition pipeline, be sure to read our eBook: Diversity Equity and Inclusion: 5 Ways to Expand Your Talent Pool.  

September is barely behind us, but the retail industry is already prepping for the holiday shopping season. Sales are predicted to increase between 3.5% and 4.6% this year, according to projections from Deloitte.

Monster economist Giacomo Santangelo says, “Current reports reflect a proposed cutback in 2023 holiday hiring. A decline in holiday hiring suggests uncertainty on the part of firms and reflects reduced seasonal employment opportunities for workers. If some of these reports are to be believed, we could be looking at holiday hiring at a level we have not seen since the 2008 Great Recession”.

Holiday Hiring Strategies

If your business typically hires for the season, these strategies can help you manage that hiring in an uncertain economy.

Look Internally First

Do you need to fill additional shifts? Consider offering them to your current employees.

“They may want to pick up extra shifts to earn more for the holidays,” says Marina Vaamonde, owner and founder of online house marketplace HouseCashin. “If you’ve got enough people to cover the expected increase in workload, you might not have to look outside, or you would need to hire fewer temporary workers than normal.”

This may require training your staff on the art of the “holiday hustle,” says Eric Elggren, co-founder of leather accessories company Andar. “Upselling, moving quickly, and managing multiple customers at once are skills that all holiday retail workers need to have. If you have a staff that’s honed these skills, you may not need to hire, train, and pay many more workers for the holidays.”

Lean Toward More Flexible Positions

When you’re not sure what your needs will be — but you anticipate them being lighter than usual — you need the ability to be fast on your feet. Hiring part-time or temporary workers can give you the freedom to move workers around as needed.

“This will give you the flexibility to adjust your staffing levels based on changes in customer traffic,” says Arno Markus, founder of iCareerSolutions. If demand is higher than expected, you can increase hours for the part-time workers that want them.

This also gives you the opportunity to offer flexible work in an economy where “flexible” is what workers want. Ninety-four percent of workers want flexible hours, according to a survey from Future Forum, a consortium on the future of work.

Hire Strategically

When hiring for an uncertain spending season, you may need to have some tricks up your sleeve. For instance, consider hiring seasonal workers who can contribute in multiple ways.

“It may make sense to hire someone who has more experience in other areas of the company so that they can take on those extra responsibilities when needed,” says Kimberley Tyler-Smith of Resume Worded.

If you’re hiring fewer workers, it’s also imperative that you screen candidates carefully and make sure you hire well. “In a slower economy, there will be more people vying for seasonal jobs, so it’s important to be selective in order to find the best possible employees,” says Phi Dange, director of home service company Sidepost.

Don’t Skimp Too Much

Dropping your hiring too low can backfire when you don’t have the help you need. Target’s seasonal hiring goal of 100,000 is exactly the same as last year’s, and Macy’s will be hiring fewer people than it did in 2022.

“The holiday season is more about the experience and emotions attached to it, and seasonal team members are an important part of this and are also important to ensure businesses deliver customer needs,” says Adrienne Couch, human resources analyst with business site LLC.services.

Has Seasonal Hiring Been Adequate?

Consider, too, whether your seasonal hiring has been adequate in the past. “I’ve yet to find a retail store that needs to hire seasonal help [manage to] hire an adequate amount of them, leaving even the seasonal helpers overworked and regular employees downright drowning,” says Dragos Badea, CEO of hybrid workforce management company Yarooms. “Regular hiring patterns against slower demand might be a good thing in the long run, as you’ll experience a good deal fewer holiday attrition-style quitting at the peak of the season.”

An Economist’s Viewpoint on This Year’s Seasonal Hiring

During the holiday season, the retail sector is a driving force in seasonal hiring trends. Consumer behavior and changes in retail strategies affect retail during the holidays. Anything that affects them will affect firms’ hiring behavior.

Santangelo says, “One example of a “consumer behavior” that is influencing retail is “online shopping.” The rise of online shopping has transformed holiday hiring by creating new job opportunities in e-commerce, shifting the types of roles available, and influencing hiring decisions by both traditional retailers and online businesses.

Consumer Confidence

Since anything that affects consumer behavior influences retail behavior, consumer confidence is also a huge contributing factor. Recent earnings reports from retailers (you know the ones) indicate consumers are a bit more hesitant as the holidays approach. This may stem from further concerns about inflation, financial sustainability, and the recent resumption of student loan payments, which will reduce disposable income during the holiday season and, unless consumers are willing to take on more credit card debt, will limit the amount of spending, meaning retailers will need fewer workers.

It’s a tough jobs market — recruiters across the board acknowledge that it’s difficult to match openings to job seekers right now. Labor force participation numbers are still lower than they were before the pandemic, and companies are competing for top talent.

Artificial intelligence, meanwhile, is having a moment. Chatbots like Bard, Bing and ChatGPT can answer complex questions, solve difficult math problems and create content — plus share the best recipe for roast chicken. ChatGPT can match the top 1% of human thinkers, according to a recent study.

But can AI solve your talent shortage woes? Maybe. Here’s the lay of the land.

Workers Are Using AI — But They’re Nervous

AI isn’t a thing on the distant horizon — 49% of workers have used ChatGPT or a different AI generator for work, according to a recent Monster poll. Uses include basic work tasks like writing an email (50%), job application tasks like writing cover letters (35%) or creative tasks like generating campaigns (30%).

However, 38% of workers are worried that an AI generator could replace their role at work or eliminate their position. And 26% of workers say ChatGPT is scarier than getting into an accident, switching careers entirely, being disliked by their manager, public speaking, and going on a blind date.

In fact, although workers are using AI on the job, their feelings about what they think would happen if their manager found out they were using an AI generator for certain job tasks were mixed.

“What’s interesting is that nearly one-third of respondents said they would be praised for finding efficiencies and nearly one-third think they would be asked to teach others,” says Monster career expert Vicki Salemi. “Whereas 20 percent think they would have some of their work replaced and nearly one-quarter think they would be looked down on. By looking at the bigger picture, this makes sense: it depends on the work, specific tasks, company culture and ultimately, your manager.”

Employer Adoption of AI Is Evolving

The idea of AI replacing jobs isn’t outlandish — some jobs are already being threatened. Consider self-checkout lines at the grocery store or chatbot customer service representatives. But experts believe AI will lead to tech jobs evolving, not necessarily disappearing.

“Continued innovation, continued transformation (across all industries) to online, digital, and AI is expected to create demand for tech professionals who can help organizations navigate and leverage new technologies,” says Monster economist Giacomo Santangelo. “This may lead to increased hiring in roles related to digitalization, software development, IT consulting, and digital marketing.”

In other industries, AI may be able to free employees from more mundane tasks. In education, for instance, if AI handles routine tasks, educators can focus more on decision-making, complex thinking, and helping students with critical thinking.

“At this point, I think what we’re experiencing is that we’re training these models,” says Anna Tavis, clinical professor of human capital management at New York University. “We’re not there yet, but I think that’s the goal. I see where it’s going, and I see the improvement curve from where we started to where we are now.”

Pros and Cons of Using AI When You’re Shorthanded

There are advantages (and disadvantages) to using AI to fill your talent gaps. For one thing, it can handle basic rote tasks, freeing up talent to use their time for more skilled work. You might be able to reduce spending on outsourcing if you can handle more in-house.

AI can also create a starting point or first draft of a project that your skilled workers can hone. “It can give you a baseline,” says Cornelia Gamlem, a speaker and consultant and co-author of The Big Book of HR. “That can help whoever’s creating that content to do it a bit more efficiently and probably quicker, so it might free up the individual’s time to do more.”

If you can use AI appropriately, it could be a tremendous time saver. “It might mean you can give more tasks to fewer employees and you’re still not overburdening them, because they’ve got some good tools to work with,” Gamlem says.

On the other hand, AI is only as good as its input — which means someone has to teach it what to do. “Then you’ve got to train people to use it, which is another added cost,” says Matthew Burr, a human resources consultant in Elmira, New York.

AI also has no soft skills. “It can be a useful tool, but it still lacks human emotion,” Gamlem says. “It lacks personal experiences.”

AI Can Help — Within Reason

When you’re overwhelmed and understaffed, AI might be able to handle your low-value tasks, freeing up workers to focus on more important things. You may be able to reduce your outsourcing spend and create tools that help your employees work more efficiently.

That said, for now, AI can’t replace the human element of your skilled workers. “There are situations that require context and problem solving that are not programmed into these bots,” Tavis says. “Humans can be more available for those types of situations if their time is not spent on routine tasks that can be automated through AI. That’s the ideal situation, and I think we’re getting there.”

Learn More About Hiring Trends

From LGBTQ identity in the workplace to wages and the cost of living, Monster Intelligence contains polls and information on the latest hiring trends and what candidates think of them. Visit today to learn more.

Recent hiring freezes and layoffs are creating an environment where recruiting organizations have to stay pliable and responsive to change. Industries like retail trade, warehousing, and storage have stopped hiring for the time being, and job growth has slowed in areas like leisure, hospitality, and healthcare, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Layoffs, meanwhile, are up 15% for the past month and nearly 400% over this time last year. Labor participation rates are also lagging: There are fewer workers ages 20 to 24 and over 55 than there were in February 2020, data shows. Other research highlights about 700,000 “missing” workers in the U.S. labor force.

In a tight market, recruiters have to be creative and nimble to attract the best talent. Here are six strategies for being quick on your hiring feet.

Always be Recruiting

With 50.5 million people quitting their jobs in 2022, making sure you’re always recruiting can ensure that you’re capturing the newest entrants to the talent market and that you’re prepared when a job opening is available.

“If someone reaches out to us about a role with our company, we will chat with them, even if we aren’t currently looking,” says Eric Mochnacz, director of operations at HR consulting firm Red Clover. “They may be someone we can call on when we decide to go to market for an open role.”

This works both ways: Don’t stop reaching out to candidates, either. “Even when someone tells you ‘no,’ most candidates appreciate it when potential employers seek them out,” says Karolina Kijowska, head of people at tech company PhotoAiD. “And that answer might change within the next few months.”

Look Internally

When outside talent is hard to find, recruiters may need to find their candidates in-house.

“Companies are turning to what I call ‘quiet hires,’ — promotions within the business, announced with little fanfare,” says Travis Hann, co-founding partner at boutique recruiting firm Pender & Howe.

This doesn’t mean there’s no role for a recruiter, however. “Combing through a roster of employees can often be more challenging than simply going with a big name,” Hann says. “It requires a comprehensive evaluation of the potential impacts on multiple departments. But when done thoughtfully, these internal moves can result in tighter teams and faster transitions.”

Incentivize Passive Job Seekers

Passive job seekers are candidates who have the skills you need and typically are already employed — but who may be open to the right opportunity if it finds them.

“The best candidates are often passive recruits, especially as other businesses increase layoffs,” says Marnix Broer, co-founder and CEO of Studocu, a student document resource community. “Our biggest source of passive candidates is employee referrals, though we also link up with passive recruits and keep those relationships warm year-round.”

Publicizing the great benefits available can also help organizations lure candidates who aren’t really looking. Some companies do this by “offering career-development opportunities and flexible working arrangements,” says Paw Vej, chief operating officer at personal finance site Financer.com.

Widen Your Reach

If traditional channels of candidates have run dry, recruiters will have to consider other avenues. For instance, a recruiter might establish a relationship with universities and other educational institutions in order to identify potential candidates, says Samar Pahwa, HR manager of health site FindHealthTips.com.

Opening a position to remote workers also allows you to broaden your search. “Organizations that offer flexible work arrangements can attract a larger pool of geographically unrestricted candidates,” Pahwa says.

Stay Active on Social

Making sure a company’s brand has a strong presence on social media can help build an audience and a pipeline of candidates with brand awareness.

“We are active on LinkedIn, both from our personal accounts and our company content,” says Mochnacz of Red Clover. “So we drive a lot of organic traffic through our content. In doing that, we build up interest in our firm. So when we do post a job, those people are more inclined to apply because they’ve been following our company.”

Be Smart About Your Job Ads

At Monster, recruiters are taking advantage of Pay for Performance job ads, which offer maximum flexibility and agility. Monster promotes jobs across our partner network to increase reach, and you pay only when a seeker clicks to view the job. Recruiters can strategically syndicate content, and campaign strategy and segmentation are tweakable based on changing job volume and customer priority.

Generation Z is smart, driven, and cares deeply about the world they’re inheriting — perhaps even more so than older generations. As the youngest cohort in today’s workforce, Gen Z carries a lot of eco-anxiety and considers sustainability to be a huge priority not just in their personal lives, but in their professional lives too.

According to a recent survey, Gen Z cares so much about environmental issues that 1 in 3 would turn down a job opportunity from an employer that wasn’t environmentally conscious. Not to mention, more than half would be willing to take a pay cut for the sake of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns.

“Gen Z cares about sustainability in the workplace because they have knowledge that previous generations didn’t have,” says Asim Hafeez, owner and operator of Empower Energy Solutions. “Gen Z is different. They’ve been raised with knowledge of what is happening to the environment and what causes damage to the environment and how damaging some business practices are. Gen Z is also getting to see the results of poor decisions that have been made environmentally by the generation before. And because they see the side effects, environmental issues are a lot more pressing for them.”

For employers looking to hire the next generation of workers, learn how going green can positively impact your emerging workforce recruiting plans.

Going Green in a Post-COVID Work Environment

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies were able to turn their offices green in a number of ways. Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, setting up recycling and compost bins, and encouraging employees to carpool are just a few examples. Now, with so many businesses operating remotely or in a hybrid model, traditional workplace sustainability efforts may no longer be applicable.

“COVID has shown us just how much waste we create, whether it be energy, water, or material discards,” says Stacy Savage, founder and CEO of Zero Waste Strategies LLC. “For example, an employee would normally use office bins to throw away their trash and possibly recycle and compost their food waste if those options were available to them. Now that employees are working from home, they must look at how much waste they are producing daily in their home bins…the practice of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ can no longer be an excuse as to why we’re not changing our own personal habits.”

Fortunately for employers looking to go green, sustainability efforts can take many forms, some of which don’t necessarily require office space. A few ways remote or hybrid companies can go green include:

• Community philanthropy or corporate volunteer days
• Earth Day sponsorships
• Utilizing data centers and servers that are powered by renewable energy sources
• Building out “green teams” for employee leadership development

Additionally, employers can provide training and educational opportunities for employees to better understand how to practice sustainability in their everyday lives, especially if they are working from home. For example, employers can educate workers on:

• How to start recycling and composting
• How to lower their water, gas, and electricity bills
• How to identify and reduce air and energy leaks in their homes

“The biggest thing a business can do is coaching on what people can do to have a green impact in their day-to-day lives,” Hafeez says. “Green efforts that happen every day are significantly more important than what happens once a month or once in a while.”

Incorporating Sustainability Efforts Into Employer Branding

Knowing that Gen Z is more likely to be attracted to companies that prioritize sustainability, it’s important to ensure green efforts are being communicated to candidates. Leveraging employer branding, like your employee value proposition (EVP), to promote green initiatives can help spread the word about the impact your company is making on the environment.

“Incorporating sustainability initiatives into the EVP can help to attract candidates who are looking for a workplace that aligns with their values,” says Deepali Vyas, CEO of Fearless+. “Employers can also highlight their sustainability efforts in job descriptions, career pages, and other recruitment materials to showcase their commitment to sustainability.”

Just make sure when you’re promoting green efforts, you aren’t telling any white lies. This digitally-savvy generation will surely be able to sniff out brands that are “greenwashing,” or exaggerating their environmental practices

“Individuals in Gen Z need to be able to trust their employer is doing everything it can to mitigate wastes and emissions to the air, water, and soil,” Savage says. “Additionally, if that employer is greenwashing its sustainability efforts, it is likely they’ll be exposed on social media or viral videos that can create a PR nightmare.”

Building Your Emerging Workforce Recruiting Strategy

When it comes to attracting and retaining Gen Z employees, embracing sustainability, and using it as a tool within employer branding will be crucial. Want to learn more? Contact one of our in-house experts at Monster Strategic Talent Solutions to see how we can help market your brand to today’s top candidates.

High inflation and the ensuing economic downturn have affected virtually all aspects of hiring, as employers enact hiring freezes and lay off workers en masse. Internships, of course, are not immune to the effects either. While employers may be considering putting internship programs on hold this summer, experts say that could be a big mistake.

“While it may be tempting for employers to cut back on internship programs during a recession, doing so can have long-term consequences for the organization,” says Deepali Vyas, CEO of Fearless+. “By continuing to invest in talent development and maintaining a commitment to social responsibility, employers can position themselves for success both during and after difficult economic times.”

Learn how employers can leverage internship programs to fill immediate needs during a recession and help build their talent pipelines for the future.

Why Employers Should Continue Internship Programs

Rain or shine, there are several reasons why employers should continue to offer internship programs during a recession or times of economic uncertainty. For one, interns may be able to fill in gaps to help keep operations on track when there are hiring freezes or long transitionary periods.

“While interns should not be doing the same work as employees, with companies laying off workers en masse this can be an opportunity to reevaluate your company’s internship program and strategically reassign some of the work to interns,” says Dr. Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES, founder and career coach of caffeinatedkyle.com. “This not only supports the company through these challenging economic times but also provides the intern with hands-on experience, in addition to bolstering their resume with relevant industry accomplishments when they’re on the job market.”

As the skills gap continues to widen, internship programs also offer a prime opportunity for employers to mentor future employees and build their talent pipeline for better days ahead. After all, circumstances may change between now and the fall, which may allow employers to consider hiring some of the great intern talent they’ve had a chance to vet with on-the-job experience.

“Employers are struggling nationwide to fill open positions and are finding a misalignment with the skill set they think they need and the skill set applicants have,” says Julie Lammers, senior vice president of advocacy and corporate social responsibility at American Student Assistance. “Work-based learning experiences like internships allow employers the opportunity to expose young people at an earlier age to the kinds of skills they will need to be successful and help train them for, or often receive, the certifications necessary to start contributing immediately to the workforce.”

Additional benefits an internship program may provide employers include:

• Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Building a positive brand image
• Access to new ideas and perspectives
• Creating mentorship opportunities for more senior employees
• Fulfilling social responsibility

How to Hire and Manage Interns During a Recession

While employers may already be aware of the many benefits internship programs provide, implementing these programs may prove challenging in light of recessionary fears. Rather than scrapping these programs completely, employers should take the time to reevaluate and make adjustments where necessary.

“The biggest barrier to employer participation in an internship program is the inability to manage the program internally,” Lammers says. “When times are tight, these kinds of training programs are often seen as ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘need to have.’ Before cutting these programs, we would encourage employers to try to partner with a business intermediary like a workforce board or chamber of commerce, that may be able to lift some of the administrative burdens by managing them in a central location. The Boston Private Industry Council or Skills for Rhode Island’s Future are two great examples of these types of coordinating bodies for internships.”

Employers struggling to start up or manage their internship program this summer may also consider:

• Pivoting to remote internships
• Delaying the start or shortening the length of the internship program
• Reducing the number of internships available

Knowing that some employers may choose to pause their internship programs, there may be a surplus of students looking for work this summer. Employers opting to move forward with their internship programs will want to make sure they are conveying the right message to attract top candidates to their programs. Take a look at employer branding materials, such as an employee value proposition, job descriptions, career pages, and even social media, to ensure candidates understand how an internship could benefit them, too.

“Students and recent graduates with impressive resumes often have their choice of internship programs and are typically being pursued by multiple companies,” Dr. Elliott says. “Beyond paying your interns, which is table stakes at this point, review the professional development and mentorship opportunities you’re providing them. Additionally, consider what career ladders are available to them post-internship, as students often gravitate toward those companies where they see long-term potential.”

How to Navigate Economic Uncertainty

From internships to the C-Suite, employers will likely have to reevaluate hiring and workforce management strategies over the next few months. Depending on your business, some strategies may be more feasible than others, but the key is having expert resources and analysis at your fingertips. To learn how to better navigate the months ahead, download our Recruitment Survival Guide.

In the UK, there’s a big workplace shift afoot: In November, 100 UK companies decided to switch permanently to a four-day work week following a pilot program in which more than 70 companies participated.

Midway through the trial, 95% of firms said productivity either stayed the same or improved since moving to four days a week, according to a survey from 4 Day Week Global, which ran the experiment. And 86% of companies said that they’d be “likely” or “extremely likely” to consider keeping the four-day work week permanently.

A four-day work week has benefits: It’s a great tool for attracting and keeping talent, gives workers more time to tend to their personal lives, and can boost productivity overall. But it works better in some industries than others, and work culture in the U.S. isn’t quite the same as it is in the UK.

Here’s where U.S. companies stand on a four-day work week.

Some U.S. companies are already doing it

Some U.S. firms have already adopted the four-day model, including Kickstarter, thredUP and the city of Morgantown, West Virginia, among others. In fact, 40% of companies have started using a four-day work week or are implementing one, according to a recent EY Future Workplace Index.

Arrow, a PR firm in Austin, Texas, implemented a 32-hour four-day work week in 2020, partially in response to employees’ overall burnout. “We were all deep into Zoom and people were really fatigued from being on Zoom calls and going through difficulties of what COVID presented for everyone,” says Dave Shaw, Arrow’s founder and CEO. “We decided, ‘Why don’t we just take all of Friday off for the summer?’ And it worked so well — people came back completely refreshed and energized and ready to go.”

At the end of the summer, Arrow’s leadership team voted to keep the four-day work week. “We realized it didn’t hamper our productivity at all,” Shaw says. “We informed our clients, and with almost no exception the reaction we got was, ‘That’s amazing, I wish my workplace would do it, too.’”

There are also hybrid four-day models

Other companies have adopted a four-day work week — but only part of the time. Teambuilding.com, a corporate events firm, runs four-day work weeks in January and July, which are the company’s slow months, and they’re considering expanding into other months.

“October, November and December are, by far, the busiest for us,” says Michael Alexis, CEO of the company. “Our team works hard, and they work long hours. Coming into January, it’s convenient for us to be able to provide that time off. It’s also very much earned.”

At public relations firm FischTank PR, employees have been split into two groups, and the groups alternate having every other Friday off. This ensures that there’s always someone available to service client needs, since half the team is present every Friday.

“It works out to be an extra 20 to 23 days off during the year,” says Matthew Bretzius, president and partner of the firm. “Feedback we’ve gotten has just been about how helpful it is for them to have that extra day every couple of weeks to recharge.”

There are questions to consider

Instituting a four-day work week at a U.S. company requires some thought. “How will overtime pay be calculated?” says Linda Shaffer, chief people and operations officer for Checkr, a human resources background check company. “Will the way that holidays and vacations days are handled need to change?”

Additionally, how will the four-day week work? Is it every Friday off, or is it any four days a worker chooses? Will workers put in the same hours over four days, or will they work fewer hours overall?

“In the UK, they’re looking at having four days in the work week and still paying their full salary,” says Robert Bird, professor of business law and the Eversource Energy Chair in Business Ethics at the University of Connecticut. “This can obviously happen when the labor market is tight. Prospective employees can be more aggressive.”

Flexibility may be key in the U.S. 

While some forms of work slide easily into a four-day model, it’s harder to visualize how it would work in industries like healthcare or manufacturing, or anything requiring shift work. “Hospitals need 24/7, 365-day coverage, and that means a significant number of their employees work schedules that are less than ideal,” Bird says.

As companies contemplate this model, some HR experts feel that U.S. workers may value flexibility above a set four-day schedule.

“U.S. companies, in contrast to those in the UK, may opt to focus more on flexibility and work-from-home policies rather than making a permanent shift to a four-day week,” Shaffer says. “This would provide employees with the same benefits of a shorter week while allowing employers to remain agile in their staffing needs.”

One thing is certain in a market where attracting talent is crucial: if it can be done, a shorter work week is a selling point. Says Arrow’s Dave Shaw, “We have a job posted right now, and one of the top bullets is ‘four-day work week.’”

Amid high inflation, everything—from the price of goods and raw materials to employee wages to interest rates—is going up, up, up. More and more economic indicators hint that a recession is coming. To keep your business healthy, you’ll need to be more efficient when it comes to hiring during a recession.

Monster’s economist Giacomo Santangelo summed up what employers can expect when a recession hits: “What happens during a recession is the economy slows down, production slows down, unemployment increases, which slows down production even further. And that’s where we see GDP falling,” he says. 

Santangelo says employers will need to find ways to cut costs and be more efficient to stay afloat. Below, we outlined some strategic efficiencies employers can consider when managing a workforce and hiring during a recession.

Upskill Employees to Better Meet Market Demand

When a recession hits, Santangelo says the effects are often felt among different industries, companies, or even within organizational departments. Instead of hiring during a recession, companies should consider reskilling or upskilling their existing workforce to meet today’s economic demands as business needs and priorities shift.

Monster’s Future of Work report found that one of the top ways companies plan to stay competitive over the next three years is by offering skills training. After all, it’s cheaper to reskill or upskill a current employee than it is to hire and onboard a new one. 

“When firms need to hire someone new, that’s a new salary, that’s more benefits, and that’s more money you have to spend,” Santangelo says. “But if you have someone on staff already who you can train to do the job, you can expand their responsibilities. If you can do that, you do that.” 

So, if you must make cuts in one area, consider training workers in other departments where you can use good employees who know your business.

Hire Part-Time or Contract Workers

When it comes to hiring during a recession, employers may have to pivot from hiring one full-time worker to fill a role to hiring multiple part-time workers for the same job as a cost-saving measure. “Firms can hire part-time workers, freelancers, who are per diem, or gig economy workers during a recession,” Santangelo says. “They’re a lot cheaper to employ than a full-time worker to whom you have to give benefits.”

Despite the ongoing labor shortages, the barriers for companies tapping into the gig economy could be minimal as we approach a recession. Candidates are more likely to be less picky about the types of jobs they choose. Some workers may even be looking for a side hustle to supplement their income amid high inflation. In fact, a recent survey shows that workers are already moving in this direction. According to the study, 85% of workers said they have increased or plan to increase their amount of gig work, with 58% citing inflation as the reason behind this change.

Switch to Remote Work

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, select job sectors, especially those in white-collar industries like business, finance, and tech, proved they can be successful when working remotely. “Companies have lots of costs they can cut because they can switch their labor force,” Santangelo says. “We learned they can move a lot of their workforce to work remotely.” 

When planning your hiring strategy for a downturn, consider remote work rather than bringing workers back on-site, where costs like rent and building maintenance can eat away at your bottom line. Remote work saves on overhead costs and can also provide money-saving benefits when it comes to hiring. For instance, remote work can open up your talent pool to workers in other, possibly cheaper locations. With COVID cases on the rise yet again, working from home can help keep your workforce healthy and prevent costly shutdowns in production.

Layoffs May Be Unavoidable for Some

Even when applying the tactics listed above, layoffs are sometimes an inevitable reality of a recession. We saw this during the economic crisis of the 1970s and 80s, and we are seeing it again today with layoffs already announced at companies like Netflix, Carvana, Wells Fargo, and more.

“Right now, we are experiencing an economy that we have not experienced since the 1970s,” Santangelo says. “With increases in gas prices, with increases in food prices, with rationing of certain food items at grocery stores, and a general increase in price levels across the board, employers may be forced to lay off people. Whether you are Walmart or a small mom-and-pop pizzeria around the corner, when the price of your products goes up, and you have bills to pay, you have to lay off people.”

Stay Informed During a Recession

When it comes to hiring during a recession, there are different approaches to take. Depending on your business, some will work better than others, but the key is having current economic information and analysis at your fingertips. That’s where we can help. Stay connected with Monster, and you’ll get free access to expert insights, from the latest in economic trends and news to recruiting advice and strategies.