So succession planning driven by retiring baby boomers is accelerating.  I guess that would be what we call job security for great recruiters. 😂

This graphic below shows the current population by category. This chart stops at 2012 with generation Z  and there is now a new generation that has been named and added as…

Find more statistics at Statista

Generation Alpha

Generational definitions are most useful when they span a set age range and so allow meaningful comparisons across generations. That is why the generations today each span 15 years with Generation Y (Millennials) born from 1980 to 1994; Generation Z from 1995 to 2009 and Generation Alpha from 2010 to 2024.

What will Gen Alpha be like what drives them…they are sometimes called the IPAD generation and many Alpha children are permanently connected from a very young age.  To put it in perspective…the IPAD came out in the same year 2010 as the start of the generation.

Such is their attention to new technologies that it becomes a way of life. Independents. They are independent when it comes to making their own decisions and managing their digital identities, and they expect their individual needs and preferences to be taken into account. 

Baby Boomers remain the biggest demographic force in hiring and the general population and the workforce. According to Forbes Now that a good chunk of Baby Boomer cohorts have surpassed the age of 65, they are a major influence on the aging of the U.S. population. Experts have warned that the country is unprepared for these changes that are ongoing. However, in an international comparison, the United States is only at the beginning of its journey towards demographic change. The world's most prominent aging society, Japan, already counted a 28.5% share of residents who were 65 or older in 2020, while Italy, Greece, Germany and Finland were looking at more than 22% each for this metric. The United States is Getting Older, But Still Younger Than Many countries according to the census bureau. 

So my message to companies is simple when confronting changing demographics.  If you read about GEN ALPHA they are wired and connected like never before.   

Here are a few tips to stay on top of Talent Acquisition: 

1. Technology - Technology and AI is changing rapidly and accelerating.  

2. Recruiting practices - integrate the new technology to get better results.

3. Brand Identity - Be clear what you stand for because how you communicate  your company mission and focus has never been more important.

Demographics - pay attention to the change and hire from all generations - companies that tap talent from all categories and WIN!

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23 Hiring Tips for 2023

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Bill O’Malley is President of Connector Team Recruiting a firm headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia specializing in the Furniture | Appliance and Sleep verticals. Connector Team is a full-service Search Firm offering permanent placement recruiting and interim staffing solutions.

Feel free to contact Bill at bill@connectorteamrecruiting.com.

© 2023 Connector Team Recruiting

A rising category that continues to gain traction in a tight labor market is the older worker.  Just tell those over 55 that they need to retire and many will tell you very quickly…why should I do that! I have so much knowledge and experience to give and I don’t want to stay home.  I really want to contribute and still be productive.

So what is a perennial?  Here is the Google definition

per·en·ni·al

lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time; enduring or continually recurring

The last wave of the baby boomer generation s is reaching their mid-50s, there is no evidence to suggest they will be in a hurry to retire. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting that by 2024 workers that are over 55 will be the largest segment of that country’s workforce. 

It’s not hard to find these folks; many can be recruited and they have valuable skills, a strong work ethic and they still wish to contribute.  What they require is more flexibility on the employer’s part, many are seeking part-time and fewer hours. 

ELIMINATE THE MYTH ABOUT OLDER WORKERS 

Let’s try to dispel the myth that older workers are slow and less productive. There is some research about the perception that older workers are less productive…the AARP found exciting new research by German economist Axel Borsch-Supan. He found that there is some reduction in productivity for very unskilled jobs. But with knowledge-based jobs, you see an increase in productivity with age. Then it levels off. It doesn’t go down.

A few years back I wrote about coming across this labor pool purely by accident as a retail manager. We tapped into this pool for Office and Customer Service roles within the company.  The myth and bias including my own that I had to overcome included; older workers tend to be more methodical and slower. 

I found just the opposite was true, in fact; they proved to be very committed, had lower absenteeism rates, and had higher overall accuracy. 

So pull out your list of alumni, those that have retired, check in on them and you might find that a former sales associate now wants to return and just work part-time, maybe do something different in administration or the office.

What have you got to lose? Perennials are going to be significant and active contributors in the decades to come. So make sure you don’t ignore this hidden gem category. After all, everyone wants people that will show up, do their job, and contribute in the workplace.  In addition, blending this group is a plus benefit too. I think there is a lot of knowledge that can be shared both ways across the board and generations!

For more hiring tips like this, click the link below to download our free guide: 23 Hiring Tips for 2023!

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FREE DOWNLOAD!

23 Hiring Tips for 2023

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Bill O’Malley is President of Connector Team Recruiting a firm headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia specializing in the Furniture | Appliance and Sleep verticals. Connector Team is a full-service Search Firm offering permanent placement recruiting and interim staffing solutions.

Feel free to contact Bill at bill@connectorteamrecruiting.com.

© 2023 Connector Team Recruiting

In this unprecedented tight labor market where unemployment is at record lows and skilled candidates are few and far between and in high demand, Boomerang employees represent a niche category worth considering from my point of view.

I’ll give this category another name…” the one that got away”. Nearly every hiring authority I speak with will have a story about that rising star that got away…a former employee that had to leave the nest early.

According to the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) Boomerangs—employees who return after leaving a company—are on the rise. According to LinkedIn, this source accounted for 4.5 percent of all new hires among companies in 2021, up from 3.9 percent in 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported.

EVALUATE THEIR REASON FOR LEAVING

Oftentimes I hear that there were valid reasons for the departure and some of the reasons include; not enough career pathing being available, and the pay and benefits plans were not mature. Often when an upstart company is growing some of its best employees just get recruited away by a bigger competitor or the so-called big dog at the time. Young executives in the early stages of their careers are sometimes just driven to gain more experience. They have not had the chance to truly evaluate what it is that they are looking for in their career. 

RE-RECRUIT THEM BACK

There are many benefits to these former employees coming back.  Often they have established relationships already in place with current team members, they have familiarity with processes and procedures making onboarding a breeze.   

Getting them back is easier than you think.  Sometimes having a 3rd party makes the first inquiry and approach is highly beneficial and will provide a bridge and a new perspective on their former company.

At our firm, we now include in our needs assessment before beginning a search whether or not a company has a rehire policy. We also ask about former potential employees to approach.  BTW these candidates typically have knowledge of the market you are in and know people. The plus benefit is that typically if they are not interested in coming back to your company they can be an excellent and valuable referral resource.

AVOID THE PITFALLS

To avoid some of the pitfalls of rehiring former employees include this quick check:

1. How did they leave your company? Did they give proper notice, what does the file say and did they leave on very good terms?   Track down their former supervisors if applicable and if unknown to you the exact circumstances. 

2. What have they done with their career since leaving you?  In other words, what has their track record been after leaving the company? Have they improved their skill sets and had a continued strong employment history?

3. Follow your process…we recommend you interview them using the same process to evaluate them for hire.  Try to avoid the halo effect (glossing over or skipping steps just because they are once known entities.  

REVIEW YOUR CURRENT REHIRE POLICY

We recommend looking at your rehire policy to see if it’s been updated. You may unknowingly have an HR team that is knocking these candidates out of consideration based on rules that are outdated.  We usually hear about a no rehire policy that was put in place because of a bad apple or experience.  Usually, there is a story about a rehire that did not work out and or who caused an issue in the company.  Instead of writing a uniform policy with guidelines for exceptions, an overcorrection took place, and rehires were strictly forbidden. When you look at the circumstances it was usually because rehires when not carefully evaluated.  An open rehire policy without guardrails is generally a bad idea.   

Reconsider putting in a guideline to allow for rehires under certain established criteria and conditions including having everyone approved and signed off by the President of the company. Having a clearly defined policy will help you maintain consistency and be fair and equitable throughout the organization.  

Boomerang Employees who return to your company have an excellent chance of appreciating where they are and rapidly becoming committed long-term employees. In most cases, they are much wiser and less susceptible to leaving abruptly in the future.  

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Bill O’Malley is President of Connector Team Recruiting a firm headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia specializing in the Furniture | Appliance and Sleep verticals. Connector Team is a full-service Search Firm offering permanent placement recruiting and interim staffing solutions.

Feel free to contact Bill at bill@connectorteamrecruiting.com.

© 2022 Connector Team Recruiting