More Transparency… Less Quirkiness?
It’s been an empty-office summer for a lot of companies. In San Francisco, offices generally reported about 45% attendance. In San Jose, it was under 39%. In LA and New York, something like 50% — and in Austin, which fared best by this metric, still only 59%.
Keep in mind that before the government lockdown, office attendance was habitually about 90% nationwide. Despite all the back-to-the-office mandates and headlines, something has shifted.
As a recruiter for years, I have noticed the shift in anecdotal ways as well. More job seekers come to us specifically intent on finding remote or hybrid work. More hiring managers list these options up front in a job description, when it’s available.
Summer is over, but will everyone come back from holiday and fill in the empty seats? We’ll see!
Other news in this month’s newsletter includes the metrics on pay transparency and why you should nix the quirky questions from your interviews. Read on.
The Metrics on Pay Transparency
As pay transparency laws have taken effect around the country, one question a lot of hiring managers have is:
Does pay transparency reduce turnover?
The answer, according to Payscale, a compensation software company, is a resounding YES. The company has found that pay transparency reduces “intent to quit” by 30% and says more and more people are keen to find out how pay rates are determined by their employers — or prospective employers.
However, there is one big BUT that Payscale found in its research: Pay transparency increases job-seeking behavior in Gen Z workers. Meaning, young folks with jobs might be more inclined to look for new work based on transparency around pay. This is true not just for their own roles, but in terms of the pay executives at their organizations earn. (Read more on SHRM)
I tend to work with people further up the chain, but I pay close attention to what’s going on throughout the ranks. Knowing what lies ahead, financially, can be a big career path determinant for most folks.
Recommending Reading for September
The strong economic case for hiring people with criminal records, on The Big Think
Employers bringing staff back to work via bike, ride share, on Worklife News
It's Official: Years of Experience Is (Almost) the Worst Predictor of Job Performance, on Inc.
Nix the Quirky Questions from Your Interviews
“A new study finds that asking job applicants what they would do in a zombie apocalypse risks turning off top talent”
Best headline I read all month, on the Wall Street Journal.
WSJ argues that asking job interviewees oddball questions is a bad idea. Citing Don Zhang, an associate professor of industrial and organizational psychology at Louisiana State University, WSJ says that job applicants find oddball questions fun and likeable — but not very useful and sometimes inappropriate or downright invasive.
For applicants with less of a sense of humor — or, say, neurodiverse folks — these kinds of questions can even be a turnoff:
“What should your headstone read?”
“What kind of animal are you?”
“Which Disney hero do you most identify with?”
You get the idea.
As a recruiter & leader, I sometimes wonder if these oddball interview questions arise from the boredom of interviewers.
I hope you enjoyed this month’s newsletter and will reach out again in October!