From Gen Z to Unhappy Leave, The Hiring News for June

Tune into the monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics job report, and you could easily get anxious about the state of hiring. The job market remains strong, putting HR organizations in a position to compete against each other for the best talent.

This means leveraging wages, benefits, perks, culture, and more to attract candidates. As HR Brew puts it, “The jobs report shows that candidates have a lot of options,” so why would they choose you?

In this month’s newsletter, how to appeal to the new demographic of Gen Z workers, the difference between orientation and onboarding, and the innovative idea of “unhappy leave.”

𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝗿?

Looking to appeal to the up-and-coming generation of professionals known as Gen Z? Here are some of the things they look for in a job, according to freelance talent platform a.team:

• 4-day workweeks

• Flexible work

• A freelance lifestyle

Do none of the above describe your company? Don’t sweat it. You simply need to work with a good, ahem, recruiter. Those of us in the hiring trenches every day know that statistics and demographics be damned, there’s a perfect candidate for nearly every job. You simply need the right tools and resources to find that person.

𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗩𝘀. 𝗢𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴

If you’re using the terms “orientation” and “onboarding” interchangeably, you’re doing it wrong.

Orientation is the immediate process that happens when a new person shows up on their first day. It typically includes a lot of paperwork, signatures, and basic IT business.

Onboarding, on the other hand, is a longer process. It starts with orientation, but ultimately, it’s a more comprehensive process of integrating people into company culture and helping them thrive in their roles with the right support.

Think of orientation as the first step of onboarding. But onboarding lasts for weeks. Ideally, it’s sometimes — but not entirely — a formalized process. And it’s especially important, by the way, for remote employees.

𝗦𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴

“𝐾𝑖𝑝, 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑘 𝑢𝑝 𝑎 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑣𝑎𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛?”

I must confess that I am not much of a beach read kinda person. If I have time to read, I like to use that time wisely. My taste runs more toward the educational end of the spectrum, versus a good romance or mystery novel.

To that end, here’s what I have on my list for this summer:

Brave New Words by Sal Khan — on why and how AI will transform education

Analog by Robert Hassan — The desire for real experiences in a digital deluge

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel

“𝗨𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲”

The happiest we’ve ever been at work? In the midst of a pandemic, believe it or not. Now, with the pandemic behind us, employee happiness is plunging, according to many surveys. Particularly unhappy industries, according to BambooHR, include healthcare and hospitality.

One innovative solution for combating workplace stress? The Chinese supermarket chain Pang Dong Lai offers workers up to ten days a year of “unhappy leave.” The company’s founder and chairperson says: “Everyone has times when they’re not happy, so if you’re not happy, do not come to work.”

It’s no secret that mental health concerns, stress, and general malaise are more and more prevalent today. The BambooHR report claimed that “Employee happiness is plunging dramatically, with no signs of recovery.” Maybe you yourself have taken “mental health days” in the past, but they probably weren’t authorized as such by your employer. This more direct approach is intriguing.

Of course, if your employees did not come to work every time they simply weren’t in the mood, that probably wouldn’t be too great. But finding a way to acknowledge employee mental health is the key here.

Speaking of mental health, I hope your summer is off to a fantastic start.

If you need help sourcing or nurturing new candidates, reach out at your leisure.

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From Ghost Jobs to Gen AI: The Outlook for June