I like to think about the trends marking the job market for two reasons. As an employer, I want to stay on top of the evolutions we’re seeing from big employers — and the economy. As a leader in the human capital space, my focus is to assess trends in how people are impacting the performance of companies.

As we mull these trends, I want to keep our discussion actionable. Here are three trends and three tips for you to consider all that’s to come in the rest of 2023.

Trend #1: Focus to shift from recruiting to retention

We’ve all seen the headlines: Layoffs are happening in droves. Some companies are still hiring, of course. U.S. job growth picked up at the start of the year, according to the latest jobs report.

Even so, talent operations are turning inward. As employer news outpost HR Dive put it, employers will recommit to employees’ growth, taking care to spur individual career trajectories.

Talent professionals displayed immense creativity last year as they battled for top talent. They’ll do well to apply a similar mindset to keep and grow their current employees, especially if they must pause their recruiting efforts.

Tip: Invest in your current talent through upskilling and growth initiatives.

Trend #2: Top employers to finesse flexibility 

The debate over work arrangements is largely finished. Some companies have decided one way or the other. But many employers have opted for the inbetween. For those with hybrid workers, a blend of fully remote and fully in-person team members, or any other combination of work arrangements, it’s essential to finesse your flexibility policy, or risk your organization’s success.

Strong expectations surrounding flexibility sets up your workers, managers, and leaders for success. Your policy should answer all the common questions: Can I step out for a doctor’s appointment without notifying my supervisors? Is it OK if my two year old is babbling in the background of a call? Does it matter if I dress in sweatpants for my client calls? Without answering these questions, your organization will certainly encounter problems with productivity and communication. One big question remains, and that’s what does success look like in these roles?  Flexibility is one thing, but are you really tracking performance, metrics or other quantifiable factors for these roles?

Tip: Pay attention to where workers thrive
and manage them accordingly.

Trend #3: Workers to demand pay transparency

After new laws requiring employers to post salary ranges on job listings went into effect in California and Washington Jan. 1, national news website Axios declared 2023 the year of salary transparency. Employers should take note, Axios wrote, as these locales tend to set the standards for employers across the country. “Expect to see this catch on widely in the new year.”

As pay transparency legislation spreads, so will employees’ expectations for fair, transparent compensation. This trend goes hand in hand with the widespread expectations for fair, equitable practices in pay and throughout the workplace.

Tip: Leaders working on pay transparency need to question how well their organization understands the goals, strengths and gaps among all of their workers.

PeopleBest specializes in combining data analytics and behavioral psychology to give companies solutions that use the hidden insights about their people. To find out how we can help your team navigate the trends of 2023, give us a call.

PeopleBest is a revolutionary, simple and powerful way to capture the exact ‘DNA of success’ inside people, teams and companies.