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Page 18 — Property Management Quarterly — April 2023 www.crej.com Associations: BOMA A lthough predicting the future is impossible, employers must prepare for the likely challenges and opportuni- ties that lie ahead. Extrapolating upon five current trends, this article offers predictions and practical tips to prepare for the future of hiring new employees. Technology Artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionize how employers recruit and hire; with natural language capabilities, employers will use AI to efficiently conduct screening interviews, gather information from applicants, and produce statistical analyses of applicants that calcu- late the probability of success on the job. Virtual reality (VR) prom- ises immersive experiences that onboard, train, and engage new workers on the job. Tips: Evaluate tech options to provide a streamlined applicant and onboarding experience for new hires; automate tedious new-hire processes (paperwork, benefits enrollment, data collection). Draft job duties for an HR tech specialist who will research new tech, identify skill gaps, coordinate tech training for staff, and lead on the ethical use of technology. Update manager job descriptions to include using AI effectively and ethically. Watch for legislative activity; state and federal level agencies are taking action on issues related to AI, such as bias and privacy. Skills shortage A shrunken pool of available workers will result in a tight labor market where skilled employees are in short supply and highly selective; they will easily shop the job mar- ket for reputable employers with workplace cultures that align with their values, sup- port their work-life balance demands, and offer career growth. Tips: Approach recruiting with the same care and effort as the cus- tomer experience. Anticipate intense competition and sell the value of your workplace at every interaction. Always build com- munity awareness of employment opportunities — not just when job vacancies occur. Every interaction with a recruit (active and passive) is an opportunity to demonstrate what makes you different from the competition; focus on how employ- ees benefit from your workplace and what you will do to help them achieve their goals. Adopt skills- based assessment/selection crite- ria instead of an overreliance on higher-education degrees to expand the available labor pool and attract more diverse applicants. Foster long-term relationships with com- munity-based organizations and education providers to build talent pipelines, community visibility, and social networks to generate refer- rals. Act quickly to connect with promising individuals; applicants won’t tolerate long waits and lack of communication. Diversity Employers who effectively lever- age the skills of diverse individu- als will attract the highest-skilled people who can innovate to help employers successfully navigate ongoing socio-economic disrup- tions. Tips: Coach leaders to model respect for inclusion and diver- sity, and train staff at all levels to become more self-aware of personal biases and improve interpersonal skills. Facilitate discussions about sensitive workplace topics to create psychological safety. For example, gather managers with trained facili- tators to discuss assumptions about people that leads to bias in the hir- ing process and narrows the labor pool. Attract passive applicants by telling the story of your workplace culture by encouraging a diverse array of employees to share their personal workplace experiences over social media. Review recruiting material images to ensure people of different ages, genders, races, disability statuses, etc., are repre- sented. Transparency Employment laws, social media, and internet sites like Glassdoor will make businesses an open book; information about pay, people, and practices will be easily obtained by applicants. Tips: Embrace transparency about your employment practices, pay, culture, and how your employees feel about the company. Assume applicants have researched the company and know a great deal about its business results, leaders, community impact, market posi- tion, etc. Share total rewards infor- mation with applicants and discuss the company’s public reputation. Engage with social media platforms to help manage the online reputa- tion of your company. Norms Employers will become flexible about how/when/where work is done and who does it; outdated norms will be rejected to focus on results. Tips: Question how work is per- formed in your workplace. Evalu- ate full-time positions for poten- tial redefinition into part-time, job-share, and project-based work assignments to attract workers who may seek flexible, short-term employment options; this may appeal to retirees, working parents, and people who care for others. Identify the resources needed to hire employees in other states who can work remotely. Evaluate the costs and benefits of hiring remote workers in other countries, includ- ing cultural differences, taxes, employment laws, etc. Research third-party staffing agencies to handle the complexities of a global workforce. The future of hiring is coming fast. Act today to prepare your orga- nization to improve the chances for success tomorrow. s The Future of Hiring Is Now James McDonough HR Research Consultant, Information Services Employers Council Focus on hiring results.