I usually follow the movements of the labor market through news, indicators and conversations with leaders of companies and professionals in general. Since August 2017, I also make this assessment based on data from the Robert Half Trust Index (ICRH), which we created here in Brazil. It always brings us a very fresh view of the professionals’ feelings about the current moment and the next six months. In this survey, we interviewed employed and unemployed people, in addition to those who have the power to decide on filling vacancies within organizations.
In the last edition, launched this week, we observed that all categories interviewed returned to optimism regarding the future. Of course, this happens in a very timid way, as we are all still trying to understand what the market will look like when we regain the right to come and go. Regardless of what happens, I believe that companies that operate with commercial agility, new technologies, achievable goals, and qualified and properly qualified teams to manage crises and risks are more likely to prosper.
I take this opportunity to share with you four points that I consider important to be on the leaders’ radar, at least, until the end of the year. In this assessment, I considered some data from the 13th edition of the.
Keeping the team motivated during the pandemic period has been the main challenge for 71% of the managers interviewed. If this is your case, try to find time in your daily life to understand the needs of employees in this very specific period that we are experiencing. In this process, you can either have a simple, clear and objective conversation with the team member or seek support in HR methodologies.
In view of the prolonged social distance, almost half of the leaders interviewed (43%) said that the mental health of employees has been the main concern. Bearing in mind that the quality of life directly interferes with people’s productivity, I suggest that the manager remains close to the followers to understand what the impacts of the moment have been on their physical, emotional and mental health. Some companies are able to structure more robust support plans in this regard, with counseling programs, for example. But sometimes, just a more humane stance from the leader and the team can also be very useful.
The appreciation for the home office by those looking for an opportunity has grown from 36% to 48% when comparing the last two editions. Obviously, I recognize the benefits of remote work for everyone involved. But, as I detailed in another article, I believe that it is too early for organizations to adopt this work model as a definitive one. I think it is important to reassess this option when we have the real and free option of working in the office or in a distributed way.
Since the first edition, I have been confirming something that I have always noticed: the unemployment rate among qualified professionals is significantly lower than that of the general population. Here, I am referring to those aged 25 years and over and complete higher education. In the second quarter of 2020, for example, while unemployment in the general population was 13.3%, the universe of qualified unemployed was 5.8%. For this reason, I always think it is important that managers understand the attraction and retention of talent as part of the business strategies. Especially in more adverse scenarios, it is essential to pay attention to the team composition, the actions to attract talent, the turnover rates and the opportunity to optimize the operation with project professionals.
