Future talent: common stereotypes and planning for the

future.Jacob Kimber

Recruitment Manager

OverviewGenerations in the workplace

Skills shortages

What is the solution?

The future and summary

Generations in the workplace

Summary Stereotyping Attributes are down to opinion – Not measurable Everyone is different Shouldn’t be targeting a single group Some of the cons are actually just insulting Data sample is small and 100% opinion based

Millennials – Another buzzword

Circumstance not generation• Technology has increased transparency• People are bombarded with opportunity

Quick Summary • Don’t make assumptions based on age• Not based on facts • Would you do the same with race, religion etc?

Skills shortages

Which professions are in demand? • Engineers – Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical• Healthcare – Medical Practitioners, Nurses, Technicians• Arts and Entertainment – Artists, Dancers, Musicians, Graphic Designers • Teachers• Physicists, Geologists and Meteorologists • Software Professionals (animation, television or video games)• Chefs, Cooks

According to UK Visa Bureau.

Demand increases prices

How this impacts the business Paying higher salaries Employing more junior candidates Imbalance in existing team Longer time to hire (adds further to cost) Reduced productivity Retention issues

A specific generation is the cause?

What is the solution?

Training Graduate/entry level schemes Internships? Repurposing Backgrounds of current employees

Temporary staff/Contractors

• 14% increase in freelancers in the last decade• 78% of people in the UK thinks freelancing promotes a healthy life balance• 87% of students with 1st/2nd degrees think freelancing is lucrative• 21% of graduates with first class honours say they have already chosen to work as a freelancer, suggesting that

the freelance economy’ is beginning to take hold among those graduates with the strongest degree results• 29% of all graduates say freelancing is part of their career strategy for the next five years, a fact that suggests

the freelance economy will continue to gather pace in the UK• The flexibility offered by freelancing is cited as the biggest career draw, with over two thirds (69%) of all

graduates saying they feel independent work offers them a better work-life balance.• The opportunity to work on a variety of different projects and across sectors is also appealing, with over a third

(38%) saying this is a significant pull• Respondents are also attracted to the earning potential of freelance work with 38% saying they feel they can

earn as much, if not more than they could in a traditional job

(Elance)

Internal “brand” (retention) Benefits – some are easy to set up Are some companies making their own skills

shortages?

Education UK system pushes towards University Apprenticeships, Internships, Professional skills? German system recognises other qualifications. Can we do anything about it?

The future and conclusions

The future? Workforces are likely to become more fluid. Likely to continue to have large skills shortages. Companies will need to work much harder on

their internal brands. Will the education system change?

Conclusions Organisations need to stay relevant to future

generations… but not through stereotyping. We shouldn’t change our hiring attitudes towards

different age groups. Is this new generation so different to previous

generations? Let’s consider other ways to fill the gaps in talent.

Questions?

Thank you!• Twitter: JakeKimber• jake.kimber@mediatonic.co.uk