The changing nature of the workforce

The workplace is evolving much faster than ever before, with the rise in demand for flexible working and the increase in available technology; employers are finding new challenges when attracting potential staff. Remaining competitive in a crowded market is vital for businesses and employers are having to embrace new software and working practices whether they want to or not.

Since April 2014, requests for flexible working have been a statutory right for every worker in the UK, providing they have given 6 months’ service to the employer. When asked by the Confederation of British Industry in 2018, most employers (99%) said that offering flexible working is vitally important to remain competitive and encourage investment. However, the number of people working flexibly has slowed down over the last 10 years with most job vacancies (89% as reported by Timewise/Gartner) not being advertised as flexible.

The state pension age is set to rise to 68 between 2037 and 2039 (originally between 2044 and 2046), and with generous final-salary pensions generally a thing of the past, millennial workers (those born between 1981 and 1996) face the prospect of working for much longer than previous generations. According to research, as of 2020 Millennial’s will make up more than a third of the global workforce.

With a different set of priorities and commitments, providing flexible or remote working, opportunities to work from home once a week or flexibility when it comes to providing care for a child or an elderly relative, are likely to have significant appeal for this group when looking for prospective employers.