A Great Leap Forward? The Big 3 Moments That Defined 2022

Well, here we are already!

It only feels like a couple of months ago I was pulling together the wrap-up of 2021.

As 2023 hurtles towards us at a rate of knots and 2022 disappears in the rear-view mirror, in predictable fashion, things certainly haven’t slowed down.

From my end, December has been a blur of Christmas parties, placing candidates, and setting up things for the new year.?

In the midst of the silly season, it’s sometimes tricky to see what’s happening around you — but I’ve often found that taking stock can be a valuable way to make sense of it all.

So, as we all start to wind down for the year, I’ve identified some of the punctuation marks that defined the year.??

From workplace trends to new tech, here are my top 3 moments that mattered in 2022 and how they’ll shape the coming year:??

1. Labour markets are still really tight

This probably comes as no surprise to many of my clients, but Australia is still in the midst of a labour squeeze.

Unemployment is at record lows while participation is on the upswing where jobs are plentiful and workers are still relatively scarce.

A hangover from the consecutive lockdowns we all endured, migration is effectively still playing catch-up with demand. This will continue to ease as the backlog of visas are sorted through, and in the meantime, skilled Australian workers will be spoiled for choice.

2. The robots are here to stay

It’s fair to say the rise of the robots has been a lot less dramatic (but nevertheless impactful on another level) than what Hollywood predicted. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is transforming how we do business, and it’s a very good thing.?

In a nutshell, RPA is all about getting the most out of productivity. It takes care of the more repetitive and process-based tasks, while freeing up people for things human

s do best, like creative thinking, engineering, and person to person contact.

And coming from someone who makes a living off placing people in jobs, my vote of confidence for RPA is genuinely based around what I see as better outcomes for the people I work with and the businesses that provide their employment.?

3. Hybrid work set-ups prevail

As we already know, the rise of flexible work and its ongoing commentary was another by-product of the covid years, and in truth, workers were well-overdue a recalibration of their rights, and the pandemic simply expedited the process.

How are things placed now??

The dust probably hasn’t fully settled yet, but there are some clear trends emerging. Seek reports that ‘working from home’ is still one of the biggest search terms on their platform, and employers are more consistently offering a mix of at home and in office (or hybrid) set ups to keep both workers and productivity in positive territory.

Flexibility is likely to remain at the forefront in 2023, particularly with skilled workers calling the shots in a tight labour market.

More reasons to smile in 2023?

Despite talk of some dark economic clouds on the horizon, anecdotally there are still some tangible signs that the (near) future is looking pretty bright.

Traditionally, things tend to slow down as the working year draws to a close. But as Christmas fast approaches this year, the opposite seems to be occurring.?

If you’re looking for a fresh challenge to start 2023, we may well have the role for you.

We’ve got so many positions that need to be filled — and they’re all great opportunities too. From Devs, to Technical Architects, to Delivery Leads, if you’ve got the skills, we’ve got the job.

So, if you are looking to start 2023 with a new role, reach out to discuss one of the many opportunities we currently have open.

Thanks for all of your support

And finally, a massive thank you to all my clients who have helped make this year a great one.?

On a personal level, I get a lot of satisfaction from placing candidates and seeing them grow professionally while contributing to the success of a company.?

It’s why I started CalibrX, and it’s why I’ll continue doing what I love for many years to come.?

Have a safe holiday season and a great new year, and I hope you all get to enjoy some quality time with family and friends.?

See you in 2023!

– Garth?