The document outlines a significant shortage of skilled workers, with demand surpassing supply as older workers retire, and unemployment rates reach historic lows. Employers are facing challenges in filling positions due to stringent job requirements, negative online reviews, and candidates receiving multiple offers, prompting a need for quick decision-making and attractive job offers. Additionally, rising wages and turnover rates highlight the importance of employee engagement and development to retain talent in a competitive job market.

1. TREND:
Skilled workers are in short supply
The days of posting a job and filling it
within hours or days have come and
gone. Today, the demand for many skills
far exceeds the supply. Older workers are
retiring in large numbers with fewer
younger workers to replace them. And the US unemployment rate
continues to fall; it hit a 49-year low in September 2018.
Economists predict that the labor market will continue to tighten. A study
by Korn Ferry estimates that the worldwide talent shortage will reach
about 85 million people with needed skills by 2030, resulting in as much
as $8.5 trillion of unrealized revenue ($1.7 trillion in the US, equivalent to
6 percent of the US economy).
of HR managers report they have
jobs that have stayed open for 12
weeks or longer (CareerBuilder)
of HR managers have been unable
to fill open positions because they
cannot find qualified talent
45%
58%
Reign in your job requirements
Review your list of job prerequisites and divide into two groups: must-haves
and nice-to-haves. Consider dropping the nice-to-haves from your job
posting so that you don’t deter applicants from applying. Remember, many
skills can be learned while on the job.
Update your employee referral program
SHRM research shows that referrals are more effective than job
boards to find and hire applicants. If your referral program isn’t
resulting in successful hires, it’s time to revisit.
TIP
TIP Employee referrals can
save organizations
$3,000 or more per hire.
(Recruiter)
2019HiringTrends&Tips

2. Online reviews are impacting recruiting
Job seekers can readily access information
about your company on Glassdoor, Indeed,
and other employer review sites, and many
candidates refuse to work for an employer
with negative reviews.
TREND:
of job seekers research a company’s
reputation and employer brand
before applying (Linked In)
75%
Reading online reviews and using this information to improve your companyŸ
Monitoring and responding to positive and negative commentsŸ
Encouraging your employees to leave a reviewŸ
Appoint someone to actively manage your online reputation
Work to improve your employer brand and increase your company’s visibility to candidates by:
Making sure employees know that they can safely share their concerns with you in personŸ
rather than online
TIP
Hiring managers are seeing more rejected job offers
than previous years. The most common reason that a
candidate turns down a job is an offer from another
company. During a lengthy hiring process, candidates
look into other options and lose interest.
TREND:
Candidates are turning down
(or not responding to) job offers
Length of time before the
best candidates are off the
market (Officevibe)
10days
Be decisive
Time is the fastest way to kill a deal. If you find a candidate who meets or exceeds your
expectations, put a job offer together quickly. Good people are in high demand and will move fast.
Make an offer they can’t refuse
Look for ways to make your job opportunities more attractive. For example, provide flexible
schedules, bonus opportunities, and an engaging work culture.
TIP
TIP

3. Top Objectives for Employee Benefits
Employers are using benefits to achieve strategic goals for their organizations.
(Thomsons Online Benefits Global Employee Benefits Watch 2018/19 Survey)
Attract and retain talent
Enhance employee engagement
Promote employee health and well-being
Drive business performance
Reinforce company culture
82%
65%
52%
40%
33%
TREND:
Wages continue to rise
US salary budgets are
projected to rise by an
average of 3.2 percent in
2019, up from an actual
year-over-year increase of
3.1 percent for 2018,
according to a
WorldatWork Salary
Survey. Many employers are offering competitive
wages as a tool to retain and attract workers. Online
retail giant Amazon raised its minimum wage to $15
per hour for US employees in November 2018.
Make data-driven wage decisions
Use market data to get an idea of what your competitors
are paying. Also look at local supply and demand for the
positions you need to fill, and adjust pay rates accordingly.
Talk openly about pay with candidates
One of the easiest ways to better understand what the
market is demanding is simple – ask! During interviews,
refrain from asking for a wage history. Instead, ask for
wage expectations.
TIP
TIP
72%
of HR managers say they
have to pay entry-level
workers more money
because of tight talent
pools (CareerBuilder)
of employees are confident
they can find a better
position that pays more
(Dice)
65%
Our 2019 Salary Guide
is a great tool for
setting a
competitive wage.
It includes salary
ranges that are
based on local industry
analysis and
compensation
survey data.

4. TREND:
Turnover is at an all-time high
Voluntary separations
continue to rise. While many
studies report that most
employees leave their jobs for
better-paying positions, a
Work Institute report showed
that career development
opportunities, work-life
balance, and poor
management are consistently
the real issues that spur
employees to leave.
TIP
Hire and promote from withinŸ
Offer professional development opportunitiesŸ
Recognize employees’ efforts (a simple ‘thank you’Ÿ
goes a long way!)
Engage to retain
With a limited supply of talent, it’s important to keep the
people you already have. To reduce turnover:
Meet regularly with employees to discuss career pathsŸ
87% of HR leaders consider
improved retention a critical or
high priority for the next five years
(Kronos and Future Workplace)
5.2%
average pay increase
employees receive when
changing jobs (Workforce
Vitality Report)
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Percentage of employees looking for new jobs or
open to new opportunities:
Non-Engaged
Employees
56%
Engaged
Employees
37%
Actively Disengaged
Employees
73%
(Gallup)
www.staffmark.com