Over and over again, and everywhere I look… I am hearing and reading that the 21st Century Workforce is going to be demanding, “flexible hours and flexible work arrangements.” If you think Corporate America is not ready for it, I’ll let you in on a little secret…Staffing and Recruiting Agencies who have access to the latest trends and the best technology have been hanging out with The Ostrich Family at the Annual “Head Burying” Party.
90% of Agencies still demand that their internal Recruiters to show up in an office from 8 am to 5pm, Monday thru Friday. This mentality is old fashion and out of date! The shift in Staffing and Recruiting Industry from a “brick and mortar” environment to virtual environments is long overdue. With the Millennial generation nipping at our heels to enter the workforce, Agencies will be forced to shift their thinking.
As a Business Owner or a Manager, what are you to do?
The only way to get anything done and ensure profit in an environment where we offer our internal Recruiters “flexible hours and flexible work arrangements” is to manage them by productivity. Currently, agencies using quantifiable productivity levels to measure their internal Recruitment Professionals are:
- Eliminating the day to day “drama distractions”
- Attracting and retaining a better quality Recruitment Professional
- Proving having Recruiters working virtually is more effective and profitable for the agency.
- Empowering Recruiters to work outside “traditional” work hours, enabling the Recruiter to provide better service to client and candidates.
When a business owner is comfortable with holding people accountable to the numbers, the freedom to work flexible hours and flexible work arrangements will no long be a stumbling block to a virtual environment. The real question is, are you willing to change, or is the next generation going to beat you into it?
Jerry Albright
January 16, 2013 at 9:37 AM
Uh, nice thought – but a bit hard to pull off.
You see – once a recruiter can work “virtually” then there is “virtually” no reason for them to do the work and simply have you send the invoice for them.
Oh – you pay for the job boards, eh? So what. Job boards aren’t quite as important as they once were.
But you offer training? Oh really? Like – links to all the free training available all over the internet?
The simple fact remains: If you hire a new recruiter they need to be by your side for quite a long time before they would EVER be able to work virtually. If you hire a seasoned professional to “do what they do” from home – why in the world do they need you?
Sorry Millenials – wanna learn this profession? Get your butt in here at 8 am. Bring your notepad.
John Rose CPC (@resourcefuljohn)
January 16, 2013 at 11:18 AM
Darn it Jerry, you beat me to it, and was going to say ‘I wonder what Jerry Albright will think?’
The Millenials may well think they can ‘Kick Ass’, just as the Gen X said they would do the same to ‘Baby Boomers’ – and did they? in some areas Yes, in others no way!!!
Rebecca, back to your article, Yes the expectations of The Millenials does not fit with the traditional business model of the Staffing/Recruitment industry, but guess what – if the target audience for recruiting is only fellow Millenials – then maybe contacting them when they are at home, sitting with their fluffy slippers, sipping margaritas, surfing the web on their laptops, whilst working ‘remotely’ at home will work. If you want to learn how to ‘Kick Ass’ at holistic recruiting then Millenials need to be Nose to Nose, Toes to Toes with peers and mentors in the office during core business hours.
Cheers and Thanks, John
@NickSavvage
January 16, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Bang on, Rebecca.
And here’s why – there is a stigma flying around the professional world that Millenials cannot do what previous generations can. This stigma is WRONG. Sure, the hands-on experience is essential, but that does not mean that the ‘Baby Boomers’ need to micromanage and oversee every little thing that Gen Y workers do. Additionally, you’re darn right that Millenials have a phenomenal ability to work at home. They have been working at home their entire life and, well, they’re employed, so they must be pretty darn good at it. The question is: Are Baby Boomer managers bold enough to trust the ability of the workers they brought on and can they provide the right motivation?
Now, I’m not saying that Millenials need to be hand-fed everything, because that’s not true. What I’m saying is that the trust that Baby Boomers give other Baby Boomers should be given out beyond their own generation. There isn’t even much of a risk in doing it. A recruiter that doesn’t work very well can EASILY be replaced because there are so many Gen Y candidates in the world.
Also, @Jerry – try learning from a Millenial, they’re up to date and love to talk. Maybe your notepad would be adventageous…
cynthiakwade
January 16, 2013 at 1:34 PM
Great article, Rebecca. How the heck are you? Settling into 2013?
Cynthia
708-989-4439
Cynthia K Wade
Cynthia K Wade Consulting
http://www.cynthiakwade.com
708-989-4439
cynthiakwade
January 16, 2013 at 1:47 PM
I can’t believe the comments that Jerry and John left and totally agree with Nick. We need to recognize that in this business the best are rewarded by success and that success is identified with a paycheck. If they stop producing at home, they stop earning that paycheck. It’s a simple as that.
jerryalbright
January 16, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Nick – I am only speaking of building your recruiting team by “accepting” this “virtual” approach to a career. I find it impossible to think any new recruiter would be able to learn this job NOT being in a hands-on, office environment.
I’ve tried it. Several times.