Galina Akhmerova: ‘Again, employers will dictate rules in the labour market’

To keep those who want to develop

According to a study of HR-Director outlet, staff selection turned out to be the key task for HR specialists in 2022 (40% of the respondents claimed this).

Keeping turned out to be the second-most popular task: 27% of the respondents noted that it was important for them to save the staff and employees’ trust. For this, companies improved working conditions, enhanced internal communications, made up new approaches to the staff’s motivation and held events to increase their engagement. We already wrote about this trend in one of the pieces.

11% of employees turned out to have staff training as priority task. So companies want to:

• get rid of the shortage of qualified staff on their own;
• to retain those who want to develop;
• increase the workforce productivity of employees and the whole company in the new conditions.

How are HR budgets going to change?

In 2023, staff retention will become the key HR strategy in most Russian companies. This is confirmed by two independent studies:

1. HR-Director says that 25% of companies plan to increase costs whereas 25% are going to cut them. Only staff retention budget turned out to be an exception! 40% of the companies want to increase expenses in this area, and just 15% are set to decrease them;
2. Atsearch Group recruitment agency and SberZdorovye online service write that in 2023 they plan to focus on staff retention projects, first of all, it is the development of non-tangible motivation programmes and care for staff (well-being, includes a proposal of voluntary medical insurance, mental support, sports marathons and health marathons, additional days off, discounts on the company’s products, food compensation and so on). 53% of companies do not plan to cut costs on such projects.

New trends in the labour market

What key tendencies can be forecasted in the labour market in 2023 given the HR agenda?

1. Again, employers will dictate the rules in the labour market.
   
   In 2023, only 58% of companies intend to hire new employees. As early as April, this number reached 81%. The staff hunt will continue in IT, sales and production, notes the research done by Atsearch Group recruitment agency and SberZdorovye online service.
2. The deficit of engineers will stay. There is still a shortage of qualified staff, while the youth unwillingly choose this job.
3. Foreign companies continue exiting the market, local representatives will occupy the niches.
4. One shouldn’t wait for a salary rise. The increase won’t exceed more than 5-10%.
5. “Eternal” jobs will stay but change with the development of new technologies. This applies to medicine, construction, military affairs and pedagogics.
6. A big number of skills is appreciated in the market more than a small number of them (every worker’s greatest efficiency will be valuable). Nevertheless, the demand for sought-after specialists will remain, especially in aviation engineering and microelectronics.
7. The demand for women both as managers and ordinary positions will increase.
8. The return of pensioners as staff potential will continue a trend that started to loom last year.
9. We will also see the growing popularity of enterprises with public participation or those that are strategically important for the state. The state is going to be the main employer. The number of vacancies in construction of infrastructural and social facilities will be up (regions and new territories).

Recommendations for those looking for a job

What does it mean for the job seekers?

If you do not receive an offer, keep calm. There is no need in feeling distressed that everything is bad. Talk your employer. He or she is interested in keeping you on the staff. Share your vision, talk about your problems. One shouldn’t go just by putting a letter of resignation on the table.

If you feel bored in the workplace and do not feel you fulfil yourself, keep calm. I recommend recalling your hobbies and interests, think about how to monetise your skills or start the development in free or fee-based courses. In any case, this will become an investment in yourself. Choose what you like and don’t think about fashion and trends. Without “going to IT,” blogging or product management courses. Choose what you like.

It is the perfect time for moonlighting if there is a shortage of money. Wildberries, Ozon managers, sales or communication managers allow working remotely and saving some money. Fortunately, the number of such vacancies is big.

Despite the times, it is necessary to stay positive and see opportunities even during crises.