What will finding a new job look like in 2024?

Jo Caine recently celebrated 35 years in business with Cathedral Appointments and two years at the helm of its sister company, CA Tech Talent. In that time, the working landscape has evolved rapidly, and as we look to 2024, the experienced recruiter makes her top five predictions for the year ahead. 

Hybrid working will become the norm

Throughout 2023, we have seen more job seekers and businesses looking for hybrid working models as they aim to get the best of both worlds, and 2024 will be no different. Hybrid working allows employers to maintain those all-important personal connections within the team while still allowing for additional family and personal time.

Gen Z will enter the workforce at a larger scale

More Gen Z candidates are entering the jobs market on a larger scale as they age out of university and further education. 

Social responsibility is a key value for this generation, who seek flexible working policies and benefits packages. These socially conscious employees will add pressure on businesses, forcing them to adapt their policies to foster diverse and inclusive teams. They will also need to align their environmental and diversity goals with the expectations of these employees, who are shaping a fairer and greener future.

Balancing an employee and employer-driven market

Pressures from the cost-of-living crisis and economic outlook are forcing more candidates into the market, who are either heading back into the working world or moving up in their career, and in turn increasing their salary to meet external pressures.

With the great resignation nearing an end, and the state of the economy adding pressure to businesses, the market will shift from a candidate-driven market to a balanced employee-employer market. 

Macroeconomic pressures will improve mental health policies

As macroeconomic pressures affect employers on a greater scale, well-being checks and mental health policies will become more common in the workplace. Businesses will need to ensure they implement well-rounded policies to protect and care for their team, which in turn will lead to higher retention rates and a better culture. 

The impact of AI

AI is a new and emerging technology that’s incredibly powerful and valuable to both businesses and job seekers alike. As its benefits continue to emerge, we will be seeing new roles become available in cybersecurity, AI, and cloud computing. Candidates will also be looking to upskill in these areas to address the skills gap and prepare for the roles of the future. It could also mean that some roles start to be replaced by AI alternatives. 

What’s clear is that 2024 will mark another season of change as a new workforce comes more into play and emerging technologies shift the availability of roles across all sectors. At both Cathedral Appointments and CA Tech Talent, we are ready to address these market shifts and help businesses prepare for the future. Vist https://cathedralappointments.co.uk/ for more information.

For more predictions about the year ahead, see the latest issue of Exeter Tomorrow magazine.