The festive season is quickly approaching us, and with that in mind, it’s time to start considering what your career future holds. It’s easy to think ‘I’ll get to Christmas and then look for roles in the New Year’ however with many individuals thinking this way in 2021, it may be in your best interests to look sooner. Modelling predicts that the Great Resignation is coming to New Zealand in early 2022 – once lockdowns (and 2021) are finally over, and we can move around with more freedom and certainty, that gives us the ability to feel confident in our decision to jump ship.
Earlier in the year, we saw Stuff report that the Great Resignation will be coming to New Zealand soon, and studies are showing that it may could make significant impact. A survey conducted by AUT found that the percentage of people not considering leaving their jobs had halved from 19% to 9%, whilst those at high-risk of leaving their role had spiked from 34% to 46%. To put that in context, that means we could see half of the New Zealand workforce looking to shift roles at the same time next year, as they seek greener pastures, better opportunities and a workplace that values the importance of work-life balance.
Regardless of where you sit regarding the upcoming 'TGR', we’ve highlighted some top tips for how you can navigate this difficult time, and when you might be best to look for a new role.
Christmas is a milestone date in every corporate calendar – the long-anticipated shutdown period where we can all turn off our emails and finally get around to doing those things that we’ve put off all year. This year, however, with another 6 weeks to go until Christmas, you can plan to have a job offer on the table, interviews booked, or applications submitted so that you’re ahead of the curve already. By putting in the effort now, you may reap the benefits of less competition and being on the hiring managers mind as they head into the New Year.
We’re seeing a lot of clients still actively listing jobs in the lead up to the festive season, as they prepare for the New Year and our website is updated daily with these jobs as they filter through.
We’ve got January 17th, in Auckland, as a bit of a milestone date for when things will start to look a bit normal. Borders will be functional from 15 December 2021; however the government has indicated that the festive guidelines will be active through to mid-January. What happens there after is anybody’s guess, but with Aucklanders free to move about once more, we’ll begin to see a heavy migration of individuals leaving the city of sails in search of greener pastures. Rising house prices, traffic congestion and a redefined experience of work-life balance after extended periods at home, mean Aucklanders, and New Zealanders, are no longer content with sitting behind a desk 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. To avoid this mass exodus, or surge in applications, aim to get your application in for roles in early January so that when hiring managers return, your application is at the top of their pile.
Another option is to wait and see what happens with the Great Resignation. We’re going to see a lot of people leaping into new roles at the same time, however in vacating their role for a new one, this will open more possibilities and opportunities. Employers will need to consider how to increase their team retention and avoid losing too many of their staff, and so there will be merit in staying in your current role – especially if you don’t have any major complaints about it and can see yourself there for another year or so.
The Great Resignation will open up opportunities for employees to progress internally, and also to more actively find gateways into companies that have been notoriously difficult to get into in the past. If you are intent on staying put until the surge is over, keep an eye on things internally, as you may see pathways open up that you weren't expecting, enabling you to climb up higher in the ranks with your current employer.
If you're an employer, then you might rightly be asking yourself what can be done to reduce the impact of this movement, and keep your most valuable assets: your team. A lot of articles are out there right now about how to increase your staff retentiveness, and despite their varying opinions, they do hold one thing in common: the modern employee is disillusioned to the never-leave-the-office and 8-5 desk job environment that was so prevalent of the 90's and 00's. The most valuable thing that you can give back to your employees right now is time. We're seeing modern-day candidates who are more focused on work-life balance and flexibility than the opportunity for immediate career progression.
Consider implementing some other benefits that allow your team to gain back time in their life, so that they can maintain this balance. Hire a specialist to come in and discuss home insurance with the team, or hire a concierge for the day who can take care of individual requests around the office like to organise a gardener to come to their house on Thursday while they're in an essential meeting, or to schedule some flowers to be delivered to their mother in law for her birthday. Invest in your team, or help your team deal with tedious life admin, and you'll find their commitment to you on the rise!
What industries are most effected, you might ask? Well if worldwide trends are anything to go off then we can expect to see a large shift in the technology industry. Countries worldwide have reported seeing higher resignation rates amongst employees who worked in fields that experienced extreme increase in demand due to the pandemic, and they're likely extremely burnt out from their increased workloads and stresses. If this is the case over here, then you'll want to be well prepared to get a full scope of the market, to see what options are available in Aotearoa that match your career desires. Have a chat with our consultants or talent managers who will be able to guide you in the right direction. Our team all have immense experience in the fields they recruit in, so you can rest assured you'll be getting actual advice - not just words read off a job description!
Either way you tackle it, 2022 is shaping up to be an interesting year on the career front, and we’ll see a lot of people contending for the number of roles now in the market. You can also beat the queues by sending your details through to our incredible consultants and talent managers who will then reach out to you with roles as they become available! Click here to submit your CV through to us, or click here to contact the teams directly!
Thanks for your interest in what we do here at FIND. We love meeting and helping amazing kiwis every day and will always do our best for our clients and candidates. We've been simplifying the recruitment game since 2008, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you need our help!
