These 3 Stress Factors at Work are Impacting Your Mental Health – Here’s How to Avoid Them

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Each May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, where people all over the nation join the movement to raise awareness about mental health. This recognition serves to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness as well as their families. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has dubbed 2022’s Mental Health Awareness Month’s message as “together for mental health.”  

As part of the movement, Blue Signal asked our followers how their work environments and related stress impact their mental health. In 2019, the American Institute of Stress found that 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress. More alarming, 2022’s stats revealed that 25% of workers say that their job is the #1 stressor in their lives. Our followers specifically noted career and job ambiguity, their workload, and lack of recognition as their top stressors. In this blog, we will review these stressors and discuss some of the best mechanisms for choosing and thriving within a healthy work environment.  

Stress Factors at Work Blog Poll Results

#1 – Stress Surrounding Career Ambiguity  

Due to the turbulence set in motion by the pandemic, career ambiguity and job insecurity have become prominent issues for all professionals everywhere. Even today, layoffs are commonplace and many are unsure if they could be affected next. Based on our poll results, career and job ambiguity were listed as the #1 stressor for 34% of respondents. This reflects similar findings from 2021’s AIS reports, with 52% of people saying that growth and development-related factors had a significant impact on their stress levels at work.  

Although the worry is well-founded, there are ways to feel more secure in your job or career – starting with selecting the right employer. Whether you’re looking for a job today, or are re-evaluating your current situation, here is what you should look for in an employer.  

Transparency  

Every good employer displays some degree of transparency. Whether it’s regarding the overall performance of the company, or their plans for the future, a healthy work environment will make the status of the company’s stability common knowledge among all employees. If not, it can leave workers wondering where they stand – resulting in stress.  

Clear-Cut Progression Plans  

Companies should have clear-cut progression plans in place when it comes to departments, teams, and promotions. If you join a company at X level, you can expect to move up to Y, then Z after meeting pre-established criteria. If an employer doesn’t have a plan like this in place, it’s a recipe for disaster as far as career progression expectations are concerned.  

Actionable Feedback 

An organization’s leadership truly sets the tone for all operations. Seek out organizations that promote regular and actionable feedback from leadership – like regular one-on-one meetings. This should help affirm how to move up in the company, the importance of your role, and  the overall encouragement of communication and idea sharing. The more consistent the feedback, the more stable you will feel.  

Stress Factors at Work Blog 1

#2 – Workload Stress  

In a close second place, 32% of our respondents listed an excessive workload as their #1 stress factor at work. Unfortunately, this seems to be an issue that’s stood the test of time. In 2017, Statista found that 39% of workers said that a heavy workload was their main cause of stress. If this sounds familiar, here’s how you can improve that environment for yourself.  

Talk to Leadership 

If you are feeling overworked in your current role, you should ask for help from leadership. If you have good leaders, it shouldn’t reflect poorly on you that you want to better manage tasks. Try to come up with a solution together, whether that’s hiring more help, offloading responsibility to another less-utilized individual or department, or by streamlining processes.  

Delegate Tasks 

If you find yourself overworked, and you are the leadership – delegate! Handing off tasks can be difficult; many people believe that time invested in bringing someone up to speed could have been the time used to just do the task yourself. However, while training someone up on a new task can be time consuming in the short term, in the long term it will benefit your workload for the better. After all, this is what junior team members are for! Utilize them.  

Prioritize  

This may seem like the easy answer, but prioritizing tasks can truly have a positive impact on time management and ultimately easing your workload. Schedule out blocks of time for recurring tasks, and set the expectation with your team that you will only devote that amount of time to the task per day, week, or whatever you decide. By setting firm boundaries, but still prioritizing the right tasks, you can better manage your workload.  

After completing these steps, if your employer is unable to help alleviate this workload stress, it signifies poor management on their part – that could be present in other areas of the business. In this case, it’s probably time to move on and prioritize your mental health.  

Stress Factors at Work Blog 2

#3 – Stress from Lack of Recognition  

In many work environments, particularly in team settings, it can be an unfortunately common occurrence to not receive recognition for individual actions and successes. In fact, 23% of our respondents credited this lack of recognition as their main form of workplace stress. Research by Deloitte confirms this, finding that “the top driver of burnout... was lack of support or recognition from leadership.” 

Therefore, in order to avoid these pitfalls in your next role, ask your interviewer how they work to recognize individual contributions to greater goals. Good employers should have programs in place that help support their workforce. Look for things like quarterly awards, awards based on something other than metrics, room for merit-based promotions, and individual recognition.  

If you are in a leadership capacity today and don’t have programs like this in place – make them! Whenever a success is achieved, congratulate each individual and thank them for their personal contributions in front of the team. This will help them feel recognized, valued, and can help with retention.  

Remember – leaders set the tone. To avoid stress from lack of recognition in your next role, look for leadership that puts in the extra effort to celebrate individual performance and achievements.  

 

TLDR – What to Remember  

Ultimately, every workplace is different. This list does not encompass all stressors experienced by workers, however it’s a good place to start. If you’re looking for further support and tools, the CDC has created a great set of tools for stress management in work settings that covers all the bases. Just remember and put these key indicators to practice in order to help you find and join a healthy work environment.  

Whether you’re looking to make a career move due to stress, are just wanting to improve your current situation, or are seeking better ways to build up your team as a leader – working with a recruiter can help you achieve those goals. They can give insight into what it’s actually like to work for a company in your industry, and will advocate for you to land in your best situation. Blue Signal’s talent acquisition professionals are experts on spotting green flags and will get you headed on the right path to achieving workplace mental health. Reach out today to get started, and alleviate your work-based stress.  

4 Ways to Support Employee Mental Health Outside the Office

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Mental health has become increasingly important, both inside and outside of the workplace. Along with employee satisfaction, mental health can impact your team’s performance and if not taken care of, can lead to burnout, stress, and turnover. As evidenced by the ‘Great Resignation’ of 2021, people are more willing than ever to quit their jobs to find companies that support their needs. Along with ensuring your employees are taken care of during the workday, you should also take steps to support their mental health outside of the office. This can not only boost your team’s overall satisfaction and engagement with your company, but it can also result in increased productivity and retention. Here are a few ways you can show your support.

Employee Mental Health Outside the Office

Promote a Healthy Work-Life Balance

An important part of fostering strong mental health outside of the office is allowing your employees enough time to enjoy themselves aside from work tasks. According to a recent report from Mental Health America, 9 in 10 employees say their workplace stress affects their mental health. Making sure a healthy work-life balance is part of your company’s values can help create a positive team culture and ensure your employees aren’t letting their work responsibilities overwhelm their personal lives.

A simple way to do this is by offering flexible schedules and allowing employees to choose their own hours – in moderation of course. This practice has become increasingly popular and common after many companies went remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this may seem like a small change, it can make a big difference on your team’s mental health and wellbeing. Especially if much of your work is self-motivated, this flexibility allows your team to work when they’re most productive, giving them the ability to focus on their personal needs and mental health throughout the day. For instance, some employees may want to work earlier in the day so they can pick up their kids from school, while others may want to work later to account for morning exercise. While it may seem scary to loosen the reins, you can always set a few guidelines. Setting parameters such as designated working periods and regular mandatory meeting times can establish more consistency.

Along with offering flexible schedules, it’s important to encourage employees to use their vacation time. Beyond that, make sure they aren’t contacted about work during their time off. Allowing your team to truly unplug and relax during their well-deserved vacation days will ensure they have enough time to focus on their personal needs without having to worry about work.

Additionally, allowing employees to flex their working hours for appointments and other responsibilities is another valuable practice that can improve their mental health. Letting your employees make up the missed time for menial tasks rather than using their paid time off can reduce scheduling stress and allow them to make better use of their vacation time. Overall, promoting a strong work-life balance can give your employees more time to focus on their mental health and personal needs. This can also help attract new employees as this is an important benefit that many job seekers value when researching companies.

Offer Financial Education

Another way to support your team’s mental health outside of the workplace is offering financial education. Finances can be a major cause of anxiety with 73% of Americans ranking finances as the number one cause of stress in their lives. Although this hardship may not be directly related to work, it can negatively impact your team’s focus and productivity – especially if they’re in debt. Giving your employees the resources they need to educate themselves and relieve their financial stress can help them feel more secure, resulting in improved mental health.

Although your company may offer financial benefits, your employees may not know how to effectively utilize them. Both younger and older employees have differing financial challenges to face, such as student loan debt, mortgage payments, saving for retirement, and more. By improving your team’s financial literacy, you can help them use their paychecks to the fullest and create a better quality of life for themselves. Providing resources on advanced financial practices like how to get a home equity loan to pay off high-interest debt or how to earn passive income through real estate investing can give your employees more stability and confidence with their money, allowing them to relieve stress. You can educate your employees through many outlets, like paying for an online course, providing reading materials, or inviting a guest speaker to discuss more specific financial topics your team may be interested in. No matter what format you choose, offering financial education resources can show your employees you value their wellbeing outside of work.

Provide Mental Health Resources

According to a Harvard Business Review study, 76% of employees reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition in the past year. Mental health conditions can take many forms and can vary from person to person, making it difficult for leadership and coworkers to determine effective ways to help. Some employees may not feel comfortable talking about these issues in the workplace, which is why it’s important to provide mental health resources that your team can access on their own and at their own convenience.

One popular way to do this is through an employee assistance program (EAP), which is an employee benefit program that assists your team with personal or work related problems. This program is free for your employees to use so they don’t have to worry about a financial burden. It also provides confidential support that your employees may feel more comfortable using. An EAP offers access to counselors and other mental health professionals along with additional resources employees can use to support their mental health and wellbeing. Even if you don’t use an EAP, providing mental health resources through online sources and other outlets can help your employees take care of themselves.

Encourage Physical Wellness

Mental and physical health often go hand in hand, as exercise has been proven to boost your mood by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Along with other wellness initiatives, encouraging your employees to take care of their physical health is a great way to support their mental health. Especially as people spend more time at home due to the pandemic, there’s been an increased focus on staying active and healthy in these unique conditions.

However, certain fitness subscriptions can be pricey, and some employees may struggle to afford equipment needed to workout, which can prevent them from nurturing their physical and mental health. Giving your employees the tools they need to take care of themselves can show your appreciation and support for them outside of the office. This could be sponsoring a gym membership, paying for fitness classes, or offering a fitness stipend your employees can use for related expenses if your company is remote. No matter what you choose, your team will appreciate your effort to increase their quality of life.

An increased focus on employee mental health outside of the office may be just what your company needs to secure top talent in a competitive market. These practices can not only help your current employees feel valued and appreciated, but they can also help attract new candidates. Making sure you support your team’s mental health will set you up for long-term success and ensure your employees are taken care of.

Key Recruiting Strategies for the 2020’s: 5 Takeaways from NAPS

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Blue Signal recently attended the NAPS conference to gain insight on new recruiting strategies, learn tips from the most tenured in the industry, and connect with fellow recruiting professionals. The NAPS (National Association of Personnel Services) 2021 Conference is “the premier education opportunity representing the search, recruiting & staffing industry.” The conference was held September 26-28th at the Green Valley Ranch Resort, outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, with over 300 attendees from the recruiting and staffing industry.

The mission of the NAPS conference is for attendees to learn best practices, recruiting strategies, and understand how to improve their business through case studies, while expanding their professional network. Overall, the NAPS conference provided a wealth of knowledge to those in the recruiting industry. Here were some of our Blue Signalers’ favorite takeaways.

Key Recruiting Strategies - Group Photo

Matt Walsh – Counteroffers/Ghosting, New Tech, Working and Hiring Virtually: How to Recruit and Thrive during the NEW Roaring 20’s

Matt Walsh is the CEO and Founder of Blue Signal, a nationwide executive search firm. Matt founded Blue Signal in 2012 after noticing pain points in the recruiting industry, and has since grown the company to a multimillion-dollar search firm with over 40 employees across the country. With over a decade of recruiting experience, Matt’s expertise spans across various industries, from telecommunications to wireless, IoT, and more. As an awarded Pinnacle Society member, he is a highly sought after and well-respected leader in the industry.

Matt’s session explored ways to stay at the forefront of recruiter’s changing virtual landscape and how to get one step ahead of your competition. In the session, Matt dove into best tactics and recruiting strategies to build stronger relationships, win more business, and make more placements. As a result, attendees learned techniques to handle many new challenges facing recruiters today – including ghosting, counteroffers, and emerging technology.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway

Thriving in the new “Roaring 20’s” is going to take deliberate effort from recruiters and clients alike. Blue Signal’s recruiters are constantly learning new technologies, counteroffer techniques, and recruiting strategies to best support our clients in navigating these challenges. As the digital landscape of recruiting continues to evolve, Blue Signal strives to address these changes through direct partnership with our clients.

Key Recruiting Strategies - Matt Speaking

Rudy Ruettiger – Keynote Speaker

Rudy Ruettiger is an Emmy Award-winning motivational keynote speaker, producer, and author with over 25 years of experience speaking to corporations, universities, sports teams, and at special events. Rudy is best known for his underdog-to-hero performance in the 1975 Notre Dame football game against Georgia Tech. Despite being 5’6”, Rudy sacked Georgia Tech quarterback Rudy Allen in the last 27 seconds of the game – becoming the first Fighting Irish player to do so. His story of hard work, fierce dedication, and self-motivation inspired many. Today Rudy uses his platform to share his experiences of adversity and triumph, while encouraging others to “Never Quit.”

Blue Signal’s Takeaway

Once a one-man-shop, Blue Signal has its own underdog-to-hero story. Through hard work and perseverance, our CEO & Founder Matt Walsh grew Blue Signal into a nationwide recruiting firm with over 40 employees. Fierce dedication and self-motivation are in the blood of every recruiter at Blue Signal, especially when facing rejection comes with the job. Thus, Rudy’s mantra of “Never Quit” resonated with many Blue Signalers. As we continue to fight the war for talent, Blue Signal is dedicated to finding top talent through diligence, perseverance, and innovative recruiting strategies.

Barb Bruno – High-Tech High Touch Recruiting

Barbara Bruno is a recognized expert in the staffing and recruiting space, with over 30 years of experience. As an expert trainer, Barb has developed over 15 LinkedIn recruiting courses taken by millions around the world. She is currently the CEO of Good As Gold Training, a web-based training service for recruiting and staffing professionals, and the President of H & R Search.

In a world dominated by technology, it’s crucial that recruiting and staffing professionals use it for beneficial touchpoints with candidates. Barb’s session discussed how to implement changes to “combine high-tech with a high-touch approach to business.” Topics addressed in the session included how communication has changed, why we need to stop writing skill-based job descriptions, why we need to interview to eliminate emotion or bias, and how to place candidates who become engaged and retained.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway

Our team loved the way Barb took recruiting back to the basics to exemplify what we all work for – changing lives. Barb described recruiting as being “all about relationships,” and we couldn’t agree more. As a relationship-based recruiting firm, Blue Signal focuses on recruiting strategies that build long-term partnerships with both our clients and candidates. As a result, our recruiters are able to thoroughly understand the needs of our clients’ businesses and fill their talent gaps, while working with candidates throughout their professional career. We plan on continuing to strengthen our relationship-based recruiting strategies in the 2020’s and building powerful partnerships along the way.

Jeremy Sisemore - A Fresh and Unique Approach to Metrics That Really Matter

Jeremy Sisemore is a prominent IT recruiter with over 18 years in the industry. In 2006, he founded ASAP Talent Services, a firm offering direct-placement, executive-retained, and contract staffing. Throughout his career, Jeremy has over $12M in personal production (billings) and has placed SAP talent at all levels up to CIO with over 75 Fortune 500 clients throughout North America. Today, Jeremy serves as a Billing Manager for ASAP Talent Services.

In A Fresh and Unique Approach to Metrics That Really Matter, Jeremy covered how he measures his team, predicts success and failure, prevents slow periods, and limits the valleys in his business. Jeremy discussed the metrics used in the 90’s and 2000’s for search firms, and how those metrics have evolved for the 2020’s.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway

A key takeaway our team took from Jeremy’s session was one of his recruiting strategies, called the “5 Alive and 10 In Process.” This is how Jeremy’s team keeps track of their pipeline. At any point, his recruiters should have five “Alive” candidates actively interviewing with a client, and ten candidates somewhere “In Process” – that could be submitted, in scheduling, at the offer stage, etc. While traditional recruiting metrics focus on submittals, send outs, and placements, we find this process a more beneficial way to measure the pipeline. Finding metrics that really matter will improve our recruiting strategies and strengthen our recruiters’ processes – which will ultimately help us make more placements.

Jordan Rayboy – Mental Health – The Struggle is Real

Jordan Rayboy is a NAPS conference veteran, giving numerous presentations over the years. He is the founder of Rayboy Insider Search and a member of the Pinnacle Society. Jordan has over 20 years of recruiting experience, and he specializes in the storage, data management, and cybersecurity marketplace.

Stress caused by the pandemic has taken a major toll on the recruiting industry, and on us as recruiting professionals. In The Struggle is Real, Jordan shared the challenges he’s faced in the last year and a half, and what helped him in addressing his mental health.

Blue Signal’s Takeaway

The pandemic has affected each of our lives in unique, but unifying, ways. It’s caused us to pivot recruiting strategies, take on new challenges, and of course, face unprecedented times. A major takeaway from Jordan’s session was how imperative mental health is to our success – as a business, as recruiters, and as individuals. In such a stress-inducing industry, prioritizing mental health is crucial. Blue Signal strives to prioritize mental health and wellness by providing resources to our employees, clients, and candidates.

"Jordan’s [session] brought me back to the real reason that I love working in recruiting – to change lives and further a company that truly cares about its employees, candidates, and clients alike."

— Jessica Walsh, Blue Signal’s General Counsel

From metrics to mental health, the information we learned at NAPS was invaluable. The sessions gave us some key recruiting strategies to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to trends and technology in the 2020’s. Between the knowledge gained and the relationships made, NAPS was an unforgettable event for those in the recruiting and staffing industry. For many Blue Signalers, the event reignited their original passion for what they do. We look forward to implementing these recruiting strategies into our practice, and can’t wait to see you all at NAPS 2022!

Key Recruiting Strategies - Group Cheers

Winning the War for Talent in 2021

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As the competition heats up among industries to snag the best of the best to fill open roles, it’s becoming more clear we are experiencing a “War for Talent.” The phrase “War for Talent” is not a new term in the recruiting industry, as it was first coined in 1997 by Steven Hankin of McKinsey. In their 2001 book The War for Talent, authors Ed Michaels, Helen Handfield-Jones, and Beth Axelrod predicted that “the make-or-break for firms in the next two decades would be the ability to attract, develop, and retain talent.” In 2021, we’re in the thick of that battle, struggling to beat out the competition and win over top talent. Though there is an uptick in hiring across the board, with a closer look you’ll see just how small the market is when targeting top-tiered talent with niche skills and specialties. With over 7 million jobs recently posted online, the industry is experiencing an abundance of open roles and a lack of qualified candidates to fill them. In light of this sudden and increasing need for talent, job seekers are left with the upper hand. In today’s market, when it comes to winning the war for talent, employers need to take meaningful action by offering unique benefits, remaining flexible, improving branding, and focusing on retention post-hire. 

War for Talent: 4 Steps

Roll Out the Red Carpet

The current job market is in the hands of the job seekers — so it’s important to get to know your audience. Millennials for example, (who in just five short years will comprise almost 50% of the workforce) have different expectations for jobs than their predecessors did. 86% of Millennials put values, like respect for peers, before salary and 82% prefer to work from home at least one day a week. Now more than ever, hiring managers and companies need to be rolling out the red carpet and concede to the demands of those on the job hunt. Large, leading tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook have been perfect examples of this in the past as we’ve seen them building, buying, or rehabbing office spaces to make them attractive and appealing to workers. However, today’s climate calls for a little more creativity as the majority of companies and candidates are switching to the work from home model, making fancy office spaces obsolete. Companies are now branching out, offering new incentives like Peloton bikes, paid time off for mental health, additional vacation days, raises, and bonuses to keep their employees motivated and happy. Unfortunately, if you’re not doing your homework to find out what benefits your employees actually care about, you’ll be taking a shot in the dark. 

Poaching and persuading top talent isn’t an altogether new concept but with today’s market, it’s now become a crucial part of everyone’s talent search. The rule of thumb when recruiting for top talent while competing in any industry is to assume there is always another offer on the table. Whether the candidate is actively interviewing for other roles or gets offered a promotion/raise by their current employer when handing in their notice - push your boundaries and dive deep to find what you can offer that no one else will. 

Be Flexible & Act Fast 

With so many competing offers and employers incentivizing candidates to stay where they are - quick decisions in the hiring process are crucial. Just imagine, while a hiring manager is contemplating possible,  better candidates, the perfect candidate they let go cold is accepting another offer. With the majority of talent currently working from home, the process of taking an interview during the day has become a breeze. Candidates can resign from their current position and start a new one with the simple act of shipping back one laptop and receiving another in its place. This simplified and fast-acting turnover is exactly why it is imperative to remain flexible, open, and decisive when recruiting top talent. 

The flexibility shouldn’t stop there. Being open to offering a flexible schedule in today’s market is another “must-have” on a majority of applicants’ lists. It’s been reported that “up to half of employees might quit their jobs if remote or hybrid work arrangements are not provided post-pandemic.” Due to this new norm, industries across the board are now competing on a national scale rather than with their local markets. By choosing not to employ remote workers, you are actively limiting your candidate pool. Offering a flexible work schedule is becoming non-negotiable when keeping up with the competition. With job seekers in the driver’s seat and in a position to make demands, hiring managers need to be listening. 

Step Up Digital Branding & Awareness

Enticing a candidate to join a new company goes beyond what’s written on an offer. Most potential hires are conducting their own research on companies they’re looking to join, digitally. With the internet as the new marketplace, it is absolutely crucial to have a stellar online reputation and top-notch digital branding in place. As a simple fact of life, first impressions are everything - and more often than not, that introduction doesn’t come straight from a company email. 

When a candidate is deciding if they should apply to a company, their first instinct will be to dig up some background information and see if they can picture themselves at the company. Ensuring consistent, clean, and up-to-date branding across all platforms positions you as a well-oiled machine, and instills a sense of confidence - which will result in more applicants. 

Beyond consistency and aesthetics in branding, companies should be going above and beyond to create buzz in their industries. PR initiatives and posting exciting company news online can get job seekers’ attention and spark a good impression before they even land on your website/social channels. Another common way candidates look into a potential employer is through their online reviews and testimonials. This goes without saying, but poor reviews are one of the most passive reasons top talent will walk away from a job offer or even an initial interview. Open the door to communication by conducting exit interviews with employees leaving the company to uncover and address issues before they affect your incoming talent. Better yet, encourage satisfied customers to leave a positive review about their experience.

Invest in Training

With the added competition of today’s recruiting market, it’s important to remember that your job isn’t done when a new hire is made. In some cases, this is when the real work begins as your focus shifts to retaining that hire. One of the best ways to ensure retention of new hires is training, training, training! Investing in thorough and continued training programs is crucial in today’s market when the act of making the initial hire is already such an uphill battle. Hiring professionals agree that “in every industry and sector, among companies large and small, a new conversation must occur as upskilling and reskilling become the new norm.” Employers need to be more proactive by providing employees with the resources and time needed to learn the material and skills. Companies can focus on creating their own internal training that’s specific to their processes by including real on-the-job examples. The biggest mistake you can make after landing a top talent hire is to go into their employment blindly. Do your research and leverage tried and true methods to make sure you retain that expertise in-house. 

With the intensity of today’s job market, offering unique benefits, remaining flexible and fast-acting, and ensuring retention after a hire is made can give your company the edge it needs to land top talent. Just like this job market overall, the way recruiting is conducted is changing at unprecedented speeds. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Blue Signal can help. We’re experts in this realm and most importantly, we have the dedicated time to complete the open job searches you need filled. A significant benefit in working with a recruiting firm such as Blue Signal is the ability to target passive candidates, which is a game-changer in this climate. The days of waiting around for candidates to come to you and apply to your job posting on their own are over. According to a LinkedIn study, only 15% of employees say they are completely satisfied with their jobs and would not be open to a change. In the midst of this “War for Talent,” you want to be working with the best. If you’re ready to start a conversation about how you can better target and retain top talent in your field, reach out to us today. 

2021 Jobs on the Rise: How 2020 Shaped New Trends and Created a Surge In Demand

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As we settle into 2021, it has become evident how much has shifted in the workforce - especially considering what jobs are in demand. 2020, the year of unprecedented times, has brought us a completely new list of roles and industries that are rapidly hiring and ready to be capitalized on. Diversity and inclusion consulting roles, for example, have drastically increased as businesses seek dedicated staff behind these crucial initiatives. Flexible schedules and more positions offering work from home options have also played a big part in the job market further opening up. Big cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. still lead with the majority of open jobs, but there is much more freedom when it comes to job hunting compared to a year ago. The spike in the number of open roles and those looking for work also directly relates to the high amount of layoffs that took place in early 2020. Those who were laid off or took time to be at home with family due to the pandemic are now looking to enter back into the workforce as the vaccine is being adopted and those roles are reopening. In this blog, Blue Signal breaks down specific industry trends to look at what caused such an increased demand in jobs, specifically within D&I, healthcare, E-commerce and marketing, tax roles, and education.

Industry Trends:

Navigating 2020 was new territory for everyone - while some industries and businesses were hit harder than others, everyone was forced to pivot and adjust as best they could. The hospitality industry for example, faced one of the biggest hits across all industries, but it was incredible to see how these entertainment businesses were able to reimagine their brand and service offerings to match the needs of consumers. In a previous blog, we shared how food and beverage companies rose to the challenge, with some global distilleries shifting production from vodka and gin to hand sanitizer. LinkedIn recently created a list of the most in-demand jobs for 2021 and they found that while fields such as aviation and hospitality were affected the most, other areas like healthcare, education, and finance had to drastically ramp up hiring to meet increased demand. 

Diversity and Inclusion Jobs

Diversity and Inclusion Jobs

Across all industries, large or small, businesses are recognizing the necessary action they must take when it comes to being vocal and thoughtful about D&I within their own organizations. For a lot of businesses, this is something they are dealing with publically for the first time. After the Black Lives Matter movement and many other global civil rights campaigns that took place last year, companies are speaking to their customers’ and audiences’ interests, and making plans to support these causes internally. To carry out these mission statements, many companies are seeking to hire professionals in new roles and even full departments, to develop and manage these policies and actions surrounding diversity and inclusion. Indeed reported that “Between September 2019 and September 2020, Indeed job postings in diversity, inclusion and belonging have risen 56.3%—from 140 jobs per million to 219. More significantly, after the U.S. economy declined in Spring 2020, the DI&B industry recovered quickly, with job postings rising by an astonishing 123% between May and September.” For examples and actionable advice on how your company can go about D&I initiatives head-on, check out our recent blogs on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Blue Signal and The Importance of Diversity & Inclusion in Recruiting, where we mention what we’re doing to enforce this change both internally and within the recruitment industry as a whole.  

  • Workplace Diversity Experts
    • Increased Demand: Last year, companies large and small turned to diversity experts to help bring new voices into their organizations. Hiring for these roles increased more than 90% since 2019.
    • Top Job Titles: Common job titles include Diversity Manager, Diversity Officer, Head of Diversity, and Diversity Coordinator.
    • Top Locations Hiring: Popular hiring locations include New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary ranges from $72,900 to about $97,000. 

Healthcare Jobs

Healthcare Jobs

Not surprisingly, the healthcare industry has completely opened up and still seems to have a never-ending demand for staff, specialists, researchers, and volunteers due to the global health crisis. This has created a huge increase in opportunity and, for those who were contemplating making a career change into the medical field, it could not have come at a better time. Due to such an uptick in urgency for professionals like these, it is the easiest it’s ever been to make this transition, with quicker onboarding processes and more options for accelerated certifications and education programs available. Seaman says, “Many of these roles can be trained for remotely and don’t require a four-year degree.” Though front-line workers such as medical assistants and physicians are always in demand, another newcomer to these highly sought-after positions is in home health. When friends and family members weren’t able to visit their loved ones in nursing homes and assisted living facilities for months at a time, many families sought new plans for their elders’ care. Even though assisted living staff is still in high demand, at-home care workers have quickly grown in need as people would prefer their loved ones to be recovering at a private home rather than in a shared living space in close quarters with others.

  • Healthcare Supporting Staff
    • Increased Demand: Hiring for these positions has increased more than 34% within 25 titles since 2019. 
    • Top Job Titles: Health Care Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assistant, and Home Health Aide are among the most common professional titles. 
    • Top Skills: On average, skills such as Patient Education, Data Entry, and Physician Relations tend to be of the most in-demand within the space.
    • Salary Range: The average salary within this field falls between $65,300 and $106,000.

 

  • Nurses
    • Increased Demand: Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system and through the pandemic have been in demand more than ever, growing nearly 30% since 2019.
    • Top Job Titles: Roles such as Registered Nurse, Certified Nursing Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, and Intensive Care Nurse are some of the top positions hiring. 
    • Top Locations Hiring: New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia have proven to be the most in-demand due to their larger population density. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $73,000 to $111,000.

 

  • Mental Health Specialists
    • Increased Demand: With last year’s mental health crisis caused by the pandemic, hiring for these roles grew nearly 24% in 2020.
    • Top Job Titles: Roles such as Behavior Therapists, Mental Health Specialists, Psychotherapists, and Mental Health Technicians have all increased in demand.
    • Top Locations Hiring: Boston, San Francisco, and New York City have seen the largest surge. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $41,600 to $65,000.

E-commerce and Digital Opportunities

E-commerce and Digital Opportunities

As we’ve predicted since the beginning of the internet, the ability to generate online business and establish a digital brand presence proved itself to be not only beneficial, but a necessity, throughout the pandemic. The results were clear, businesses that had already established their E-comm brand online and invested in digital marketing and brand awareness prior to the global shutdown, skyrocketed. Those who were unable to pivot and redirect their business online found it difficult to stay afloat. The new wave of online and virtual communities has also brought in many ideas that led to new entrants to the space. Social media and digital marketing professionals, as well as graphic designers, web developers, and AI engineers are in high demand now more than ever as businesses pivot their focus toward updated and user-friendly websites. With the E-commerce world hitting record numbers - shipping and fulfillment jobs reactively increased in demand, too. Products are being consumed online in never before seen volumes, and as a result businesses are essentially required to order more inventory, invest in larger warehouse space, and hire more staff to support these larger volumes of picking, packing, shipping, returns, and customer service jobs.   

  • Frontline E-commerce Workers
    • Increased Demand: Hiring grew 73% YOY — and that demand continues with over 400,000 open jobs today!
    • Top Job Titles: Most openings within e-commerce are for professional titles like Driver, Supply Chain Associate, Package Handler, and Personal Shopper.
    • Top Locations Hiring: In the bigger cities, the demand seems to be highest with Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. topping the list.
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these positions falls between $42,000 and $56,000. 

 

  • Business Development and Sales Professionals
    • Increased Demand: Tasked with quickly adapting to an uncertain world and economy, hiring grew more than 45% between 2020 and 2019. 
    • Top Job Titles: In-demand professional titles include Sales Consultant, Sales Operations Assistant, Inbound Sales Specialist, and Strategic Advisor.
    • Top Locations Hiring: The top locations hiring remain in larger cities such as New York City, Denver, and Atlanta.
    • Salary Range: The average salary ranges from $43,300 to $105,000.

 

  • Digital Marketing Professionals
    • Increased Demand: Hiring for digital marketing roles grew nearly 33% YOY vastly due to the pandemic and increase of people remaining inside and at home.
    • Top Job Titles: Digital Marketing Specialist, Social Media Manager, and Search Engine Optimization Specialist are titles commonly looking to hire. 
    • Top Locations Hiring: Cities such as New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles tend to be hiring hot spots. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $48,000 to $96,0000.

 

  • Digital Content Creators
    • Increased Demand: From TikTok to YouTube, and blogs to podcasts, the demand for digital content creators grew 49% year-over-year. 
    • Top Job Titles: Roles such as Content Coordinators, Writing Consultants, Podcasters, and Bloggers have been the most in-demand. 
    • Top Locations Hiring: New York City, Chicago, and Atlanta have seen the biggest surge. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $46,000 to $62,400.

 

  • Specialized Engineers
    • Increased Demand: Most business and casual interactions moved online during the height of the pandemic, causing engineering roles to grow by nearly 25%. 
    • Top Job Titles: Common titles to look for include Web Developer, Full Stack Engineer, Frontend Developer, and Game Developer.
    • Top Locations Hiring: San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C. tend to be hiring hot spots though the field has a high remote work availability. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $77,500 to $104,000.

 

  • User Experience Professionals
    • Increased Demand: Demand for people who specialize in how people interact with these technologies grew 20% between 2019 and 2020. 
    • Top Job Titles: User Experience Designer, Product Design Consultant, and User Interface Designer roles have seen the biggest spike. 
    • Top Locations Hiring: Cities such as San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle have been the most in-demand. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $80,000 to $103,000.

 

  • Data Scientists
    • Increased Demand: Brought on by the pandemic, some businesses leaned more heavily on data scientists with hiring growing nearly 46% since 2019.
    • Top Job Titles: Common titles include Data Scientist, Data Science Specialist, and Data Management Analyst.
    • Top Locations Hiring: Specific hiring hotspots include Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City.
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $100,000 to $130,000.

 

  • Artificial Intelligence Engineers 
    • Increased Demand: The profession of artificial intelligence (AI) was booming well before the pandemic hit but the industry did not slow down last year. Hiring in this area grew 32% between 2019 and 2020.
    • Top Job Titles: Titles such as Machine Learning Engineer, Artificial Intelligence Specialist, and Machine Learning Researcher have all seen increased demand. 
    • Top Locations Hiring: San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle tend to be common hiring locations for this field. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $124,000 to $150,000.

Roles for Tax Professionals

Roles for Tax Professionals

Tax season seems to be a hectic time of year no matter the case, but this year is drastically unique. 2021 has seen a significant increase in people seeking professional help with filing taxes due to all the new and additional steps that have arisen from the pandemic and subsequent housing market. While the year began with a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, by April that figure had soared to 14.7% amid business shutdowns. A staggering number of 70 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the beginning of the pandemic last year, which creates a whole new tax situation many are unfamiliar with. Small businesses are also finding themselves in new territory after applying for and leveraging SBA loans. Even smaller claims from those who received stimulus checks has caused people who may not usually seek out tax help to reconsider this year. Another big factor playing into the overwhelming need for tax advice and services was the drastic change in the housing market. With interest rates at a record low, people were buying homes like crazy and homeowners were refinancing their properties to get better rates. Both instances caused homeowners, new and old, to search for professional assistance. 

  • Loan and Mortgage Experts
    • Increased Demand: From 2019, hiring within this industry increased nearly 59%. 
    • Top Job Titles: The majority of openings within the Loan and Mortgage space include Underwriter, Mortgage Loan Officer, Escrow Officer, Loan Closer.
    • Top Locations Hiring: Cities such as New York City, Dallas, and Chicago tend to be the hiring hot spots. 
    • Salary Range: The average salary within this field falls between $43,700 and $60,000.

Education & Career Coaching Jobs

Education & Career Coaching Jobs

In the midst of the pandemic, schools and universities and even coaching professionals were tasked with a major overhaul to quickly rethink their systems and completely reshape the way they operate and educate. This resulted in an increase in demand for the industry as a whole as virtual education and coaching became much more accessible. Many individuals found the time to go back to school during quarantine and those who were laid off realized the benefits of having an advanced degree in their field. Personal and career coaches also saw a major increase in demand when the state of the pandemic caused many people to reevaluate the direction of their careers, lives, and beyond. Professionals who specialize in life coaching and career planning became hot commodities, surging the industry and becoming extremely in demand today. Virtual learning has proved to be increasingly successful and incredibly advanced as those in the space continue to streamline their processes. This new age of coaching and educating will most likely change the way we learn, not just temporarily, but for the future to come. 

  • Education Professionals
    • Increased Demand: Within the education industry, overall hiring grew more than 20% between 2019 and 2020.
    • Top Job Titles: Common positions include Teaching Assistant, Elementary School Teacher, Mathematics Tutor, and Curriculum Developer.
    • Top Locations Hiring: Even with remote options available, top hiring locations remain New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $46,500 to $63,200.

  • Personal and Career Coaches
    • Increased Demand: Due to the seismic events of 2020, hiring for coaching roles increased more than 51% since 2019.
    • Top Job Titles: Titles such as Career Coordinator, Life Coach, Fitness Coach, and Business Coach are all commonly sought after.
    • Top Locations Hiring: Cities with an increase in demand include New York City, Houston, and Boston.
    • Salary Range: The average salary for these roles ranges from $44,300 to $50,000.

With the novel and constantly changing climate of the workforce today, it’s important to adjust and pivot accordingly when it comes to the next steps in your career. Whether you are someone who is looking to make an industry move, or calculate a secure pivot within your existing field, referencing this list can help you dial into a more targeted role and show which skills to highlight. For example, those who have worked in retail will want to hone skills in E-commerce, customer service, and brand marketing to stay competitive in their field. If you have a background in Human Resources, focusing on your skills and experience facilitating D&I initiatives and overcoming challenges in this area could be a smart move. No matter the industry or career path you are on, our recruiters at Blue Signal can help you capitalize on the demand facing your industry. Reach out to us for guidance, or check out our website for tons of helpful resources such as open job boards, industry-specific trends, and blog posts on how to enhance your resume, brand yourself online, or nail an upcoming interview.