In the spring As of 2021, the world begins to reopen and we have seen an unprecedented shift in the global labor market. It was a moment in what we call the Great Reorganization, when employees rethink not only how and where they work, but also why they work—and transform jobs at a scheduled pace. history. Today, we are emerging from the Great Reorganization, and we are seeing a percentage of LinkedIn members changing jobs globally for the first time since March 2021.
Now, the word of the day among leaders and companies is uncertainty. We’ve moved from slower, more predictable ups and downs to constant, persistent disruption as the norm. This presents a major challenge, but it can also be an opportunity. Leaders and organizations that adapt will win. You can just wait for the storm to pass to take on the next, or you can change before necessary and avoid playing catch-up every time a new set of circumstances arises.
Nowhere is the need for adaptive leadership more urgent than creating an agile workforce. During the Great Reformation, employers were relatively quick to adopt hybrid and remote work, overturning what was once a niche service and making it the norm across many sectors. However, when it comes to the most basic asset a company has—people—we are still less innovative and rely on outdated methods to find, retain, and develop talent.
The new way to build a more efficient and fair talent market is to switch to a skills-first approach. This isn’t a novel concept, but it’s been around in the suburbs for far too long. For decades, hiring was largely based on the degrees you earned, the jobs you had, the people you knew. This results in less flexibility for employers and lost opportunities for qualified candidates. The world we live in demands alternative, flexible and always accessible pathways to well-paying jobs. I believe change will come through a skills-based opportunistic approach.
LinkedIn data shows that both employees and employers are starting to use skills as a lingua franca in job searches. More than 40 percent of recruiters are now explicitly using skills to screen and find candidates on LinkedIn. This skill-based approach shouldn’t stop there. Our recent Global Talent Trends report shows that organizations that excel in internal mobility can retain employees for an average of 5.4 years, almost twice as long as those that excel in internal mobility. having trouble with that, where the average retention period is less than three years.
This new era of work brings new opportunities, but it requires an adaptive leadership approach. Leaders who understand that the old ways of recruiting based on qualifications and pedigree no longer make sense will be successful. In 2023, this shift will begin to take place on a much larger scale and will move from marginal to pervasive, as employers begin to realize the untapped potential we unlock with how to transition to a skills-first labor market.
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