The professional landscape has been evolving at breakneck speed over the last few years, with the needs and demands of modern professionals undergoing one of the major transformations.

Gone are the days when most professionals ranked stable employment as their highest priority. Now there is much more focus on establishing a good work/life balance, with the majority of professionals open to – and often actively seeking new opportunities that appeal to their current needs. Pay will always be a strong motivator for any workers in any sector, but now flexibility and clear career progression are equally important to most employees.

Professionals had a taste of flexible working arrangements when the Covid-19 pandemic shut so much industry down, and they liked it. Now remote and hybrid working models are part of our new normal, and a lot of talent will be attracted to companies where such provisions are available.

They also want to know that the role they currently fill is not the end of the road as far as their career progression is concerned. Modern professionals are ambitious and want to consistently expand their skill set, knowledge and experience. The ability to do so has become a vital aspect of company loyalty, with talent far more likely to remain in a particular role if they can see a clear path onward and upward with their career.

This is why it is vital for modern employers to understand the motivations of the modern professional. It is simply the best way to not only retain the best talent on your workforce, but to attract them in the first place.

Let’s look closer at the three prime motivators behind the modern professional’s career choices so you can optimise your recruitment strategy to attract and retain the very best talent.

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Pay, Perks and Privileges

Employers should always offer salaries in line with the industry standard for each particular role. The talent pool of modern professionals is not exactly overflowing at the moment and today’s workers are well aware of their value.

Employers should also consider what kind of perks and privileges they can offer candidates too, as they could make the difference when a candidate is choosing between two equally paying opportunities.

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Flexible Working Options

With the work/life balance frequently cited as the most significant contributing factor to job satisfaction, it is now important for employers to make some provision for flexible working arrangements.

This doesn’t necessarily mean allowing remote working for all roles that can be managed this way, but it does mean being open to hybrid working models. Different professionals will have different expectations in this regard, so ideally you should offer individualised flexible working options which suit each circumstance. 

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Career Progression

The trend for professionals job-hopping from one role to another is often driven by the desire for higher pay or more flexible working arrangements, but career progression is also one of the main drivers.

To attract and retain such ambitious talent, your recruitment process must include a clear career progression pathway for the candidates. This means promoting opportunities for training, personal development, and promotion from the very beginning of the recruitment process. 

If you’re hiring for an IT role in 2024, get in touch with our specialist recruitment team here at Insite Recruitment.

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