Bluecrew, the on-demand staffing technology platform exclusively for flexible W-2 work, revealed its list of predictions and trends to watch in 2020 which includes five key themes expected to emerge among employers and the hourly workforce in the coming year. Bluecrew tapped insights from industry leaders, employers, and hourly workers to construct its annual list.
“Not only are employers facing unemployment at a 50-year low, they’re also going head-to-head with gig companies that offer workers a level of flexibility that was previously unprecedented,” said Adam Roston, CEO of Bluecrew. “To compete in 2020, we’ll see employers continue to shift their hiring and retention strategies. More employers will offer flexibility in addition to worker protections to lure hourly job seekers. Career growth opportunities through new skills training will be another winning strategy among smart hiring managers.”
Here is the list of key trends employers can expect in 2020:
Automation and Upskilling – Despite all the chatter about automation eliminating jobs, e-commerce growth is sure to drive demand for more warehouse and delivery workers. As employers continue to invest heavily in automation technology, opportunities for upskilling will only increase. This is especially good news for hourly workers hungry for career advancement. Smart employers will continue to emphasize upskilling and career growth opportunities as a key strategy for recruiting and retaining their hourly workforce.
Flexibility – Data from Bluecrew and other industry reports clearly indicate hourly workers favor flexibility above all other aspects of the job including pay and perks. A Bluecrew analysis of more than 10,000 job offer rejections found that a quarter (26%) of jobs were rejected due to the hours compared to 10% of jobs that were rejected due to pay. Employers increasingly recognize that in a tight labor market, offering flexibility around scheduling and hours is another strategic way to attract and retain workers without increasing wages or negatively impacting the bottom line. More employers will adopt staffing technologies and platforms such as Bluecrew to seamlessly provide the flexibility hourly workers want.
Worker Classification – The cat and mouse game will continue between regulators and gig companies. As lawmakers try to define and clarify existing worker classification rules that ensure worker protections like workers’ compensation, overtime, minimum wage, and sick pay, gig companies will continue to fight back and invest in ways to avoid providing worker protections by classifying drivers and other workers as independent contractors.
Backlash Against AI and ML in Hiring is Over – More employers will adopt or at least test out machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance hiring strategies in 2020. By focusing on objective job performance data of employees and eliminating inherent biases such as appearance, employers will find more reliable, higher-performing workers and will be able to staff-up significantly faster.
Worker Organizations and Union Membership – As the popular backlash builds against income inequality and declining worker benefits and protections, private-sector, non-union worker organizations will continue to emerge to advocate for fair pay and labor protections among various groups including teachers, retail workers, drivers, etc. Traditional union membership will also grow for the first time in decades.
About Bluecrew
Founded in 2015, Bluecrew is an on-demand staffing technology platform exclusively for flexible W-2 work. Job seekers turn to Bluecrew for sustainable and reliable employment that fits their schedules across a broad range of industries including warehousing, logistics, e-commerce, events, delivery, and hospitality.
Bluecrew is disrupting the traditional staffing model (an industry worth $153 billion which is almost exclusively offline) with a mobile-first platform that offers workers control, flexibility, and protection, while instantly connecting them to high quality, short and long-term employment opportunities. Unlike gig economy platforms, all Crew Members are W-2 employees of Bluecrew, receiving benefits and protections like minimum wage, overtime, sick pay, and workers’ compensation. Bluecrew is headquartered in Chicago with a presence in markets nationwide and is owned and operated by IAC (NASDAQ: IAC). Learn more at https://www.Bluecrewjobs.com/
