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Subscribe here5. September 2023
Why is everyone talking about… the September Surge?
Welcome to Personio Pulse: This Week in HR, where each week we take a look at the latest trends in the world of work, what you need to know about them and what they mean for you as an HR professional.
This week we’re covering the ‘September Surge.’
What you need to know
The idea of the ‘September Surge,’ a new trend popping up on apps like TikTok, points toward a potential spike in job applications during September and October. Whether real or not, the trend itself may be putting the idea of switching careers into more people’s heads, and is placing retention in focus.
While it might initially appeal to reason, with employees coming back from vacation and gearing up to switch roles, does the data support a September Surge?
What the experts are saying about it
According to Guy Berger, head of macroeconomic trends at LinkedIn, “despite discussions about a hiring spike in September, our historical data indicates that even in an uncertain economy, January remains the busiest month for hiring.”
It seems the idea of a September Surge is more fiction than fact. But the media attention alone may manifest a surge to happen as it plants the idea of making a change in peoples’ minds. In an especially tight UK labour market, even a slight surge can have an unwanted effect on retention.
What that means for you
Despite evidence of the UK's labour market cooling from its recent heady highs, record pay growth suggests it's not a good time to take the foot of the pedal just yet when it comes to retention.
Our recommendation to HR and recruiting teams is to revisit their talent strategies to:
Take advantage of anyone looking to potentially switch
Prioritise the talent you have on hand with retention measures
Instead of bracing for the surge and expecting candidates to flood in, our final piece of advice is to not believe the hype and focus on the talent you have on hand.
What else should I read?
That's all for this week's edition of Personio Pulse: This Week in HR. Check back next week as we continue to dissect the latest trends impacting the ways we work.
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Max Specht
Max Specht is a Senior Content Marketing Manager at Personio. He enjoys writing and discussing topics related to employee engagement, leadership development and process optimisation.
