Data collected by the consulting firm HuCap show that 55% of companies expect a year with greater labor mobility, although it is noted that different realities coexist in the country. Talent retention is consolidated as one of the main challenges on the HR agenda, while in-person work in offices returns to the center of the debate.
In terms of work, 2025 will not be the same for everyone. The labor market thermometer in 2025 will bring different opportunities and challenges depending on the sector and type of employment. While some companies foresee greater labor mobility, others anticipate a decline in searches. At the same time, new debates are coming around topics such as the hybrid and remote work scheme, which continues to gain ground, however, they are evaluating a broader return to face-to-face work, a decision that could generate the risk of losing key talent. In this context, attracting and retaining talent remains a strategic priority for companies.
According to a report by the specialized consultancy firm, 45% project a reduction in the number of searches compared to 2024. The consultancy firm’s analysis highlights a reality: in Argentina, two sides of the same coin coexist, with two very different realities in parallel. On the one hand, formal employment and, on the other, informal employment, in addition to a difference between the professional and non-professional market, where the level of rotation, demand and working conditions are very different.
According to HuCap data,
46% of companies suffered the loss of key resources in their organization during the past year . Going deeper into the reasons, Human Resources areas mainly mention: more competitive salaries; greater flexibility; professional development and growth; search for balance between work and personal life (mainly more days of Home Office); people who went to live abroad. In some cases, in new technology positions mainly, due to payment of the salary (or part) in dollars.
Faced with this situation, the consultancy firm is witnessing a paradigm shift : today, in order for the best talents to choose a company to work for and develop themselves by adding value to the business, all aspects of the total compensation that employees receive come into play . “It is not enough for the organization to have a competitive salary scheme (although salary is the motivational factor par excellence), but employees must weigh up the benefits and everything related to Work Life Balance practices,” explains Natalia Terlizzi, CEO of HuCap.
First, there are the work schemes (whether they are in-person,
hybrid or remote), which are no longer considered a benefit in themselves, but have a lot of weight in the decisions of the applicants when it comes to effectively analyzing a proposal, as well as the type of projects and challenges, training provided (training -upskilling- and retraining -reskilling-) and even the structures and levels of autonomy.
“From our Recruiting & Hunting department, we can confirm that, except for operational positions, there are still many processes that end up requiring Hunting, that is, ‘going out to hunt for that scarce talent’,” Terlizzi adds. A few years ago, placing an advertisement was enough to get the much-desired shortlist, whereas today that reality practically no longer exists.
According to HuCap’s analysis, this has several effects. On the one hand, people who are not actively looking for work (but are willing to listen to offers if contacted) expect salaries that are above what they are currently receiving, and this creates gaps between what companies have to offer, can pay or respect their internal equity, versus what people expect for a job change.
A new work scenario
An additional fact is that globalization, the ever-accelerating advance of technology, and access to information from anywhere, leads to the need for constant updating, not only of profiles that work specifically in new technologies, but of professional profiles in general.
“We know that technology will continue its exponential growth, where people who follow this growth curve and develop digital skills are those who will have the greatest competitive advantage in the new reality in which we find ourselves immersed, dynamic and changing environments,” says Terlizzi. To avoid unwanted turnover , the expert recommends that companies begin to focus not only on the benefits and practices of Work Life Balance, but also on strengthening their employer brand and all those aspects that make up the employee experience (EX), from the first moment of contact with the company and that help in the construction of a culture of “we” that attracts and retains employees, observing very carefully the leadership styles that “fail to light the sacred flame that all employees possess.”
In this line, leadership also plays a key role today . “First of all, it is important to highlight that there is no ‘best’ or ‘worst’ leadership style. The challenges posed by technological convergence and customer demands determine that a leadership style is needed that integrates everything known, since each person requires a different leadership, beyond the fact that collaborative leaderships based on agile methodologies prevail, more democratized, more doers and not so many ‘bosses’,” says Terlizzi.
People do not leave companies, they leave their bosses.
This is something that has happened historically, but today the role of leaders, even in the current moment and context, plays a crucial role , since they are the main reference for the company’s culture (something that also comes into play when choosing a proposal); the skills most valued today in leaders by their teams in charge are related to the acceptance of the unexpected, of uncertainty and how to “take advantage” of what happens; leaders with the ability to adapt to the needs of the business (and the client); the humility to be in constant learning (knowmad); inclusion (the value that diversity brings to work teams), the building of trust, empathy and the incorporation of management and technological practices that allow, through data analysis, to know what is happening in real time in the organization.
The return of face-to-face classes
After the pandemic, hybrid work schemes became standard in certain types of jobs. However, one of the debates that will come this year is related to the return to in-person work.
According to HuCap , 80% of companies say they work in a hybrid or mixed scheme where the same position works some days in person and other days remotely. 19% say they work completely in person and only 1% say they work 100% remotely. An important fact to clarify is that this analysis excluded companies or positions that do not have the possibility of working remotely due to their type of work.
But the most striking fact is that 21% of participating companies indicate that, although they currently have a hybrid work scheme, for some sectors they are analyzing the possibility of returning to 100% face-to-face schemes in 2025.
“Working arrangements are now part of companies’
attraction and retention policies. From our Recruiting & Hunting area, we can confirm that candidates highly value and prioritize such arrangements in their proposals (always speaking of positions that, due to the nature of the position, can be worked remotely) and after validating their salary expectations, the next question is: What is the required in-person schedule like?” Terlizzi mentions. For this reason, companies that offer greater flexibility in their working arrangements manage to position themselves better in the competition for talent.
The main benefits of e-working include a better quality of working life with less stress and a balance between personal and work life. Secondly, savings on transport, travel time, clothing or food. And thirdly, a higher level of motivation.
“The Argentine labor market in 2025 will be marked by the evolution of these challenges. Companies that manage to balance flexible work schemes, competitive salary proposals and effective leadership will be the best positioned to attract and retain talent in an increasingly complex and changing environment,” concluded the CEO of Hucap.
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