Employability Reimagined: Talent Trade-Offs Leaders Can't Ignore
As macroeconomic uncertainty persists and the demand for skilled workers continues to grow, business leaders are being called to revisit long-standing assumptions about what drives engagement, retention and results from their teams.
In this environment, a clearer picture is emerging: workers are weighing trade-offs. Whether it's flexibility versus compensation, career progression versus well-being, or stability versus purpose, talent are making choices that reflect their evolving priorities. While this presents new complexities, it also offers an opportunity for organizations to shape more sustainable, responsive workforce strategies.
At Randstad, we recently surveyed over 5,000 workers around the world to better understand these trade-offs. What we found is that people are making thoughtful compromises, and they are open to engaging with their employers to do the same - as long as the trade-offs feel fair to both parties.
A new equation is forming
Across roles, regions and generations, workers are making clear, strategic decisions about what they want from work. The research shows that:
59% of workers signaled that flexibility remains cemented as a valued form of compensation, but the ... More priority has shifted from location-based to time autonomy.
These trade-offs reflect a workforce that's asking sharper questions: Will this job keep me future-ready? Will it protect my well-being, and can I shape it around my life? How we as business leaders respond has a direct impact on our talent retention and organizational success.
Talent trade-offs mark a strategic shift
The talent trade-offs signal about how we need to evolve our leadership, our models of work and how we deliver results through teams. Conversely, organizations that listen to what workers are willing to trade, and why, stand to gain a competitive edge.
Business leaders can respond in a way that aligns talent satisfaction with organizational goals in four key ways:
First, invest in employability as a long-term business strategy. Reskilling and career development are not merely perks - they're foundational to engaging in talent trade-offs. Our data shows that workers who feel their skills are future-proof are more willing to stay and contribute. A key finding in this regard is that over 50% prefer skilling opportunities to location flexibility.
Second, design flexibility that works for both the business and the individual. Flexibility doesn't mean unlimited choice. It means offering time autonomy where possible, articulating the purpose behind on-site expectations and tailoring work arrangements to roles and realities. Workers understand compromise and they're willing to commit where the trade-off feels fair. For example, 65% say they would expect greater time autonomy if asked to return to the office full-time.
Support people through leadership, not just policy. The data is clear: manager support is one of the strongest drivers of long-term retention. 68% of workers say receiving this kind of support is a key reason to stay in a role long term. Leaders who communicate clearly, develop their teams and model values in action are more likely to keep talent motivated and aligned.
Leading in a negotiated era of work: We are in a period where the workplace dynamic is becoming more two-sided: not in opposition, but in a position of collaboration, where workers and businesses are open to benefiting from trade-offs. Those who succeed won't be the ones offering the most, but the ones offering what's most relevant: the right balance of opportunity, support, and flexibility.
In shifting markets, trust becomes a strategic asset. And trust is built not through rigidity, but through responsiveness. By strategically making the most of this moment of trade-offs as one of strategic realignment, we can shape a more resilient, productive future of work, one based on shared understanding.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
30 minutes ago
- CNET
Trump's Tariffs Explained as the 90-Day Pause Set to End Next Week
Despite the president hyping up a recent "deal" with China on tariffs, uncertainty has still left consumers uneasy about the near-future. James Martin/CNET President Donald Trump's second term economic plan can be summed up in one word: tariffs. As his barrage of import taxes went into overdrive in recent months, markets trembled and business leaders sounded alarms about the economic damage they would cause. In response to the initial chaos after "Liberation Day" back in April, the heaviest of Trump's tariffs were paused for 90 days, but the end of that pause is coming up in a matter of days now, and the president has said that another reprieve isn't likely. With that in mind, it's about to be as important as ever for you to understand tariffs and how they'll impact your life. Despite the near-constant uncertainties, Trump has continued to barrel forward with his plans, doubling the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and announcing a new deal that would see the rate against China increase to 55% -- all of which will likely impact your cost of living. That all came after Trump's plans hit their biggest roadblock yet in court, when late last month the US Court of International Trade ruled that Trump had overstepped his authority when he imposed tariffs. This ruling was eventually stayed, but the fight is likely to see a final ruling from the Supreme Court in the future. Should You Buy Now or Wait? Our Experts Weigh In on Tariffs Should You Buy Now or Wait? Our Experts Weigh In on Tariffs Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 9:42 Loaded : 2.03% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 9:42 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. The video connection was lost, please confirm you are connected to the internet Error Code: MEDIA_ERR_NETWORK HLS playlist request error at URL: Technical details : Session ID: 2025-07-03:7eec3b38f5e8dfd299232a23 Player Element ID: vjs_video_3 OK Close Modal Dialog Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Should You Buy Now or Wait? Our Experts Weigh In on Tariffs However things shake out in the end, the initial ruling certainly came as a relief to many, given the chaos and uncertainty that Trump's tariffs have caused thus far. For his part, Trump has recently lashed out against companies -- Apple and Walmart, for example -- that have reacted to the tariffs or discussed their impacts in ways he dislikes. Apple has been working to move manufacturing for the US market from China to relatively less-tariffed India, to which Trump has threatened them with a 25% penalty rate if they don't bring manufacturing to the US instead. Experts have predicted that a US-made iPhone, for example, would cost consumers about $3,500. During a recent earnings call, Walmart warned that prices would rise on things like toys, tech and food at some point in the summer, which prompted Trump to demand the chain eat the costs themselves, another unlikely scenario. Amid all this noise, you might still be wondering: What exactly are tariffs and what will they mean for me? The short answer: Expect to pay more for at least some goods and services. For the long answer, keep reading, and for more, check out CNET's price tracker for 11 popular and tariff-vulnerable products. What are tariffs? Put simply, a tariff is a tax on the cost of importing or exporting goods by a particular country. So, for example, a "60% tariff" on Chinese imports would be a 60% tax on the price of importing, say, computer components from China. Trump has been fixated on imports as the centerpiece of his economic plans, often claiming that the money collected from taxes on imported goods would help finance other parts of his agenda. The US imports $3 trillion worth of goods from other countries annually. The president has also, more recently, shown a particular fixation on trade deficits, claiming that the US having a trade deficit with any country means that country is ripping the US off. This is a flawed understanding of the matter, as a lot of economists have said, deficits are often a simple case of resource realities: Wealthy nations like the US buy specific things from nations that have them, while those nations in turn may not be wealthy enough to buy much of anything from the US. While Trump deployed tariffs in his first term, notably against China, he ramped up his plans more significantly for the 2024 campaign, promising 60% tariffs against China and a universal 20% tariff on all imports into the US. Now, tariffs against China are more than double that amount and a universal tariff on all exports is a reality. "Tariffs are the greatest thing ever invented," Trump said at a campaign stop in Michigan last year. At one point, he called himself "Tariff Man" in a post on Truth Social. Who pays the cost of tariffs? Trump repeatedly claimed, before and immediately after returning to the White House, that the country of origin for an imported good pays the cost of the tariffs and that Americans would not see any price increases from them. However, as economists and fact-checkers stressed, this is not the case. The companies importing the tariffed goods -- American companies or organizations in this case -- pay the higher costs. To compensate, companies can raise their prices or absorb the additional costs themselves. So, who ends up paying the price for tariffs? In the end, usually you, the consumer. For instance, a universal tariff on goods from Canada would increase Canadian lumber prices, which would have the knock-on effect of making construction and home renovations more expensive for US consumers. While it is possible for a company to absorb the costs of tariffs without increasing prices, this is not at all likely, at least for now. Speaking with CNET, Ryan Reith, vice president of International Data's worldwide mobile device tracking programs, explained that price hikes from tariffs, especially on technology and hardware, are inevitable in the short term. He estimated that the full amount imposed on imports by Trump's tariffs would be passed on to consumers, which he called the "cost pass-through." Any potential efforts for companies to absorb the new costs themselves would come in the future, once they have a better understanding of the tariffs, if at all. Which Trump tariffs have gone into effect? Following Trump's "Liberation Day" announcements on April 2, the following tariffs are in effect: A 50% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, doubled from 25% as of June 4. A 30% tariff on all Chinese imports until the new deal touted by Trump takes effect, after which it will purportedly go up to 55%. China, being a major focus of Trump's trade agenda, this rate has had a rate notably higher than others and has steadily increased as Beijing returned fire with tariffs of its own, peaking at 145% before trade talks commenced. 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico are not covered under the 2018 USMCA trade agreement brokered during Trump's first term. The deal covers roughly half of all imports from Canada and about a third of those from Mexico, so the rest are subject to the new tariffs. Energy imports not covered by USMCA will be taxed at only 10%. A 25% tariff on all foreign-made cars and auto parts. A sweeping overall 10% tariff on all imported goods. For certain countries that Trump said were more responsible for the US trade deficit, Trump imposed what he called "reciprocal" tariffs that exceed the 10% level: 20% for the 27 nations that make up the European Union, 26% for India, 24% for Japan and so on. These were meant to take effect on April 9 but were delayed by 90 days due to historic stock market volatility, which makes the new effective date July 8. Trump's claim that these reciprocal tariffs are based on high tariffs imposed against the US by the targeted countries has drawn intense pushback from experts and economists, who have argued that some of these numbers are false or potentially inflated. For example, the above chart says a 39% tariff from the EU, despite its average tariff for US goods being around 3%. Some of the tariffs are against places that are not countries but tiny territories of other nations. The Heard and McDonald Islands, for example, are uninhabited. We'll dig into the confusion around these calculations below. Notably, that minimum 10% tariff will not be on top of those steel, aluminum and auto tariffs. Canada and Mexico were also spared from the 10% minimum additional tariff imposed on all countries the US trades with. On April 11, the administration said smartphones, laptops and other consumer electronics, along with flat panel displays, memory chips and semiconductors, were exempt from reciprocal tariffs. But it wasn't clear whether that would remain the case or whether such products might face different fees later. How were the Trump reciprocal tariffs calculated? The numbers released by the Trump administration for its barrage of "reciprocal" tariffs led to widespread confusion among experts. Trump's own claim that these new rates were derived by halving the tariffs already imposed against the US by certain countries was widely disputed, with critics noting that some of the numbers listed for certain countries were much higher than the actual rates and some countries had tariff rates listed despite not specifically having tariffs against the US at all. In a post to X that spread fast across social media, finance journalist James Surowiecki said that the new reciprocal rates appeared to have been reached by taking the trade deficit the US has with each country and dividing it by the amount the country exports to the US. This, he explained, consistently produced the reciprocal tariff percentages revealed by the White House across the board. "What extraordinary nonsense this is," Surowiecki wrote about the finding. The White House later attempted to debunk this idea, releasing what it claimed was the real formula, though it was quickly determined that this formula was arguably just a more complex version of the one Surowiecki deduced. What will the Trump tariffs do to prices? In short: Prices are almost certainly going up, if not now, then eventually. That is, if the products even make it to US shelves at all, as some tariffs will simply be too high for companies to bother dealing with. While the effects of a lot of tariffs might not be felt straight away, some potential real-world examples have already emerged. Microsoft has increased prices across the board for its Xbox gaming brand, with its flagship Xbox Series X console jumping 20% from $500 to $600. Elsewhere, Kent International, one of the main suppliers of bicycles to Walmart, announced that it would be stopping imports from China, which account for 90% of its stock. Speaking about Trump's tariff plans just before they were announced, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said that they would generate $6 trillion in revenue over the next decade. Given that tariffs are most often paid by consumers, CNN characterized this as potentially "the largest tax hike in US history." New estimates from the Yale Budget Lab, cited by Axios, predict that Trump's new tariffs will cause a 2.3% increase in inflation throughout 2025. This translates to about a $3,800 increase in expenses for the average American household. Reith, the IDC analyst, told CNET that Chinese-based tech companies, like PC makers Acer, Asus and Lenovo, have "100% exposure" to these import taxes as they currently stand, with products like phones and computers the most likely to take a hit. He also said that the companies best positioned to weather the tariff impacts are those that have moved some of their operations out of China to places like India, Thailand and Vietnam, singling out the likes of Apple, Dell and HP. Samsung, based in South Korea, is also likely to avoid the full force of Trump's tariffs. In an effort to minimize its tariff vulnerability, Apple has begun to move the production of goods for the US market from China to India. Will tariffs impact prices immediately? In the short term -- the first days or weeks after a tariff takes effect -- maybe not. There are still a lot of products in the US imported pre-tariffs and on store shelves, meaning the businesses don't need a price hike to recoup import taxes. Once new products need to be brought in from overseas, that's when you'll see prices start to climb because of tariffs or you'll see them become unavailable. That uncertainty has made consumers anxious. CNET's survey revealed that about 38% of shoppers feel pressured to make certain purchases before tariffs make them more expensive. About 10% say they have already made certain purchases in hopes of getting them in before the price hikes, while 27% said they have delayed purchases for products that cost more than $500. Generally, this worry is the most acute concerning smartphones, laptops and home appliances. Mark Cuban, the billionaire businessman and Trump critic, voiced concerns about when to buy certain things in a post on Bluesky just after Trump's "Liberation Day" announcements. In it, he suggested that consumers might want to stock up on certain items before tariff inflation hits. "It's not a bad idea to go to the local Walmart or big box retailer and buy lots of consumables now," Cuban wrote. "From toothpaste to soap, anything you can find storage space for, buy before they have to replenish inventory. Even if it's made in the USA, they will jack up the price and blame it on tariffs." CNET's Money team recommends that before you make any purchase, especially a high-ticket item, be sure that the expenditure fits within your budget and your spending plans. Buying something you can't afford now because it might be less affordable later can be burdensome, to say the least. What is the goal of the White House tariff plan? The typical goal behind tariffs is to discourage consumers and businesses from buying the tariffed, foreign-sourced goods and encourage them to buy domestically produced goods instead. When implemented in the right way, tariffs are generally seen as a useful way to protect domestic industries. One of the stated intentions for Trump's tariffs is along those lines: to restore American manufacturing and production. However, the White House also claims to be having negotiations with numerous countries looking for tariff exemptions, and some officials have also floated the idea that the tariffs will help finance Trump's tax cuts. You don't have to think about those goals for too long before you realize that they're contradictory: If manufacturing moves to the US or if a bunch of countries are exempt from tariffs, then tariffs aren't actually being collected and can't be used to finance anything. This and many other points have led a lot of economists to allege that Trump's plans are misguided. In terms of returning -- or "reshoring" -- manufacturing in the US, tariffs are a better tool for protecting industries that already exist because importers can fall back on them right away. Building up the factories and plants needed for this in the US could take years, leaving Americans to suffer under higher prices in the interim. That problem is worsened by the fact that the materials needed to build those factories will also be tariffed, making the costs of "reshoring" production in the US too heavy for companies to stomach. These issues, and the general instability of American economic policies under Trump, are part of why experts warn that Trump's tariffs could have the opposite effect: keeping manufacturing out of the US and leaving consumers stuck with inflated prices. Any factories that do get built in the US because of tariffs also have a high chance of being automated, canceling out a lot of job creation potential. To give you one real-world example of this: When warning customers of future price hikes, toy maker Mattel also noted that it had no plans to move manufacturing to the US. Trump has reportedly been fixated on the notion that Apple's iPhone -- the most popular smartphone in the US market -- can be manufactured entirely in the US. This has been broadly dismissed by experts, for a lot of the same reasons mentioned above, but also because an American-made iPhone could cost upward of $3,500. One report from 404 Media dubbed the idea "a pure fantasy." The overall sophistication and breadth of China's manufacturing sector have also been cited, with CEO Tim Cook stating in 2017 that the US lacks the number of tooling engineers to make its products. For more, see how tariffs might raise the prices of Apple products and find some expert tips for saving money.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Skills shortage jeopardising pledge to build 1.5 million homes, report warns
A critical shortage of skilled workers is jeopardising the Government's pledge to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029, according to research. Skills development organisation City & Guilds surveyed employers, training providers and employees, finding 76% of construction firms are struggling to recruit the skilled people they need, with 84% agreeing the industry is suffering from critical skills shortages. The latest outlook from the Construction Industry Training Board suggests the industry needs to recruit 239,300 workers by 2029 to be able to meet the projected demand for the 1.5 million homes target. More than half (54%) of employers do not think the sector has the workforce it needs to meet this target, with the same percentage also putting into doubt the sector's ability to deliver net zero housing goals. Kirstie Donnelly, chief executive of City & Guilds, said: 'We can't build 1.5 million homes without the people to deliver it. We urgently need to reset how we attract, train, and upskill talent across the construction sector, with flexible routes, smarter investment, and collaboration between industry, education and Government. 'With the Government signalling a clear intention to reduce reliance on overseas workers, investing in and nurturing skills isn't optional – it's critical.' Jambu Palaniappan, chief executive at Checkatrade, said: 'The vision of modern, energy-efficient homes that are fit for 21st-century Britain will remain out of reach unless we tackle the critical trade skills gap head-on. 'Government is taking some important steps to address the problem and industry needs to play its part too. Checkatrade is piloting initiatives across the country, from boosting construction apprenticeships through to helping existing trades build new skills as more consumers look to make their homes greener and cheaper to run.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Skills shortage jeopardising pledge to build 1.5 million homes, report warns
A critical shortage of skilled workers is jeopardising the Government's pledge to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029, according to research. Skills development organisation City & Guilds surveyed employers, training providers and employees, finding 76% of construction firms are struggling to recruit the skilled people they need, with 84% agreeing the industry is suffering from critical skills shortages. The latest outlook from the Construction Industry Training Board suggests the industry needs to recruit 239,300 workers by 2029 to be able to meet the projected demand for the 1.5 million homes target. More than half (54%) of employers do not think the sector has the workforce it needs to meet this target, with the same percentage also putting into doubt the sector's ability to deliver net zero housing goals. Kirstie Donnelly, chief executive of City & Guilds, said: 'We can't build 1.5 million homes without the people to deliver it. We urgently need to reset how we attract, train, and upskill talent across the construction sector, with flexible routes, smarter investment, and collaboration between industry, education and Government. 'With the Government signalling a clear intention to reduce reliance on overseas workers, investing in and nurturing skills isn't optional – it's critical.' Jambu Palaniappan, chief executive at Checkatrade, said: 'The vision of modern, energy-efficient homes that are fit for 21st-century Britain will remain out of reach unless we tackle the critical trade skills gap head-on. 'Government is taking some important steps to address the problem and industry needs to play its part too. Checkatrade is piloting initiatives across the country, from boosting construction apprenticeships through to helping existing trades build new skills as more consumers look to make their homes greener and cheaper to run.'
