Overcoming today’s recruitment challenges

Richard Vickers at Search Recruitment Group describes current recruitment challenges and explains how companies can ensure they get the right talent through the door

 

The job market is currently experiencing a perfect storm, as the aftermath of various crises take their toll. The ripple effect of Covid in particular has caused huge issues for businesses over the last two years.

 

As a specialist recruitment group, we’ve seen first-hand the impact it had on the UK’s job market: early in the pandemic, hiring came to a standstill and once it restarted, many reassessed their lives and left their jobs to start new ventures.  

 

It’s evident that the so-called “Great Resignation” is far from over, with the World Economic Forum stating that one in five workers worldwide are still planning on leaving their job this year.

 

In addition, the Covid crisis coincided with Brexit, which further disrupted the market and led to 900,000 fewer workers in the UK post-pandemic, according to the Bank of England. Meanwhile, changes to IR35 legislation to cut down on tax avoidance resulted in many people carrying out the same jobs for lower pay, with an increased tax burden.

 

The combination of these factors has left the UK with a fragile economy. Yet despite this, businesses are continuing to invest in growth, and in order to grow, you need people.

 

With unemployment hitting a 48-year low this year, businesses are finding it harder than ever before to hire talent and fill job roles. If businesses want to overcome today’s challenges and find the best candidates, here’s what they need to consider.

 

What do employees want?

At the end of the day, what employees really want is to feel valued by their employers. No one cares about the name above the door - it’s what they deal with day in and day out that matters.

 

Maximising employee retention and ensuring that a business has access to the best candidates ultimately comes down to creating a positive culture – so employers need to start considering whether they provide the kind of environment that people want to shout about.

 

Is the workplace flexible? Are there opportunities for mentorship and progression? Is the pay really competitive? Any company hiring has to be able to answer these questions.

 

People will not continue to work for an organisation that doesn’t listen to what they want or make them feel valued. If you don’t put together a package where all those factors play a part, you’re going to lose people.

 

Once you have that positive culture in place, implement tactics to show prospective employees what sort of workplace you offer. The word will spread, and you will find it easier to attract talent. Social media is a great asset for this. One of the first things people do when considering a career with a company is to Google them, and this is a valuable opportunity to make a good impression.

 

Becoming an employer of choice within the community you want to attract talent, by hosting or appearing at events, will also rapidly establish your business as trusted and familiar.

 

Happy employees also make great advocates, so including them in the interview process or encouraging them to share their positive experiences online are great ways to differentiate your business. 

 

Career progression and training

Career progression is one of the top considerations for candidates when looking for roles. They want to know that their hard work will be rewarded with opportunities to learn new skills and take on new challenges.

 

As someone who has benefited from a long line of strong business leaders, I believe that companies should provide mentorship, offer training and where possible, maximise an employee’s ability to progress.

 

When candidates come to us, nine times out of ten they are looking for a clear outline of the career progression available from prospective employers, including training opportunities. In today’s talent market, when it has become essential to retain existing employees and the competition to recruit is high, businesses have to show that they can meet these needs.

 

Don’t go it alone

I suggest that businesses work with experts who will advise them on how the market is behaving today, and this includes recruiters. You need to work with a trusted partner who acts as an extension of your brand and networks in the communities you want to hire from.

 

Good recruiters no longer just fill jobs, as that isn’t the environment we live in. Instead, they proactively attract talent from the market, convincing them to leave the roles they’ve got to take a better one elsewhere.

 

They should also work to ensure that the talent they secure actually takes the job. More than ever before, getting the offer right and making the candidate feel valued by offering the right market rate in such a competitive market, is key to success.

 

Hiring great people is still possible

Although hiring is tougher now than it has been for some time, these time-tested approaches still work. Businesses that create a great workplace – one that people want to join – and work with experts to share information about it effectively will be able to find the talent they need, regardless of the many challenges that the global economy faces.

 

---

 

Richard Vickers is CEO at Search Recruitment Group. Search is an award-winning recruitment agency specializing  in placing candidates across more than 20 industry sectors, ranging from administration and hospitality to legal, accountancy and sales as part of its professional services division.

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com