The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the recruitment landscape. Ben Tsui, Temporaries Recruitment Manager at Reed, gives you his top five tips to navigate the post-pandemic recruitment market:
1. Embrace digitisation and be adaptable
Companies have had to adapt on the fly to the impacts of Covid-19, and in many cases that has meant they required a change in mindset. Analogue companies had to become digital almost overnight. Terms like furlough and “you’re on mute” entered our vocabulary.
Whether it be recruitment or other areas of the business, the organisations who have experienced sustained success throughout this period - and who have therefore been able to continue recruiting – are those who have embraced a digital mindset and adopted it in everything they do.
What the pandemic demonstrated is the speed and success of firms who are willing to quickly adapt to a shifting environment. From my own perspective on the recruitment frontline, the organisations that have quickly pivoted and embraced the use of video interviewing, and remote onboarding, are those who have been able to move fast enough to secure the talented professionals who are coming onto the market.
Those businesses who continue to function with traditional and ridged frameworks will be left behind in this new emergent market.
2. Look after your employees - and give them flexibility
The pandemic has reconfigured the mindset of the ‘modern day’ employee; they’ve found different motivators and changed their priorities as a result. Candidates’ wants have shifted from remuneration to wellbeing and flexibility.
When speaking to candidates, a huge number now cite a need for flexible working hours to meet family constraints as part of what they want from a new job. Having spent more time at home with their families during the pandemic, they are more focused on preserving their work-life balance, and are looking for employers who will support this.
Whether this is through flexible working or the adoption of hybrid/remote working, this type of flexibility is increasingly being seen as standard and a non-negotiable from prospective employees. Companies who offer this as part of a role will immediately see an increase in the quality and number of applicants.
3. Attitude and skills can trump sector experience
The economic impact of the pandemic means that the market is rich with highly skilled candidates who have lost their jobs. Many of these professionals are from the industries hit hardest by the pandemic and are carefully evaluating their next career steps.
I would highly recommend considering an unbiased recruitment approach when searching for you next employee. By this I mean disregard any notion of needing sector experience if it isn’t required, and be ready to train and mentor professionals willing to change career. Employing a candidate with the right attitude and transferrable skills invariably leads to a better recruitment decision and greater loyalty from them.
Working with a knowledgeable recruitment partner who can identify the professionals with the attitude and skills to thrive in any environment will help you to select those to assist you in business growth.
4. Benchmark your benefits
With the Office for Budget Responsibility predicting that earnings growth could rise by as much as 8% this year, improved remuneration offers are one way to attract high-quality candidates. However, I am seeing many organisations still feeling the crunch of the pandemic now investing in their benefits packages to remain competitive.
Just as you would benchmark your salaries against your competitors, you should compare the benefits you offer with those advertised across your sector. Some of the most common I have encountered at present include free private healthcare, free private dental care and free gym memberships.
Investing in your benefits package is a great way to attract prospective employees and to retain the professionals who currently work for you.
5. Now is the time to invest in current and prospective employees
The easing of Covid-19 restrictions will be a natural point of reflection for both companies and professionals. With things beginning to look more like normal, both will be spurred into action in the jobs market.
Rather than looking to cut costs and muddle through, we are seeing the most innovative organisations looking to increase their headcounts at this time, securing new talented employees to drive growth.
Experienced employees with valuable skills and knowledge are increasingly open to changing role, so the next critical challenge for companies beyond the pandemic is keeping hold of their best staff and adding talent to fill any gaps. Failure to do this will jeopardise the progress your organisation has made through the pandemic.
To get more tips from Ben and our other recruitment specialists, contact one of the team now.
