New year, new recruitment strategy
Posted on 7th January 2022
This time of the year is an ideal time to assess the future plans for your business. Whether or not you are planning to recruit soon, having a clear recruitment strategy in place for then the time comes, is essential.
Times have changed and the recruitment dynamics have shifted. This time last year, there were hundreds of candidates for a few vacancies whereas now, there are hundreds of jobs with just a few suitable candidates. The ball is no longer in your court.
Covid-19 brought with it many challenges for businesses and recruitment is certainly at the top of the list.
Our work life has changed. Employees have had more flexibility over the last two years. In many cases, they have been allowed to work remotely which has seen them find a better work/life balance.
Of course, no-one wants to take that away but what it has also seen is a much higher expectation level from candidates than in days gone by.
Now a candidate wants more from you. Not just financially, they are looking to work for organisations with a better culture, with more understanding and above all, more flexibility.
All past recruitment strategies have gone out the window and now it is time to plan for a post-Covid future.
What should you consider?
The first thing you need to look at is the type of candidates you will be looking for going forward. It is likely that during Covid, your business dynamics changed. This may have brought opportunities for new roles, or it may mean that the skills and experience of the candidates you used to look for has now changed. Spend some time thinking about the type of person you would like in your organisation from their qualifications and skills to their personality and how they will fit with your company culture.
Take time to think about what you can offer a candidate. It is no longer about what they can do for you, now they want to know what you can do for them. That is not to say you are at a disadvantage, only that you now need to see both sides of the coin. Look at your culture, the career opportunities, the training and support you can offer. How does that measure up to your competitors?
Consider whether you can offer flexible working patterns. This may mean that you have roles that can be carried out remotely, or it could mean job sharing or flexible working hours. This could give you a huge advantage not only because it shows you as a flexible organisation, but it opens the talent pool enormously.
Take a long look at your remuneration package. Whilst you do not want to spend more money than you have to, finding the right candidate for the role can be a worthy investment. Is it time you increased the salary for certain roles to attract a better calibre of applicants?
With that in mind, you should also look at employee benefits, especially if a salary increase is not an option. Can you offset a lower remuneration package with outstanding employee benefits? This could be more attractive to some than the increase in the pay packet.
Ask yourself how you want to hear from candidates. Do you want them to apply through traditional CV’s or are you looking for a more forward-thinking candidate? There are many options available to you. If your business has changed, there is no reason your recruitment process cannot change with it.
Think mental health. This has become an extremely important topic. We are all trying to adjust to a new way of working and that has had an enormous impact on many people’s mental wellbeing. What can you do to support a new candidate as they transition into their new role?
It is worth taking some time out in the new year to look at your recruitment strategy. The more detail you can go into, the more likely it is that you will find the right candidates for your roles.
Please do not hesitate to contact daxa@hrresultsltd.co.uk if you would like to discuss the plan you would like to put in place. Taking HR from 'TO DO' to 'DONE'.
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