This information is sent out at the start of the recruitment process. Ideally, when you are confirming the first stage interviews. This is an often-missed opportunity to start to sell your company to your candidates and will also reduce the length of time spent at interview telling them about the organisation. It means that you get more time to spend; asking the candidates about themselves and their suitability for the role. 

 

 

The culture of any organisation has a direct impact on commercial performance. Big statement…but there is a wealth of data to show that great employee engagement, creating a cohesive, positive and empowered team is the key driver to improving that performance and helps to reduce absenteeism, attrition, improve presenteeism, productivity and customer satisfaction. 

 

 

In reality, nothing…it’s the collective team including senior and other managers throughout the business that create the culture – so gauging what they think and how they feel is the first step to understanding your business culture 

 

 

Candidates are still in the driving seat as we enter 2022; this means that they are in control. Candidates are likely to be considering several job offers and will have the pick of the roles. As an employer, this can be frustrating as candidates may accept your offer, only to turn it down later, or take a while to decide – again, as they are waiting to consider all their options. Make sure you offer quickly and spend time talking through the whole package with them. What can you do to make sure that they accept your offer over others they may have? 

 

 

Our guest blog by Charlotte Green, Founder at Specific Learning & Coaching Ltd, a specialist learning agency that use The Specific Method, which is a blend of insight, training, coaching and mentoring to develop leaders explains what you can do to improve your retention levels and become known as a ‘great place to work’ through implementing a successful employee onboarding process. 

 

 

Implementing standardised operational checklists and templated documents as simple as it sounds, enables key people to follow a process through the cross-functional areas of your business and offers important support and a step-by-step approach that is clear and easy to understand. Imagine the overload of information within the 3 6 and 12 week period. 

 

60% of UK companies use an assessment centre process as part of their recruitment. It gives you a more objective view of candidates and can include more work-based assessments to give a better indication as to which candidate will be the best for the role. Assessment centres are accepted as being fairer than a standard interview process as more information is collected on each candidate. 

 

If you are using assessment centres, how can you use them to convey your values and the culture of the company to effectively sell your job opportunity over other roles that they may be applying for? 

 

 

 

 

There have been some really big changes to the recruitment market over the pandemic with some sectors all but having disappeared whereas others have continued to thrive. If you can be clear as to the skills that you want to bring into your company then make sure that you are sifting candidates based on this rather experience. There are really big advantages to bringing in skills from a different area as these candidates will bring a fresh perspective to your business. For example, someone from the travel industry could bring a whole new view on customer services and client management to financial services. 

 

 

 

 

The candidate pool is quiet at the moment, if you are choosing to run your recruitment projects yourself how can you make sure that your adverts are not being skipped over by potential candidates. You want to try and ensure that all candidates who are suitable and fit within the role apply – whilst not overly encouraging those that aren’t suitable and have just “clicked to apply” as if they are shopping on Amazon. 

 

 

 

 

We have all felt it over the last fourteen months. No one can look too far into the future and know what will be happening next with the pandemic. Yet for many of us, change does not sit comfortably. Most candidates, if they are looking for their next position will be looking for a company that is going to offer them stability. Make sure that your promotional literature reflects this – talk about your heritage and your plans for the future. 

 

This is the number one requirement for candidates. They don’t necessarily want to work from home permanently or full time, but they do want to be offered flexibility within the workplace. Look at your policies around home working. What can you offer candidates – more flexible hours? a hybrid model of working from home as well as the office? You will lose out on candidates if you are still adopting a rigid 9 – 5, office working environment. If you are being flexible – shout about it! Candidates want to know – it will help to make their decision to apply to you easier. 

 

 

For many, it will seem surprising that rather than seeing a large active candidate pool, it is the opposite. Applications per job are down and the number of quality candidates is also lower than expected. So, if you are recruiting – what can you expect to see? 

 

Quality candidates will be holding job offers from more than one employer, and in a change to previous behaviours, more candidates are accepting more than one offer and then taking time over their decision as to which one they will finally take. To help them decide to take your role, make sure that you are keeping close to them and helping them with any outstanding questions that they need answering to help them with the decision-making process. It’s not about rubbishing any other offers they may have but about showing them how you will support them and offer them stability as they are forming their first impressions – values that have come to the forefront for many candidates during this time. 

 

 

Over the last 18 months, there have been some significant shifts in recruitment to manage the need for new staff. We are all aware that recruitment has become even more remote with interviews being carried out remotely either using TEAMs, Zoom or specialist recruitment platforms. However, this can lead to your candidates being less engaged with your processes and therefore your company, which can lead to rejections by candidates at the offer stage. If you are running full remote recruitment processes make sure that you offer the opportunity for candidates to engage differently. Maybe send them a pack pre virtual meeting containing a coffee or tea bag and a biscuit or cake so that after the formal interview you can invite them for a quick coffee to answer any questions that the process may have thrown up for them? Give them your mobile so that if anything comes up during the process, they can speak to you directly rather than having to go through the recruitment agency. If you build these relationships now you will be more successful in attracting and offering to the right candidates for your business.