You just can’t get the staff these days – a case of rose-tinted glasses or an indication of the fading hope of employers when it comes to recruiting the right people?
In the present climate, it seems strange to think there may have once been a time when trained and experienced staff were plentiful and that the labour market was there to serve the ever increasing demand for employment. Things have moved on and we now need to consider how we adapt our approach in order to navigate our way through a more challenging period.
As employers, we feel that our expectations are reasonable; after all, unemployment (and in some cases, under-employment) is seemingly at a level where there should be a sufficient number of applicants offering their skills and experience when seeking to recruit.
Yet the messages from the labour market are mixed. Job security and stability rightly remain the key motivation for those currently in employment and there is certainly room for a guarded approach during more challenging times. It doesn’t mean that taking a risk for the right opportunity has completely disappeared; it just means that there has to be a compelling reason to move jobs or change direction. What do we have to offer as an employer? How do recruits perceive our business and the opportunity available?
I’ve heard lots of employers commenting that they don’t have things their own way when it comes to recruitment. The old adage you get out what you put in could not be more fitting when it comes to finding the right people for our businesses. As employers we are often guilty of bemoaning the lack of skills amongst school leavers, poorly written CVs and letters, the general lack of calibre amongst applicants or the fact that there are not enough job applications for our vacancies.
We recognise that there is an opportunity to do more and things can get in the way when it comes to balancing recruitment activity with the running of a business. Putting an advert in the newspaper or an online job board may seem sufficient yet the results can often speak volumes as levels of engagement can be unpredictable and inconsistent.
The employment network is extensive and intricate, yet investment of our time as employers might just prevent the unnecessary use of our hard-earned resources when it comes down to making it easier to find the right people for the future.
‘Employability’ skills are emerging as a vital component for future growth, however, we are well aware that education can find it hard to keep up to speed with industry and employment and it is concerning to hear so many organisations sharing their worries about levels of engagement with employers and industry.
Our network in Devon and Cornwall has great potential; by working together there are shared challenges that we can overcome. There is a significant feel-good factor that emerges from supporting a Job Centre work club, speaking with graduates (Unlocking Cornish Potential is a fantastic local initiative), working with apprentices and visiting schools and colleges to share knowledge and experience. It is no coincidence that such relationships bring about increased engagement, a wider network locally and access to individuals that could be your next new recruit in the making.
Many employers like meeting people in an informal way, judging skills and behaviour in context whilst looking for the ‘best fit’ for their business, rather than depending solely upon a slightly artificial interview assessment. Having strong connections in industry and education offers great potential for employers and prospective employees to be brought together with a shared goal.
We can get the staff. We just have to be a little bit more creative in the way that we connect with our future recruits.
michaelrabone 