Ready to recruit?
17 November 2021
There have been frequent reports in recent months of record job vacancies and staff shortages throughout industry, along with challenges as previously furloughed people return to work.
And the hire industry and related sectors are no exception, according to Neil Holloway, managing director of the Wilson Brook Consultancy executive search and recruitment business which has clients in diverse markets, including hire and construction.
“We are tremendously busy,” Neil tells me. “Wilson Brook was established three years ago and this will be a record year. Overall, I have worked in recruitment for 21 years and I have never experienced anything like this. Across the board, hirers, construction companies, builders’ merchants, material suppliers, manufacturers, distributors – they are all busy.
“I think it’s being driven by a combination of factors. Perhaps some businesses cut back too severely at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and now need to recruit, while others used the opportunity to downsize.”
As a result, many employers are recruiting but there are now other issues in play.
“A lot of candidates are re-assessing their jobs, their careers and their work-life balance in the wake of the pandemic,” says Neil.
“Some may have been furloughed and are now wondering why they spent so much time commuting, working long hours, losing out on family time and so on. Some are re-training or interested in working in different industries.”
There are other implications, too. If people believe they were treated poorly or made to feel remote while furloughed, they might want to make a move.
Others might look at their overall employment package and make comparisons, meaning that some organisations may need to respond by offering flexible working, electric vehicle provision or bonus incentives.
“Candidates are also more discerning in terms of environmental issues,” says Neil. “They are taking a greater interest in what their employer is doing from a sustainability perspective. And some are considering what companies are doing in areas like digitalisation, e-commerce and other new technologies as business models change. Indeed, entire new job opportunities are being created.”
And against a background of higher prices of energy, fuel and rising inflation generally, wage expectations are increasing.
Perhaps the strongest messages are that candidates need to realistically assess their expectations and abilities, while employers should check that what they offer in the workplace provide is appropriate to the current jobs climate.
And as Neil also points out, once you have good staff around you it’s important to retain them. “Some companies need to perhaps look at how they induct and train individuals and integrate them fully into the organisation. Otherwise, they might not hold on to them.”
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