How can leaders make the case for improving recruitment practice?
In times of skills shortages, question how good your business is at recruiting. You need to bring the right people into your organisation, and you need good leaders to motivate and engage them.
How can you become an employer of choice?
Given that 45% of people want to work flexibly, but only 8% of job adverts offer any kind of definition around flexibility, this is an opportunity for change. Many companies already offer different working arrangements, such as core hours or working from home, and should be open about this to help both attract and retain staff. Consider candidate experience; our research shows that 80% of candidates have never been asked their opinion about the recruitment process. Don’t just talk to the person who gets the job, ask people on the shortlist and even candidates discarded early. Only one person gets the job, but there might be hundreds of applicants, and you may want some of those people for other jobs. Have you ever applied for one of your own jobs? Put yourself in applicants’ shoes: fill in the forms, do the psychometric tests and map the process to identify potential improvements.
What is your role in effecting change across the business landscape?
As the professional body for the (£31.5bn) UK recruitment industry, we think recruitment organisations are vital to creating a flexible and dynamic jobs market, helping businesses find skills and talent. The issue is getting people to understand the difference recruitment organisations make. Without recruiters, we’d have higher unemployment. We have a fantastic UK labour market, something worth defending.
What is the future for recruitment?
Employers are recognising the need to take a more strategic approach to resourcing. It’s getting the right people through the door by establishing it’s about quality and not quantity. We are helping businesses improve on their processes. It will help British businesses be more successful and make for a more prosperous society. Good recruitment is at the heart of economic success.