Effective recruitment when there is a shortage of skills by Lizzy Turek

Effective recruitment when there is a shortage of skills     

The recent media coverage of the problems in recruiting HGV drivers has highlighted the difficulties faced by all employers in a recruitment market when skills are in short supply. As we emerge from the pandemic there is a great deal of uncertainty in the UK jobs market. Businesses are having to respond to a complex range of issues arising from the pandemic and lockdown measures, including staff who have become used to working from home, changing child care and schooling needs as well as the impact of Brexit. All these factors have contributed to a significant skills and candidate shortage.

As restrictions eased and businesses started to open up, employment reached its highest level this year, with the increase in June the highest (month-on-month) on record. Nearly 70% of all employers reported plans to recruit during the summer months (Labour Market Outlook | Surveys | CIPD). In the third week of September, there were 1.90 million active job adverts in the UK, a new record high and around 223,000 new job adverts posted in the same week – the second highest weekly figure since data collection began (Jobs Recovery Tracker: New record number of job adverts in the UK, with labour shortages set to continue :: The REC).

Data gathered this year by REC on Senior Management roles, revealed a 21.7% change between January (5,322 unique postings) and August (6477 postings):

However, a recent survey conducted by REC across the industry revealed that almost every respondent (97%) said that it was taking longer than usual to fill vacancies, exacerbating the problem:

There is continuing uncertainty about when the pandemic will end and what future  restrictions will be put in place to protect people.  The changes that have already taken place during  lockdown have resulted in many people re-evaluating their life choices including how much time they want to spend with family and friends, travelling and where they want to live and work. This means that candidates may make different choices about which jobs to apply for and employers will need to adapt to a changing recruitment market if they are to recruit the skilled staff they need.

So what do you need to consider as an Employer?

• Speed is key – to ensure you get the candidates you want, you will need to be quick and have an effective recruitment timeline. You are competing with other employers in a difficult market and the successful employer may well be the one who is able to make the fastest job offer.
• Offer an attractive salary – offering a competitive and fair rate of pay will help to attract the right candidates in an extremely competitive market.
• Review and promote company incentives – the pandemic has left many job seekers feeling uncertain about moving on from their current employer, so candidates will be looking more and more at wider benefit packages such as holiday entitlement and pension schemes as well as the culture of the organisation
• Increase flexibility – both with your requirements and ways of working:
• Job specification – being too specific about your experience, qualification and skill requirements may discourage applicants who actually have the skills and potential to do the job.
• Flexible working – many candidates are now looking for flexible working to fit around family commitments. Hybrid working (a mix of working from home and being office based) is on the rise. If the role allows it, this is one worth exploring! 

How can Thewlis Graham Associates help?

At Thewlis Graham Associates, we aim to give our clients and candidates a high-quality and supportive recruitment experience.

• We dedicate time and energy to gain a proper understanding of the needs of organisations we work with and then tailor our service to meet these requirements.
• We use our expertise and experience as recruitment specialists along with our up to date knowledge and access to the market via our Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) membership to offer dedicated advice and support (About the REC).
• We build on our strong brand and develop a special relationship with each client, to deliver a high quality and personalised professional service.
• We engage with candidates throughout the recruitment process, from start to finish, so they enjoy a positive experience with useful feedback and personal support.
• We take time to explore the full potential of candidates, identifying transferrable skills and wider areas of experience, so that the very best appointments are made.

Lizzy Turek

Client Research Associate