Does your recruitment strategy take into account a changing workforce?
To develop a forward-thinking hiring strategy, it’s important to take into account current employment trends. Of course, the job market is always changing – outside factors such as shifts in the UK economy, population demographics and the advance of technology within the workplace can alter available talent pools.
We know that the number of people with a job is at a record high, but it’s also vital to consider the kinds of Employees within the workforce today and in the future. An awareness of this will allow you to tailor your job applications accordingly, enabling better decision making throughout the interview process and making sure you’re appealing to your target audience. Here’s what you need to consider:
An increase in people retiring later
A third of today’s Employees believe they’ll still be working after their 70th birthday. People over 50 already make up a third of the UK’s workforce, with this number set to rise in the future. Therefore, companies will need to make adjustments. Last year, the not-for-profit organisation Centre for Ageing Better called on businesses to improve policies and practices to create ‘an age-friendly workplace culture’. This includes removing unconscious bias to make sure that hiring processes don’t discriminate against older Candidates, creating equal opportunities for progression for all ages and appropriate adjustments in the workplace in line with each individual’s varying health needs. While changes to the state pension may affect some peoples’ decisions to work longer, others may continue in employment out of choice, rather than necessity. Recognising this will help you to tap into the wealth of knowledge and expertise these Candidates have to offer.
More millennials in the workplace
By 2020, the workforce will be dominated by millennials. Considering how they differ from previous generations is therefore increasingly important. Research indicates that these Employees are tech savvy, they place a real importance on work/life balance and they’re looking for a high level of trust between Employer and Employee. Within this generation, people are more open to switching jobs for a different opportunity. Therefore, when it comes to hiring millennials, Candidate attraction and retention should be your number one priority. To stand out as an Employer of choice, you need to develop your online brand, creating an enticing careers page and social media profiles which will help you to engage with top applicants. Advertising company perks is also important – 35 per cent of millennials have turned down job offers because they wanted better benefits. Assessing your offering, including flexible working, training opportunities, and team days, as well as creating a strong CSR programme are all ways in which you can appeal as an Employer.
A more diverse workforce
The importance of a diverse workforce is something that’s being increasingly recognised. Research has suggested that these teams perform better, they trigger greater creativity, and as a result, it becomes easier to attract talented Candidates from different backgrounds in the future. Of course, diversity covers many different aspects – from gender and ethnicity, to socioeconomic status. One example is the fact that, today, we have a record number of women in work. Everyone has something to offer. Communicate your desire to hire inclusively by explicitly stating that you welcome Employees from all walks of life, scrutinising your recruitment process to eradicate unconscious bias and focusing on the abilities of the person in front of you, rather than the qualifications they should have.
Technology’s effect on the world of work
We all know that an increase in the use of technology has shifted working practices. It’s thought that the UK has 2 million freelance workers, who are contributing to the country’s booming gig economy by taking advantage of the fact that they can work from anywhere. Therefore, hiring teams are reconsidering how they staff businesses, as well as how they reach people with the right, specialist skills. We also know that the way in which people prefer to use technology varies – some people will check their smartphones regularly while others prefer e-mail or a phone call. For hiring teams, this has a huge impact on how they reach and communicate with potential Candidates. Now more than ever, it’s important to keep up to date as a recruiter by analysing and examining the ways in which you can be seen and heard by the potential Employees you hope to target.
Over the last 20 years, we have grown as a business to become one of the leading independent Recruitment agencies in Oxfordshire, and in 2018 we opened our first London office, to service Clients and Candidates in the capital.
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