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Recruiting during a global pandemic

Kate Allen, Executive Chair and Marketing Director, Allen Associates

The pandemic has resulted in significant job losses which means that there are many highly-qualified and talented people looking for new roles and opportunities in 2020. Despite this, recruitment is still incredibly challenging for employers and their HR teams. Many are still under immense pressure as they respond to the phased easing of national lockdown restrictions and the new rules and regulations brought about by Covid-19. They are also having to manage a host of other issues including a return to the workplace, remote working, staff wellbeing, health and safety – the list goes on! This blog provides an overview of the jobs market in 2020 as we are experiencing it.

While there are lots of people currently looking for work in 2020, we recognise that employers may not be able to find the time or resources to deal with the recruitment process in-house.

You may also require more specialist skills or have specific criteria that are difficult to come by. On the one hand it’s encouraging to be inundated with CVs, emails and telephone enquiries, but on the other hand it can be a massive distraction at a time when your key people should be focussed on other priorities.

We also understand that hiring the best talent isn’t just about how skilled and capable candidates may be; what’s also important to you is how well candidates fit with your team, culture and customers.

The recruitment market in Oxfordshire and London

Contrary to what some employers may think and in spite of high unemployment and rising redundancies, the candidate market is complex. While parts of the UK economy have been decimated, some have thrived and others look set to bounce back extremely quickly. So despite a shortage of job vacancies overall, the war for talent in high growth sectors and for specialist roles remains fierce.

We're advising employers and HR teams to take the time to understand the nuances of the market and identify the roles that are pivotal to their business success. This will enable them to work out how much their top talent is worth to them and what they need to put in place to attract and retain those key individuals.

While it is true that there are more people looking for work than at any time over the last decade, it is too simplistic to say that it is an employer's market and that recruitment for all roles at all levels is easy. Employers that don't get to grips with this risk losing out on the best candidates when it comes to recruiting for the roles that really matter.

If you have never used a Recruitment Agency before then you may be wondering if doing so is a worthwhile investment. Remember doing it yourself is not a zero cost option and there is a cost to your business of not finding the right person or… finding the wrong one.

The more efficiently you meet your staffing requirements, the better position you will be in to meet your business aims.  Contacting us as soon as you have a requirement doesn’t commit you but it does increase your options.

About the author

Kate Allen is the founder and Managing Director of Oxfordshire and London-based recruitment agency Allen Associates and can be contacted at kate@allen-associates.co.uk