Why Has the Recruitment Landscape Changed Recently?
Why Has the Recruitment Landscape Changed Recently?
It’s clear to any recruiter or business looking to hire that the world of work today looks different to its pre-pandemic state. This is coupled with a much-reported seeming shortage of labour, caused by a combination of Covid and Brexit. So what has changed and how can we adapt to keep attracting the best candidates?
The elusive work/life balance
Trying to strike a healthy work/life balance has been around since long before Covid. But furlough and redundancy gave many people the first real opportunity to sample what a work/life balance could actually look like. And once the realisation is out there, it’s difficult to not want it to carry on. Once given working hours are now being challenged more readily in the shape of flexible hours and days and not necessarily for a reduction in salary.
- What can you do? Meet that flexibility where you can. Not every job can be performed from home but there is usually some adaptability to be found in the shape of hours and days. Employers who offer these hybrid working and flexible hours as standard are certainly being viewed more favourably.
Social, emotional and mental wellbeing
The pandemic has brought to the fore awareness of mental health issues. There have been a multitude of reports of how the pandemic has affected mental health. If there is some good to come out of the pandemic, it’s that mental health awareness has become front and centre of employers’ wellbeing policies.
- What can you do? Many employers offer healthcare benefits and it would be an even more attractive proposition to include a mental health care provision here.
Plan ahead
Failing to prepare and plan for staff recruitment can leave existing employees vulnerable and at risk of burnout, in turn causing them to leave. Given the obstacles faced in hiring, it pays for businesses to plan ahead, anticipate when extra resources may be needed and be proactive rather than reactive.
- What can you do? When guaranteed busy periods such as the financial year-end are looming, thinking about securing the relevant support sooner rather than later would be invaluable.
Look beyond your usual candidate search area
We all know the pandemic made the world a smaller place, in terms of being connected via video conferencing. If you can adopt that philosophy in your recruitment practice, you will have access to a much greater pool of talent. Again, not every role can be undertaken remotely, but if it is a possibility, casting your net wider will give you access to more potential hires.
- What can you do? Establish new recruiting practices, perhaps having a target for the number of non-local or even international workers. This will also help with your diversity & inclusion.
The recruitment landscape has undergone a seismic change from what it was pre-2020. Employees’ needs are more complex and their priorities less tangible. As recruiters and businesses, if we can evolve and adapt to meet those shifts, we will continue to find the best hires for our roles. For further advice on how to secure the right candidates, contact Demob Job or call us on 0333 3445577. We’d be more than happy to help.
