Recruiting the right talent has always been a complex process, but the global pandemic and recovering economy has thrown even more implications into the mix. Businesses are struggling to fill job roles with the number of UK job vacancies rising to a record high of 1,295,000 between February and April 2022. In contrast, the UK unemployment rate is currently sitting at the lowest it has been for over 40 years at 3.7%. This truly highlights the key problem with the current job market with there not being enough skilled candidates to fill the available roles.
The pandemic has also seen many shifts in what people are seeking from a role, with more people looking for flexibility, job stability and development opportunities. The job market is becoming increasingly candidate-driven and this means businesses must do everything they can to attract the right talent to fill their available job roles.
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What can be done to attract candidates?
Many businesses rely on increasing salaries and other monetary benefits to attract more candidates to apply for available roles, but in this job market, that alone simply won’t suffice. In this competitive marketplace, we have listed some other ways you can attract top talent to your organisation, to help yours stand out against the rest.
1. Flexibility
The pandemic has truly influenced the way people work, with hybrid working becoming a widely adopted working model. More and more workers are wanting some form of flexibility within their job role, with 85% of people wanting to split their time between the office and at home. For many, the hybrid working model provides opportunity for a better work life balance, so now people are far less likely to want to work in the office full time.
According to a recent study, advertising the opportunity for flexible working could contribute to a 30% increase in job applicants. Providing opportunities for hybrid working will not only attract more candidates but is also likely to have many other benefits for your business, such as increased efficiency, increased productivity and reduced sick days. Hybrid working however, may not always be the right working model for your business as some jobs are often difficult to carry out at home. Therefore, you could consider offering flexible hours to staff as a way to increase applications from candidates.
2. Place emphasis on culture and environment
With so many job opportunities available, the candidate has the chance to evaluate the culture, values and working environment of your business. In the eyes of the candidate, it’s crucial that they find a company which they believe will be a good fit for them and one which they can envisage working for in the long run.
If your business has adopted a hybrid working model, maintaining a strong and positive company culture can be a challenge. With employees ranging from remote and office working, it can be difficult to maintain a sense of togetherness and team spirit. The last thing that any new or existing employee will want is to feel isolated, so it’s important to look for ways in which you can keep your team regularly in touch. Communicate your company values to prospective team members at interview stage and let them know what initiatives you currently have in place to keep the workforce connected. This could be in the form of having regular team meetings or quarterly team building activities. Showcasing this to candidates will help them to see how strong your team culture is and can help them get a good feel of the company to see if the fit is right.
3. Training & career development
The most direct benefit of a robust training and development program is effective and productive employees, but it also can be used as an effective recruitment tool. Employees and candidates are seeking opportunities to grow and develop, with 86% of employees saying that job training is important to them.
Including an outline of your training and showcasing stories of employees who have grown and advanced through the ranks of your organisation will allow candidates to get a grasp of the opportunities available at your business.
4. Stability
In October 2020, the UK unemployment rate rose to its highest level in 5 years, so it’s to no surprise that the influence of the pandemic has caused workers to seek job roles that promise stability. As a result, stability may even be prioritised over other important aspects such as growth and monetary benefits. Now, candidates often want to understand a business’ position in light of the pandemic and may ask questions around the impact on overall business performance.
You should be prepared to answer these questions to provide candidates with informed and accurate information on the stability and performance of your business. You could even add messaging on your careers page and job advertisements to showcase the stability of your business. However, it’s important that this is well considered and accurate so that you don’t jeopardise your brand in case things become misconstrued.
How can your washroom help?
Did you know that the cleanliness and hygiene standards of business’ washrooms has an impact on both employee retention and attraction? Washroom maintenance plays a crucial role in forging professional relationships between candidates, employees, and clients. When visiting your office for a job interview, a candidate is likely to use your washroom which will ultimately influence their opinion of your brand and company culture. If your washroom is dirty, this can lead to negative perceptions and can reflect how seriously your organisation takes employee wellbeing. A clean workplace washroom however, undoubtedly presents your business as caring and respectful.
Maintaining your business’ washroom to the required standard can be tricky when handling this alone. It might be best to consider using a trusted washroom hygiene services company who can provide the right solutions that create an enhanced experience for your employees. That way, you won’t have to worry about making the wrong first impression to your candidates as the hygiene and maintenance of your business washroom will all be taken care of.
Elevate the washroom experience for your staff
Don’t miss out on attracting the best talent for your company by presenting your business in the best possible way. Citron Hygiene can support your business through our range of washroom solutions that include sanitary bins, hand dryers, washroom vending machines and more. Discover how we can help create an enhanced experience by exploring our complete range of washroom hygiene services.
