When discussing the biggest drivers of change in the digital age over the last decade, it can be said that the influence that social media holds in this regard is almost unparalleled. Not only has it transformed how we communicate, work, network and collaborate but it has been directly responsible for so many success stories – both on a personal and corporate level, with social proof now being a key (and highly coveted) attribute in brand (and reputation) building, and directly responsible for ‘lead’ generation and growth.

Social media in general is now integral to businesses’ understanding of their market’s behaviour (and that of their customers/clients) and consequently their own value as a business. Many companies today are well aware of its influence, and that these channels of communication are often the first place prospective customers can find them to get a sense of whether they are the right company to work with – as well as future employees.

Where Does It Fit In Your Hiring Strategy?

As far as hiring is concerned, it has now become an indispensable tool, given the potential scale of its reach, as well as the accessibility and cost-efficacy it offers compared to other traditional marketing means. With over 80% of jobseekers known to use social media in their job search and 73% of millennials (18-34 age group) having acquired their last position through a social media platform, its role in recruitment is only set to grow in the coming years, making the need to understand how best to leverage its value even more of an imperative.

As such, we have outlined in this blog how you can utilise it to bolster your brand and business impact and highlight your company to candidates as the employer of choice.

Picking Your Channels

A big part of effective marketing of your business on social media involves deciding what channels are best suited to support and further bolster your efforts. Not all channels will work to this end, and if not selectively picked, you could find yourself speaking into the void, with little understanding or clarity about whether or not your target market has a presence there, or whether it’s a good fit for certain demographics over others.

LinkedIn remains the clear choice for any business looking to expand their reach and give their content maximum visibility to establish their brand as thought leaders and experts in their field – but also as an employer of choice that celebrates the success of their people, and champions individuals.

Facebook is also a worthwhile investment reach-wise, particularly for building local organic brand awareness and community engagement.

Instagram meanwhile offers a real opportunity for businesses to showcase their company culture, and show rather than tell the personality behind the professionals.

X (‘formerly Twitter) works best for more real-time commentary and trend-oriented discussions, as well as quick updates.

TikTok may not be the first channel that springs to mind when it comes to a recruitment focus – but there is no denying that it is a formidable force with global reach and attention, particularly amongst the younger demographics such as Gen Z who will soon become the dominant workforce cohort within the next year or so. Employee-led content could be utilised here if you have brand advocates, as well as being able to bring the working environment and culture to life.

Whatever channel you decide to utilise, it’s crucial that you ensure it facilitates and supports the growth of your business, as a social media strategy done right offers an immense opportunity to not only influence the conversation amongst your target audience but gain a significant advantage over competitors and earmark your company as trustworthy experts.

Using Multi-Media to Build a Robust Content Plan

LinkedIn is a natural vehicle to build your profile – your company page is easy to follow and allows you to share the level of clients you work with and your company culture but your employees’ profiles are an even greater channel of communication for your company’s brand – as the platform itself favours individual and user generated form of content, particularly those that aim to establish thought leadership among their audience.

Building a robust content plan that incorporates multimedia elements such as videos, photographs, podcasts, and compelling content is instrumental in conveying the essence of your business and creating a compelling narrative that resonates with candidates – these can be huge convincers of what it could be like to join your company; therefore, communicating consistently is key.

Showcasing your company’s achievements, CSR activities, and the personalities behind your team through engaging multimedia content can significantly influence talent’s perception of your business and attract top candidates looking for a collaborative and supportive work environment.

Authentic Employer Branding

Sharing authentic and relatable content about your company culture, values, and employee experiences can provide potential candidates with a genuine understanding of what it’s like to work at your company. This could include employee testimonials, “day in the life” features, and insights into your company’s mission and vision. Highlighting real stories can help build trust and connection with your audience, ultimately attracting talent who resonate with your company’s ethos and shared values.

There are several ways in which this can be brought to life too. A robust content plan that incorporates multimedia elements such as videos, photographs, reels/stories etc can all play their part in conveying the essence of your company and creating a compelling narrative that resonates with candidates.

Engaging Content Strategy

Beyond traditional job postings, a compelling content strategy can include a mix of industry insights, thought leadership articles, and behind-the-scenes looks at your company. By sharing valuable content that goes beyond recruitment pitches, you can position your company as an industry leader and an attractive place to work. This approach not only engages potential candidates but also reinforces the expertise of those who work there (‘future colleagues’) as well as the wider culture and demonstrable ways of highlighting you are on the pulse of the latest topics across the sector.

Interactivity and Engagement – Not Just Broadcasting

Incorporating interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions into your social media strategy can foster engagement and dialogue around your employer brand – although this will need a little more thought and resources than posting/broadcasting your content out to your network.

Interactive content encourages participation and can create a sense of community among your target market. This engagement can attract individuals who are not only interested in potential job opportunities but also align with your company’s values and culture – and can get involved in discussions that interest them (and also position your brand as being at the forefront of such topics).

Spotlighting Your Brand Advocates

Empowering your existing employees to be brand advocates on social media can significantly impact your employer branding efforts. Encourage them to share their work experiences, achievements, and industry-related content. Employee advocacy not only amplifies your employer brand to a wider audience but also provides an authentic and relatable perspective on your company, showcasing what it’s like to be a part of the team.

A varied multi-media approach is key here, and cross-channel marketing can also be extremely effective in bringing this to life.

Utilise Targeted Advertising

Leveraging social media advertising allows you to target specific demographics and skill sets – although will come at a cost, albeit one that can be controlled in line with budgets and outcomes. Tailoring your content to resonate with the talent you want to attract can significantly enhance your recruitment efforts. By using targeted advertising, you can reach potential candidates who align with your company’s values and requirements, as well as basic information including location (if you are offering office-based roles) as well as job titles, level of seniority, experience etc.

A Golden Opportunity or Added Complexity?

Social media presents an unparalleled opportunity for businesses to showcase their Employer Value Proposition, engage with talent, and shape a compelling employer brand.

As the number of social media users continues to soar, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and TikTok boasting billions of active users, the potential to connect with and engage candidates through these channels has never been greater.

One caveat with this rising phenomenon, however, is the added layer of complexity it adds to the recruitment side of things, as it now becomes an imperative for a business to factor it into their hiring practices and when it comes to navigating and understanding the evolving demands of talent attraction and retention in the sector, it can become even more challenging.

Knowing When to Call in the Experts

While these strategies are effective in enhancing your employer branding and attracting talent, partnering with a recruitment specialist can further augment your efforts. A recruitment specialist can offer valuable insights, industry expertise, and a network of potential candidates, streamlining the process of finding the right talent for your business.

Their understanding of the market and access to passive candidates can provide a competitive advantage in securing top-tier talent that aligns with your company’s culture and requirements – and those who have been operating for some time will almost certainly already have an engaged network of professionals on their own social channels who know, like, and trust them – and utilise their services when it comes to finding a new role in the market.

By combining these modern recruitment strategies with the expertise of a recruitment specialist, you can maximise your chances of attracting and retaining the talent you need to drive your organisation forward.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Whether you are looking for your next career move, or your next hire as a business owner of HR professional – we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

Building an exceptional workforce goes beyond simply recruiting the right individuals for the job. It involves creating a comprehensive onboarding plan that integrates new employees into the organisation’s culture and equips them with the tools for long-term success. 

What’s more, it doesn’t just facilitate success at the initial integration stage – it involves incorporating mechanisms that enable employees to not only thrive but also continually evolve and excel throughout their tenure within the organisation. An effective plan of action empowers employers and managers to utilise the onboarding process as a strategic tool to not only assimilate new hires but also to enrich and fortify the company culture, motivate and inspire teams, and significantly bolster staff retention.

So, what exactly should your onboarding strategy entail? Here’s what you need to know about building a robust plan.

Employee Orientation vs. Employee Onboarding

Employee orientation and onboarding are distinct processes that play crucial roles in integrating new employees into the organisation. Employee orientation is typically a one-time event focused on familiarising new hires with the company’s policies, practices, and facilities. During this process, human resources personnel and partners formerly introduce employees to both the physical and hierarchal layout of their work environment.

On the other hand, employee onboarding is a more extensive process that spans the employee’s entire journey, from their initial introduction to their full integration and productivity within the organisation. When done right, effective onboarding not only accelerates the integration of new hires but also contributes to building a strong employer brand, fostering employee engagement, and ultimately leading to a more productive and cohesive team.

How to Design an Onboarding Plan

Research has consistently shown that a well-structured onboarding process significantly impacts employee satisfaction, retention, and overall team success – with a strong onboarding process said to bolster hire retention by 92% and productivity by over 70%.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for onboarding, there are some steps you can use to improve your chances of the right results for your team.

1.    Decide on an Optimal Onboarding Strategy

First, it’s worth considering how you’re going to deliver your onboarding experience to new hires. Traditionally, onboarding takes place within the office, consisting of regular face-to-face meetings, training opportunities, and induction processes. Since the shift to hybrid and remote work, 1 in 4 UK workers now work a hybrid work week (as of 2023), making efforts to both understand and cater to the preferences and needs of hires and employees vital to not just retention but general employee wellbeing.

As such, the trick in designing a flexible but successful onboarding plan lies in figuring out where to incorporate virtual elements, and what aspects require face-to-face interaction. This is best informed by the input of the new hires themselves, as they are best placed to offer pointers on what makes for the best onboarding experience.

2.    Assign Each Staff Member an Onboarding Buddy

Because onboarding is a long-term development strategy for each employee, it requires as much of a social support system as a professional one, primarily in the form of someone to turn to for any questions, advice or company, especially considering the learning curve of a new hire is rarely linear.

Although seemingly insignificant, an onboarding buddy can prove key in integrating a new employee, as they can often be the difference between a rocky and frustrating start and a much smoother onboarding experience.

Regular communication should therefore be encouraged between the new hire and their onboarding buddy, in order to build an authentic, transparent relationship – this will be the bedrock on which any further dynamic between the two will be built. Some companies use informal coffee chats and video calls between staff members and their “mentors” to help further integrate new hires into the company culture and track their progress – the onus is on you to make whatever changes are most practical to foster a healthy relationship.

3.    Prioritise Regular, Transparent Communication

Establishing a culture of open communication from the outset is essential for fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. Team members should be able to feel like they have a voice, and can contribute to their own development by suggesting areas where they feel they need to improve, or requesting training opportunities where necessary. They should also feel comfortable opening up about any struggles with workload, burnout or a sense of disconnect felt with the team or company goals.

Regular one-on-one meetings between employees and their managers provide a platform for such discourse and enable both parties to productively discuss progress, address challenges, and identify opportunities for growth and development. It is vital that each employee knows how their performance will be evaluated, and what kind of qualities they need to demonstrate in their day-to-day work.

4.    Set and Regularly Update Goals

In light of the fact that up to 33% of employees leave within their first 6 months with a new company and that 86% of respondents in a survey last year expressed willingness to switch jobs despite potential damage to their CV and reputation, it has become increasingly imperative for partners to be exceptionally attuned to the engagement and satisfaction levels of their staff members, especially in the wake of the effects of the Great Resignation.

This necessitates providing each team member with a clear and compelling vision of their future within the business and actively supporting them in setting and achieving their career goals. Regular one-on-one meetings with line managers should serve as a platform for encouraging employees to candidly discuss their strengths, areas for development, and aspirations, thereby fostering an environment of open dialogue and personal growth.

As an employee’s role within the company evolves, the individuals or teams responsible for their onboarding should collaborate with them to expand and refine their goals to ensure that they consistently perceive themselves as progressing in a meaningful and purposeful direction. This proactive approach not only cultivates a sense of alignment and purpose among the staff but also reinforces their commitment to the business’s long-term success.

5.   Focus on Employee Development From the Get-Go

Creating a plan for employee development as part of your general onboarding strategy will ensure you can retain your top talent for longer, and achieve the best results from every member of your team.

Having clear communication and documentation around career paths, professional development, and objectives around progression demonstrates to new professionals that there is investment in the long term. The regular meetings with your new starters should also touch upon their professional development – where they are currently on that career path, as well as their future aspirations and goals.

In Conclusion

Hiring a new individual is a huge investment of time, money and internal resources so it’s imperative to ensure that once that individual joins your company, their onboarding process is designed and focused on their long-term career (and not solely focused on the inevitable HR administration and initial IT setup!).

Of course, the success and retention of your new hire starts with ensuring that all important ‘fit’ from the outset. Using the services of a recruitment specialist can help here as they have the time and resources to ensure a deeper understanding of not only your challenges and objectives as a hirer, but the career aspirations and goals of the professionals they help as well. What’s more, many recruiters offer alternative services such as ‘retained search’ which may include elements such as psychometric testing, video profiling and virtual interviews which are all focused on that ‘fit’ giving you a head start on your onboarding process, and ensuring that individual is in it for the long run.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help you hire talent for your team.

With the first month of the new year now in the bag, it is highly probable that those ‘New Year’ resolutions set at the back end of 2023 have already been broken – at least those set on a personal level where exercise or the quitting of bad habits are usually top of those lists.

In this regard, it is estimated that as many as 80% of people fail to keep their resolutions by February, with only a mere 8% seeing them through for the entirety of the year.

A 4000-year Old Tradition

The act of setting goals at the start of a new calendar year is reported to date back to Ancient Babylonians some 4000 years ago where ‘debts were promised to be paid to gods and borrowed objects returned’. And, whilst the new year promises were deeply entwined with religion and mythology, the premise of a ‘new beginning’ is one that has carried through for many thousands of years.

While resolutions are often associated with personal goals, they hold equal importance when it comes to business – especially around setting annual objectives and reflecting on the overall strategy in an ever-changing environment where continual review of the road ahead is crucial.

Most businesses will review their new year plans in quarter four when typically, there is enough information to reflect back on metrics and KPIs for the current year, assess whether or not objectives will be hit, and allow some wiggle room to re-calibrate and focus on ending the year on a high.

Objectives or ‘new year resolutions’ therefore have likely long been set at this juncture – and for those businesses set on a growth trajectory, these will likely include executing hiring plans as well as a laser-sharp focus on staff retention.

Are Your Business Resolutions Still on Track?

At the stroke of midnight on 1^st January, and the subsequent return to the office after the festive break, business across most sectors will no doubt have set their sights kickstarting the 2024 objectives with intent. However, as the first quarter unfolds, it appears that some may be encountering obstacles in adhering to their hiring-focused resolutions.

Even one calendar month down the line, and then as the year progresses, it’s essential for businesses to reassess their hiring objectives, adapt to unforeseen challenges, and remain committed to the path of growth – especially when you consider a recent statistic that 75% of UK businesses are in a state of ‘existence’ or just surviving.

So what areas should companies be focussed on to ensure their well-intentioned goals remain on track?

Streamline (and Standardise) Your Hiring Process:

The aspiration to streamline hiring processes and avoid past mistakes holds promise, but the intricate decision-making within some companies can pose challenges. If you recruit regularly, it is worth looking to standardise processes where possible, albeit not at the detriment to the often-unique experiences of each individual candidate that comes into contact with the business. An ethical approach to recruitment is recommended here – and is becoming a non-negotiable in the current candidate-led market.

Enhance Diversity Efforts:

Despite the emphasis on diversity and inclusion, some businesses may struggle to make significant progress due to ingrained practices and a lack of comprehensive strategies. Overcoming unconscious biases and fostering an inclusive environment requires continuous effort, which may not be progressing as rapidly as intended. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are not just buzzwords or an acronym to add to your customer-facing marketing; they are essential components of a successful business strategy of any business that aims to remain competitive. As the glue that keeps social dynamics within a business and in turn, team competence and efficacy functioning at its highest capacity, it is indispensable to your hiring strategy, whatever your recruitment goals or objectives may be, and when done right, it can be instrumental in keeping your talent attraction and retention efforts on track.

It is perhaps concerning then, that businesses are yet to treat it as more than an emerging trend in practice, and some go only as far as paying lip service when professing to make it a central part of their recruitment efforts. If you’re serious about taking your hiring game to the next level in 2024, then this is a great place to start.

Revisit Your Job Descriptions:

Job descriptions may be overlooked as daily tasks take precedence. Busy schedules can result in insufficient attention to crafting comprehensive and appealing job descriptions, making it difficult to attract top-tier talent.

However, as the hiring landscape evolves, active candidates still rely on engaging, informative, and powerful job descriptions to assess whether or not they are a fit for their career aspirations and professional development. The best job descriptions go beyond skill requirements, offering a glimpse into company culture and showcasing benefits that matter to the market’s top talent.

As companies forge ahead with hiring initiatives, the importance of making your voice shine amidst the noise becomes increasingly important. If you want to turn the heads of the right people from the get-go and avoid a ‘square peg in a round hole’ scenario with regard to your hiring efforts, then your job descriptions must be compelling, engaging and effective enough to attract the market’s top talent. Find out more about how to craft a winning job description here.

Harness the Potential of Social Media:

Depending on your sector or industry, some may find it challenging to fully embrace the power of social media. The time and resources required for maintaining an active and engaging social media presence can be overwhelming for companies, leading to a lapse in this resolution, however, love it or loathe it – the fact remains that jobseekers will research the whole digital footprint of a business as part of their decision-making process.

If you have the core channels set up and active, it’s always worth a holistic review of things like your bio information, and your wider content strategy. What kind of things do you communicate? Do you share information that gives visitors to those platforms a good idea of your working environment and culture? Is it obvious how you celebrate success? Can you utilise the voice of your existing employees to focus on things like career development?  A social media strategy is usually easy to flex and improve as and when you need to, so if that review wasn’t part of your new-year resolution, it’s always worth finding the time to conduct your due-diligence and ensure that your channels are working as hard as they can to put your best foot forward to those in the active talent pools.

Invest in Training and Upskilling:

Despite recognising the importance of investing in staff development, businesses may face budget constraints or a lack of suitable training programs. This can hinder the execution of the resolution to upskill existing staff – something that will no doubt be on the agendas of businesses up and down the country as the much-documented skills shortage becomes a harsh reality.

Similarly, what jobseekers look for in an employer has changed significantly since the pandemic and the value of career fulfillment has become a staple part of the modern employee’s priorities when searching for the ideal employer.

The notion of the one-employer-career has changed dramatically in recent years, and it’s not at all uncommon for individuals to be left with a lingering sense of stagnation after spending a few years building their skills in their current role, and consequently view the option of jumping ship as the only way to experience real progress in their career.

The resulting high turnover rate is what has brought the idea of Employee Development Plans into focus for businesses, with an aim to ensure ongoing employability through improving the individual’s workplace soft and hard skills, and industry knowledge. A good plan will strive to create a series of actions designed to help the individual develop and grow within the context of their professional career, while also developing their capabilities and meeting the needs of the employer.

Build and Maintain Brand Image:

Building and maintaining a strong brand image demands consistent effort and resources. Companies may find it challenging to allocate sufficient time and funds to enhance their brand, especially when immediate client needs take precedence.

Candidates believe in what they can see now more than ever, and in an age where information is easily accessible online, maintaining a strong brand and a good reputation is essential for attracting and retaining top talent. Prospective candidates will research a business as much as the hiring manager of that business will investigate the candidates’ qualifications and qualities – and should your credibility fall short as an employer you can be filtered out of shortlists before a CV or profile is even read.

A proactive approach is therefore essential in order to positively influence one’s brand and reputation in the market, whether that be by building a workforce that acts as ambassadors that champion the business values, or convincingly demonstrating that your business does indeed walk the walk when it comes to employee satisfaction. Click here to find out more about how you can tap into the potential your employer brand carries and catalyse its growth.

Consider How Flexible You Can Afford to Be:

One might say that the hybrid working drum has been beaten to death ever since its meteoric rise in popularity among candidates during the pandemic. It’s hardly a secret to anyone keeping a close eye on the state of play across the industry over the last few years, and most if not all businesses competing for the best talent available on the market will be well aware of just how highly sought after flexibility is by the talent pool in their current market.

And yet, this topic of flexibility remains a sticking point with some employers today, and as a result a barrier to rather than a buttress for hiring success. While that is in part due to expected challenges in marrying candidate and business demands, it is also due to the general rigidity some employers now have towards changes to traditional modus operandi in general. When competition for talent is fiercer than ever before, can your business afford to be flexible when it comes to working arrangements?

Ultimately, the crux of your success in your hiring efforts will come down to how well you can provide the best employee experience better than your competitors (and back it up). If it is indeed a viable option for your business then it should absolutely be part of your recruitment – and retention – strategy.  We take a deeper look at this and much more here.

In Conclusion:

With almost 11 months left of the year, arguably it is still all to play for when it comes to adherence to your annual business objectives. If however, the roadmap to growth has already hit some bumps in the road, especially when it comes to talent attraction, utilising the services of recruitment specialists will undoubtedly get those plans back on track with renewed insight about current market conditions and the movement of talent within your region and/or practice area.

About Clayton Recruitment

At Clayton Recruitment, we have been committed for the past 20 plus years to helping professionals build a career they can be proud of, whatever stage of their journey they might be at. If you are at a point where that next step in your career is unclear at this stage of the new year, then we can give you the guidance you need to make your start in 2024 the strongest possible one. Give our team a call today on 01772 259 121 or contact us here.

Finding a lasting solution to the industry-wide skills shortage continues to be a challenge for businesses in the hiring market today. Despite the evolution that the Great Resignation has sparked in hiring practices across the UK and the many approaches adopted by hiring teams to combat the increasing skills gap, acquiring the talent one needs to keep their business competitive in a cut-throat market proves to be as elusive a pursuit as ever. One approach however that has gained huge traction in recent years amongst companies is the recruitment of Boomerang Hires – a practice that involves rehiring employees who have previously left the organisation – and to employers bereft of options and under pressure to keep their business afloat, it shows a lot of promise.

Why Is An Ex-Hire Worth It?

Purely from a cost perspective, it is a tantalising prospect – as they not only require far less onboarding than your usual new hire but their familiarity with the business’s modus operandi and established dynamics means you get something close to what any recruiting company is looking for in a new hire – one that slots in seamlessly into the business structure and hits the ground running performance-wise in as short a timeframe as possible. And, in some cases, perhaps the icing on top of the cake is the experience and expertise your company will be gaining twofold with their return.

Little wonder then that this has quickly become a hit with employers in recent times, and although not a new phenomenon, it’s certainly an increasingly prominent one. A HBR report released this year revealed that 28% of new hires in organisations studied were found to be boomerang hires that had resigned within the past three years. And this isn’t due to the trigger-happy response we’ve now come to expect from employees in the Great Resignation era either – businesses have become not only open but actually intentional about recruiting ex-hires as part of their hiring strategy. When necessity dictates diversity of approach, we begin to see the most interesting of them come to the fore.

High-Risk, High-Reward

There is however, an inherent risk that comes with it, considering the boomerang hire phenomenon cuts both ways for a hiring company, as any new hire (boomerang employees included) employed is also susceptible to boomeranging back to their previous employer, or in the case of the latter, leaving your company hung out to dry a second time, and can make retention a very counterproductive and unwelcome by-product of this hiring approach. When discussing the boomerang hire as a solution to the skills gap problem, a few things ought to be kept front of mind. Firstly, how can you avoid being on the wrong side of the boomerang hire equation and secondly, how can you leverage the value it provides to inform a hiring strategy that effectively addresses the skills shortage within your business?

First Things First

If you are considering going down the boomerang hire route hiring-wise, then know that it requires a significant amount of groundwork to be laid first and should not be viewed as a band-aid fix for a turnover problem. Making an offer convincing enough for an ex-employee to return first requires a thorough understanding of where your company has missed the mark with regard to employee satisfaction in the past, and what steps must be taken to address it both before and after the boomerang point.

This firstly involves a mutual understanding between management and workers of why employees are leaving in the first place, and acknowledging the part the company has played in it. The goal of this is to address existing pain points within the company – and in particular, beyond salary and benefits, so as to avoid the trap of making a glorified counteroffer to ex-hires when the time comes to reach out. As research shows that compensation concerns do not tell the full story of why employees opt to leave, and that there are often underlying and unspoken factors at play, the act of encouraging employees to voice out their concerns serves to inform your decision-making and will likely pay off when approaching ex-hires down the line.

Whatever the area of improvement involves, whether that be investing in the professional development and growth of your employees, providing opportunities for upskilling, mentoring programs, and continuous learning initiatives or simply rebuilding the company culture from the ground up – addressing them not only allows you to perform the open-heart surgery your business needs, but also sets the foundation for a better overall employee experience and keeps the possibility of any new hires boomeranging to an absolute minimum.

An Open Door Requires Open (And Honest) Communication

This endeavour to maintain an open and honest dialogue between both parties should also be applied at every stage of the leaver process, especially before an employee exit, when they, and particularly their reasons, need to be treated with dignity and respect. A sit-down with departing individuals to discuss and understand what led to their decision, raise concerns, and provide assurances that the door will always be open for them should they wish to return, can be a great way to end the working relationship on a positive note and build the sense of trust and openness that is so crucial for later discourse to be fruitful. Be wary of the classic blame game that can arise in such discussions, as this can sour the relationship and leave a bad aftertaste in the mouths of both parties. Succumbing to the temptation of assigning blame or pointing fingers does your future hiring efforts no good here, even if it may feel like the most natural thing to do in the spur of the moment.

Following this should be a genuine effort to keep the lines of communication open between both parties after departure, in order to extend the quality of the employee experience post-exit and ensure a smooth transition for a return if and when it does happen. This could involve investing in an alumni network of sorts to maintain relationships between existing former employees, provide networking opportunities and most importantly, give ex-hires a means to reconnect with their former employer should the need for it arise.

This is particularly useful when bearing in mind the timing of communication. Research suggests that the one-year anniversary of a former employee’s departure is the optimal time to reconnect and make a re-hire offer. This isn’t only because it’s when they’re most likely to boomerang back to their previous employer, but it’s also because it represents the ideal and least awkward time for employers to take that first step of reaching out. For any employee strongly considering making a 180 in the other direction especially, it can be a godsend.

Protect Your Assets – Old And New

When considering what constitutes a worthwhile offer, this will largely depend on the flexibility of your company. The key thing to bear in mind here is the balance that must be struck between making an offer worth considering – pay and promotion-wise – and making one that doesn’t come at the expense of your present employees. While it is certainly true that a pay rise can sweeten the deal, it cannot be the meat of the argument pitched to an ex-hire. Failing to keep existing employees front of mind puts the trust, commitment and relationships built at risk, as it sets an unwelcome precedent that anyone within the business can play the victim card, leave the company high and dry and get away with it with a fatter salary in the end. What is best practice in such scenarios is to make the suggested changes outlined above the heart of your proposal and the crux of the conversation with the ex-employee. Only when this is done with a focus on prioritising equity in the company, can the boomerang hire approach bring immense value to all parties, new or old.

This same level of care must be taken when looking at the other side of the boomerang hire as a strategy, as largely the same rules apply with new hires, especially considering the amount of overlap between the reasons employees opt to boomerang and the biggest drivers of the Great Resignation today. Any perceived gap between what is promised and what is delivered by new recruits, whether that be explicit contractual breaches or an unspoken violation of agreement terms, is going to get heads turning in the opposite direction wondering if the grass really is greener on the other side. This is particularly important when discussing the more intangible aspects of a contract, such as promotions, benefits, or progression opportunities as these sit at the heart of an aspiring professional’s demands in the current day and age. When expectations begin to differ from reality here, it becomes increasingly difficult for a new hire leaving behind a lot of social and company capital to justify sticking with their decision and avoid boomeranging.

The best way, therefore, to eliminate this risk and address any issues brewing under the surface is, perhaps unsurprisingly, regular communication between management and new recruits, whether in the form of check-ins or stay interviews, to get a clear picture of what their experience has been so far compared to the specifics of the job pitched to them at the interview. This helps to bring any disparities to light and enables management to address highlighted discrepancies and misunderstandings early before they evolve into actual psychological contract breaches or a growing resentment towards management for a perceived set of broken promises. This can be further buttressed by a conscious effort beforehand to outline to candidates what is to be expected from a position on offer in interviews, and ensure the right picture is painted from the onset.

Does The Shoe Fit?

Boomerang hires present a fantastic opportunity for employers to approach the skills gap problem from a unique angle – one that offers a lot of value for businesses willing to play their cards right and enables them to bolster their workforce without many of the risks that recruiting a new hire carries. But while they are a unique solution, they only tick some of the boxes that a hiring company will have its eye on and can leave a lot to be desired when applied at scale. They don’t, for example, take into account the changing needs of your business hiring-wise, the changes that will already have taken place in their absence or how the role has evolved to best serve the business’s needs since they left. Unlike a new hire, who is more malleable at the very start of their tenure, and easier to adapt to business demands, a boomerang hire will already have their own ways of working set in stone and can become a square peg in a round hole if not considered carefully beforehand.

Second Chances Require A Second Thought

An equally crucial aspect of their return to look at is the state of their relationship with any existing employees and where this leaves your team morale should they be accepted back into the fold. As it is clear from the data that the reasons for an employee’s departure can at times be vague and ambiguous, there is the risk of unearthing old grudges amongst your current workforce if the cause for resignation was a disconnect between an existing and former employee, especially if it was not made clear beforehand by the boomerang hire pre-departure. The phrase ‘fool me twice’ rings true here for any employer with a boomerang hire at or near the top of their candidate shortlist, as they should only be re-hired if it is absolutely clear the second chance will not be squandered. Without a clear picture of what exactly led to their exit, you are potentially jeopardising the trust and stability of your team.

The Only One-Size-Fits-All-Solution

For hiring problems that present a longstanding challenge to companies looking to add the right skillset to their teams, the services of a specialist recruiter are the future-proof solution. The grasp they have on the market and the experience and know-how they possess in sourcing the talent a business needs, whatever the scale of change present in their hiring practices, provides far more value in the long run than what any boomerang hire can offer. Particularly in a market where change is thrust at us at an extremely rapid rate, the guidance and support they can provide to navigate the hiring process can be invaluable. What the right boomerang hire cannot solve with all its pluses, a specialist recruiter can do with minimal hassle and much, much more.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

In a skills-short market, businesses across all sectors are looking more closely at their strategies for attracting and retaining their talent. And whilst a focus on employer branding has been a part of business DNA for a number of years (prevalent in the early 1990s and usually straddling both the marketing and HR functions), the last decade has seen a new phrase coined that takes the concept a step further.

The Employer Value Proposition (EVP) has become somewhat of a buzzword more recently – especially as businesses operate in an increasingly competitive and borderless world that is economically volatile.

Pioneer of employer branding research, Brett Minchington defined an EVP in 2005 as “a set of associations and offerings provided by  an organisation in return for the skills, capabilities, and experiences an employee brings to the organisation.”

In simple terms, it is the way that businesses differentiate themselves in their particular market allowing them to not only attract and recruit ‘right fit’ new employees but also impact the engagement and retention of existing staff members.

Why Your EVP Could Be Your MVP

While there seems to be more jargon and acronyms than ever – what is clear is that it is more important than ever for businesses to communicate the compelling reasons why future hires should choose to work with/ for them.

In the past, many businesses assumed the key to a successful EVP was simply offering their team the best salary and benefits. However, teams today are looking for more than just financial value in their careers.

As attitudes to the workplace have changed, so have priorities as professionals now have more opportunities than ever to consider where, how, and when they work.

Vacancies offering fully remote or hybrid contracts means that staff are no longer restricted by geography when assessing new opportunities in the market, and with the net cast wider – so too are the opportunities (and indeed, competition).

Fundamentally you need to communicate all the specific and unique benefits an employee can expect to receive when they join your business. These should seek, where possible, to differentiate yourself from competitors operating in the same region and/or practice area; describing (and making tangible) what the business stands for – vision, culture, and working environment.

According to Gartner, a leader in people management, an EVP can massively strengthen your position in the hiring landscape and improves your chances of retaining talent, decreasing annual employee turnover by just under 70%, whilst increasing ‘new hire commitment’ by nearly 30%.

The War For Talent Is Over. Talent Won.

The quote above by PwC’s US Chairman, Tim Ryan in October last year continues to do the rounds as the UK’s drought of talent is still felt across many industries and professional sectors. As highlighted in a recent article on Maddyness, UK unemployment rates remain at a historic low of 3.75%, and with vacancies still at heady heights (compared to pre-pandemic levels), there remains a disconnect between demand and supply.

Furthermore, those businesses that were proactive in securing talent by offering inflated salaries may no longer have this option against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, and squeezed budgets.

And whilst this may on the surface start to level the playing field between small and medium-sized companies who couldn’t compete on price, the challenge around standing out on the things that matter very much remains.

Creating a stand-out working culture and work environment, and offering staff a holistic package of perks and rewards is only the first step, however. Finding innovative, bold, and creative ways to communicate this externally (and through internal channels) is key – and should go beyond one-dimensional lists on websites and job descriptions.

Attracting The New Generation Of Talent

It is a well-publicised fact that Generation Z, the youngest generation to approach the working world, will soon surpass Millennials as the most populous generation on earth. By 2030, this group will make up 30% of the workforce, bringing new demands, expectations, and priorities for employers to consider.

Often raised by innovative millennials, Gen Z is the most diverse and educated age group in the professional world today. Born into a connected, digital, and empathetic world they spend approximately half of their waking hours interacting with technology. Shaped by an era of social feeds and internet culture, the slew of powerful social justice movements they’ve witnessed in recent years have given them a unique sensibility and a strong stance regarding ethical business practices and equity.

Generation Z undoubtedly has several valuable characteristics to bring to the workplace, yet their approach may cause certain challenges for business leaders as they aren’t motivated or moved by the same things as their millennial parents (we looked at some of these recently in our detailed guide on Motivating Gen Z Employees).

What has been already noted, however, is that this demographic cohort (known colloquially as ‘zoomers’) is emerging as the ‘sustainability generation’ – impacted massively by global events like the Pandemic which, according to Forbes, didn’t start the sustainability revolution necessarily, but certainly put it into overdrive (with Gen Z in the driver’s seat).

Attracting and retaining this generation will therefore need to focus on green and eco-credentials, and general CSR initiatives as part of a wider employment proposal that is demonstrably ethical, moral, and has a societal purpose. 

CSR & ESG – as easy as ABC?

Employer value propositions are evolving, due to shifting business priorities, working patterns, and employee values as well as external factors like the economy and political landscape. A focus on well-being and wellness initiatives, work-life balance, diversity, and inclusion are continuing themes setting value propositions apart across the professional landscape, alongside programmes and statements centred around Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

But with a new acronym on the block for businesses to get their heads around – ESG… it’s no wonder there is some confusion around where they should place their focus amidst this ‘alphabet soup’ of initiatives.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a business approach designed around making a social impact and focus beyond profits. It is designed (or should be) to benefit society and the local community as well as the environment for the collective good – and in turn will also, by proxy, enhance the company’s image, generate more business, and earn customer and employee loyalty.

It is generally split into 4 areas:

1. Environmental
2. Ethical
3. Philanthropic
4. Economic

All are aimed at providing benefits to both the general public as well as company shareholders and employees.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) isn’t quite the same – although according to a Harvard Law School study in 2021, both terms do appear interchangeable. Rather, this programme is more data driven, and increasingly  an act of corporate compliance; defined as ‘a set of standards measuring a business’s impact on society, the environment, and how transparent and accountable it is.’

In brief, the three areas or factors look at:

• Environmental – a business’ impact on the environment, such as carbon emissions, waste management, and resource usage.
• Social – a business’ impact on society, including issues such as labour practices, human rights, and engagement with the local community.
• Governance – a business’ management and oversight, such as board and management structure, executive compensation and remuneration, and shareholder rights.

ESG has become increasingly important for investors and businesses as stakeholders demand greater accountability and transparency on sustainability and ethical issues. The key difference therefore compared to CSR, is that it is viewed as the outcome (measured and reported on) of a business’ sustainability, whilst CSR focuses on their voluntary actions to improve its impact.

An even simpler comparison by Akepa:

• CSR: a general sustainability framework, mainly used by companies
• ESG: a measurable sustainability assessment, popular with investors

In Conclusion

As a Managing Director, Manager, or Hiring professional within a business, getting your head around the many acronyms and initiatives is the first hurdle in understanding the evolving values that current (and prospective) employees have when it comes to their employer.

Understanding what these shifting ideologies are is critical when it comes to retaining, engaging, and attracting talent  – although it is equally as important not to pay lip service or view things like your EVP as a box-ticking exercise.

What is clear, is that embracing CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) has become a necessity for businesses around the globe, not least because it remains high on the agenda of both Millennials and Gen Z employees who are ever critical of their employer’s ethical stance, reputation in the market, and values that they hope will mirror their own.

In a LinkedIn News article from earlier this year, it was reported that these demographic cohorts actively consider “conscious quitting” if the company doesn’t align with their values. It also highlighted research from KMPG which stated that 46% of employees want their employer to ‘demonstrate a commitment to environmental, social and governance’, with 1 in 5 turning down the offer of a new role if they felt a disconnect.

Clayton Recruitment’s Commitment

Of course, CSR, ESG, EVP, and any other business-related acronym are relevant to all businesses – ours included.

As a prominent Northwest employer that has been in business for nearly 25 years, we also recognise the importance of our own value proposition when it comes to our people and our community.

Our commitment to CSR can be seen here, where we detail our approach, programme, and statement of intent as we strive to become a socially responsible business, both internally and externally – making a positive impact on our people and workplace, our clients and suppliers, our local community, and our local and global environment.

The purpose of our programme is to sustain a business that is successful and respected in its ethical standing by our stakeholders. These include candidates, clients, investors, regulators, suppliers, and the wider community.

We are particularly passionate about supporting causes that have roots and impact here in the UK, and in the Northwest. One initiative that we have recently joined and committed to is Ecologi, a certified B-Corp social enterprise, and platform for Climate Action; helping individuals, families, and businesses become Climate Positive.

This market leader is certainly gaining traction and publicity, and we are delighted to join the other 40,000 members in taking simple, but impactful climate action. This year we have committed to fund the planting of trees in the UK for every placement we make and are also involved in the Beta trial to calculate our carbon footprint, and put plans in place to reduce our emissions.

You can see the impact of Ecologi’s work and their UK reforestation projects here.

In addition, Managing Director, Lynn Sedgwick and Performance and Development Director, Louise Kearns joined the Good Growth Programme in February this year, ran by Lancaster University and supported by Boost, Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub.

The 5-month Programme was underpinned by world-leading research produced by Lancaster University Management School and focused on business strategies that are centred around the environment, community, and social justice. It was a great chance to connect and collaborate with other SME leaders and contribute to solving local and global challenges.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Industrial, and Engineering appointments, on both a permanent and temporary basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

As a successful professional, be it a Senior figure, Manager, or board member, you are a primary driver of success for your company, determining its growth. Ultimately, you are pivotal in creating your company’s story and building a pathway to its goals. Hopefully, you are experiencing current success and business is doing well – but don’t fall into the trap of overlooking areas where you could improve. It’s easy to become complacent, and before you know it, you will start to slip backwards. So how can you ensure you don’t fail to grow? In the current climate with market forces, as they are, you must strive to remain successful – and the key to that lies in planning. 

Sometimes it’s natural to overlook areas where you could make improvements if the company is experiencing overall success. It’s easy to miss opportunities to progress. Alternatively, you may feel that your business is suffering due to market forces out of your control and you’re unable to take a step forward in the current climate.

However, there are always ways to improve and move forward – and that involves taking a step back, first of all, to review your company holistically; its customers, systems, processes, and people to reassess your goals and ensure you are making the most of your business. 

Talk To Your Clients:

It doesn’t matter how qualified your employees are or what specialist services you provide if you don’t focus on customer service first. Customers define your business, so your priority is to ensure you understand their needs (and indeed challenges).

You can do this by conducting surveys and research – both quantitative and qualitative –  to gain valuable insight. Just ensure that your surveys facilitate honest feedback, or you’ll be wasting your time, and theirs. Having a spotlight on your customers’ thoughts about your service will allow you to leverage the elements that you’re already doing well, as well as focus on any hot spots where you need to reflect and make improvements. It’s essential to take the extra step to make your customers feel valued and unique, so make sure you talk to them and listen to (and address) any problems they have. That way, you will inspire loyalty – and loyal consumers won’t just come back to you – they will recommend their friends and colleagues to you too.

Come Out Of The Bubble: 

In a volatile market – where the economy is impacting all facets of running a business,  one of the quickest ways for a business to stunt its growth and cripple its potential is to conduct business blindly. By that, we mean lacking awareness of what your clients’ needs are, how they have changed over time, and how your competitors have responded to such needs to stay ahead of the curve. It can be tempting to get wrapped up in the business-as-usual of today, respond to immediate needs, and push anything deemed important but not urgent – however this can have disastrous consequences for your company. Opportunities to capitalise on market changes, strike deals with highly after clients or scale business operations can pass you by if you fail to pay attention to how your competitors are conducting their business in the market. Coming out of your ‘bubble’ to look at other companies in your market and/or region can really impact how you trade competitively. As the saying goes, ‘no man is an island’ and if you’re looking to increase market share, you need to fully understand where and with whom that market is buying from.

This makes the presence of a regularly updated and detailed target persona an absolute must in your business strategy as it will ensure you have a Unique Selling Point that is consistent. A target persona consists of who your clients are, where their interests lie, what pain points they have, what they want from your services, and much more. Having this level of insight into your target market enables you to not only address their problems at the right time, but it also allows you to make your marketing and specifically your branding effective by communicating your USP at every touchpoint of the buyer cycle. This helps to create a strong brand that utilises both its position and performance in the marketplace to develop a reputation for being an excellent company to do business with. 

Lack of an EVP: 

Going back to red flag number one, a company’s culture, people strategy, and EVP (Employee Value Proposition) live or dies by its values as that forms the foundation for its competence in attracting, retaining, and developing top legal talent. As legal professionals are now becoming increasingly demanding in their search for the ideal employer, one of the biggest mistakes any company can make in today’s market is failing to consider the priorities and preferences of its employees or jobseekers they are looking to attract. Without such a foundation, it is incredibly easy for a company to slip into reactive mode and allow external factors such as economic pressures, market changes, and consequently, business performance to dictate how it treats its employees.  

And even though you will hopefully have ironed out your values as a business at this point, it does not guarantee immunity from making such blunders. The key to a strong EVP is the ability to create and sustain a positive, productive workforce, and that is only made possible through a regular, honest, and thorough review of your people strategy, to ensure your company culture and environment remain the focus of it, and not the business goals – no matter the external or internal situation at hand.

According to Brett Minchington, who coined the phrase Employee Value Proposition in the first place, this comes down to largely five elements:

• Fair pay

• Personal development and growth

• Meaningful work, making a contribution

• Good reputation

• Working with friendly colleagues

Your work environment should have employees feeling valued, respected, and motivated and should regularly facilitate open communication, effective collaboration, and a healthy work-life balance. We have seen a big shift in the market in recent years towards flexibility, hybrid working, and employee satisfaction so ensure that your EVP focuses on these areas while remaining aligned with your goals for business growth. 

Consider Your Leadership Contingent – Are They Suitable For That Role? 

The last few years have been challenging for the legal sector. Dealing with the fallout of the pandemic, increased workload, and the impact of overworking on employees’ well-being means that many companies also now need to uplevel their leadership skills alongside recruiting new hires into their teams to lead their business moving forward.

In turbulent times, everyone looks to great leaders for guidance. Leadership resonates throughout a business, and the quality of your leadership can be the difference between your business’s ultimate success or failure.

A successful law firm requires leadership that is transparent, emotionally intelligent, resilient, empathetic, focused, and inspiring.

If you believe your leadership could develop in some of these areas further, take steps now. Training in personal development and upskilling where needed will enable you to lead from the front. Failure to invest in leadership will result in good ideas coming to nothing, so start at the top. 

Invest In Building A Top Team 

A high-performing team is what any employer would want. A high-performing team of solicitors that is efficient, drives profits and gets results is no doubt the utopia that business leaders strive for, which requires excellent leadership, support in their development, and constant engagement (even before any recruits join the business).

Developing a high-performing team that works collaboratively will enable your company to achieve its goals, both short and long-term. It will create a positive mindset and ethos of encouragement and positivity that will allow your business to excel and grow, keeping you ahead of the pack in a competitive marketplace and making your company attractive to further top talent.

As part of this, professional development should play a significant role in ensuring your team keeps ahead of trends. Training and development of both hard and soft skills will not only instill a sense of pride in specialist knowledge and ability but also make employees feel valued by the company. This, in turn, will lead to better staff retention saving you the costs of hiring and onboarding new employees. Additionally, happy staff are more productive, so you will see positive developments in the bottom line. In a working environment where individuals are part of a capable team, the quality of an individual’s sense of purpose in understanding big goals is enhanced. They feel ‘included’ in decisions, and their ideas and concerns are listened to and acted on. 

Keep On Top Of (And Ahead) Of Tech  

Many sectors today are growing at a rapid pace. If you’re standing still in terms of digital competence, then you might as well be going backwards. Using digital strategies to facilitate and drive your business growth allows you to reach a much larger number of potential clients than ever before. As well as building your client base, if you regularly post industry articles online, you will develop a reputation as being an authority in your specialist areas – attracting both top talent to want to work for you as well as establishing you as a credible company in the eyes of competitors. Your website should also reflect your forward-thinking by embracing new technology. Refining your online platform will make it more responsive, and maximizing your SEO will enable you to reach more viewers online, as well as offer you the opportunity to connect and network with others – crucial in moving forward. Additionally, a social media strategy will enable you to reach more clients, develop relationships and strengthen existing ones, gain insight into competitors, and demonstrate your industry knowledge. 

Plan For Headcount Growth Early 

As companies consider their strategy and business objectives, whether that’s on a quarterly basis as a checkpoint, or a typical 1-, 3- and 5-year plan, any kind of compound growth inevitably goes hand in hand with the need to increase headcount and upskill where required.

Companies may have their own Hiring Managers whose remit is to attract new talent to the business, or this may fall to HR in some cases. Either way, reaching out to a specialist recruiter as those strategic discussions are taking place will undoubtedly pay dividends in the long run to get a true birds-eye view of the market, your competitors, the movement of talent (and scarcity which may impact your plans) – invaluable insight that you can readily tap in to.

Ultimately, a strategic plan is the tool that will enable you to move forward and grow your business. Using your knowledge of what has worked well previously, you can build a pathway to achieve your ultimate goals, avoiding strategies that have failed in the past. A good plan will move you from where you are now to where you want to be. Including milestones, and achievements will keep you focused on the end goals and provide you and your team with motivation along the way. Make your strategic plan achievable (but aspirational) and timely – and don’t be afraid to amend it as you progress if your business’s requirements change.  

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Marketing and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Whether you are looking for your next career move, or your next hire as a business owner or HR professional – we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

In the last few years, and notably since the pandemic, the hiring landscape across the World of Work has presented a number of challenges.

Some businesses were forced down a redundancy route, whilst others, despite the appetite and budget to grow, were met with an apathetic talent pool and skills shortage.

What is a common challenge for all businesses, almost irrespective of market conditions, is the importance of getting hiring decisions right – the first time.

That said, with competition for the best talent on the market the fiercest it’s ever been, the time, resources and money spent on training a new hire make the investment stakes in recruitment & onboarding far too high for the hire in question to underperform. Not only does this put your company in the awkward position of restarting that recruitment process to look for a replacement, but it also means that possibly more time & resources will need to be spent to avoid such an issue the second time round.

Here we look at the real cost of a bad hire in the current market and what you as an employer can do to mitigate any risks in your recruitment process.

The Consequences of a ‘Bad’ Hire

Fact – making the wrong hiring decision costs your business money.

What is shocking is not only the number of poor hiring decisions that are made but how little hiring managers are aware of the true cost involved, especially considering how cut-throat the current market has become in a post-pandemic era. According to a study done by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, 85% of HR decision-makers admitted their company had hired someone who was not right for the job and despite 33% of businesses not believing it to cost their business anything, it was found in the same report that a poor hire at manager-level with a salary of £42k can cost a business over £132k – more than 3 times the person’s annual salary – when factoring in costs for training, onboarding and more.

Due to significant growth in some sectors, some companies have struggled to find the right talent to meet their needs – which has led to a lot of rushed hiring decisions and consequently, an uphill struggle to adequately replace them. When considering how much time & resources are wasted on a bad hire, how much it takes to find and recruit a new one and the risk factor that virtual interviews and onboarding processes now bring into the equation, having to replace a bad hire is far too costly a venture for businesses to make in 2024.

The key is finding the right candidate for your vacancy who not only ticks the boxes in relation to the role, but who will also fit in with the existing team, who can envisage a long-term future with you, and who has room (and the desire) to grow professionally.

Hiring In The New World – What to Hire for Now?

It starts with establishing what you are looking for in your ideal hire, what they are looking for from you and how you are going to find a sizeable overlap between the two. Only when this occurs will you get the right ‘fit’ – the ideal candidate that wants to stay and build their career at your company.

However, as you will likely have noticed by now, what candidates are looking for has changed somewhat. Flexible and hybrid working now sits near the top of their priority lists as the value of an employer that can offer such arrangements is now very apparent, considering the positive impact it has been shown to have on employee performance due to a greater work-life balance.

Additionally, with candidates now in a time where they are always connected enough to express as well as access a range of opinions however and whenever they wish, they are now increasingly looking for companies with a strong employer brand. Thus, in an industry where reputation rules, how your company comes across on a cultural level to the average candidate is now more important than ever. With increased importance placed on DEI and an imperative now placed on employers to support candidates on all sides of the neurodiversity spectrum, how your employer brand positions your business to compete beyond things like remuneration and job titles and offer such candidates something more, now becomes the difference between a great hire and a bad one.

If you aren’t making the ‘right’ offer to today’s talent, you will find your applicant shortlists filled with candidates who don’t meet your expectations. When the time comes to make a hiring decision, the chance of you making the ‘wrong’ recruitment decision will then be significantly higher due to your reduced talent pool both in terms of volume and ‘quality’.

If you want to know what turns heads amongst candidates, and how to rework your hiring practices to better bridge that gap between what candidates want and what you offer, check out our guide on how to tap into what candidates today are looking for.

The Importance of Head-Turning Job Ads to Do The Heavy Lifting

When it comes to your hiring requirements, and the importance of getting the attention of the right talent the first time around, how your job descriptions are written is key. Despite how much the hiring landscape has evolved in recent years, candidates still rely on engaging and effective job descriptions to determine which role is the best fit for them personally and professionally.

Your job descriptions should not only be informative about the role but should also be easily accessible, communicate your EVP clearly, be transparent about the candidate experience during and after hiring and ensure inclusivity in all stages of the hiring process. It’s also important to consider whether the skills and personality traits you usually look for in your employees have changed. Many specialisms have exploded since the pandemic, you may want to ensure your job adverts aren’t alienating the right talent with hyperbolic language or setting rigid and unnecessary requirements that can deter otherwise well-suited candidates.

Mitigating The Risk By Enlisting The Help Of Experts

Whilst the hire/no-hire decision ultimately comes down to the company in question, using the services of a specialist recruiter will also help to ensure that only the right candidates are short-listed from the get-go. Not only will using a 3rd party save time – especially in the early stages of reviewing CVs and applications, you will also have access to passive talent; widening the net and ensuring that the role(s) in question are visible to a much larger talent pool.

What’s more, many agencies also offer retained services as well as contingency, with additional features designed to impact the likelihood of a successful outcome.

This model is often more rigorous in nature and may include additional features such as:

• Bespoke market mapping
• Salary benchmarking intel
• Psychometric testing
• Video interviews and candidate profiling
• Dedicated Account Manager or team of specialist consultants<
• Regular face-to-face updates and reporting/analysis
• Strategic headhunting
• Integrated marketing campaigns including advertising

Whilst there is no absolute guarantee that your new hire won’t leave through utilising a recruitment agency, the belt-and-braces approach and additional screening will undoubtedly help to mitigate that risk.

Finally

Remember that if you want to avoid making the wrong hire, you need to find candidates who are truly a great fit, not someone who will be looking for a new role in a few months. It starts with plugging in those gaps in your value proposition (and communicating that expertly) but it certainly doesn’t continue without enlisting specialist help in the recruitment process. If you find yourself in a position where your hiring struggles are best dealt with alongside a recruitment expert, you’re in luck. At Clayton Recruitment we pride ourselves on turning such struggles into success stories and with a team of experienced consultants on hand to help, we can deliver you the right fit, first time. Give us a call on 01772 259 121 or get in touch here.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability. With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

One factor that all businesses face at some point in their future, is the potential disruption that comes with a key individual leaving – be that for another role, or as they head towards retirement.

And whilst you hopefully have a succession plan and strategy in place ready to put into action, realistically it could take several weeks or months before you find a suitable candidate that fits the bill on all fronts.

Enlisting the help of a specialist recruiter will no doubt pay dividends here, and as part of your overall hiring strategy, is key to ensure you kick start the process and find a suitable candidate as soon as possible. This is of particular importance if the leaving employee will directly impact the bottom line with their impending departure.

But if you only hire every now and again, you will also have to go through the process of researching which agency is the most suitable. Which has a good reputation in the market? Which are likely to have a ready talent pool of individuals? Which offers the most ‘value’ when it comes to their fees and terms of business? This in itself can take much-needed time and a concerted effort to ensure the agency/agencies fully understand your business and your hiring requirements.

An Alternative Scenario?

Whilst the impact of a key individual leaving will still be felt by the company, you may be in a position as a business where the first step is to refer to your Preferred Supplier List (PSL). Depending on your prior relationship, the process is likely to be much more simplified, whereby you make contact and are instantly connected to a recruiter who knows you, your business, your ethos, and exactly what you need.

They may even have someone in the pipeline already who’s ideal for you.

Which of the above scenarios do you prefer to be in?

When you’re busy running your own business, we know all too well that time is often, money – and is a scarce resource in itself. Streamlining processes, without compromising on your requirements or cutting corners is key – and establishing a PSL may prove invaluable to get the best out of your hiring efforts.

In this blog, we look at the many benefits it can provide:

Time-Saving

We’re sure you’re well aware of how time-consuming and exhausting looking for the right candidate can be, and this is firstly, and perhaps most obviously, where having a PSL can be advantageous, as it will help to save you a potentially inordinate amount of time in the whole process – especially as you will have built up that trust with the recruiting agency already.

A good recruiter will have the network connections, industry knowledge and insider information on candidate movement in your specific area of expertise. They should also have a talent pool of passive candidates not presently searching for roles, but are already engaged and have built up their own trust of the recruitment brand as a credible resource when that sentiment changes. Agencies will also have a wider awareness of your competitors – who are also operating within the same market and are on a growth trajectory or looking to back-fill roles where individuals have left.

Having this at the fingertips helps to speed up the entire process and eliminate potential sources of stress for your recruitment team. Additionally, your PSL will provide you with a list of pre-approved agencies who have already committed to an agreed rate and service level, so there will be no need for further lengthy negotiations. As a result, what might take you weeks or even months to achieve can frequently be actioned in a matter of days.

Reduced Costs & Increased Value

Whilst recruitment costs are still a consideration, having a PSL in place can create a huge amount of value and a cost reduction for your business in a number of ways.

With a PSL in place, organisations can significantly expedite the end-to-end process. Instead of starting from scratch with supplier evaluations and negotiations each time a need arises, they can turn to their trusted list of pre-approved suppliers, saving valuable time and resources.

Such agreements often enable organisations to negotiate favourable terms and pricing with their preferred agencies too – especially if there is a volume of hires required (and an exclusivity clause in place).

Having gone through a vetting and selection process prior, companies will also ensure a level of quality and reliability in the services they procure. In turn, this mitigates certain ‘risks’, ensuring that the agency in question adheres to legal, professional, and any regulatory standards – and ultimately negates the likelihood of costly disruptions down the line.

A Re-Focus On Core Competencies

Embracing a Preferred Supplier List empowers companies to redirect their invaluable internal resources towards honing and excelling in their core competencies – whether that’s in a HR or hiring capacity, or if the key employees within the business are involved in the wider process.

This strategic move frees them from the time-consuming and resource-draining tasks associated with advertising, CV reviewing, shortlisting, negotiation, and management of the process. As a result, teams can channel their expertise and energy into innovating, strategising, and delivering exceptional value to their clients and stakeholders.

In this way, a PSL becomes not just a cost-saving measure but a catalyst for organisational growth and excellence, ensuring that the company remains agile and competitive in its area of expertise.

Continuous Improvement In Your Supply Chain

PSLs offer a dynamic framework that goes beyond initial supplier selection and contract negotiation. They facilitate a culture of continuous improvement among suppliers. This ongoing process involves regular performance evaluations and feedback mechanisms that encourage suppliers to consistently enhance their quality and service levels.

Through periodic assessments and audits, businesses will identify areas where suppliers excel and areas in need of improvement. This data-driven approach allows for constructive dialogue, helping agencies continually understand the business’s evolving needs and expectations.

Through periodic assessments and audits, businesses will identify areas where suppliers excel and areas in need of improvement. This data-driven approach allows for constructive dialogue, helping agencies continually understand the business’s evolving needs and expectations.

Moreover, the feedback loop in a PSL fosters innovation. Agencies will proactively propose new ideas, technologies, or process enhancements that can benefit the business and impact the hiring strategy more widely. These innovations can lead to more efficient operations, cost savings, and better outcomes, all of which contribute to a stronger partnership for all parties.

PSL Vs. Exclusivity

A PSL and an exclusivity agreement are two distinct but equally valuable arrangements that a business can employ to optimise its supplier relationships and get the most out of these for a successful outcome; namely, a new hire that is a great fit on all fronts.

If a PSL is not a desired route, an alternative option would be an exclusivity or agreement granted to a single agency with exclusive rights to hire for a particular role/roles.

While both options offer advantages, they do serve different strategic purposes. A PSL provides flexibility by offering a range of pre-vetted options for various needs, promoting competition and potentially lower costs. Exclusivity agreements, on the other hand, foster deeper, exclusive partnerships with agencies, which can be beneficial when a specific hire is needed, ensuring consistency and a focused supplier relationship.

Ultimately, the choice between a PSL and an exclusivity agreement depends on the business’s specific needs, priorities, and the nature of its supplier relationships. Both approaches aim to enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and create value, but they do so through different means.

In Conclusion

If you are responsible for hiring within your company – either wholly, or as part of your role, one of the choices you have as part of your hiring strategy is whether you go it alone, or enlist the services of a recruitment specialist.

This decision may be based on a number of variables including budget, speed (the need to get the position filled quickly), and the potential scarcity in the market of the hire(s) in question.

External factors may also impact the decision. The current market, still impacted by headwinds from the pandemic, is undeniably tough as we enter a new year against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and a much-publicised skills shortage. Attracting (and then retaining) talent can be arduous at the best of times, but balancing squeezed budgets, keeping existing staff engaged, and still focusing on growth and expansion is certainly a big ask for companies who also have the ‘day job’ to do.

Consideration of a PSL, an exclusivity agreement, or even a retained recruitment service is worth doing – each with their own unique benefits and advantages but all focused on a collaborative approach to sourcing the next hire for your company.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

The term “Neurodiversity” is not exactly new – although there is still arguably some uncertainty about what it means, and how specifically it is relevant to the world of work.. The topic has become a much-discussed aspect of DEI in recent years and the impact of its cultural recognition and widespread advocacy – having made many aware of the potential that lies untapped in this group of individuals – has seen the term not only find its way into everyday vernacular, but also spark a change in company hiring practices, with a genuine attempt now seen from businesses to understand and embrace the value such talent can offer, and strive to support them by adapting their hiring practices. 

But despite the focus on the latest update of today’s DEI initiatives, the question remains: has all the buzz translated into a real change in the fate of cognitively diverse professionals when it comes to employability?  

As widely acknowledged, diversity plays a pivotal role in recognising and embracing the inherent differences in human brain functionality. It should, therefore, be clearly reflected in a company’s recruitment process if they genuinely aim to empower neurodivergent candidates and support their success at every step of hiring. The significance of accommodating neurodiversity cannot be underestimated, as it profoundly influences the potential success of these individuals in any position they occupy. However, the question remains, do most recruitment processes today truly embody these principles?

Are Businesses Just Paying Lip Service?

The latest ONS research revealed that the employment rate for people with autism in the UK sits at just 29%, a figure lower than the rate for those with other kinds of impairment, with unemployment rates for the neurodivergent community overall at 30-40%, according to a study from O2. A later report written by Auction, an IT consultancy, as part of a survey to investigate neurodiversity in work, found that a third of people with autism admitted that going through traditional recruitment processes was the most difficult part of their career. 

The aforementioned study, conducted by O2, cited an institutional lack of awareness, training, and support as the reason behind the disproportionately high unemployment rates for neurodivergent individuals. It was also found in a recent EqualTech report by SpartaGlobal that just 21% of survey respondents actually work for businesses that tailor their recruitment practices to neurodivergent candidates, despite 87% of them stating that neurodiversity will be an absolute priority for their companies in 2023. 

So, are employers simply paying lip service? While a lack of commitment to changing engrained recruitment processes to support neurodivergent individuals is a plausible (and apparent) reason for the disparity in expectations and reality, another probable one is the failure of employers to make this aspect of their DEI initiative part of a structured, wider recruitment strategy. Efforts to adapt hiring practices for the benefit of neurodivergent candidates are more often seen in only some stages of the recruitment process, rather than at every point possible, ultimately leading to a disjointed and ineffective approach. 

Eliminating Unconscious Bias In Hiring

Take blind hiring for example. It is a DEI strategy employed to eliminate unconscious biases that can arise from relevant but unnecessary information (such as names, age, years of experience, or level of education) that employers pick up at certain stages of the hiring process. It makes the employer unable to discriminate against candidates because of the lack of information that triggers unconscious biases.

While its value is clear, with successful implementation increasing the likelihood of candidates from minority or disadvantaged groups making it to the interview stage, its potential cannot be maximised unless it is supported by complementary strategies at other stages of the hiring pipeline. One such strategy is the targeted recruitment of neurodivergent candidates through the use of a talent pipeline, which addresses the fact that the strategy of blind hiring cannot increase the diversity of interview pools if not many candidates from the neurodiversity community apply in the first place.  

Building the Foundation for Holistic & Bias-Free Hiring

When talking about implementing complementary strategies, certain things must be set in stone. To begin with, a business must be clear on its objectives for its recruitment process. As the starting point and the thread that will be running through your entire recruitment process, how well your objectives are clearly defined and communicated throughout your team will determine the quality of the changes you make in your hiring practices and how effective they will be in facilitating the achievement of said objectives. Whatever that objective may be, whether it’s to improve efforts to adhere to corporate social commitments through an inclusivity-centric process, or to simply improve workforce productivity across the business, it must be well-conveyed and well-supported by the leadership team in the business at all levels. 

Creating Your Target Persona

Once clear, your objectives should inform the creation of your target persona. The profile you create to represent your key target will not only give you a concrete idea of the skillset you are looking for in your ideal candidate but will also give you the opportunity to test and falsify pre-existing notions and ideas about what you believe is needed to be successful in the role. Are there any assumptions about the importance of social skills or personality traits in the performance of the role? What impact would it have on performance if these skills were absent? Critically assess your selection criteria to eliminate possible biases that can creep in, and ensure it is fully justifiable. 

 It is your target persona that will then determine how you rework and adapt your hiring practices, at every point of the entire recruitment journey. This aspect is where organisations tend to err in meeting the needs of neurodivergent candidates. The true purpose of the hiring process, which is to assess the necessary competencies and traits required for the role, as well as the candidate’s willingness and aptitude for growth, is only partly acknowledged, and at certain stages of recruitment.

This leads to the many flaws still seen in hiring practices, such as the emphasis on social interactions in interviews, which can be particularly difficult for some neurodivergent individuals who struggle with social cues and communication (verbal and non-verbal). 

Stage One: Effective Job Descriptions 

Any recruitment process built to facilitate the success of neurodivergent candidates must be reworked and adapted from the starting point to the endpoint; in other words, it must begin supporting candidates before they get to the interview stage.

Its success starts right from when candidates read the job descriptions that advertise these roles, and get both the information and the accessibility they need to proceed with the application, not simply one or the other. This involves things such as the kind of language used, as well as the choice of terminology to describe the skills required for the role. With job descriptions that are designed to cater to neurodivergent candidates, the watchword to follow is clarity; your choice of words should clearly and plainly describe the role and the requirements necessary to be considered for progression. Outline which ones are must-haves in a simple and presentable format (a simple bullet point of skills required works best here) but avoid unnecessarily broad and generic phrases like “must be a good communicator or “must have strong teamwork skills’’, especially if they are not traits required to be effective in the role. They attach an unneeded sense of exclusivity to the required competencies that can mislead candidates into thinking they are not adequately qualified to apply.

You can add in a section clearly listing skills that are desirable, but take care not to bloat your job advert with a skill wish list, as this can equally be as off-putting to neurodivergent individuals. 

Consider An Accommodation Statement

Another good way to demonstrate your willingness to support applicants is to explicitly let them know you intend to do so through an accommodation statement. This is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of job adverts (if they’re even included at all), as it can help to eliminate the source of their worries when considering applying. Letting them know that they will receive the necessary support and accommodation should they need it, helps to break down the initial mental barrier that can prove problematic during this first stage of the hiring process.  

Stage Two: Review & Interview

Whist an adapted ‘traditional’ application process is still the best method of assessing candidates for some businesses, unconscious bias does remain an issue at this stage, and the adoption of alternative evaluation methods can help to mitigate this. In addition to the practice of blind hiring suggested previously, you can consider using a scoring system against a set of questions. This approach puts the focus on experiences and skills that can be overlooked in favour of good CV writing skills or a first-class honours degree. Other methods like video submissions, workshops, and telephone applications are approaches you can and should be open to – the onus is on you to experiment and get creative with your recruitment practices! 

The interview stage has always presented the biggest challenge to overcome for neurodivergent candidates. And, whilst it’s not realistic to discount this stage in its entirety, they should not be the sole evaluation method, but balanced with other assessment techniques in order to provide a fairer and more accurate appraisal of candidates. For example, consider assigning less weight to interviews in the overall evaluation process and couple them with a work trial instead, to allow for a more skills-focused assessment of suitability for the role. 

Equally as important, is your level of proactivity in offering reasonable accommodations during this stage. Not only does this create the optimal conditions needed for the interviewing candidate to perform at their best, but it also helps to quell any anxiety that may arise because of the occasion. It also communicates a willingness as an employer to do everything you can to see that individual succeed. Whether this involves arranging for flexible interview locations, permitting the use of screen readers during online assessments, or even providing interview questions via chat during virtual interviews or before an interview to enhance accessibility, you should ensure you’re well-prepared to facilitate their success. 

Stage Three: Post-Interview Process 

Following the interview or review stage, the focus should be on providing constructive and prompt feedback to candidates. Avoid the common mistake of ‘ghosting’, and instead communicate your reasons for your decision on the outcome of their application process, openly and transparently. Let decisions made on their suitability be made primarily based on the competency demonstrated for the role, and avoid making hasty judgments based on what might be perceived as ‘awkward’ moments, unconventional body language, or a perceived lack of social skills, as these may not have any impact at all on the candidate’s ability to perform the job effectively. By building this two-way line of communication you are not only fostering transparency across the recruitment team but are also improving your hiring process. 

The recruitment process for any individual can be overwhelming – and the same applies for the business owners or hiring managers themselves, particularly when market conditions are challenging. Recruiting under pressure can mean that processes aren’t followed in the same manner, including ethical recruitment practices and standards, albeit temporarily. In short, practices designed to ensure the highest standards of professionalism, fairness, and transparency is key. 

Stage Four: Onboarding 

Although it is one of the less obvious aspects of the recruitment journey when the contracts are signed and the start date has been agreed, onboarding is a process that requires just as much attention and preparation as any other stage when welcoming a neurodivergent employee into your team.

Onboarding neurodivergent employees is not a one-size fits all approach. Employers need to be acutely aware of how their new recruit works, in order to understand how best to engage and optimise the potential their talent brings. 

Educating the existing team with diversity awareness training in advance of a neurodivergent colleague starting is crucial, as it will ensure that colleagues know how to communicate with the individual, learn about and understand particular characteristics and preferences while respecting their privacy & dignity. It also helps them avoid making presumptions about what the best way to carry out the onboarding process is. For example, common icebreaker activities that are used to help introduce new employees to the team can be quite stressful and anxiety-inducing for neurodivergent individuals and often end up becoming counter-productive. A better way to approach it would be to speak with your new starter beforehand to find out how best they would like to meet their new team members and ideally have a conversation with the management or other senior figures about their new colleague so that the team better understands what to expect in the short, medium, and long term. 

As such, a line manager or management team that is willing to be supportive and patient enough to train up their new employee is key to the success of their onboarding. They need to know that no matter the need, their manager is always approachable and available to help. This is also where the help and input of colleagues to help the new employee ease into their new environment can be instrumental. Quick but regular check-ins via email or inviting them out for a bite at lunchtime can go a long way in helping the individual to settle in and quickly feel part of the team.

And Finally

Much is written about the importance of organisations reviewing (and amending) their recruitment process to enable cognitively diverse candidates to showcase their strengths. However, recognising the value of neurodiversity in the workplace and facilitating their success, is just the beginning of a larger journey towards fostering an inclusive and thriving workplace culture. Efforts to support neurodivergent candidates should extend beyond the recruitment process, as neurodiversity should be embraced as an asset that brings out the unique perspectives and talents of all employees. This is how you as an employer can build an inclusive culture in the workplace and maintain a supportive environment, to ensure your workforce is fully optimised. 

In a much-documented skills-short market, ensuring that the proverbial net is cast far and wide is critical for businesses to remain competitive, and their hiring objectives on track. Revaluating your recruitment process is an easy way to tap into the wide range of neurodiverse talent who may have been overlooked for employment, or put off reaching out proactively by that critical first experience and interaction with your company and brand.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are building your existing team or looking for your next career move, we can help. And, if you are currently employed, you can be assured of complete confidentiality, professionalism, and honesty throughout the process – as standard.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

Hiring amazing talent in any industry starts with attracting the right people.

Yet, as reports of the Great Resignation rumble on, and we continue to see an ongoing transformation of the workplace, capturing the attention of amazing new candidates isn’t easy.

According to current industry data, 95% of employers say they find it extremely difficult to fill the gaps in their team, thanks to today’s competitive market.

And, with many businesses continuing to press ahead with their hiring for the coming year, those in charge of hiring need to work harder than ever to make their listings stand out amongst the clutter.

It all starts with writing the most effective job descriptions.

Even as the hiring landscape evolves, candidates still rely on engaging, informative, and powerful job descriptions to determine which company best fits their needs.

The best job descriptions combine critical insights into an available role, with a touch of marketing and a behind-the-scenes look at company culture. It’s not enough to list the required skills and experience under a quick summary of what a job entails.

To attract loyal, engaged employees to your teams, you need to highlight information that matters to top talent. Today’s job descriptions should focus on the benefits you can offer as an employer, your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a clear overview of why jobseekers should choose your business over dozens of competitors.

Today, we’re exploring how employers in the industry can turbocharge their job descriptions and ensure they’re attracting the widest selection of talented professionals.

What is a job description’s function, and is it still important?

Job descriptions are simple documents outlining the essential responsibilities involved in a role. They highlight the qualifications and experience a candidate needs to excel in a position, describe the type of work they’re going to perform, and offer insights into the benefits of a role.

Job descriptions have grown increasingly critical over the years as employers struggle to find the best talent. Today’s employers are now using job descriptions to outline the key components of a role and essentially put their best foot forwards to qualified candidates.

An effective job description ensures your brand can attract candidates and fill crucial skill gaps. In fact, 52% of job seekers in a recent Indeed research report say job descriptions directly influence their decision on whether or not to apply for a role.

Job descriptions help you to outline exactly what you need from a new employee, so you can make the right decision about whom to hire first-time around. These documents also:

• Give candidates a clear idea of what to expect from a role
• Act as a guide when making hiring decisions
• Communicates the expectations aligned with a role
• Form the foundation for interview questions

What are the Core Components of a Good Job Description?

Many businesses have a unique process for writing job descriptions. Those responsible for hiring within the company may work with existing employees to build descriptions based on feedback from staff and, importantly, what they need the employee to deliver in that role.

Others leverage the skills of specialist recruitment agencies like ourselves to boost their document’s performance. According to Indeed, to write an effective job description, companies must find the right balance between providing concise, straightforward information, and using the right details to engage, excite, and intrigue candidates.

Typically, your job description will include the following information:

A Title & Summary

The first component of a good job description is a role title and a summary of what the position entails. Highlight the nature of the role (whether it’s permanent, full-time, or contract) and how you expect your employee to work (in-office, remote, or hybrid). Keep in mind flexible working options could make your job descriptions more attractive. 76% of professionals say they’d like to work fewer traditional hours and want a flexible approach to when and how they work.

Remember to use a specific, easy-to-understand job title to avoid confusing your potential candidates with jargon. Talk to your specialist recruitment agency if you’re unsure what your title and summary should be – especially in order to widen the net and attract more suitable candidates.

An “About Us Section

This section is where you can really ‘sell’ your business and provide an introduction to who you are. Whilst some businesses can rely to some extent on the weight of their brand and reputation in the market, the best talent these days are looking for evidence of an empathetic, inclusive, and reliable employer – so focussing on how you bring this to life is paramount. You can highlight your company’s culture, vision, and purpose here and give your potential candidates an insight into your values, such as a commitment to innovation, collaboration, and evolution.

The “About Us” section is also a fantastic space to highlight critical DEI information. 50% of employees currently believe their employer isn’t doing enough to promote diversity, so highlighting how you address this from the get-go will undoubtedly pay dividends amongst jobseekers in the market.

The Role and Responsibilities

Your job description is important in setting expectations for your potential employees. You should outline the core purpose of the role straight away and what your team members will be responsible for in this position. Make sure your list of responsibilities is as clear as possible, with no industry jargon, unclear acronyms, or confusing language.

Be precise and let team members know what kind of systems and software they will be working with, what projects they will be assigned to, and what the short and long-term objectives of the role might be.

Competencies and Skills

This section of the job description tells your interested candidates what characteristics you’re looking for in an employee. Essentially, it’s a checklist of everything a good employee will need to perform well in the role. Avoid listing educational requirements and skills that aren’t entirely necessary here, as it could stop potentially good candidates from considering your opportunity.
Create a list of specific skills and qualifications your team member will require. Highlight whether they need experience working with certain programmes or platforms, and draw attention to any on-the-job training you can offer. You may also want to outline some basic traits you’re looking for, such as punctuality and proactivity.

The Benefits and Salary

Finally, you’ll need to show your candidates what’s “in it for them” if they decide to join your team. Provide an insight into the kind of salary your candidate can expect. You can choose a salary “range” if you’re open to negotiations. Just make sure it’s in line with the average for that job role in that particular region.

Don’t forget to draw attention to benefits too. Many employees find benefits to be just as attractive as a good level of remuneration. For instance, maybe you can offer flexible and remote work, a four-day workweek, or access to in-house therapy and mental health support.

A good way to make your benefits more attractive is to write them in a way that helps your candidates envision what it might be like to work with you. For instance, instead of writing “4-day work week”, write, “Start your weekend early every week with a four-day schedule, so you have more time for family and friends.”

Remember to discuss your decisions with the recruitment agency working with you on the role. They speak to candidates daily, so they can tell you exactly what the candidate you are looking for wants in a role.

Top Tips for More Compelling Job Descriptions

Writing effective job descriptions for candidates in today’s current market isn’t just about ensuring you include all the right information. In competitive markets, it’s important to look for ways of making your job descriptions more compelling and actively ‘sell’ the role to jobseekers.

Here are some quick tips to help you attract more candidates.

1.  Improve the Opening Section

It’s becoming extremely difficult to make job descriptions stand out these days. Your potential candidates will be scanning through job listings daily. That’s why it’s important to make sure you instantly grab your talent’s attention.

A good way to make your descriptions more compelling is to focus on the benefits the candidate can expect immediately. Rather than starting with a phrase like “The ideal candidate will”, talk about what your employees will get from you. For instance, “This role gives you a unique opportunity to work with world-class clients on a flexible schedule.” Focus therefore on ‘what’s in it for them’ rather than your list of stipulations and requirements.

2.  Communicate Your Compelling Culture Clearly

Jobseekers are a lot pickier about where they work in today’s jobs market. With that in mind, it’s important to highlight the culture of your businesses straight away, so talent can determine whether your company really fits their needs. Introduce your brand’s vision and mission, values, and commitment to building a diverse workforce.

Discuss the culture employees can expect, introducing concepts like remote work opportunities, flexible schedules, and team-building exercises. Consider including genuine insights and quotes from your existing employees. This is a great way to demonstrate your company’s credibility and authenticity.

Whilst a written job description can only do so much to demonstrate such things as ‘culture’, why not include links to your website, or even better…a dedicated landing page focused on hiring where you can include such things as employee testimonials, videos that highlight the working environment, and any other feature of your company that you believe is attractive to potential new hires.

3.  Make Information Easily Accessible

Job descriptions need to be informative, but candidates don’t want to be overwhelmed with huge amounts of text and complicated words. Consider cutting down on lengthy sentences and switching to bullet points where possible. This will help your candidates scan your content and find the necessary information to determine whether they should apply.

Experimenting with different kinds of content is a good way to make your job descriptions a little more engaging. Alongside paragraphs and bullet points, again, link to videos to provide insight into your business with statements and stories from current employees. Show candidates the office space, and let them hear the hiring manager’s voice to make your content more memorable.

4.  Double-Check Your Content is Inclusive

As demand for diverse, equitable, and inclusive employers continues to rise, it’s more important than ever to double-check that your content doesn’t include any evidence of bias. Unconscious bias can easily creep into job descriptions and prevent crucial talent from applying.

For instance, you may use words like “young go-getter” or “experienced veteran” without malicious intent, but these terms alienate whole age groups within your candidate pool. When writing your job descriptions, watch out for any language which might make your description less appealing to a specific gender, age group, or ethnic group.

If you’re worried your diversity message isn’t clear enough, talk to your recruitment consultant, who will be able to advise you on how to include your commitment to DEI, and ensure your job descrptions don’t inadvertently trip you up.

5.  Be Transparent About the Candidate Experience

Setting expectations in the job description is an excellent way to save time for your team and your potential candidates. Being open and clear in your job description about what the interview will entail and how decisions will be made shows your candidates that they can expect a straightforward hiring journey with you.

Highlight whether there are likely to be any post-interview tests your candidates will need to complete, and let your potential employees know if interviews will happen in person or virtually. It may also be worth introducing some basic information about the onboarding experience for successful candidates.

(It’s also worth reading our blog on ‘ethical recruitment’ here to ensure that all your recruitment practices ensure the highest standards of professionalism, fairness, and transparency).

6.  Ask for Feedback

As employee and candidate expectations change, it can be difficult to consistently update your job descriptions in a way that generates real results without a little help. Fortunately, there are various places where you can cultivate feedback. Ask your existing team members for help in making your job descriptions stand out. They can tell you what benefits make your role more compelling and what information you might have missed.

Speak to your specialist recruitment agency for advice on how to make your job listings stand out. After all, these professionals have years of experience reviewing and communicating job descriptions to the market in order to help companys attract top talent.

The Mistakes to Avoid in Your Job Descriptions

Writing the most compelling job descriptions can be a complex process, particularly in today’s competitive hiring landscape. It’s easy to stumble into several potential mistakes, which could mean you miss out on the most valuable talent for your team.

Aside from following the steps above to make your descriptions more compelling, it’s also worth ensuring you don’t fall victim to any of the following common errors:

1.  Using the Wrong Job Title

As businesses continue to rely on “marketing” strategies to attract new talent to their team, recent trends have emerged among organisations trying to make their descriptions more compelling. For instance, some companies try to showcase their unique personality and culture by switching out job titles with more inventive but unusual ones. You may have already seen listings for various sector “superstars” or “rockstars”.

While weird and unusual job titles can be fun, they’re also highly confusing. Most people in today’s digital landscape are actively looking for job descriptions which include specific keywords. Using unfamiliar ones can make your efforts counterproductive as they can prevent candidates from finding your posts. Additionally, complex job titles can make it harder for employees to determine whether they’re applying for the right roles. It’s worth sticking with titles you know your current employees within your specific sector are familiar with.

2.  Using Hyperbolic Language

In an age where candidates are looking for more genuine, honest, and empathetic employers, they’re increasingly less likely to apply for roles where company’s use a lot of superlative and hyperbolic language. Telling your candidates that working with you gives them a chance to be part of the “best company in the world” won’t increase your chances of attracting talent.

Instead, focus on the clear, authentic benefits you can offer. Don’t just tell your candidates your company is the best in the world. Highlight what makes your job offer special. Can you provide flexible working schedules, consistent education and training, and access to unique benefits no other business can offer?

3.  Failing to Include Relevant Information

While candidates in today’s fast-paced environment have less time to browse through job listings, this doesn’t mean you can “skip” parts of the job description. Failing to include important information means you’re less likely to attract candidates because they won’t know what to expect from your role.

Make sure you highlight all of the position’s key responsibilities, the benefits on offer, and any other information that might be necessary for candidates. Include details where relevant too. For instance, what makes it flexible if you’re listing a “flexible” role? Can team members work from home whenever they like, or will they be able to change their schedule easily?

4.  Alienating Crucial Talent

In a competitive labour market, you cannot afford to accidentally alienate qualified people from your role. With this in mind, it’s worth double-checking that you’re not driving possible candidates away. For instance, it might be a good idea to remove any requests for a specific number of years of experience from your job descriptions.

Experience is great, but it’s not the only factor determining whether potential employees will thrive in your role. Adding requests to your job descriptions for an employee with five years of experience in a specific practice area can prevent qualified candidates from applying.

A candidate with an excellent growth mindset and two years of experience may be better for your business than someone with ten years of experience and a laid-back attitude. Focus on the skills you need your employees to have and the results you want them to achieve instead.

5.  Failing to Get the Right Help

As the UK jobs market continues to suffer from significant changes, it’s harder than ever for businesses to find the talent they need without a little extra help. Ultimately, going it alone isn’t an option if you want to attract the right talent as quickly as possible. No matter how big or small, every company should consider working with an expert.

Working alongside recruitment specialists will help you to enhance your job descriptions, build your talent pipeline, and increase your access to talent. Not only can their team of consultants give you tips on improving your job listings based on their extensive experience, but they can also ensure your listings reach the right people by promoting them on the correct channels.

Final thoughts

Designing the ideal job descriptions is one of the most important things you can do as an employer trying to attract the very best talent. In such a competitive market, it’s crucial to ensure your job descriptions not only show your would-be employees what they can expect from your role but also give them insight into culture and benefits.

If you struggle to update and enhance ineffective job descriptions, contact your recruitment agency for help. They’ll be able to provide behind-the-scenes insights based on years of experience working with similar businesses– and will also help to further market your role and your company when liaising with potential candidates.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are building your existing team or looking for your next career move, we can help. And, if you are currently employed, you can be assured of complete confidentiality, professionalism, and honesty throughout the process – as standard.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.