Attracting Top Talent
Attracting Top Talent
Speaking to our clients and contacts throughout the construction industry in January 2018 has left us in no doubt that we are again working in a candidate driven market.
Skill gaps exist in all disciplines and at all levels. Our impending exit from the European Union will only heighten this situation with many foreign professionals no longer working towards a career in the UK and many that already are forging a career in the UK facing the real prospect of having to return home.
As an employer, you have no control over the political landscape but you do have total influence over how you attract and retain your people.
Speaking to top professionals in the industry on a daily basis, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that money is no longer the main consideration/motivator when candidates are considering their future.
Money is important, no one will look to make a move for less money but there is now much more value placed on the little things that companies do for their employees.
Last month, Job website Glassdoor released its ‘50 UK Best Places to Work in 2018’
The constant commentary from those associated with the top performing companies show that it’s the little things companies can do and offer that count for much more than financial rewards.
Flexible working, development opportunities, internal support, positive colleagues, access to fitness facilities and free fruit!
Focusing on financial rewards to retain staff and attract new talent is a very dangerous approach. If you create a workforce that’s main motivation is money, you could lose key people at any time, if they’re offered increased cash elsewhere.
There’s also the bigger worry that the ‘finance focused’ approach over time could lead to employment costs that increase to a level higher than those of your competitors, making you less competitive and putting the whole company existence at threat.
Got a great business and a good culture? How you engage with your future new employees is key!
How you engage with potential new employees will have a direct impact on how successful you are at attracting the best talent.
Our advice to anyone looking to recruit, whether you instruct Veritas or not is simple;
- Have a clear strategy that all stakeholders are bought into
- Follow a set process
- Ensure that communication is clear
- Don’t deviate from your agreed process
If you decide to instruct a recruiter then make sure you’re happy with them representing you in the market. For many the contact from the recruiter, will be the first time they’ve had any interaction with your business.
As tempting as it might be, working with a number of recruiters on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis is counterproductive. If candidates are swamped with contact from different recruiters at the same time, your opportunity becomes devalued.
Invest in your process, promote your culture, allow potential new recruits to get to know some of the people they’d be working with, sell the opportunity on everything other than money.
If you would like any assistance attracting Top Talent to your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d be happy to discuss successful strategies with you.