What's the number 1 topic on your newsfeed right now?
- Alison Folwell
- May 1, 2021
- 4 min read
And what can you do about it?
What's the number 1 topic dominating your news feeds at the moment? Covid? Brexit? Supply chain issues? Life coaching advice?
Well, if it's anything like ours, the number one subject at the moment is…
Recruitment.
There is a big labour shortage in the UK right now, for a load of reasons we’re not here to go into. The point is, there are a lot of job openings and apparently, not enough people to fill them. The sectors most affected by these shortages are hospitality, agriculture, meat and dairy farming, transportation, warehousing and social care. The impact is being felt in all areas of the construction trade – including merchanting.
Data from the ONS revealed a record 1.2 million job vacancies in the three months to November 2021, with more than half of businesses reporting a worker shortage, stating that they were unable to meet demands.
What does that mean for you?
There are many implications for merchants and suppliers. Firstly, there is the very real issue of staff shortages, compounded by ongoing Covid isolation issues.
It suggests that anything a business can do to create process efficiencies within its operations, thereby becoming less reliant on a high-volume workforce, could be advantageous. A business which has more automation, more current and well-integrated information and a flexible foundation is more likely to be able to pivot and adapt to whatever circumstances occur.
But it also means, in theory at least, that the people applying for those roles can perhaps afford to be more selective about the roles, conditions and organisations that they choose to work with. More on that below.
So how do you make your roles more attractive to applicants?
You want to attract people who want to be there, who will be willing to work hard and look after your systems, customers and each other. So how do you make sure your business stands out when applicants can afford to be more selective?
The good news is, it’s not all about money.
It has been widely reported that, especially for younger people joining the workforce early in their careers, salary isn’t everything.
Flexible working is a big pull, so it’s really worth considering what you can offer on this score. Of course, if you’re recruiting HGV drivers or yard workers, there’s a limit as to what can be done from home, but think outside the box. Perhaps the hours they work can be flexed to suit them, or perhaps there are other variables within your control that would appeal to them.
Be prepared to listen to what people want and to be flexible. Many software systems now offer remote access to assist home or remote working, so make sure you’re investing in systems that will facilitate that flexibility.
Feeling heard and seen is of more value to workforce wellbeing than you might imagine, so take time to embed a culture that makes it safe for all members of the team to speak up and be heard, to admit to mistakes and to put forward new ideas.
More and more, people also care about the culture, values and ethics of the organisation they’re joining. Is yours a workplace that is welcoming, accessible and offers genuinely equal opportunity? Not just in terms of ethnicity or gender, but also in terms of background, education, neurodiversity, religious affiliation, sexuality, health, circumstance and so on. What are your sustainability principles, and how are they lived? What are the company values? Does every member of staff live by them every day? Corporate environmental and social responsibility needs to be more than a box-ticking exercise these days – they must be central to the actions of the whole organisation’s people.
It could be time to think outside the box when it comes to remuneration. Of course, good salaries are important, but think about the other benefits and opportunities you can offer. Whether that’s healthcare or dental plans, insurance offers or gym memberships, people are about more than just the monthly take-home amount.
Investing in your people, workplace and systems is also key. Career development and progression is really important, but so is mental health support and mentoring, having a pleasant and comfortable working environment with access to adequate facilities, and using modern, intuitive systems that promote efficiency and productivity.
Further to that, think about whether the training opportunities you provide cover all the options that will suit different people. Is there a good mix of self-service, online and face-to-face training available, either in terms of personal / professional development or the actual systems you use day to day? How could you make training more accessible and convenient? How can your suppliers and partners help deliver a better working environment?
Lastly (but not least-ly), think about how you word your recruitment adverts and where you place them. What are you telling people about your business? Are you subconsciously ruling out certain groups in the way you're wording your adverts? Are you being realistic about the level of experience, qualification or skill required, given the salary on offer? What would YOU want to know about a business before deciding to work there?
You’re hiring people – so be human
It’s easy to get sucked into recruitment jargon or industry lingo but remember, you’re talking to real people, with real lives and real responsibilities. Think about what’s important to you in your life – not just your career – and make sure your employment opportunities reflect that humanness. In a world where technology is more and more prevalent, don’t forget to let your personality shine through, and build your business and its proposition on human values and priorities.
Find out more:
To see the latest figures on employment in the UK, you might be interested in the following resources:
