Recruitment and Selection Strategies for the Modern Workforce
The past few years have brought about many drastic changes to the way we work and communicate with others particularly in an era of a multigenerational workforce of which each generation has different preferences and even more so with Brexit which has caused recruitment problems including: increased cost and complexity when hiring EU residents; and reduced applicants for jobs traditionally filled by workers from EU nationals. Not forgetting COVID-19 which caused unprecedented economic disruption, however that said the pandemic has accelerated the use of technology forcing companies to adapt very quickly.
Many challenges have been overcome with technology however, the issue of finding not only new employees, but the right employees, continues to linger on and thanks to COVID-19 the traditional hiring process has been harder than ever this year with recruiters and candidates having to adapt to a fully remote experience.
There is an abundance of empty positions out there that need to be filled and it is all too common to find that employers are somewhat struggling to get the quality applicants that are needed to fill them.
This new age workforce that we are seeking to fill these empty roles are becoming harder to entice which is making the recruitment and selection process very difficult. As it stands, about one-third of the current workforce is either Gen Y or millennials (age between 25 and 40 years old), but this is predicted to rise over the next decade to around the three-quarters mark. Here are a few strategy ideas to implement when recruiting.
- The HR process needs to be personal
No one wants to be just a number. The days where people were just grateful to get a job offer have almost disappeared. With the rise of remote work, people can pick and choose where they work and who they work for. This means that you need to step up your game if you want to hire the right people for the positions that you have open.
Part of making sure that you can hire and recruit successfully is offering a highly personal HR experience. Your HR department makes the contact, carries out the benefits package discussions, and PTO negotiations amongst other things. A potential employee will appreciate the opportunity to discuss these matters with the objective to create a personalised package which is suitable for them. Making a personal impact at this point is hugely beneficial.
- How employees expectations has changed over time
Employees used to conform to whatever employers needed. In recent years, that dynamic has fundamentally changed. Businesses are now conforming to workers – understanding them, investing in them, and involving them to create a better working experience.
Companies need to work on issues ranging from bread-and-butter basics – like pay and admin processes – to deeper cultural shifts around management and training.
[Linkedin Global Talent Trends report 2020)
- Ask Interesting Interview Questions
Gone are the days of the boring questions asked at all interviews. Replace the “What are your goals for your time here?” discussion with a chat about how the person might improve your company if given the chance. Ask questions that judge personality and temperament as well as skills and knowledge.
Finding applicants that are a good fit for existing teams and company ethos is really important. A secondary benefit to asking interesting interview questions is that your company will stand out in the minds of the people that you interviewed, making them have a positive feeling about the position.
We are operating in a world where it is not only you making the selection during the interview process. The candidate is also assessing you and the Company to decide if this is a place they would like to work, if offered the job. you need to attract the attention of skilled workers and convince them to choose to work for you, by having a positive and exciting interview process can be a big help toward getting new hires to accept your offers.
4. It goes beyond Salary and Benefits
If you can’t offer up a full slate of competitive benefits, you may some of the most experienced applicants for your jobs. You should seriously consider, healthcare, flexible work schedules, and other perks in addition to a basic benefits package if you want to hire the right talent for your needs.
Also, consider being willing to accept custom requests from your new hires. For many job roles, small shifts in the hours worked on certain days, or other such requests, will not cause an impediment to daily work tasks. In some cases, it will actually help with efficiencies to allow your new hire this flexibility.
Be mindful that many adults are having to provide support to their child for school right now, as well as attending to all the usual ups and downs of busy daily life. Being flexible will help secure your position as a top job for many of your applicants.
Professional development, opportunities for promotion within the business and a company’s corporate social responsibility strategy and ethics are also hugely important in motivating candidates as well as a sense of ‘team’ and ‘belonging’.
Training, mentorship and company culture are also important selling points for potential new employees.
- Employer brand – employee value proposition
Candidates today, especially millennials, are smart, well informed, and favour companies that are able to conduct a dialogue with them, understand them as individuals, build relationships, and offer a hiring and employee experience that looks at not just their skills, but also at their needs and career aspirations.
They will research companies on social media platforms, thoroughly before they even apply and in doing so will make a choice as to whether they see themselves working for the organisation or not. Candidates are more likely to apply for a job if an employer brand is strong and the company social media sites not only tells them about the job but gives them a sense of the organisations culture.
- Internal recruitment
Organisations face greater competition for the most in demand skills and with internal recruitment you can fill open roles with existing employees. Not only do you retain great employees and valuable talent but it improves retention, it’s much better they move within your company than out. 41% of employees stay longer at companies with high internal hiring vs those with low internal hiring [Linkedin data].
- Diversity and inclusion
Recruit from broader, more diverse groups who are typically underrepresented can be another way to boost candidate choice, for example, disability, those with caring responsibilities, single parents. In 2021, companies should look beyond diversity as a quota to meet and focus more on creating a culture where diversity can thrive
Conclusion
To successfully recruit top talent, you will need to understand the needs and desires of candidates. Candidates are looking to have a remote-working option, an inclusive environment, strong company branding, company values that are compatible with their own and the potential to get reskilled by their organization along with growth and development opportunities.
Recruiting the right people is paramount for the success of your business. Consult HR has a wealth of experience within recruitment and selection plus all other HR related matters. If you would like any further information or advice, contact Julie on 07858 089006 or by email to julie@consulthr.co.uk.
