It’s been a long and difficult road for all businesses over the last year and a half, but it finally looks like we might have some reasons to be cheerful. The restrictions are lifting, the vaccines are reaching more and more people, and it feels like now is the time when we can step forward into the future with confidence. Now is the time to take those steps towards making our businesses bigger and better after eighteen months of bracing for the next disaster.
Bringing new people on board is always an exciting time for business owners. You can take some of the pressure off the team members who have been working so hard. You can explore new areas of opportunity and you can benefit from the expertise of someone with a completely different skillset. But it is also a moment where you need to take a step back and think very carefully. The pandemic certainly had an impact on the jobs market, just as it made us think twice about whether or not now was really the right time to bring on a new employee. There are forces in the marketplace that you need to be aware of, and there are opportunities that you may not have been aware of. If you are expanding your business this summer, here are a few things that you need to be aware of.
You May Be Looking At A Lot More Applications, Or A Lot Fewer, Than You Expected
Right at the start of the pandemic, all the news was focused on the number of people who suddenly found themselves out of work. There were stories about how thousands of people of all different experience levels were applying for one entry level position. HR managers were having to wade through a mountain of CVs every time they put a job notice up. Now, things are a little different. The job market has rebounded, and more and more people are finding work again. This time, it’s businesses that are having a hard time finding personnel.
Companies across a wide range of different sectors are reporting that there are simply not enough people for the jobs that they require. The twin forces of the pandemic and Brexit have combined to create a huge vacuum of workers. Many EU citizens have decided to return home rather than tangle with the web of bureaucracy, and many UK citizens are still shielding or suffering from the effects of Coronavirus. If you’re recruiting, you need to remember to be as specific as you can be in your person specification, and you need to anticipate delays.
Consider Offering Training Incentives
As a result of the aforementioned shortage of working, you might find that there are some applicants who are trying their luck without having the requisite skills. We don’t need to tell you that in these uncertain times, it’s more important than ever to bring people on who are capable of getting the job done. However, finding someone who has the perfect blend of experience and personality might be a little tricky.
Take HGV driving for instance. There has been a reported shortage of drivers thanks to the reasons we mentioned above, which is why people with the right qualifications are like gold dust right now. Something that you might want to consider is offering training for applicants who seem like they would be a great fit for your team. Easy As HGV offers speedy, local training for HGV drivers at great value, and they help fit drivers to the right role.
You Still Need To Keep COVID-19 In Mind
As much as we’d like to believe that the pandemic is over, the numbers are telling a very different story right now. The country is opening up and you absolutely can look at conducting face-to-face in person interviews, but it is worth thinking about whether you will get a better pool of applicants if you conduct interviews remotely. Of course, it’s not just about the interview.
While it goes without saying that the bulk of construction jobs cannot be completed at home, there are office roles that you may be looking for which could be. If you are able to offer remote working as an option, make sure that it is clearly listed on your job posting. There are people out there who are excited about the return to the office, but if it isn’t a necessity, working from home is an excellent incentive for a lot of applicants. For all the other roles, you need to think carefully about what protection measures you want to and are able to offer new employees. From facemasks and hand sanitiser to track and trace and social distancing, the government COVID-19 guidelines may be changing but a lot of new employees will want to feel that you are looking after their health.