I recently had the pleasure of joining Dan Moscrop on his podcast, Spacecraft – The Workplace Design Podcast.
It was a great discussion where we talked about the incredible workplace change sector, including current trends in the market and how they relate to recruitment and talent.
You can listen to the full podcast here.
See below for a preview / synopsis of the key topics discussed (for those of you who don’t currently have the time for an hour of my dulcet tones):
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Market demand for Workplace change specialists and the recent industry boom
Dan and I both appreciated how more companies are understanding the importance and added benefits of a well-designed office. Organisations of all sizes are hiring workplace consultants, with increasing seniority of roles, to manage change in the workplace. Companies have seen how change consultants have benefited competitors – and want that same positive impact across their own business. And importantly, workplace consultants are not just needed during times of business change – they are important as a constant resource and driver within the business. -
The great resignation – is it real?
It’s definitely real and the companies not moving with the times are seeing the impact. Research shows that on average candidates receive a 15% pay rise when moving to a new role – versus staying in their current company and only receiving a 3% raise (year on year). Organisations need to recognise talent while they have it! If you provide for your employees, move with the times, and offer flexibility along with competitive benefits, you’re in a much better place to hold onto that talent. -
The talent shortage
Likely a direct result of the great resignation and staff shortage - candidates are now in control. As the talent gap is still growing, skilled workers are becoming increasingly valuable. I speak with candidates all the time who can interview all day and are constantly being contacted on LinkedIn with potential roles. Employers can’t drag their feet during the interview process if they want to compete. You need to be organised, have your interview process mapped out, and know exactly what you want before jumping into the hiring process. -
What does the ideal candidate look like?
The most desirable experience requested by employers from candidates includes: stakeholder engagement, management consultancy experience, and evidence of project delivery from start to finish. For candidates seeking a new role, one thing to avoid on your CV (if possible) is job hopping. I see it a lot where candidate barely stay in each role for a year at a time. While this is of course expected in contract roles, for permanent staff it just makes you seem unreliable. Also, please explain any gaps or abnormalities in your CVs!
And to employers looking to hire talent - please put the salary offer in the job ad. It’s so important to discuss salary and transparency is key. At Talent Locker we actually released salary guides to help with this, as you need to know the average market offering and what candidates are worth. -
How to attract top talent:
Firstly, be sure you need and want this talent. Then get a clear step by step process in place for your interview and onboarding strategy. Move quickly when you find the right person and offer them the wage they deserve. If you treat candidates with respect and are clear you will pay them what they deserve, a counteroffer from their current employer won’t sway them as it’s too little too late! Also, always send feedback on unsuccessful candidates to the recruitment agency, if you’re using one. Otherwise, if the candidate wasn’t right, we won’t know how to refine the search and find the correct person from our talent pool!
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Recruitment fees and costs
Recruitment agency fees can often seem daunting, but actually consider how much your internal team would spend on time, resource, and ads and you may actually find you’re saving money. There’s also the insurance of a 2 month rebate period with a recruiter (we’ll find you a replacement FOC or process a refund), which you wouldn’t have internally.
There’s nothing to lose by hiring a recruitment consultant since you don’t pay the fee until they’ve found the talent. Companies used to receive loads of direct applicants and now that’s simply not the case – so it can’t hurt to take on extra help. Ultimately, there is always a cost to take people on. And remember, if employees aren’t treated well at your organisation they’ll end up leaving for a competitor, so take care of them!
Thanks to all who listened to the podcast! It was fun to record and I hope you found it insightful.
And as always, get in touch if you’re currently struggling to recruit or are looking for a new role - I’m always open for a chat.
James Saunders, Associate Director – Workplace Recruitment