Struggling to recruit? The Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced that job vacancies rose by 388,000 to a new record of 1.17 million from August to October 2021. Meanwhile the unemployment rate fell to 4.3 per cent – nearly pre-pandemic levels.
Many employers have responded to the tight labour market by raising wages, but this could be unsustainable for your business and ultimately, on a national level, lead to inflation. What can employers do?
- Upskill, retrain and develop your current workforce – great for building capability but also for retention!
- Consider hiring apprentices or using the government Kickstart Scheme (which closes close at midday on 17 December 2021
- Build a culture of wellbeing and trust to encourage people to join and stay with your organisation
- Review where and how you recruit – are you being inclusive? Are you overlooking opportunities for connecting with potential candidates, such as LinkedIn? Is your recruitment process fit for purpose when great applicants are being snapped up quickly?
- Offer learning and development, and progression opportunities
- Review your benefits package – are you competitive for your industry? As people’s lives have changed significantly, priorities may have shifted. What do jobseekers actually want?
- Flexibility – perhaps the flexibility of hybrid working, rather than a traditional office-based role?
