Author: admin

Staff Retention – It’s not just about the money!

We all know that a good salary and benefits package are very helpful tools for staff attraction and retention. However, happiness and dedication in the workplace don’t always hinge on what clears into the bank account each month. With a talent shortage in the STEM sector, retaining key people is vital. Here are some top tips that aren’t just about money or benefits for you to think about with your staff retention:

  1. Find the right people in the first place – hiring the right people that are motivated and passionate about your organisations vision is vital. When you are recruiting, make sure you spend time probing what makes your potential recruit tick. A shared vision and value will give your people a sense of purpose and they will want to be part of what you are trying to achieve.
  2. Be empathic – As a modern employer, we are all aware that life is hectic and that there are work and external demands that put pressure on our people. Understanding this and giving that flexibility to get away for parents evening or to handle family emergencies makes a huge difference in your team’s lives and show them that you value them and their wellbeing.
  3. Adapt your leadership style – Diversity in the workplace has been shown to lead to innovation and productivity. So we often need to attract and retain different sorts of people and personalities. These different personalities will respond differently to different management and leadership styles. Remember that to get the best out of your people and to make them feel secure in their role, you may well need to adapt your leadership style for different people.
  4. Engage your team – Disengaged employees lack motivation and have been shown to not only be less productive but also on occasion be positively disruptive. If you have high achievers that fall into this category not only is this a lost opportunity but it can also quickly lead to them looking elsewhere or being poached b a competitor. To improve this engagement, make sure that you involve your people, you listen to them and their suggestions and that you are clear about your vision and company strategy.

I hope that these ideas are helpful to you.

If you would like to talk to us about your recruitment or retention strategy, please get in touch with us here at CK Group.

Author: Jonathan Hart-Smith

Posted in

Catch up on the IR35 Seminar in our video

We recently hosted an IR35 Information Event with two excellent speakers designed to help contractors and employers learn more about the extended IR35 legislation.

By popular demand, we filmed the event so that delegates could watch it back and those people who missed the event could watch it as well.

The event was very well attended and it was fantastic to have so many questions and interaction with between the delegates and speakers.

Our specialist speakers are experts in the tax and legal space, Lewina Farrell, the Head of Legal Services at REC (The Recruitment and Employment Confederation) and Chris Humphreys, Head of Tax at BHP, one of the largest accountancy firms in the UK.

Payroll alternatives post IR35

Do you engage contractors?
If you engage contractors through personal service companies (ltd co) and have undertaken your assessment as to whether or not they are inside or outside IR35 and found that they are “in”, you may well be looking for an alternative legally compliant way to engage these workers. This is where CK can help. We offer a scalable payroll solution for contractors from a single person through to teams into the hundreds. We have a track record of compliance and a high level of customer service. We can engage these workers on your behalf and offer them a PAYE contract and a simplified single monthly invoice for the service. Speak to CK about how we can transfer your workers and save you money in the process.

Are you a contractor that will be impacted by IR35?
If you are a contractor seeking a platform to be able to deliver your flexible services to your client, CK Group are able to offer you a payroll solution with weekly or monthly payroll, expenses processing, access to a private health scheme and pension facilities. Unlike umbrella companies, CK Group will not charge you for this service.

If you would like more information please contact us

Posted in

Generation Z in the Workplace: Top 4 Things You Need to Know

Born roughly between 1995 and 2010, Generation Z is proving to be fundamentally different to its predecessors – the Millennials – in more ways than one. Gen Z has a distinct list of priorities, values and desires, and with almost a quarter of the workforce now made up of this new generation of workers, it is important that employers take their differences into consideration and adapt to the ever-evolving scene.

Female engineer working

To help you as an employer understand who they are, what makes them tick and what to expect from them in the workplace, here are the top 4 things you need to know to be able to adapt successfully.

1. Gen Z is more competitive

These individuals are fully aware that to be successful requires a lot of hard work, and that nothing will be handed to them on a silver platter. Whilst Millennials thrive in team situations, Generation Z individuals place importance on being recognised for their own achievements and pushing themselves to progress professionally and financially – stemming from a desire to create stability and security. As an employer, regularly praising and providing feedback on their performance will show that you are supportive of their career progression and are willing to help them advance in the way they want to. Communication is key here.

2. Gen Z values a work-life balance

Whilst this generation strives for advancement and success in the workplace, it also longs for a balance between work and play. Forbes reports that this ranks lower on the priority list in comparison to that of a Millennial, nevertheless, it is a central factor and trumps other generations. Employers would be wise to promote a culture of ‘work hard, play hard’ and to offer opportunities for flexibility. Listen to how they feel and provide an accommodating atmosphere that promotes a reduction in workplace burnout.

3. Gen Z is more digitally savvy

Generation Z has grown up surrounded by technology, immersing themselves in the world of smartphones and Wi-Fi from an early age. There won’t be much tech that confuses them and they are quick to adopt anything new and upcoming into their daily lives, from social media platforms to innovative apps. To be viewed as an appealing employer, therefore, you must match their intelligence and ensure that your online presence and in-house technology are up-to-date, if not a little ahead of the game. Allow them to thrive!

4. Gen Z wants authenticity and inclusivity

Just as Generation Z has grown up in a world that revolves around technology and innovation, they have also grown up in a world that is becoming more and more aware of its impacts on society and the global environment. This means that their desire to do good is strong, and they will want to work for an employer that not only shares this desire, but puts it into practice. It’s a good idea to showcase your commitment to being a transparent, responsible and fair employer that is informed on important current issues, or at least to demonstrate that you are attempting to do so. The proof is in the pudding.

In conclusion, employers will have to be more flexible than ever to welcome Generation Z into the workforce, but the rewards of doing so could be tremendous.

You may also like to read:

Attracting tomorrow’s talent: Strategies for engaging with Gen Z

Get more employer advice here

Posted in

CK Group Receives AgileOne’s Gold Award

We are proud to announce that on 19 September, 2019, the company received AgileOne’s Gold Award for supplier excellence. The award was presented to Liam O’Connell during an award ceremony that took place during the AgileOne Supplier Excellence Awards held in London, England.

“With each candidate interaction and each successful placement, our suppliers play a critical role in our success at AgileOne. We are constantly evaluating our suppliers to ensure they are providing the best possible service to our clients. The Supplier Excellence Awards allow us to recognize the suppliers that consistently exceed expectations,” Brian Clark, Senior Vice President Global Operations of AgileOne. “As a trusted partner, CK Group has risen to the challenge of delivering world-class customer service and high-quality talent for AgileOne’s clients around the world.”

“The entire Global Strategic Sourcing team is dedicated to building strong partnerships with suppliers around the world. The Supplier Excellence Awards are just one of the many ways AgileOne seeks to showcase our ‘Best of the Best’ suppliers,” said Jaideep Majumdar, Associate Vice President of AgileOne “Our supplier partnership program strives to connect, build, foster, and grow our supplier partners so that they curate innovative, technology-based workforce solutions to better serve our clients. From sharing world-class processes to giving suppliers the opportunity to grow their business, our ‘Best of the Best’ suppliers serve as an example of what can be done when you create win-win partnerships that benefits everyone.”

The CK Group are delighted for the fourth year in a row to win the Best of the Best award for Agile One in the UK.

“Through the last 10 years we have developed an excellent strategic relationship enabling us to support AgileOne on their programs providing much more than recruitment services. We look forward to developing and strengthening this relationship and to continue to work closely with the excellent staff at AgileOne.” Liam O’Connell, Operations Director of CK Group.

Posted in

Changes to IR35 legislation and its impact on employers

In October 2018 the government confirmed that it will be extending the off-payroll rules to the private sector.

As of 6 April 2020, clients in the private sector will be responsible for assessing the IR35 Status of their contractors. For those deemed to be working inside IR35, the client will need to ensure they deduct all tax and National Insurance contributions due. The draft legislation was published on the 11th of July 2019.

Read more about who the IR35 legislation affects

Posted in

How stress affects the brain and your capacity to function at your best

Stress is an animal instinct that comes into play when your brain reacts to being threatened. This can be a physical threat, for example pain, or an emotional threat such as psychosocial stress.

Stress can be healthy and energizing, but too much stress can lead to some serious, longer-term issues. But how can you tell the ‘good’ stress from the ‘bad’ stress? To understand why stress affects us, it’s important to understand a little about how the brain works.

In events of stress, your brain releases a steroid hormone called cortisol, which alerts your body to react instantly. This is often referred to as the ‘stress response’. Consequently, your brain goes through a series of reactions, some good and some bad, to protect you from potential threats.

The good stress

When feeling acute stress as a reaction to an immediate event, your brain becomes more alert and your senses heighten. Colours become more vivid and sounds clearer. This state is designed to give you a burst of energy, help you focus and enable you to ‘escape from danger’ and survive.

This ‘good’ stress can help sharpen the mind in different scenarios, such as during a job interview, prior to speaking in public or while playing a competitive sport. Once the threat is over, your levels of stress hormones return to normal with no long-lasting effects.

The buildup of stress

While some occasional stress is not problematic, prolonged (chronic) stress can lead to serious problems.

Psychosocial stress is a major reason for chronic stress, and is especially present in the workplace. It can develop over time when, for example, employees have excessive workloads, feel as though they are not being managed properly or not being rewarded for their efforts.

When chronically stressed, the body creates an excessive amount of cortisol. Instead of all the benefits of the ‘good stress’, abnormally high levels of cortisol will have the opposite effect, leaving you unable to focus and extremely tired. It can also lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, weight gain and chest pains, amongst others.

Stress can affect memory

High levels of cortisol can lead to the deterioration of the hippocampus – the part of the brain associated with learning and memory. As your brain’s energy is focusing solely on ‘surviving’, it leaves the other parts of your brain like the hippocampus deflated and with limited energy.

Additionally, excess cortisol leads to fewer new brain cells being made in the hippocampus. A University of Iowa study proved this by using rats to reveal that high levels of cortisol were connected to short-term memory loss. Consequently, as a result of chronic stress, not only do you forget easily, but you also struggle to remember new information and memories.

Stress can affect decision-making

Stress not only impacts our memory, but many other brain functions. While the brain experiences continuous stress and works on fighting it, another part of the brain which takes a backseat is the prefrontal cortex.

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain which coordinates higher-order tasks such as decision-making, judgement and social interaction. However, when you enter in survival mode, this part of the brain doesn’t perform at its best, making it much harder for us to operate intelligently and achieve our goals. Over time, stress can actually cause the prefrontal cortex to shrink, resulting in longer term issues.

Stress can lead to insulin resistance

When you are stressed your blood sugar rises, to feed your brain and help it react. Over a long period of time, your body can actually develop insulin resistance to counteract the high levels of blood sugar.

Studies have proven that employees suffering from psychosocial stress in the workplace can develop insulin resistance. As a result, they are more prone to putting on weight and the development diabetes.

Stress can affect your mood

Your brain records things as you perceive them, not as they actually happen. When you are in a stressed survival mode, you become hypersensitive to the external environment and your brain associates everything as a potential danger. In this state, it is unable to judge situations effectively and misinterprets cues and assumes the worst. Consequently, stress makes every external factor appear negative, putting you in a constant ‘defensive’ mode. This causes abnormal reactions, and over time the brain struggles to readapt and can stay in that negative mode.

Stress can lead to longer term mental health issues

In the longer term, chronic stress sets the scene for more severe mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and potentially even Alzheimer’s disease. Due to continuous disruptions to the brain’s structure and function, both nerve cells (grey matter) and the connections between them (white matter) are affected permanently. Recent studies have concluded that these changes, along with other factors, can increase the likelihood of developing mental illness.

What can we do to avoid the long-term effects of stress?

Understanding the effects of stress is key to understanding how to alleviate them.

If you suffer from chronic stress, a good start is focusing on how to relieve that stress. This could be changing your lifestyle, or incorporating some stress reduction techniques into your life such as exercise, meditation or yoga.

For more tips on how to manage your stress read our blog article: 6 ways to manage your work stress.

Posted in

6 Ways Managers can help Reduce Stress in the Workplace

Your staff are your strongest asset. The benefits of having healthy and happy employees are endless. Predominately, happy and healthy staff are proven to be more motivated, productive and take less sick leave, which in turn makes them more profitable.

Likewise, happy staff will become your biggest advocates, not only bringing in clients but also new recruits.

Intermittent stress at work is normal and can be a good thing. It energises people, motivates them and helps them focus.

On the other hand, persistent stress in the workplace can be expensive. Accumulated days off, unproductive staff and high staff turnover can quickly affect a company’s profit margins. In fact, 57% of lost working days between 2017 to 2018 in the UK were due to stress, the highest level on record.

There has never been a more important time for employers to make reducing stress in the workplace a priority.

Here are CK’s top recommendations for managers to follow, to reduce stress in the workplace.

1. Helping staff manage their time

The predominant cause of stress in the UK is pressure related to excess workload at work (44% of stress cases to be exact). Regular tight deadlines and the constant feeling of ‘not doing enough’ can quickly mount up, and become a mental health concern.

The second most cited cause for stress in the workplace is a lack of managerial support. As a manager, understanding you employees’ main stressors and working with them to eliminate these will not only show your team that you care, but will also encourage them to be more productive.

A simple solution can be setting reasonable deadlines and giving your staff enough time to complete each task properly, to avoid them from feeling overwhelmed with long to-do lists. Another good time management method is to start every morning with a short planning meeting, where you set out the requirements and what is expected of each employee ahead of the day.

2. Communicating clearly with employees

As an employee, being kept in the dark and not knowing where you stand can be a major cause for anxiety. Likewise, managers can also feel stressed if they don’t have a clear understanding of what their team is up to.

The best way to avoid this two-way stress is regular communication. This can be done via workshops or one-to-one interviews, questioning your staff on how they feel at work, what they wish to achieve and what you expect from them.

Being transparent with employees and setting out clear goals is an excellent way to relieve stress for both parties.

3. Allowing flexi-time and remote working when required

Nowadays, everyone is looking for that flexibility at work. Letting staff choose their working hours means they can work to a less stressful schedule that best suits them. For example, they can avoid the morning rush hour or work around family requirements. As a result, they can come to work more focused.

Not all organisations are able to offer this perk, but for those who can, this has been a proven method to help reduce stress levels up.

Furthermore, allowing employees to occasionally work from home is another proven way to successfully motivate them and help them feel more relaxed whilst at work.

4. Creating a stress-free environment

After a stressful period, your brain will continue to play the stressful experience for an hour afterwards. To avoid developing chronic stress, stress expert Dr Mithu Storoni suggests always following up an episode of stress with another enjoyable intense activity, to engage your mind in something else and avoid rethinking about the stressful episode.

Providing staff with an area to relax and engage in fun activities, such as a table tennis area, after a period of stress will allow them to recover from a stressful episode.

More importantly, keeping the stress period to as short a time period as possible avoids the brain seeing stress as a major threat, and will allow it to be less reactive to future stressors.

Does your office allow your employees a place and the time to recharge after moments of stress?

5. Encouraging staff to stay active

Research has proven that the best ways to reduce stress are by exercising and meditating. Studies have shown exercise reduces fatigue, improves alertness and concentration, and enhances individuals’ general cognition, all contributing to keeping the brain energized and avoiding the negative effects of stress.

Introducing workplace wellness schemes like discounted gym memberships or a lunchtime running club are good ways to encourage your staff to keep active. Other ways could include an office step count competition, organising charity runs or an active day out.

6. Encouraging social activity at work

According to the NHS, spending time with friends helps us relax and alleviate some of the stress we feel from day-to-day life. Therefore if people enjoy spending time with their coworkers, they will feel more relaxed at work.

All in all, encouraging staff to interact with one another and be sociable will improve the office morale and boost employee satisfaction. This in turn improves employment retention and supports recruitment campaigns.

You may also like to read:

Mental health in the workplace: Productivity and well-being

Posted in

7 Alternative Career Paths for Scientists

What happens when you have worked so hard to get a science degree and even a Ph.D., only to realise that you don’t want to follow the expected research trajectory, and instead you want to try something new?

The good news is scientists are not confined to the lab anymore. In fact, candidates with a science degree and a science background are becoming increasingly desirable in other fields.

We’ve compiled a list of seven popular alternative career paths for scientists looking for a change.

  1. A career in scientific writing

Writing requires many of the same skills you learn whilst studying a science degree; analysing a lot of information and presenting it in a way that is easy to understand.

The best writers are the ones who know first-hand about the topics they discuss in their writing. Consequently, writers with a science background are always in high demand for scientific writing.

Writing opens up a world of opportunities including journalism and writing about science and science novelties for the general public, or technical writing and presenting science findings for patents and authority bodies.

Alternatively, if you love reading and writing, a science degree can help you get a job for a specialist publisher such as Bloomsbury Sigma or IOP, whether that be in production, editing or proof reading.

  1. Working in intellectual property law

If you are interested in the legal side of science, becoming a patent attorney could be an interesting option. Patent law is already a well-established career path for scientists, as companies recruiting trainee patent attorneys usually ask for a degree in science or another STEM subject. This is because to draft a patent, you need to understand the research and technology behind it.

  1. Turning to consultancy

Moving into consulting is another popular move for scientists looking for a more client-facing role.

Big consultancies such as BCG, Accenture and Deloitte will have a dedicated science department recruiting analytical candidates with science backgrounds, to head projects for clients in the science and clinical space. Alternatively, there are also opportunities at a number of specialist scientific consultancies like IQVIA and Alacrita.

  1. Working for a funding body

If working in an office seems more appealing than working in a lab, but you still want to stay up-to-date with the latest science news, then working in funding could be a great option. You might want to look at organisations such as Research Councils UK (for example, the BBSRC, EPSRC, MRC and the STFC) and major funding bodies like the Leverhulme Trust and the Wellcome Trust.

  1. Sales and marketing for Pharmaceutical companies

Why not explore different areas of the value chain, and look at jobs selling and promoting products, rather than creating them?

Being knowledgeable on the product you are selling is particularly useful when presenting products and answering client needs and questions. These jobs tend to be less about pure selling and more about becoming a product expert.

  1. Recruitment

If you enjoy using your people skills, then specialist recruitment companies like CK Science are always looking for recruitment consultants with science backgrounds.

Good knowledge of the science world helps recruitment consultants not only understand the jobs they are recruiting for, but also understand which skills are needed and which types of candidates would be better placed in each role.

  1. Teaching

Science teachers at all levels are in high demand right now in the UK, as great initiatives are being taken to close the current STEM skill gap. So, if you have a passion for science and sharing your knowledge, teaching might be something to consider.

Thinking of trying out something new? At CK we offer a range of different jobs for experts with a science background. Why not have a look at our jobs here or get in touch for recommendations.

Posted in

CK Group Receives Top Global Supplier Award

Last night CK Group were honoured to be recognised for the fifth time (and for the second year in a row) as a top global supplier at the Kelly OCG Awards. Selected from over 3000 suppliers globally, CK Group were awarded the accolade for consistently delivering a high quality recruitment service to multiple science-based companies in the UK and European economic area.

The prize was collected by our Global Contracts Director Jonathan Hart-Smith and our Head of Recruitment for Switzerland, Jocelyn Blackham.

Jonathan thanked all of the Kelly team at the event as well as the many Kelly people working hard to support customers throughout the UK and Europe, without whom, this would not have been possible. Jonathan said, “CK Group have been successfully working with Kelly since 2005. This award recognises all of the hard work our team have put in over the years to help literally hundreds of scientists, engineers and clinical researchers find their dream job. Congratulations and thank you.”

CK Group have been a supplier into numerous contract delivery programmes since we first started supplying flexible labour services in 1991. At CK Group, we are proud to be recognised again for our high standards and ability to find the right talent in the right place at the right time.

Read about our services

Read more news

Posted in

Why the popularity of contracting is rising

There has been a rise in demand for contractors. According to a study by the Freelance Union, by 2020 half of the workforce will be made up of contractors – increasing from 35% of the workforce in 2014.

There are many benefits for hiring contractors, such as:

  • Flexibility: Contractors can be hired on a short-term or permanent basis.
  • Access to specialised skills set: Contractors have all the necessary skills and come already trained.
  • Contract recruitment has proven to lower recruitment costs.
  • It gives companies a ‘Try Before You Buy’ opportunity.

We surveyed some of our candidates to gain deeper understanding about what motivates candidates to accept contract roles.

Download the infographic
Posted in

The benefits of working and living in The Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland is often overlooked as a potential location to seek employment, especially for those seeking employment within the UK. However, this EU country offers a number of excellent work opportunities and an active lifestyle, in addition to being located just a short ferry or plane ride from the UK. Here are just 10 of the many reasons to relocate Ireland and boost your career.

  1. Demonstrating your ability and willingness to work outside of your own country is encouraging for future employers. Travelling is often a necessary component of modern work and employers often seek staff that are able to demonstrate employment in a variety of locations.
  2.  Ireland is a democratic country situated within the EU. It is often associated with high cost of living; however, with the global economic downturn this cost of living has decreased somewhat.
  3.  Public healthcare in Ireland is funded by general taxes and can therefore be obtained without additional charges. For those who wish to avoid any waiting times private healthcare is also available.
  4.  The education system in Ireland is highly regarded worldwide and there are plenty of options for furthering your education or professional development at all levels.
  5.  Ireland is a friendly place, where speaking to a stranger is not a rare and unwanted occurrence. Irish people are polite, helpful and open to conversation. It has previously been suggested to be the friendliest country in the world by Lonely Planet.
  6.  Ireland is often misrepresented as an unsafe country in the media, whilst in actual fact it is one of the safest countries to live and work in, having been ranked as 12th in the 2016 Global Peace Index.
  7.  Ireland is a highly multicultural country with foreign nationals contributing to the countries economy and varied culture. In 2014 the percentage of non-Irish citizens living and working in Ireland was approximately 10%.
  8.  Ireland has a unique and traditional culture to be discovered and enjoyed. It wouldn’t be a trip to Ireland without listening to Irish folk music in a traditional pub while drinking a Guinness!
  9. Landscapes, landscapes, landscapes. Ireland is renowned for its stunning scenery with many breath-taking attractions to visit. These include the The Giants Causeway, Castles (visit Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone!), The Ring of Kerry, etc. You can hike, surf, climb, walk, cycle or just relax and take in all the stunning views this country has to offer.
  10.  Travelling to Europe is easy. Ireland has an excellent transport system including a number of airports that offer cheap and easy travel to a range of locations within Europe. Travel connections to Ireland from the UK are also readily available.

If you are interested in working in Ireland click here to search our current vacancies

Posted in

6 popular recruitment trends to look out for in 2019

In the current challenging candidate driven market, coupled with the likes of Brexit, a new generation of demanding candidates and an unstable economy, recruiting the best candidates for a job could become harder than ever.

Whereas once upon a time companies had to make no effort to recruit the best talent, in 2019 it’s a very different game. This year, to increase their chances, companies should be marketing themselves as best they can.

To give you a head start here are the top recruitment trends to look out for this year, and some advice on how we can help you implement them.

 

Trend #1: Recruitment Marketing

Recruitment marketing is one of the most popular topics in HR in 2019. As the recruitment process becomes even more competitive with the likes of LinkedIn, job comparison sites and an increasing number of job board sites, companies have to work harder to get their job advertisements noticed by the right candidates.

With 86% of HR professionals agreeing that recruitment is becoming more like marketing, these days advertising jobs is very similar to advertising products to attract potential customers.

Recruitment software, Talentlyft, state the 4 main goals of every recruitment marketing strategy are to:

  1. Make potential candidates aware of your company and opened positions
  2. Trigger their interest
  3. Make them consider you as their next employer of choice
  4. Drive talent to apply to the open positions your company has available

The good news is it doesn’t have to be all that complicated. By using a recruitment specialist like CK Group, we can take care of marketing your job openings for you, ensuring that they are marketed on all the right sites and to all the right candidates. Furthermore, we can ensure your company’s identity stays anonymous if needed.

 

Trend #2: Inbound Recruitment Marketing

Inbound recruitment marketing takes recruitment marketing a step further.

It’s all about proactively engaging and attracting candidates, with the aim of attracting candidates to your company instead of you having to search for them.

Inbound recruiting leads candidates through three stages: awareness, consideration, and interest. It involves working hard to create a strong and trustworthy employer brand and uses creative ways to provoke interest. This can be done through:

  1. Content marketing – creating interesting and informative content you are confident your target candidate market will find compelling
  2. Social media targeting – assessing and monitoring where your targeted potential applications spend their time online, therefore putting a budget into this area
  3. Personalisation – which creates trust and brand awareness for the company with a higher percentage of conversions

Ideal for a long-term solution to recruiting, inbound recruiting is a successful way to continuously attract and recruit high-quality applicants and employees.

 

Trend #3: Employer Branding

As candidates are now prioritising work-life balance and job satisfaction over their paycheck, it is more important than ever for companies to portray themselves as an appealing place to work to job seekers.

In fact, research by LinkedIn has proven that more than 75% of job seekers research a company’s reputation and employer brand on sites like Glassdoor before applying.

2019 candidates will be judging companies based on their staff perks and incentives, working hours flexibility and the perceived company corporate identity, based on the website and social media.

Linkhumans reported that 72% of recruiting leaders around the world agree that the employer brand has a significant impact on hiring, and even more so has a significant impact on your business’s success. It will enable a company to have a consistent stream of applicants and job interest.

 

Trend #4: Candidate Experience

The candidate experience reflects the current, past, and potential candidates’ feelings and perception of the company’s job application and recruitment process. The candidate experience starts with the first exposure to a potential employer, and the candidate’s feelings and attitudes they experience through the entire journey, from applying, interviewing, hiring or the unfortunate rejection.

Candidate experience has been proven to be directly tied to recruitment performance, and with the use of social media being so high, it is incredibly easy for candidates to spread the message of a positive or poor candidate experience. A survey showed that nearly 60% of candidates have had a poor candidate experience, with 72% of those candidates having shared their bad experience online or with someone directly, which creates a negative reputation of the company.

In contrast, a positive candidate experience can lead to better applicants, lowering recruitment costs.

By outsourcing your recruitment to specialists such as CK Group, we can ensure candidates have the best customer experience possible, helping to improve your employer branding and avoiding those bad reviews.

 

Trend #5: Social Recruiting

Social recruiting is quite simply using social media as a recruitment tool, and over the last couple of years has become a vital part of recruitment.

A range of social media channels can be used to find, attract, post job openings and hire talent such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Furthermore, there are many websites that can be used, such as blogs, forums, job boards, and review sites such as Glassdoor.

Surveys showed that at least 84% of organizations are currently using social media for recruitment and that 9% of those who don’t yet use it are planning to.

This is definitely a trend to adopt in 2019 if you are wanting to target millennials, with 73% of 18 to 34 years olds finding their last position through a social media platform.

 

Trend #6: Contractor Recruitment

With the uncertainty in the economy and the confusion about what exactly Brexit means for the country and many businesses, there has been a rise in demand for contractors rather than permanent candidates. According to a study by the Freelance Union, by 2020 half of the workforce will be made up of contractors – increasing from 35% of the workforce in 2014.

There are many benefits for hiring contractors, such as:

  • Flexibility: Contractors can be hired on a short-term or permanent basis.
  • Access to specialised skills set: Contractors have all the necessary skills and come already trained.
  • Contract recruitment has proven to lower recruitment costs.
  • It gives companies a ‘Try Before You Buy’ opportunity.

These are just a few recruitment trends which are going to continue to grow in popularity over the coming years. The recruitment and HR processes are continuously developing and changing, which is why it is so crucial that companies stay on top of these trends to ensure they attract and hire the best talent. For any advice regarding this subject please contact us here.

Posted in