Communication is key in any workplace, and necessary as a business leader or manager to keep staff members on the same page as you, synchronise teams, and strengthen performance.

Unfortunately, effective communication isn’t always easy to achieve. 86% of employees and executives cite poor communication as one of the core causes of workplace failures. One of the primary challenges managers face is figuring out how to handle complex conversations with their staff members. In every workplace, issues can arise which require a difficult discussion.

You may need to address a dip in performance with an otherwise stellar employee or discuss emotional issues like burnout and lack of engagement.

While conversations such as these can be challenging for every party involved, they’re fundamental to ensuring your employees can continue to deliver and thrive in their roles.

So, how do you handle complex conversations correctly?

Step 1: Gather the Right Information

Preparation is essential to any valuable conversation. The more information you have to go into the meeting or discussion with, the more likely it is you’ll be able to achieve a mutual understanding.

For instance, if you need to speak to your employee about problems with their performance, telling them they seem “distracted” at work might not drive the right results. Most staff members will act defensively when presented with negative feedback and may attempt to argue that their perceptions are incorrect.

However, if you enter the meeting with evidence of your employee missing deadlines, receiving negative feedback from clients, or failing to achieve objectives they have been set related to their job specifications, they will be much more likely to listen.

Having more specific information on hand will also facilitate a deeper discussion about what’s actually going wrong. For instance, your employee may be delivering the same quality of work, but missing deadlines, which could indicate an impending risk of burnout.

Step 2: Set the Stage for a Valuable Discussion

The right setting and plan can make a huge difference to the outcomes of a complex conversation. For instance, when discussing difficult topics, most employees will want a private setting, which allows them to keep the situation confidential. Nobody wants to be called out in front of their colleagues and peers.

Choosing a room or environment which feels comfortable and open can be helpful. An employee shouldn’t feel like they’re being interrogated, or this can lead to a very one-sided conversation, where your team member immediately begins acting defensively.

Schedule a meeting with your employee at a time suitable for both of you, and allow time to have a detailed conversation. It may also be worth letting your staff member know exactly what you’re going to be talking about in advance, so they can come prepared.

For example, instead of saying “We need to discuss what happened in the last meeting”, you can say, “I feel like you weren’t as engaged as usual in the previous meeting, let’s set up a discussion so we can arrange how to address that going forward.”

Step 3: Put Facts Before Feelings

A complex conversation can easily become emotional. However, allowing emotions to run rampant can lead to arguments between staff, rather than valuable conversations. With this in mind, it’s important for you to show your leadership skills, and take an objective, logical approach.

Using the facts you’ve gathered during the initial preparation stage, start thinking about how you can structure your conversation to put logic first. Introduce all of the key issues you want to address at the beginning of the conversation, with evidence and proof for validation.

Don’t tell your employee how disappointed you are, and avoid using “I feel” statements. Instead, remain as calm and objective as possible. Instead of saying “I feel you just didn’t do your best here”. Say, “Based on (facts), you can see this project doesn’t reflect your best work. What happened?”

Step 4: Stay Positive

Although it’s valuable to maintain an objective and logical viewpoint when approaching a complex discussion with a member of your team, it’s also helpful to maintain a positive outlook. The aim isn’t to berate or upset your employee, but to start working together on a solution for the problem you’ve discovered.

Your staff members will be far more inclined to work with you on resolving the issue if they feel as though you’re approaching it with a positive mindset. Rather than just accusing your employee of not working as hard as usual, or being lazy, ask them why they think the issue has happened.

Use this feedback to offer advice on how they can make positive changes. For instance, if an employee feels overwhelmed by too much work, you could suggest different scheduling strategies, or ask them whether they’ve considered delegating some of their tasks.

Step 5: Listen to Your Employee

A conversation is a two-way experience. Unfortunately, it’s easy for a manager to fall into the trap of simply speaking “at” their employee, rather than speaking with them. Even if you have a lot of proof to back up the complaint you’re making, it’s important to remember you may not have the whole story. The only way to effectively resolve a problem is to ask relevant questions and listen to the answer.

Rather than trying to “win” the conversation and prove your employee has done something wrong in a negative conversation, for instance, aim for mutual understanding. By the end of the discussion, your employee should understand they’re not adhering to your expectations, and you should have a better knowledge of why their performance is slipping.

After you’ve presented the facts, give your employee a chance to share their perspective.

This will pave the way for a better conversation, where you can start discussing potential solutions as a team. This strategy will not only improve your chances of resolving the issue but also lead to a better relationship between you and each individual on your team.

Step 6: Follow Up

Finally, just because a complex conversation comes to an end, doesn’t mean your work is completely done. The purpose of any difficult conversation with a team member should always be to inspire positive action, changed behaviour, and results.

Whether you’re discussing burnout, emotional issues, or performance problems, you should always end the discussion with a plan of what to do next. Come up with a strategy using the input of your staff members, and then follow up to see whether the resolution is working.

Checking in, or arranging an additional meeting in the future will ensure you don’t lose track of the issue and allow it to snowball. It also means you can work together to come up with alternative solutions if your initial strategy doesn’t work out.

Difficult Conversations are Common

In any company there’s a good chance managers will have to deal with difficult conversations at some point. Performance issues can arise anywhere, and burnout can cause significant problems for employees. Being able to discuss complex, emotional, and even negative topics effectively are crucial if you want to get the most out of your team.

Of course, it always helps to hire the right people to begin with, focusing on candidates who share your open communication style. Working with a specialist recruitment agency could make conversations with your staff a lot easier, and we’d love to give a helping hand in ensuring your team gets the right fit from the get-go. If you find yourself in a position where you could really benefit from such services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

In Conclusion

Handling difficult and uncomfortable conversations is always a challenging task, even for the most experienced managers and business leaders but when overcome, they become an opportunity for you to boost employee engagement and performance throughout your team, ultimately benefitting both your team members and the business. Additionally, the above points can serve as possible signs to look out for that could indicate discontentment amongst your employees and a resulting desire to look for a new career move elsewhere, giving you the opportunity to take action ahead of time.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are building your existing team or looking for your next career move, we can help. And, if you are currently employed, you can be assured of complete confidentiality, professionalism, and honesty throughout the process – as standard.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

Even after a tumultuous couple of years during and following the Covid-19 pandemic, 2023 also brings with it certain challenges for businesses in the UK

Economic pressures, talent retention, and for many, adapting to the permanency of hybrid working are all factors that make business-as-usual still pretty unpredictable.

And, as well as a necessary focus on retention and recruitment of employees, companies will no doubt be conscious of their own business strategy, plans for growth, and the retention of their client or customer base.

It goes without saying that earning a client’s trust is paramount to the success of your business.

Additionally, you work hard for your clients and to maintain and build your reputation and professionalism. Retaining clients and your place in your own specific market requires strategies to help build relationships and keep those clients coming back to you as their business or brand of choice.

Client retention means you can avoid spending a lot of valuable time in marketing your services or products to earn new business. Also, happy clients who return to you may even provide a lead to additional work if they recommend you to others in their network. This can be a huge boost, especially if they have wide-reaching connections.

So, how can you help retain those valuable clients and increase your repeat business, thus placing yourself well ahead of the pack>? Here are our five top tips that could accelerate retention levels and see your businesses’ reputation rise.

1. Communicate

How often do you hear clients complaining that someone from customer service doesn’t return their calls, or that they don’t know where things are up to should there be an outstanding query with the order or service?

Your clients want to feel valued, and it’s easy to make them believe their business is important to you. Start by returning their phone calls or emails. You can delegate some of this work if necessary, but if correspondence requires your personal attention – make the time to address it. This could be as simple as setting aside a specific time each day and blocking off your diary to give you space without interruption to answer clients’ questions.

2. Be Honest

Things don’t always go to plan. It’s critical for your team to be able to handle bad news, as well as good, and deal with unexpected results.

Therefore, it’s vital to be clear with your client that you can’t guarantee results. Managing potential outcomes can be tricky, but preparing your client from the start will make results easier to handle.

Honesty is essential. Don’t be tempted to give false hope and be clear that there may be problems or even a negative outcome if you believe this to be the case.

It’s also essential to be honest about your own performance as a provider of specific services and/or products. For example, if you are late with order fulfilment or dispatch, admit it. If a client or customer discovers you were untruthful about a small issue like late delivery, they will doubt you over more significant issues. Aim to protect your business’ integrity in all circumstances.

3. Charge Customers Accurately

Depending on the nature of your business and the services provided, overbilling or charging in a way that was not clearly communicated to the client will not help establish your business’ professionalism.

Therefore, invoices should always correctly reflect the work done. Time tracking and billing software can help your business to create accurate bills, avoiding unhappy clients who believe they have been overcharged, and resulting in faster payments and higher levels of customer confidence in your services.

Additionally, you may wish to offer various billing options such as hourly billing, retainer or flat fees for services – clients have different preferences, and to keep ahead of the pack it’s a good idea to consider offering different options. Being agile in this way could be the difference between keeping and losing a client.

4. Remain Professional

Of course, the most critical aspect of retaining clients and gaining market position is to complete the instruction of work you have taken on; providing services that are effective and offer value to your clients.

Meeting deadlines, employing skilled professionals, and offering service excellence at all touchpoints will ensure clients recognise your professionalism and return to use your services again – as well as recommend you to others.

Equally pivotal to ensuring your business remains relevant is to keep any relevant employee certifications/qualifications up to date, and where possible (and budget and time allow) invest in training your people to continue to offer the very best service at all ‘moments of truth’ in the customer journey.

5. Consider Diversifying

It may seem a bold move, but diversification can give you an advantage over competitors and place you ahead of the curve. Addressing the ‘where’ and ‘how’ to scale your business should be considered carefully and will be dependent on your current position – both geographically and in terms of customer base and marketplace.

Dramatic strategy changes may seem radical, and remaining credible is paramount, so you may wish to consider small steps if looking to increase your service offer. If you choose to consider this route, a good place to start is by re-examining your strategic plan to highlight areas you could develop as well as ensure you are on the right track for success.

Following these top tips will help you create better client retention, enhance your reputation and keep you one step ahead of the competition in a still-uncertain business operating environment.

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking to develop your team, we’d love to be part of that conversation.

Don’t hesitate to call one of our sector specialists on 01772 259 121.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organizations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are building your existing team or looking for your next career move, we can help. And, if you are currently employed, you can be assured of complete confidentiality, professionalism, and honesty throughout the process – as standard.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

The average time it takes to hire a new individual for your business is increasing.

According to a recent post from LinkedIn, it can take more than forty days for a hiring manager to find and make an offer to the right employee. While part of this problem may be attributed to skill shortages across a number of professional sectors, there’s a larger underlying issue.

Businesses are taking too long to make decisions.

While it’s important to be cautious when choosing the right employee to bring onto your team, a slow hiring process can have a number of negative repercussions. As competition for skilled individuals grows, taking too long to select a candidate could/will mean you miss out.

At the same time, there’s a risk you could end up impacting your employer brand, prompting future candidates to avoid applying for your roles.

Remember candidates talk to each other and especially online.

So let’s talk about why hiring faster is a good idea.

Hiring Fast vs Hiring Slow: Why Speed Wins

The best candidates are always highly coveted and receive multiple offers from a variety of different employers. If you’re not fast to act, the chances of losing your ideal employee are higher than ever.

As a recruitment specialist, we can only do so much to persuade candidates to wait.

Recruiting faster doesn’t mean abandoning your standards when choosing the correct candidate. Instead, it means reworking your process so you can make intelligent decisions quickly.

Here are some of the reasons why businesses need to increase the speed of their hiring strategy if they want to remain competitive.

1. Increases Your Chances of Securing the Right Talent

The hiring marketplace has changed drastically in the last three years. Today’s employees don’t have time to wait around for a company to offer them a role. More importantly, they usually don’t have to. Even if you don’t offer a role to a candidate straight away, there’s a good chance another business will.

Making slow decisions about who to bring onto your team doesn’t necessarily improve your chances of getting a high-quality candidate. While you’re busy consulting with your recruitment team about whom to hire, your ideal candidate is already looking for alternative roles.

The longer you take to decide, the more chance you have of someone else swooping in and recruiting your top choice. This could mean you need to settle for a less-than-ideal alternative, just so you can fill the gap in your team.

2. Better Existing Employee Experiences

A slow hiring process isn’t just a problem for future employees, it can cause issues with your current workforce too. When positions go unfilled for too long in a business, many leaders need to distribute the tasks associated with those roles to other team members, to fill the gaps.

This means staff ends up focusing more of their time on projects and initiatives not included within their general job description. This can increase your risk of burnout and overwhelm, and even encourage employees to start searching for new roles too.

Placing more strain on your existing team also means they’re more likely to be prone to making mistakes in their day-to-day work. Overwhelmed staff need to rush through tasks, rather than giving each job their direct focus.

3. Enhanced Candidate Experiences

Jobseekers are no longer just searching for great salary options and benefits when it comes to assessing their options to move roles. Amongst other things (and there is quite a list these days) they’re also looking for evidence their employer will treat them with empathy and respect. This means the candidate experience has become more important than ever to companies in search of new talent. Fail to deliver a good experience, and you’ll miss out on future opportunities.

A speedy hiring process delivers a better all-around experience for your candidates, showing them, you respect their needs.

The faster you provide your candidates with an offer, the more likely they are to feel committed to your brand and their role within your business. The longer your hiring process takes, the more your new team members are likely to lose their enthusiasm about their new role.

Ethical recruitment (something we’ve looked at recently) means in simple terms, doing the right thing – always. This should be the very foundation and principles on which your hiring activity is built.

4. Improved Employer Brand and EVP

Ensuring you can attract and retain the best quality talent in the current market requires significant effort. You need to ensure you’re promoting an employer brand that convinces potential candidates you have the right opportunities to offer.

Your employer brand is influenced by everything you do when interacting with both your existing employees and future staff. This means if your candidate experience is poor, due to a long recruitment time and lack of communication, you could risk scaring off new employees. In fact, around 43% of job-seekers say they might even write a negative review about an employer when the hiring process takes too long.

Committing to quickly providing your candidates with insights into the success of their interview, and making decisions fast about who to hire will ensure you stand out in your sector and amongst competing businesses.

Speed Up Your Hiring Process

In the current market, the best candidates won’t wait around for a long hiring process. And it goes without saying that the more in demand they are, the more options will be open to them when it comes to choosing where to make that next move.

If you can’t act quickly to secure the best for your business, simply put – you’ll miss out.

Recruiting faster doesn’t have to mean lowering your standards, but it could mean looking for ways to optimise your hiring process.

And, whilst time may be of the essence, it’s equally as important not to make any rash decisions or rush into a decision that could ultimately come back to bite you. After all, there is a significant commercial cost of a bad hire too.

Working with a recruitment agency can help to focus your activity – helping to source, and shortlist candidates faster, so you can get the right talent quickly  – whilst also ensuring that no balls get dropped along the way in ensuring that the candidates that are presented to you are still the right ‘fit’ for your business.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

It’s no secret that modern-day life has us spending a large chunk of our waking hours seated at a desk. In fact, a staggering 90,000 hours of our lifetime is spent at work – using a computer or working with other office equipment. But, did you know that our work environment can greatly impact our physical and mental well-being?

With most office jobs requiring prolonged periods of computer and equipment use, it’s no wonder that work-related injuries, especially repetitive strain injuries, are a leading cause of medical leave. That is why the need for an ergonomically correct office is important. Ergonomics is a modern word coined from two Greek words – Ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural laws. The goal of office ergonomics is to design your office workstation in such a way that it fits you and allows for a comfortable working environment for maximum productivity and efficiency. In fact, according to the Thesaurus dictionary, office ergonomics is synonymous with workplace efficiency and user-friendly systems. A workspace designed with ergonomics in mind can significantly reduce the risk of physical pain and discomfort, such as back strains and repetitive strain injuries. Not to mention, it can also alleviate common issues like eye strain and headaches caused by improper lighting and screen placement.

But, it’s not just about physical comfort. An ergonomic work environment can greatly improve an employee’s mental well-being. By reducing stress and promoting concentration, employees can flourish in a workspace that supports their work. This leads to greater job satisfaction, a reduction in anxiety, and a more positive state of mind. When employees feel their physical needs are met, they are more likely to feel valued by their employer, leading to a stronger emotional connection to the company and a greater sense of commitment.

Employers can also demonstrate their commitment to their employee’s health and well-being by providing ergonomic equipment and promoting healthy work practices. Some employers even go ahead to conduct their own DSE Risk Assessments. A DSE Risk Assessment includes a checklist of all aspects of the office station. This can create a positive and supportive workplace culture, resulting in a more motivated and engaged workforce, and reduced turnover, and absenteeism.

So, how do you create a more ergonomic work environment in your business?

You may want to start by doing the following:

Proper chair selection: Ensure that chairs have adjustable features such as height, tilt, and armrests to allow employees to find a comfortable position. An ergonomic chair provides support for your lower back, hips, and legs. It should be adjustable to fit your body and provide proper posture when sitting.

Desk height: There is also the option of a treadmill/walking desk as a 2023 article from Irish Examiner has stated that sitting for eight or more hours per day can be linked to a 20% higher risk of getting heart disease or dying from any cause, compared to those who sat for half that time.

Keyboard and mouse: Ensure that keyboards and mouse are positioned at a comfortable distance and height, and that wrist pads are provided to reduce pressure on the wrist. Your keyboard and mouse should be positioned directly in front of you and close to your body, to minimize awkward reaching and twisting. Additionally, a wrist rest can help reduce the strain on your wrists and forearms.

Monitor placement: Make sure that monitors are placed at eye level to reduce neck strain and are positioned at a comfortable distance from the user. Your monitor should be positioned directly in front of you, at a comfortable distance and height. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level, and the screen should be large enough to allow you to read the text without straining your eyes.

Lighting: Adequate lighting is important for reducing eye strain and creating a comfortable work environment. Place your desk near a window or invest in a task light if needed.

Exercise and screen breaks:

If you have employees or you yourself work from home – even on a hybrid basis, you can also benefit from an ergonomically compliant space and there are a wealth of resources online that provide further tips and guidelines for the home office. This could mean creating a designated workspace, taking regular breaks, and establishing a fixed work schedule.

Ultimately, incorporating ergonomic principles in the workspace can bring immense benefits to both employees and your business. By creating a workspace that prioritizes comfort and safety, employees are more likely to experience reduced stress levels, improved posture, and a decrease in workplace injuries.

As discussed in our recent blog, this investment in their well-being will speak volumes about the company’s commitment to their employees and contribute to a stronger employer value proposition (EVP), which encompasses all elements of the employment experience, including the physical work environment.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

Finding the ideal talent for your team is the first stage of building a successful business. Once you’ve attracted top-performing candidates to your workforce, you also need to ensure you’re taking steps to keep them around.

And with hiring activities still healthy In today’s market, employees have many opportunities to switch employers and businesses should they find that they’re unsatisfied with their current employment. That means learning how to retain your top talent is more important than ever.

Employees can choose to leave a business for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they feel they’re not getting enough satisfaction from their role, or they lose interest in the company’s vision for the future.

Other times, employees may feel they don’t thrive in their current position due to issues with colleagues or managers.

While the cost of replacing a lost employee can be significant, it’s worth remembering that anywhere up to 75% of turnover can be avoided.

That is why it is critical to recognise the signs that your employee might be looking elsewhere. So in this post, we are going to share several signs to be aware of.

1.    They’re Avoiding Long-Term Projects and Growth

When an employee decides they no longer want to work with a company, they often begin to reduce their involvement in long-term projects and strategies for development or growth. They stop envisioning a “future” with the business, which means they generally spend more of their time on short-term tasks and simply “checking boxes” on their to-do list.

When an employee who previously volunteered for various challenging projects no longer raises their hand in meetings or delegates long-term work to other employees. In that case, this could signify they’re not planning on being around for long.

Pay close attention to whether your staff members still invest in their future with the company by agreeing to learning and development opportunities or discussing goals during one-on-one meetings. If your employees no longer see a future with you, change their perspective by offering them insights into progression opportunities, they might miss out on if they leave.

2.    They Show Visible Signs of Stress

The World Health Organisation says “burnout” is a significant occupational phenomenon that has increased drastically in recent years. Burned-out and overwhelmed employees disengage from the workplace, show clear signs of exhaustion, and often look for alternative work opportunities. With this in mind, tracking your employee’s mental and physical health is important.

Pay attention to signs of exhaustion, like the heavy reliance on caffeine, yawning, or even a slower-than-usual pace in your team member’s workflow.

The attitude of your employee might begin to change too. They may appear to be overwhelmingly negative towards other colleagues or attempt to isolate themselves from their peers, taking part in meetings less than usual. In some cases, they could even become more argumentative or aggressive. If you notice signs of burnout, speak to your staff member about how you can help them manage their workload.

3.    They’re Not as Creative or Intuitive as Usual

When employees decide to leave a business, they stop actively contributing to its growth. You may notice some of your top performers who used to share ideas for development in previous meetings are now quieter when you’re asking for suggestions or advice.

Rather than trying to solve problems with out-of-the-box ideas and collaboration, your team members may simply pass difficult tasks onto other employees. They could stop taking the initiative with their work and may focus on doing just the “bare minimum” to get by.

An employee who’s occasionally quiet during business meetings isn’t necessarily a cause for alarm. However, if your team member seems to have lost their passion for helping the company grow, they may no longer feel inspired by your company’s mission or values.

A good way to address this issue is to give your team members regular feedback and let them know how much you value their input. Employees are more likely to contribute when they feel recognised and rewarded for their hard work.

4.   They Focus More on External Networking

Networking is important in building a thriving career as a professional. It’s not unusual for dedicated employees to visit industry events and connect with other experts on social media. However, there may be a problem if your team members focus more on external networking than on building internal relationships.

If you notice your team members are disconnecting from their internal peers, failing to attend meetings, or spending less time chatting with colleagues, check out their external networking efforts. If they’re heavily invested in adding new connections on LinkedIn and improving their personal brand, this could be a sign they’re looking for a way to branch into new opportunities.

There are a few ways managers and supervisors can tackle this issue. Preventing staff from building external connections isn’t an option, but you can encourage your team to bond with their colleagues through team-building exercises and more consistent internal communication.

5.    Their Performance Begins to Suffer

For an employee to thrive in their role, they need to do a lot more than just show up and follow the instructions given by a manager. The best staff members are constantly pushing themselves to be their best. However, if your employee is disengaged and disinterested in their work, you may begin to notice performance issues.

You might be able to notice more errors in their work, which they never used to make before. Or perhaps your customers are providing negative feedback concerning a specific employee’s behaviour. Other colleagues may even complain that one team member is no longer pulling their weight around the office.

If your staff member is no longer reaching their targets or making the right amount of effort, the first step shouldn’t always be to engage in disciplinary action. Speak to your team member and discover what’s happening behind the scenes.

Don’t Lose Your Top Performers In today’s changing landscape, issues like disengagement, burnout, and even “quiet quitting” are becoming increasingly common. Fortunately, if you can recognise these signs ahead of time, there are still things you can do to re-ignite your staff’s passion for your company and prevent them from seeking other employment options.

Pay attention to your top performers, and make sure you’re not actively pushing them away.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help you hire talent for your team.

How to build a talent pipeline for your practice is a question many of our consultants are asked.

Logical when you consider that developing your team and the talent within your organisation will be key to your growth this year.

What Is A Talent Pipeline?

Contrary to what you might expect to read on a recruitment website, building a talent pipeline involves developing your current employees in addition to recruiting talent to ‘plug’ skill or experience gaps or fill your expansion needs.

Both will be critical for your success.

Building A Talent Pipeline: Business Strategy

The first question to inform your talent pipeline is focused on your current business growth strategy.

Are you planning to move into a new geography or perhaps offer a different aspect of your service?

You might have focused on business services and now want to expand into home and family; perhaps even consider wealth management.

The question is, do you have the capability in these areas currently or do you need to bring in a director or consultant to build a new vertical who are keen to move?

Considering these questions, how will you now plan your recruitment and within what time frame?

As a recruitment company with twenty years experience, we notice that many clients when they first come to us haven’t thought through their long term plan.

Remember to factor in budget and time to hire to hit your growth goals and be prepared for people leaving, which will produce gaps which need to be filled.

Building A Talent Pipeline: Your Current Team And Their Development

In today’s current market and depending on the size of your business it’s unlikely that you will be overstaffed with employees, ready, willing and able to be developed into a different role.

However, if you have a robust training and performance development process, it is more than possible that members of your current team will be able to move into different roles. Depending on your timelines it may be viable that some members of staff can develop to fill your growth gaps over the next one to three years.

Remember in today’s workplace; Millennials rule and are increasing in numbers across the globe. Something they deem key in their work is the opportunity to be developed. Therefore factor this into your talent development strategy and your future recruitment plans too.

Building A Talent Pipeline: Your Employer Brand

Recently we were carrying out some of our own research with candidates on why they choose to work with certain clients and not others.

Employer branding, culture and approach were giving as three influencing factors. One candidate even shared a story how after she came out of the interview she had been overwhelmed, in a positive way, by the  ‘feel’ of the organisation and their approach and was ‘keeping everything crossed’ that they made her an offer.

This isn’t an uncommon story, and the impact of your employer brand is more critical than ever.

A strong employer brand showcases the values and company culture in your organisation – all essential for attracting talent to your organisation and engaging your current staff.

More than 59% of managers say that branding is one of the critical components of their HR strategy.

While there are many different definitions for “employer branding” depending on whom you ask, they all mostly say the same thing. Your brand is the way that ‘potential new team members’ in the business world perceive you, and your opportunity to showcase what makes you unique.

Otherwise known as an “Employer Value Proposition”, your brand can help both you and your recruitment partner truly attract talent to your organisation while ensuring that you fill your team full of people who share the same values.

Building A Talent Pipeline: Using A Specialist Recruiter

The majority of clients we work with here at Clayton Recruitment come to us to help them build their talent pipeline because they have neither the time or connections to do the job as well as they would like.

Recruiting is our job; unlike most businesses who have to attract and work with clients, develop their fee earners and growing teams and then, as the business dictates recruit new members of the team.

A challenge for an already time-pressed individual.

Though it is great to recruit from within, it’s also key to bring in new ideas and perspectives from key hires who might have a different portfolio of experience and results.

Finding these individuals in a skill short market takes time.

Though we would always encourage building a network and leveraging your existing contacts and old school connections, this doesn’t always produce the results you want.

For instance, James who you have met at various social gatherings may have a high profile, however, might not have the detailed attributes your role description indicates is pivotal.

This is why working with an experienced recruitment company in the sector will make all the difference in building your talent pipeline.

Utilising all these different ideas and suggestions in your practice will enable you to start the process of building a strong talent pipeline this year.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Industrial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

Taking the right approach to training your new hires is one of the most important things any employer can do. The right education and guidance sets your employees up for success in any role and ensures they can thrive in your company.

What’s more, today’s employees crave training more than ever before.

A 2021 global workforce report from Randstad revealed that the vast majority of employees worldwide (especially those in the younger age brackets) believe they need to upskill to keep up with the labour market changes since the beginning of the Pandemic. Some other studies show that around 40% of staff members worry their skills will become outdated in today’s quickly-evolving landscape.

However, according to the same studies, 49% of employees want to enhance their skills but are unsure where to begin, and this correlates with the findings from the aforementioned report, which saw the majority of survey respondents say that they are unsure of which skills to acquire due to the rapid changes occurring in the global workforce.

For those in leadership positions at your company, the focus areas for training an initial new hire should revolve around developing critical soft skills. Most of your new team members already have the technical talents required for their roles. However, you can always look into upskilling and expanding this knowledge later.

Your team members need help with the critical skills that will define their future with your business. Here are the three areas you need to focus on.

Skill 1: Goal Setting

Goals are critical in any role. According to research from Harvard Business School, people who successfully visualise and write down their professional goals are often 20% more successful. Goals act as a compass in any career, giving direction and guidance to your team members.

Start by providing your new employees with a clear insight into your business values and expectations for their work. This will help them monitor and measure their performance to ensure they’re delivering the right results. Next, arrange for a meeting during the onboarding process, where you can set different types of goals with your new team member, such as:

• Short-term goals: Define what your new employee should be working towards during the first few months of their position in your company. As a manager, outline what you’d like to see from them, and ask what they would like to accomplish during this time.
• Long-term goals: Ask about where your employee sees themselves in the future. Do they want to work towards a promotion or a higher-paying role? Together, you can outline a plan for how they can make their targets a reality.
• Development goals: Where would your employees like to improve their skills or become more proficient during their time with your company? What training opportunities would they want access to, and where do they feel they need the most help?

It’s also worth providing your employees with key tips on improving their chances of successfully reaching their goals. Discuss the difference between setting realistic and unrealistic targets, and look at how you can help your employee to become more focused.

One option could be to set your new team member up with a mentor, so they can constantly get feedback on their progress. It’s also worth having regular meetings with each employee throughout the year to see whether they’re accomplishing their goals and what you can do to assist them.

Skill 2: Relationship Building

Relationships form the foundation of a strong work culture. Research shows positive relations between employees and their managers and colleagues lead to better job satisfaction, increased retention, and boosted productivity. However, many employees struggle with creating the right connections throughout the company.

During the initial onboarding process, when you’re bringing your new team member into your company, introduce them to the people they will be working with. Some bonding activities can be extremely useful during this stage to help with breaking the ice.

Next, provide tips on strengthening your team members’ relationships with colleagues and managers. For instance, you can encourage them to:

Be proactive in offering help: Employees who constantly look for ways to support and assist their other team members are more likely to be appreciated by the rest of the team. Encourage your staff to be proactive team players.

Take part in meetings: While not all of your business meetings may be mandatory, many provide networking and communication opportunities. Asking staff members to participate in regular video and in-person meetings will help to strengthen bonds.

Develop emotional intelligence: Training your employees on how to demonstrate good emotional intelligence is fantastic for enhancing their relationship-building abilities. They should be aware of how to recognise and understand the emotions of others.

Communicate constantly: Make sure your team has a strong culture of constant communication and collaboration. Everyone should feel included in conversations, and every team member should feel as though they have a voice.

Network whenever possible: Allow team members to attend events and networking opportunities. This is a good way to help them expand their relationships in their sector and feel more confident communicating with others.

It’s also helpful to have diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, which highlight how each team member should show respect for their fellow workers. If any of your employees seem to be isolating themselves from the group or show a negative attitude towards others, jump in and see what you can do to fix the problem.

Skill 3: Productivity

All employers want productive, efficient, and engaged team members. While the support you give your employees in the form of the right technical skill training and tools will help to enhance productivity, there are also steps employees will need to take themselves.

Ask your staff members how they currently pursue productivity in their workflows and where they’re most likely to struggle. If your team members are working in a remote or hybrid environment, they may need more assistance with scheduling their work and ensuring they adhere to deadlines.

Introduce your employees to different methods of boosting productivity, such as:

• Arranging their to-do list: Some employees will find it easier to tackle the toughest jobs first thing in the day. Others will prefer to start with easier tasks and work on complex challenges later. Encourage your staff members to discover what works for them.
• Taking regular breaks: While pushing your employees to be productive at all hours of the day is tempting, we all need breaks. Help your employees to take time out when they need it, by allowing them to step away from their schedule from time to time.
• Tackling one task at a time: Teach your employees that multi-tasking is rarely the best way to generate the right results when it comes to productivity. Breaking large tasks into smaller pieces and working on targets one at a time is more likely to generate results.
• Managing energy (not just time): Give your employees the freedom to adjust their work schedule according to when they have the best sense of focus. In today’s hybrid and remote work world, giving your employees more autonomy can boost productivity.
• Leveraging useful tools: Certain tools and technology in the workplace can assist with productivity. For instance, some team members might use time-tracking applications to discover how long they spend on different tasks. Others might organise their day with a centralised project management system.

If any of your employees are struggling with productivity, it’s important to reach out and find out what’s happening. The problem could be with their schedule and how they organise their day. Alternatively, you could find your employees are experiencing the early stages of burnout. Either way, you can work together to develop a plan to promote the best workflow.

Finally, remember that the success of any new hire depends as much on the kind of training and guidance you give them as their own input and engagement into their work. Getting this part of the onboarding process right not only provides them with what they need to thrive at your company, but can also help to improve employee retention, and avoid high employee turnover.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Marketing and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Whether you are looking for your next career move, or your next hire as a business owner of HR professional – we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

The interview process can be a gruelling task for all parties involved. When most hiring managers think about the complexity of interviewing, they focus on the challenges facing the person being interviewed. However, those hosting the interview also have their own hurdles to overcome too.  

From avoiding unconscious bias, avoiding ageism, and making sure you sell your candidates on the idea of working with your business, there are several important points to keep in mind as well as remembering all the main points covered at the end of the session.  

Here are some of the top strategies to follow as a hiring manager if you’re concerned you might not be getting the most out of your interviews. 

1. Know Your Interview Options

The first step in ensuring you can master your interviews as a hiring manager is knowing what methods you can use to best connect with potential candidates.  

Today, the traditional face-to-face interview isn’t your only option. Video interviews have increased by 67% due to the pandemic and the rise of remote working with technology advancements being key. As hybrid employment options continue to thrive and companies look for ways to streamline the interviewing process, video conversations will likely grow to be more common in many businesses throughout the upcoming years if not already popular.  

But not forgetting, there’s also the time-old classic of picking up the phone for simple phone interviews as well to simply hear the person who could potentially be working with you. 

Each type of interview has its own challenges to consider. For instance: 

• In-person interviews: You’ll need to think about where you’re going to host your interview, whether it’s a welcoming space, who will attend, and whether the candidate will present or just have a simple face to face conversation. 
• Video interviews: Consider what kind of video meeting software you’ll be using, the background you’ll have in your video, and how you can present yourself as professionally as possible over a webcam. Always test the sound and camera quality beforehand and check whether all those participating are visible on screen. 
• Phone interviews: Ask yourself whether you may need to record any phone interviews to go back over them later and how you can ensure you get a promising idea of what the candidate is like based on voice alone. 

2. Avoid Inappropriate Questions

Inappropriate questions are becoming more common than you would think in interviews. While certain topics of conversation can feel like polite small talk at first, they often cause more problems than you’d think. For instance, asking people about what they did on the weekend can create an unconscious bias if you also have a shared hobby with them – but also at the same time, could be harmless conversation to break the ice. 

Unconscious bias could favour one candidate over another because you like certain things about their lifestyle or personality, which have nothing to do with the role or the ability to complete their tasks. 

Some other questions to avoid are: 

• Where do you live?  

• How did your childhood shape your professional life?  
• If you could choose a different career, what would you choose?  
• What is the worst trait of your previous manager? 

All the above questions could be classed as too personal, too confronting and encouraging speaking badly about others – all traits you want to avoid when interviewing someone for the first time and something you don’t need to hear to assess their capabilities for this role. 

3. Interview Styles and Formats

There are many kinds of interviewing techniques that today’s business leaders and hiring managers can use, including competency-based or collaborative interviews, presentations, and group interactions to get a real feel for the potential candidates. 

Interviews are always best performed with two people from the hiring company, which can help avoid bias. It also gives those hiring the chance to discuss different opinions on those they are interviewing and not decide based solely from one person’s perspective and therefore giving the candidate a fair chance. 

Other methods are to consider using a first and second stage interview format before the final decision is made. In today’s environment, many first and second stage interviews can take place over Zoom or Teams so that it suits all parties involved. Carrying out interviews online also gives you more chance to interview more people, without the need for travel, time allocation and gives the candidates a better chance of being able to partake at a time that suits them and you best. 

4. Generalise Your Interview Questions

Standardising your interview questions makes it easier to assess your candidates when you have interviewed several people for a role. It also means you’re less likely to allow unconscious biases to get in the way of your hiring decisions because you’re evaluating everyone based on the same set of guidelines, criteria, and questions. 

Create specific competency-based interview questions for the specific role in question, which allows you to score each potential employee based on their specific values, behaviours, and results.  

For instance, you can ask questions like; “share examples of times they’ve acted as a leader” or “shown exceptional teamwork”, and then make notes about their responses. Assigning scores to answers will also help you see who you should be shortlisting based on their answers compared to others if you are interviewing a larger number of people. 

Your interviews need to maintain a level of flexibility. It will be logical to ask follow-up questions to elicit more detail at times when needed if the candidate doesn’t elaborate themselves. 

“Tell me more about X or Y or why you decided to do B or C” are classic follow-up questions that work well to get more of an understanding of the candidates’ experiences.  

To make sure you know about a candidates’ hard skills, behavioural and soft skills there are some questions that LinkedIn Talent Solutions suggests you cover.  

• “Say you’re negotiating a contract or administrative action or settlement in which the parties are far apart in what they want. Use a past example of this to talk me through your negotiation process.” 
• “What would you do if you were asked to work on a case, contract, or business scenario that gave you ethical qualms? Has this ever happened to you—and what did you do?” 
• “Tell me about a time you had to make a tough call that required you to decide between a gut feeling and the strategic decision-making of outside counsel.” 

5. Make Notes and Follow Up

Finally, make sure you take notes as often as possible as you progress through the interviews. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment of the conversation and then forget everything you needed to know about the candidate when you come back to review later.  

Always set aside some time at the end of each interview to gather your thoughts and catalogue what stood out to you most about the candidate (good and bad) before heading into another interview or meeting.  

Making notes can also help when you’re following up with your candidates by allowing you to provide a more contextual and relevant message and feedback, should they be successful or not. Showing you remember what you said (like any requirements for their starting dates or training they need) shows the potential candidate you’re invested in working with them and that you are attentive to what they were talking about during their time with you. 

Remember, if you’re struggling with your interviewing process, it’s often helpful to seek some help from a specialist recruitment company like ourselves that can help with a lot more than just finding you new candidates – we can also give you advice on how to interview more effectively, with tips on questions you might need to ask. 

If you’ve never heard of an employer value proposition or brand before, now’s the time to expand your education.

According to the CIPD, an employer value proposition is a way your business will differentiate itself from competitors when it comes to attracting talent.

The question is, what characteristics do you need to demonstrate to attract talent in your sector today?

The U.K. is currently in the grip of one of the worst skills shortages in the last twenty years. Skilled candidates are in the driving seat of their careers, and many will naturally  pick a company based on their brand presence in the market and the narrative related to how they treat their employees.

The last few years have seen talented people re-evaluate their careers and the expectations of the companies they work for. Today, employees will consider moving to get what they want. That might be better pay and conditions, development opportunities and the option to work remotely, amongst other reasons.

Considering the commercial value good talent brings to your firm, perhaps it’s time to energise your current employer brand to attract the talent you now want to take your business forward.

Let’s explore this more in today’s post.

Definitions: EVP versus Employer Brand

According to various sources online, employer branding became prevalent in the early 1990s. Since then, it has become a recognised term in both H.R. and recruitment circles.

An employer brand is an impression your business gives as a good place to progress your career to current employees and key players in the external market. From a talent perspective, these would be active and passive candidates.

So, EVP versus employer brand, what is the connection? The CIPD reminds us that we have an employer brand whether we have consciously developed it or not.

If we were to sit around a table and talk about Wetherspoons or Uber, we would all have an opinion about their brand and how they treat their employees.

The employee value proposition for both these brands could potentially do with some work when it comes to their EVP; in other words, “why would I want to work for Uber of Wetherspoons?”.

EVP is, therefore, the conversation and communication points around why I would want to work for this brand.

Building a Stronger EVP

The topic of this post relates to energising your current EVP to attract and keep talent.
Fundamentally an employer value proposition is a list of specific and unique benefits an employee can expect to receive when they join your business.

Vision, motivation, development, acceptance, a diverse and inclusive environment, benefits, pay, wellbeing, and community. The CIPD defines EVP in a simple and jargon-free way: “The value proposition describes what an organisation stands for, requires and offers as an employer.”

If your people are leaving your business, your recruiting partner is offering feedback about your perception in the market, and your job offers are being turned down, it’s time to look at your EVP and how you are communicating ‘why you’ into the market place.

Considering the changed expectations of talent today, which parts of your EVP need a revamp?

If you want some ideas, look at Microsoft’s Workplace Trends Index. The report highlights an important point that over 40% of the global workforce are considering leaving their current employer for an opportunity to work remotely.

Remote work has created new job opportunities for some, offered more family time, and provided options for whether or when to commute.

Review and Redefine Your EVP

The much-used term related to talent wars is based on the current volatile market and a shortage of skilled applicants for your roles.

More now than ever, it is critical to communicate your compelling offer and make the connection in a candidate’s mind that you are the firm to join.

As a specialist recruiter for over twenty years, we have seen past clients struggle because they have not given their EVP the importance it deserves.

Our role is to showcase your firm to prospective candidates, but it’s not easy if your EVP isn’t an attractive offering in today’s marketplace.

So how do you become more attractive?

As a starting point, review your current state and EVP as you plan your journey.

• What is our vision and mission; has it changed?
• When did we last conduct an employee survey?
• What is our purpose and ‘why’ as a business?
• How engaged is our current team?
• Do we have a strong leadership team to represent our brand?
• Why would people join us, and why do they stay?
• Do we have an attractive development culture?
• Is our current offer relevant and on point for the talent we want today?
• Do we have an experienced recruitment partner that can support our growth goals?

Create an Action Plan With Milestones and Timelines

Once you have assessed where you are, it is vital to take the necessary action. It is all too easy to procrastinate and blame what has happened and assume the current market will change; it won’t.

We are in an age of rapid innovation and digital disruption, with a workforce expecting more from their employers, including support, vision, direction, and development.

Knowing that candidates’ expectations from you, their employer are different, how will you change?

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.
With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

If you would like to access our free guides, view them all here.

The 2020 job market was undeniably challenging with high levels of unemployment and a seismic shift to homeworking and virtual offices for many industries. And, whilst there is still much uncertainty as we look ahead – particularly amongst those industries hardest hit by the COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, a number of areas are gaining momentum once again with the proactive hiring of Sales and Marketing roles across multiple sectors in response to changing consumer behaviour and business needs.

According to the latest Bellwether Report from The IPA on marketing spend intentions and financial confidence, marketing budgets are still in negative territory as businesses continue to ride out the impacts of COVID as well as uncertainly in many sectors brought about by Brexit. However, there are signs of ‘green shoots ahead’ as 2021 picks up pace and companies recognise the importance of planning now and taking back market share through sales and marketing strategies.

In a special edition of their Emerging Jobs Report, LinkedIn reported on the roles experiencing the highest growth between April to October 2020, with a high % under the widely-cast net of Sales and Marketing including Digital Content Freelancers, Social Media and Digital Marketing specialists as well as other creative roles including screenwriters, illustrators and writers. And, whilst particular specialisms (and budgets) such as those in Event Management and PR are still in a state of flux, businesses with a back-to-basics acknowledgement that Sales and Marketing investment is key to long-term business success will surely reap the benefits as the economy, and society, start to recover.

Nevertheless, company budgets more generally will continue to be closely reviewed and justified, including those attributed to the recruitment of talent. Savvy business owners have long realised the value that they get from relationships and partnerships with Recruitment Agencies in attracting top-tier candidates, and even in tempestuous markets like these, nurturing those collaborations to drive business growth is demonstrably advantageous.

Admittedly, whilst it is our job to shout from the rooftops why businesses should use the services of a Recruitment Consultant to give them tangible competitive advantage, now more than ever, those who are tapping into sector expertise of agencies are reaping the benefits and bringing on board Sales and Marketing professionals that are highly skilled and actively looking for work.

Market Overview

Recruitment Consultants have a vested interest in understanding the sector in which you’re looking to recruit and because of the trusted position that they have with Candidates – both active and on a long-term basis, they will undoubtedly be able to offer you strategic insight around movement and activity they are experiencing in the market. Good agencies will have an in-depth knowledge of Marketing specialists that are in demand and a Consultant will be able to offer you impartial and professional guidance on the things like salary benchmarking and market mapping as part of a truly consultative relationship that ensures you are fully armed and aware of your options.

Time better invested

We know from talking to our Business Owners and professionals in Human Resources that homeworking, whilst necessary over the last year (and of value to many), has resulted in unintentional overtime as the office-commute is depleted and the lines between family and work life are increasingly blurred. Hours worked are increasing, and businesses are perhaps not only cash-poor, but time-poor too.

HR departments are often stretched with many other business priorities, and senior management are unlikely to find the time to dedicate to sifting through hundreds of CVs, shortlisting, interviewing and offer-negotiation. According to job board CV-Library, entry level vacancies attracted many thousands of applications back in August 2020 – a sign of the jobs market and associated redundancies no doubt, and whilst more niche roles may mean this volume is whittled down a little, it is certainly a big ask and expectation that a company undertakes this level of focus on top of the ‘day job’.

Even with the world of technology, multiple job boards and social media channels at your fingertips there is no doubt that a good Recruitment Consultant will want to take time to understand your business and hiring strategy inside out; your growth plans, your objectives for bringing other Sales and Marketing professionals in, and your ‘Employee Value Proposition’ that sets you apart as an employer – but this should be an investment that will pay dividends in better representing you in the market. Agencies that keep you updated on progress, whatever the outcome, are worth their weight in gold and should allow you to have confidence that they will search the market for Candidates that are a best fit on all fronts- freeing up time for you to focus on preparing for interviews and the sharper end of the process that will hopefully lead to an offer.

Access to the inside track

In certain specialisms, the active pool of candidates has increased, yet in others, particularly those within Digital Marketing, talent shortages are still abound. Knowing what is ‘out there’ in real terms can often be overwhelming and unclear. A Recruitment Consultant will not only help to cut through the noise but will also be able to furnish you with the finer detail of Candidates on the market as well as general mobility of those looking for career progression.

In addition, many Recruitment Agencies will represent Sales & Marketing professionals on an exclusive basis meaning that in turn, you will have access to top-drawer individuals often before they are seen as ‘active’ jobseekers; giving you a head start on your own competition. The passive market is truly untapped potential, and Recruitment Agencies will already be strategically communicating with these candidates that you will not find applying to your roles or visiting your website.

Costs-Savings

It does seem counter-intuitive to focus on the savings a Recruitment Agency can offer a business, as the service itself does come with a cost. However, businesses should look instead at the overall value that they get from outsourcing this activity. Costs associated with advertising roles, tech to aid matching and candidate screening can be significant although the impact on not filling the role in a timely manner may be more damaging to the business than such outlays. Many agencies earn their fee only when the successful candidate starts their position and passes their probation period ensuring that agencies are always driven by a targeted approach that demonstrates a deep understanding of your requirements and matches those with only the most relevant individuals. Conversely, the cost of a bad hire (and associated expenditure on training and onboarding) can also be hugely damaging to businesses – so getting it right first time is the goal for all parties,

The human touch

A professional Recruitment Agency should, in this day in age, have a world-class ‘tech stack’ that tangibly benefits their Clients and their search for skilled professionals. Whether that is through systems that produces better matches between roles and candidate profiles or enhances candidate screening with tools like psychometric testing. Technology undoubtedly can aid the recruitment cycle and chance of success of a good fit for your business.

That being said, overwhelmingly where Recruitment Consultants excel is the personal touch that you get from speaking candidly, confidentially and openly with another person. Adding to headcount can be draining – financially and through time spent searching the market with sometimes no experience of that industry, and whilst they may have their part to play, automatic watchdogs and the like alerting you to new candidates pinging into your inbox just won’t offer the emotional support and empathy that you get from Consultants who are fully emersed and experienced in the recruitment cycle and all its nuances.

Salesperson, Negotiator, Arbitrator.

Recruitment Consultants are unashamedly sales-trained and commercially minded, and when you take those skills and couple them with a deep-rooted understanding of their clients, the result is professional representation from someone who knows how to ‘sell’ your business– your culture, working environment, mission and values – and leverage those elements with the non-negotiables of the candidates. This is crucial in a competitive market and smaller more specialised pools of jobseekers.

Moreover, once an offer is on the table, your Consultant will act as negotiator (sometimes arbitrator) with the candidate in order to not only cover off some of the basics like remuneration and package, but set expectations around notice periods, start dates and the finer details of the contract. All without you having to have any forced or awkward conversations at the early stage in your relationship.

Service-led support throughout relationship

Support for Clients should not end once an offer has been accepted either. Many agencies will proactively offer guidance if required around the lead up to start date for your new hire, how to combat counteroffers, and keep lines of communication open between all parties.

Whilst the world is still arguably in a state of flux in many ways across the economical spectrum, we are seeing real confidence once again in a number of Sales and Marketing roles with firms that are committed to their growth strategies and bringing in talent that supports their vision. As demand outstrips supply in several practice areas including Digital Marketing, businesses who are now thinking beyond notice periods will find that now is a good time to strike and take action.

If you would like to speak to us confidentially about market conditions, candidate mobility within your sector or geographical region, or if you are actively looking for talent now and would like us to help navigate the market, we would love to chat. Contact us or call the office on 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your hiring strategy.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.
With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

If you would like to access our free guides, view them all here.