Dec 6, 2018 | IT
There are a few meals that aren’t half bad as leftovers. Cold roast chicken, potato salad, even coleslaw is good. But why settle for leftovers if you can enjoy a fresh meal instead? Surely fresh food is a better option? Yet in recruiting, when someone resigns, managers often scramble to do everything they can to keep them, and I have to wonder why, because it’s the perfect opportunity to get in someone new.
Consider this: When a permanent staff member hands in their notice, they have probably already got another job. They’ve been for interviews, signed a contract and already considered their options. Leaving may be news for the manager, but it isn’t for them.
Chances are, they’re leaving because they’ve not been happy for a while. Trying to make them stay by dangling a few carrots isn’t going to change much. If they do stay, they’re seldom as productive or motivated and sometimes it can actually be more damaging to the team. Let them leave. Even if they were good, things will never be the same. They’ve shown they aren’t happy there, and there’s a good possibility that if they stay, in a few months time, they will be looking for other options again.
Forget the fear factor
One of the concerns that managers have is that they will never find someone as good to replace the person with. But what if you were to find someone better? There are a lot of good people out there and a lot of good reasons to bring in fresh talent to make your team perform even better.
In IT having to maintain a system is quite different from building it. It requires different skills and the costs are different too. Why pay the same costs when the maintenance could be so much cheaper?
Bringing in someone new also has the benefit of gaining a fresh perspective on a project. That person can help identify solutions that people involved in the project have been unable to solve because they are just too immersed in what they’re working on. The new person brings with them both expertise and an outside objective view. Also they’ll be looking for the best solution without having to defend the decisions made earlier on in the project.
Employees that have been around for a while may be good, but there is a strong temptation for them to rest on their laurels. After all, they’ve already shown they can do the job. Unfortunately this usually means that over time they become lazy and no longer feel the need to put in any extra effort. A new person will want to prove themselves so they’ll work harder and be more motivated. This alone should be reason enough for managers to jump on to the opportunity to hire when they can.
It’s all about the money – use it wisely
Yes people leave for more money, but offering them more money won’t necessarily make them stay. Rather than throwing money at counter offers rather put that money to the budget to hire someone new. The person who has resigned has already given as much value as you’re going to get from them, whereas someone new could have a lot more to offer.
If you brought in an existing contractor for a specific project and that project has been completed, then re-allocate the funding for that role to another project. That way you can ensure you get the right expertise and optimise the value you’re getting from your budget.
At the end of the day you want a team that is motivated and productive, and sometimes the best way to do that is to bring in fresh talent. Be smart with your recruiting budget and make it work for you by getting in new people when you need to and taking up the opportunity to hire whenever it arises.
Dec 1, 2018 | IT
First impressions are everything! Now that there are so many different dress codes for work, it can be difficult to judge what will be deemed most appropriate so that you make a good first impression to the candidate, whilst adhering to your organisations dress code. Your attire plays a pivotal role in the interview and can heavily influence a candidate’s decision as to whether they want to work with you or not – whether it is consciously or subconsciously.
To avoid any unwanted judgement about your attire, we would advise to always play safe and go for a traditional suit. This is the equivalent of turning up to the interview with a blank canvas – there is little room for pre-judgement if you wear a traditional suit. A suit will always look smart, clean and professional. Even if you usually dress less formally to work – don’t be tempted to.. You can dress casually every other day of the year. The interview is a professional meeting and more formal than a typical day at the office.
Attire must be fitted correctly and appropriate. Having to adjust ill-fitted garments all the way through the interview can hinder your ability to conduct an interview in a professional manner and can also be distracting for the candidate.
Be prepared! Prepare your outfit the night before. Interviews are not only nerve-wrecking for the candidate, but the interviewer too. Keep nerves at bay by ensuring that any jobs that can be done the night before- are done the night before! Having the added stress of deciding what to wear on the day will certainly lead to unwanted stress.
Most importantly – conduct, interpersonal skills and ability to formulate and articulate well-constructed questions is key. If the candidate is right for the role and they want the job they will certainly see past what you are wearing, but appropriate dress will give your company a good head start.
If you need help in recruiting for both permanent and contract staff, please contact us on 0207 788 6600 and one of our expert consultants will be ready to help.
You can view all our latest vacancies here.
Dec 1, 2018 | IT
This time of year fun in the workplace is a lot more likely, as things tend to wind down and Christmas parties, secret santas and festive activities are taking place. However, all year round workplace fun is becoming increasingly important in the modern day organisation.
According to a study by BrightHR and leading psychologist Professor Sir Cary Cooper more fun at work could lead to better motivation and productivity and less absenteeism. Well, this is the case for the younger generation at least. Those who were born from the early 1980s to early 2000 make up 75% of the UK workforce and these are the set of workers who value ‘playtime’ at work the most. Probably down to different working values and different workplace responsibilities the older generations don’t rank fun at work as highly.
When we talk about fun we mean anything from encouraging more downtime, to organised activities or canteens with Xboxes and pool tables. Fun activities and ideas ranged from birthday celebrations, massages, lottery syndicates, charity fundraising, karaoke, yoga, fancy dress or dress down days, board games, knitting clubs, nights out and even an office pet! Now there are different levels and aspects to this, as we see from around the world; a Guy Martin program from China saw a morning ritual of a group dancing session in the workplace to try and loosen employees up before the start of the day. A little extreme perhaps? Some US firms have entire job roles or even departments dedicated to workplace fun, with ‘Chief Fun Officer’ being a real job title and an American bank having a ‘Wow’ department with the aim of regularly surprising and entertaining workers. However, as soon as fun becomes part of a corporate strategy, can it any longer be classed as fun?
The most important aspect of getting fun in the workplace right is to communicate well with your employees. Once the activities or procedures are working and in place, trust is the key. As an employer I’m sure you’d be happy to organise a massage day or something similar if you knew employees would enjoy and benefit from the experience, resulting in better motivation, productivity and even loyalty. Perhaps installing a slide in the office is going to attract some enthusiastic young graduates, but whether it will improve productivity and loyalty is another thing.
One reason that it’s the younger generation who are keen for a little more enjoyment at work is because they have to work longer hours, wait longer for retirement and potentially have less financial security than they would have had a generation ago, so enjoying work and benefiting from fun extras helps them to see a little more return on their investment.
The real issue could in fact be that people simply want to enjoy their experience in the workplace more, not to have set ‘fun days’, but to simply be happier and more content day to day.
Dec 1, 2018 | IT
Company culture has increasingly become an important aspect of any organisation. It is more than simply corporate visions or the way the office is decorated, it is the values, beliefs and practices that are woven through everything within the firm.
Assuming you have identified and already have a good idea of what your company culture is and means to everyone involved, using it to your advantage when recruiting could be your secret weapon for finding the right candidates for your empty seats.
Be Open
Many candidates would argue that honesty is what they’re looking for in a company. Of course there is more to it than this, but if you can be as transparent as possible this is the first step. Candidates can the see the organisation for what it is and decide from there whether your values match their own. For example, some individuals may be motivated by money with a bonus or commission lead culture attracting them most, however others may find this threatening or impersonal. If your organisation is this way inclined, you want to attract the first candidate, the latter would not be a good fit for your culture, so being open and honest allows the right candidates to come forward.
Shout About It
If something new or exciting is happening within the organisation, always try and get the word out there, distribute a press release and add it to your newsletter. Maybe you’ve won an award or introduced a new flexible working scheme – let your community know about it. Your website is the obvious place to put everything you’re proud of, and it’s likely to be the first port of call for all potential candidates. Showcase your culture and values in different ways; add a ‘day in the life of’ video, quotes from current employees or a photo gallery from a recent event. Social media is of course the perfect way to share this kind of content and is a great way to showcase your company culture.
Be Consistent
You have promised so much on screen, but you want to make sure each step of the recruitment process is not only true to what you’ve described but true to what day-to-day life is like within your organisation. The interview is probably the first time candidates get a real glimpse of this, so try and create an interview that will give them a taste of what life might be like there. They can get a feel for whether they are likely to enjoy working there, and you can get a feel for whether they’ll fit into the team. Make sure candidates meet key managers and team members, let them have a look around while everything is going on as normal so they can get a real sense of the office ‘vibe’.
Highlighting team bonding and team building activities in the recruitment process and describing what this might involve will also help a candidate to get a feel for what is valued and how things work. Many candidates are looking for a work life balance so they need to know what support is there, and whether there are options for flexible working.
Identifying and cultivating business culture can be an effective way to market your organisation and make it more attractive to potential new employees. If you’re still a little hazy about what your culture really is, speak to your current employees and managers and ask them about the atmosphere, reasons they like working there and what they might find frustrating, then build on that.
Your company is a brand and so should be your company culture, it should encompass everything you stand for and find important, reflecting that of your employees. Many organisations would describe their brand as their people, particularly in the service industry and your internal branding is all about shaping your company culture and a mutual belief in what’s important. Finding the right match is vital for the relationship to work, so use your culture to your advantage.
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