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Challenges facing hiring managers in 2020 – Part 1

You know the expression, “You just can’t get the staff these days”? What if we told you that it was actually an accurate statement? If you’re an HR manager, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. According to a recent report, 79% of hiring managers agree that they struggle to find people with the right skills for available roles. We know this is true, because that’s why many of them come to us – being geared purely towards recruitment and talent acquisition, we’re best placed to understand their business and find them the best possible candidates in the shortest space of time. While working closely with hiring managers to understand and address their challenges, we’ve noticed that there are some common things we often hear them say. Here are some of them:

Challenge: “I’ve gone through so many CVs, but hardly any have the right experience”

Every day around 4 million skilled workers retire each year, and as younger professionals enter the workforce there are so many new industries and emergent fields that companies are feeling the impact of what amounts to a smaller pool of traditional workers. It’s a common scenario – lots of applicants but few with the practical experience you’re looking for. Employees that don’t have enough work experience will take a long time to get up to speed and fulfil their potential.

Solution: Be prepared to get employees up to speed, or look for a hiring partner who can make sure they hit the ground running

First, make sure you have proper training, mentoring and education in place. Second, consider using an agency. At PA Business Support, we have a thorough skills assessment and screening process for each candidate. Our clients often find that we get in more applicants than their own efforts. And often, the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) they use, despite seeming like a time-saver, often miss many candidates who might have the right skills but just didn’t put the right keywords on their CV.

Challenge: “We’re aren’t getting many applications”

According to the same study above, 51% of organisations struggle to find the volume of suitable candidates they need to make a quality hire. If only finding more was simply a case of posting jobs online! The truth is, the employment market is more competitive than ever, and hiring managers need to be as pro-active (and often inventive) as possible. Otherwise, as deadlines and start dates approach, they can find themselves making desperate, last-minute hires.

Solution: Be quick or be left behind

The most important factor in securing the best talent, as we’ve seen time and time again, is time itself. Employers with the most efficient processes have a competitive edge over other companies because they can minimise delays. No matter how attractive the position is, few candidates will stick around for weeks waiting for you to decide, especially if they are interviewing elsewhere. Unfortunately, internal hiring managers often have too much on their plate to be as responsive as necessary. An agency doesn’t have that issue, and will have a wealth of experience to tip the scales in your favour. At PA Business Support, we pride ourselves on having a really fast turnaround time from when the client contacts us to getting the right person to say yes to an offer.

Challenge: “My offers keep being rejected” or “My staff turnover is really high”

These two both stem from the same thing: lack of understanding of what employees really want. LinkedIn Talent Solutions’ Global Recruiting Trends of 2016 reports that employee engagement is an ongoing challenge for companies, with 48% saying it’s very important. And Gallup’s Global Human Capital Trends report found that less than one-third of employees are engaged and motivated at work. We’ve personally found that while job security is one of the key things candidates desire, there is sometimes a disconnect between our clients and our candidates when it comes to things like, for example, work/life balance, feeling empowered, feeling valued, or ‘making a difference’.

Solution: Become more attuned to your workforce

So how do you make sure that your finger is on the pulse and your future employees and you are aligned? Start with your current employees: make sure they have an open, anonymous way of providing feedback. This can take the form of engagement surveys or even a comments box. Either way it is important that everyone has a voice and is heard. Very quickly you may discover that the perks your offering don’t match what employees want.

However you do it, tackling the growing challenge of hiring the right people needs to be a carefully considered plan. Working with an agency will save you time and ensure you get first pick on the best talent. To see how we work with you to attract and screen the right candidates, click here.

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