“Hiring is no longer about choosing the right candidate, it’s about candidates choosing you”, warns Eighty4 Recruitment’s consultant Lexi Jones. How do you go about holding on to the talent you’ve got and attract newcomers in a market where there is a growing shortage of skilled people?
During a record quarter for the business, Lexi says Eighty4 asked its network of candidates what employers could be doing better. Of course, the usual ‘more money’ and ‘more flexibility’ came up plenty of times, but there were a few other answers worth attention.
A common complaint was: “I feel like I’m doing the jobs of three people”. Feeling stressed, burnt out and exhausted has become the norm for a lot of employees since COVID hit.
Perhaps someone on your team has left and you haven’t managed to hire a replacement yet. It’s extremely important to support those who are picking up extra work, even if that’s simply hiring administrative support or getting someone in on a temporary contract part-time.
“It might cost you up-front but losing that skilled person, combined with the cost of onboarding and training someone new, means that more often than not, it’s worth hiring help,” Lexi says.
“Next, having a good culture alone won’t do the trick. Are you realising your employees’ full potential and providing them with opportunities to grow? When was the last time you sat down with them and asked them about their goals?”
The Eighty4 survey also highlighted that the days of getting home after the kids are in bed have gone, as an increasing number of people are updating their policies regarding family time.
“People are less willing to give up those important moments to celebrate milestones and be with their families – and they don’t have to anymore,” Lexi says. “Companies that show understanding and actively encourage their employees to make time for their families are winning the recruitment race.”
“The reality we are facing right now is that it’s so incredibly hard to hire good people. We still have limited international immigrants coming to NZ to fill the gaps, despite the borders slowly starting to open so it’s more important than ever to invest in our local talent.”