GR February 2023
The Metaverse is Here
The Metaverse is Here
Stop the great resignation
Recruiting the dismissed
One Step Ahead
From the editor
The recruitment industry is often seen as a barometer of the economy – the ebbs and flows of the job market frequently pre-empting the highs and lows of business in general. However, it can also indicate other trends across industry sectors. The rise in new skills signally new tech use, for example. The need to address attrition or to offer more flexible work options - both showing how the population in general might be questioning their lifestyle choices.
In each case recruiters need to respond, finding the best way to address these issues, frequently squaring the circle of seemingly contrary influences and leading the way in delivering solutions which match the needs of businesses and candidates. This is no easy task and required the industry itself to be flexible, innovative and agile.
In this issue of The Global Recruiter we highlight a number of new areas which are rising on recruiter’s agenda. We also hear from a number of companies who are not just adapting and responding, but are excelling in what they do and in the experience they offer to their own employees.
Whatever the future brings the recruitment industry has to stay one step ahead. It needs to stay energetic, optimistic and pro-active. And it’s pleasing to find there’s no shortage of examples where it is doing just that.
Simon Kent
Editor
Whatever the future brings the recruitment industry
has to stay one step ahead.
Simon Kent, Editor,
The Global Recruiter
*<a href="https://recruitermoves.co.uk/add-your-agency/">Visit recruiter moves online</a>*
News
<Small>> APSCo Issues Labour Market Warning
> Energize in Texas
> Employers put Talent Value Before Savings
> Striving for Success
> DEI Recognition for PageGroup
> USA success for Oakstone
> Flexhuis Launches for Total Talent
> OVPs Underutilised </small>
Trade association warns of a need to rethink the skills agenda in Budget
Digital technology recruitment specialists Energize Group announce global expansion opening new offices in Dallas
Employers Prioritise Long-Term Value & Measurable Impact
Recruitment firm PageGroup achieves ‘platinum standard’ of DEI performance
Recruitment business continues to meet global demand through remote service
Nash Squared launches MSP following acquisition of Het Flexhuis
Survey from Hays suggests Office Value Proposition could bring staff back
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Stop the Great Resignation
View from WEC: Murielle Antille, Chairwoman of the Career Management Network, World Employment Confederation argues the benefits of effective career management.
Great Resignation. Big Quit. Great Re-evaluation. Quiet Quitting. Great Reshuffle. A new buzzword emerges every day, each describing the same reality: Across all sectors, people are re-considering what work means to them and how much space it should occupy in their lives.
There are about 33 million people unemployed across OECD countries. Yet, in Europe, job vacancies are the highest in a decade (three per cent in Q2 2022 vs. 2.2 per cent in Q2 2021). In the US, more than 11 million job vacancies were posted in July 2022, against a pool of less than six million unemployed.
In a 2021 poll, more than 57 per cent of employees indicated that they had left their job voluntarily. Within that group, 38 per cent were considering looking for another job and (only) five per cent wanted their old job back.
Labour markets bounced back in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The OECD registered an overall net gain of over nine million jobs compared with pre-pandemic levels but likened the situation to a sort of gigantic employment puzzle in which workers were struggling to find their way. What created this mismatch? And what is it that workers want today? Certainly, they are looking for more than just fair financial compensation.
Recent research by Manpower Group found that 81 per cent of employees now expect employers to provide training programmes to help keep their skills up to date, and 49 per cent would move employer in pursuit of greater wellbeing. LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Talent Trends report says 63 per cent pick work-life balance as the top priority when choosing a new job. The Adecco Group and LHH survey reports similar figures and highlights that salary is top-ranked when it comes to why people leave their jobs, but not anywhere near the top three reasons for why they stay.
In short, employees want more. They want to feel personally valued, in both the short- and long term, and to have the opportunity to grow.
Keeping the talent
Aligning with worker expectations is not only key to attracting them but also to retaining them. The relationship between employee experience, engagement and performance is critical to understand and prioritise.
One way in which organisations can demonstrate that they understand what workers want is to offer career support. With the expertise of a coach, employees can gain clarity and insight into their career direction, the areas in which they might like to gain additional knowledge and the steps that will be necessary to achieve their goals.
If you enter the term ‘career coaching’ into Google, you receive 474,000,000 suggestions! This result underlines how hard it is to figure out what helps to build a fulfilling and sustainable career path. So, what’s the secret? The World Employment Confederation’s members that are active in Career Management draw from their experience in having facilitated over two million transitions globally, to identify three key ingredients to successful career support.
First, successful career support means more than guidance. A transition often requires a shift in mindset where people take charge and become accountable for their career. Feeling ownership, and even more importantly, feeling motivated to make choices is a critical step, and one with which many organisations say their employees struggle.
Secondly, career support is about taking a personal, yet holistic, approach to transitions. It is not just following a process and ticking boxes. Placing the individual at the centre, looking beyond the CV and qualifications to their interests, aspirations, motivations, profile, learning preferences and support framework, makes people more empowered to go through change. While in practice workers across the board benefit, lower-skilled individuals are reported to respond particularly well to this approach.
Finally, career support is not just about immediate job-readiness or skills development. Too many workers rush into the next available opportunity without considering what is best for them. Futureproofing a work-life journey requires a strategy for employability. People must feel enabled to acquire what they need to achieve their aspirations. Experience has shown that without appropriate career support for individuals and their managers, only a limited number of people (as few as five per cent) will engage in sponsored reskilling activities.
External career support
While all these elements may be equally important, their weighting can vary depending on the stage a person has reached in their career, their personal situation and their objectives. Combining these elements is the key to effective career support. That’s where an external, professional career services provider can help.
Working with private career support services providers gives people permission to draw their own vision of their career, without judgement. According to Randstad Risemart’s Worklife Coaching Report 2022, the main reason why people are not participating in available coaching is because the coaches are from within the company and they don’t feel comfortable sharing openly with them. Private career support services providers take a personal approach aligned to the person’s aspirations, motivations and dreams, and use tools that meet an individual’s learning preferences. In addition, their unique labour market view offers opportunities across sectors, with connections that can be leveraged to facilitate transitions.
As professional pathways become less linear and transitions ever more frequent, so individuals have more opportunities. Research shows that receiving career support reduces the average duration of a job transition by half, while at the same time tripling the probability of an individual engaging in sponsored skilling activities.
In this context, enabling fast, sustainable work transitions is of the utmost importance for everyone and a fundamental feature in reducing the mismatch and solving the employment puzzle.
“Research shows that receiving career support reduces the average duration of a job transition by half, while at the same time tripling the probability of an individual engaging in sponsored skilling activities.”
The Metaverse Arrives
Skills: Frazer Barrell, London Sales Manager at FDM Group surveys the skills required by the emerging metaverse.
The metaverse is set to revolutionise the way people communicate and interact with one another. At its core, it is a digital environment, serving as a platform for people to collaborate and create without the physical constraints of the real world. This technology has the potential to service anything from virtual shops and services to business meetings, gaming, or even virtual education and training.
The possibilities for the metaverse are vast – and there are a wealth of job opportunities, and a growing demand for various skills, ranging from virtual reality development to cybersecurity, problem-solving, and much more.
The metaverse is a dynamic and ever-evolving space that requires certain skills to thrive and succeed. Whether candidates are looking to break into the metaverse as a professional or simply explore the possibilities, there are a number of high-demand roles across the industry – and depending on the skill set, one of these may be a great fit.
Top 5 Skills for a Metaverse Career
1. 3D Modelling & Animation
In the metaverse, 3D modelling and animation are essential skills to have. To create this environment, professionals are needed to create, manipulate and animate 3D objects that are suitable and engaging. This involves working with different software packages and being familiar with the tools they offer.
For people who are starting out, beginner tutorials are available online, in person, and on software websites, which means candidates can easily learn the basics. From there, they need to get familiar with various software applications, start practising with small projects, and take online classes or workshops. Tools such as Maya, 3DS Max, Blender, Modo, Cinema 4D, and Houdini are used both by professionals and hobbyists to create.
By developing the right skills and knowledge, you can become an integral part of the metaverse's virtual reality.
2. Design & UX
Design and UX are all about creating the best experience for a user. When working in the metaverse, you will need to create an environment that is both visually appealing and easy to navigate. This means having a good comprehension of how users interact with the space and using this knowledge to create a fantastic experience.
These jobs range from creating interactive 3D worlds to managing and optimising user experiences. This requires a deep understanding of the user interface, user experience and underlying technology, including graphic design, virtual environment engineering and programming.
As the metaverse grows in popularity, the need for individuals that can design intuitive interfaces and interesting experiences is only growing. Through attending events, workshops, and classes, candidates can also make important connections that may lead to job opportunities – and gain further understanding of the industry.
3. Coding & Scripting
Coding and scripting are the core of the metaverse. To work in this space, having a good understanding of programming languages, such as HTML, JavaScript, Python and others will go a long way. From there, it's important to understand the fundamentals of 3D modelling, architectural design, and animation principles. Once these concepts have been grasped, candidates can start to explore the various software platforms available for creating and manipulating the metaverse, such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and GameMaker.
With a large range of options, from web development to game design, there are plenty of opportunities for individuals interested in developing their skills to work in the metaverse. So seasoned programmers those starting out can find many places to find interesting and challenging work.
4. Cybersecurity
With advancements in virtual reality and other technologies, more people are interacting and sharing data within the metaverse, meaning there is an increasing need for cybersecurity. To ensure a safe and secure experience, businesses and individuals need to be aware of the cyber threats and vulnerabilities of the metaverse and take steps to protect their systems from harm.
To combat this, being familiar with the tools and processes used to keep the environment safe is key. This includes setting up and managing firewalls, encryption protocols, access control and much more.
There are a variety of options available to learn more about cybersecurity in the metaverse. Before diving in, it's important to understand the basics of information security, such as encryption, authentication, and digital signatures. Free tutorials and courses exist online, or there are elective university courses.
Learning from experts in the field can also be invaluable in understanding the nuances of security threats and how to combat them. Attending conferences, industry events, and webinars can also be a valuable source of information about cybersecurity in the metaverse.
5. Creative Thinking & Problem Solving
As the metaverse continues to grow and evolve, it is essential creative thinkers and avid problem-solvers are a part of the process to help navigate this complex digital landscape. Creative problem-solving can help us develop innovative solutions to the unique challenges presented by the metaverse. We must think beyond traditional methods, exploring the possibilities of combining new ideas and technologies to unlock opportunities.
With creative problem-solving, we can find ways to make the metaverse more intuitive and responsive to the needs of its users. We can also discover ways to use the digital environment to build better user experiences and create powerful interactions that can create real value.
Creative thinking and problem-solving can set us on the path to unlocking the full potential of the metaverse.
“Creative thinking and problem-solving can set us on the path to unlocking the full potential of the metaverse.”
Hit the Ground Running
International: Colin O’Sullivan, Marketing Manager, explains how Hunter Bond established its global offices.
The increasingly interconnected world has allowed Hunter Bond to expand operations to international markets. As part of our next stage of growth, it was vital for us to open new offices in different countries as the demand to provide dependable service to our international clients is essential.
With our London office successfully operating for eight years, in January 2022 we officially launched our Singapore branch to help us recruit the very best talent for elite firms operating in the APAC region. Undoubtedly, international expansion has offered us a chance to impact new territories, grow credibility, and build brand recognition. With the opportunities that cross-border expansion can bring, there were challenges we considered and faced during the successful transition.
Q: What are your expectations from a new overseas office in terms of performance and expansion?
A: Following many years of successfully supplying candidates to leading firms across the APAC region, we built up a strong knowledge of recruiting clients in this market. However, having consultants locally would undoubtedly drive performance in this region further. Before branching out to additional markets, we wanted to ensure that our first international office in Singapore would have great brand recognition and a talented team. In terms of performance, we knew it would be a long-term process.
We invested heavily in training our new consultants in Singapore and offered them incredible support from day one. Within the first few months, we sent one of our directors to Singapore for a full month to help train our Singapore team in person.
This initial six-month period was essential for bringing the local consultants up to speed with the Hunter Bond way of working. This had led to this department of the business performing exceptionally well company-wide. Shortly after opening our HB Singapore office, we onboarded our first Canada hire in mid-2022, launching our HB Canada brand. Still at a slightly earlier stage of growth compared to Singapore, in Canada, we will follow the same training plan to ensure that this department of the company succeeds just like Singapore.
With our current overseas offices developing great relationships and partnerships with our clients and candidates, we have huge expectations and plans to grow our teams. Our HB London office has seen massive progression since the start of the year, with our team constantly growing. We are now looking to expand all three offices at Hunter Bond in 2023.
Embracing a global mindset
Q: How do you identify a realistic overseas opportunity?
A: We knew that in-depth research was crucial to successfully identify an overseas opportunity. For the last eight years, we have worked in the Canadian and Singapore markets and placed several candidates in many elite firms within these regions. Our experience in these markets gave us the confidence to pursue the challenge of expanding offices within these locations.
Although we had experience from afar, we still had to find out more about the recruitment industry and how it may vary depending on the country we operate in. We had to ensure we were familiar with different selling processes and techniques while evaluating the situation from a global and regional perspective. Hunter Bond embraced a global thought process by researching the Singapore and Canadian recruitment markets.
“Hunter Bond embraced a global thought process by researching the Singapore and Canadian recruitment markets.”
When we entered these new markets for the first time, we were aware of the difficulties behind the process of hiring employees. We knew that putting together the right team takes time and requires significant planning and training. By assembling the right local team, we know this could help us navigate and increase our chances of successfully expanding abroad.
Cultural variations
Q: What are the biggest challenges to setting up an office overseas?
A: One of the challenges we had to consider included cultural differences and language obstacles. We considered the language barriers and onboarded a pool of employees fluent in at least one foreign language. Our Singaporean employees can communicate with our targeted customers, clients, and London team due to their ability to speak both English and Mandarin. This prevents any potential language barrier implications. We also investigated understanding the different cultures our employees and clients follow to enhance management and increase cross-cultural business relationships. Researching cultural variations significantly benefited our international operations once understanding different cultures.
Managing organisational communication
With international offices come different cities and time zones. It is common for many businesses to find difficulties with communicating oversea-offices due to time constraints. With the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic making many businesses transition communication methods, we also switched to remote/hybrid working options. With the increase in online meetings and calls, we communicate with our international offices via video calls to ensure important news is transferred in real-time. We have managed the difficulties of communication barriers and communication in hours that suit both offices.
Our director who made the trip to Singapore was ultimately responsible for setting the tone and establishing the organisational culture in the office. He helped employees understand the terms and conditions of their employment and ensure formal and comprehensive communication. Sending this director to oversee the team, built the foundation for a great international relationship with both UK and Singaporean branches. We integrated all our international teams to work with our HB London branch to communicate together that suited all different time zones. This method used to manage our communication across all offices has proven to be beneficial for overall operations.
Conclusion
Regardless of the challenges that can be found when deciding to open offices abroad, this has been a huge milestone for Hunter Bond and a very successful business move. Our advice for any agencies looking to do similar in 2023 would be to research, plan, and dedicate time and resources to ensure the transition of opening multiple branches is seamless.
Get Yourself Seen
Frontline: Cantello Taylor offer advice on the best way to advertise a job vacancy in today’s eclectic job market.
With over 140 years’ combined experience providing temporary, contract and permanent candidates with varying roles across a range of industries and sectors, at Cantello Tayler, our client base ranges from small SMEs to Global Headquarters, and we recruit both locally and across the UK.
We know that there is more to advertising our agency and a vacancy than writing a job advert with a job title and job description and posting it on a career page. So what’s the best way to reach your target audience to benefit both clients and job seekers?
Brand Identity
Branding helps build trust with both clients and candidates. In your advertising, always include the visible elements of your branding including company colours, advertisement design and your logo. A strong brand identity strengthens your company's popularity and presence in a competitive market.
If clients see that you're an expert in your field and have a solid brand, they'll be more likely to engage you in business. Potential candidates will be more likely to engage you in helping them find their next career. Therefore, strong branding is essential for anyone who wants to succeed in today's recruitment world.
Use QR codes
QR codes are far more than just digital barcodes. They can be used to link a mobile device to the 'Like' button on your Facebook page, or to send users directly to your Twitter or LinkedIn page. They enable you to see where people are coming from and what has worked well during your advertising campaigns.
Using them in your recruiting effort will demonstrate how innovative your firm is and allow potential candidates to access follow-up information or submit a job application at the push of a button. Also, because they are so small, they will save space in job ads and advertising costs on lengthy contact details.
Use social media
Social media sites allow recruiters to spread information about job vacancies to both passive and active candidates. Traditional recruiting methods, such as online job boards or advertisements, generally only engage active candidates who are looking for that information.
Mix up how you connect by using photos and videos when you advertise job openings on social media. A snappy video message will engage potential candidates immediately. Plus, you can share your job adverts between different platforms easily.
Don’t just focus on job postings. Create informational postings too. Include your USPs, values and mission statements in the posts. Showing your personality and that you are well-rounded individuals will make you stand out from the crowd.
Target new areas
Look at targeting new areas that you cover in paper/magazine advertising. You don’t need to stick to the same newspapers and magazines you’ve used in the past – it’s best to branch out and widen your demographic by exploring new locations and types of literature.
It’s always good to get your name out there locally, but, if your company covers a vast area, it’s beneficial to also advertise in papers/magazines further afield. People in different locations may not realise your company could be useful to them otherwise, so you may target new candidates (and clients) that were previously missed.
Target different audiences
Each month you could run a feature for different audiences. For example, in January give advice on changing careers. Or target parents looking to get back into work approaching September. Target those who are looking for holiday contracts in June and November. And remember to always include a call to action at the end of each piece.
The full package
Advertising is an integral part of recruiting and it’s worth investing time in. At Cantello Tayler Recruitment we commit time to our advertising to benefit both our clients and candidates. We pride ourselves on our high standard of professionalism, and a service which has provided us with a strong and loyal client base, spanning decades.
We offer a bespoke recruitment service to our candidates to ensure their needs are precisely met. Our dedicated, professional and friendly team are here to help our clients and career changers every step of the way.
Address the Balance
DE&I: Esmeé Vermolen, Director & Chief Technologist, Granger Reis, highlights the need for improve gender balance in recruitment.
“We must ensure equal representation is at the heart of hiring technology to make a fairer playing field for all”
For some time, recruitment has talked a good game on how technology supports diversity and inclusion in hiring. It has heralded data-led solutions as gateways to creating equal playing fields and pushed the potential of tech for developing representation at leadership level.
Despite this rhetoric, however, the industry itself still falls short on meeting these targets and when it comes to specific top jobs the numbers are slow to catch up. Depending on which metrics you use, the number of women in recruitment is around 55 per cent while those in leadership roles is between 5-15 per cent. And the number of women in senior tech roles in our industry is a far smaller figure again (although, admittedly due to an overall lack of positions, regardless of gender).
It is widely recognised that companies who fail to invest in diverse leadership will fall behind in the ever-evolving technology landscape, particularly as a desirable workplace for top female tech talent.
So, what can we do to improve the stats?
Top pieces of advice to business leaders include:
Challenge the stereotype: I worked in the fashion industry for a decade before bringing my maths and analytical expertise to my executive search role. The people who trusted in me saw my skills not my gender or background
Grow talent internally: executive succession planning has to be at the centre of creating gender balance and the technology roles such as CTO and CIO need a particular focus
Think global: post-pandemic you don’t have to have someone sitting across the office from you, which opens the aperture on the available talent. The battle for talent rages not just for our clients but for our own companies – are there people you are just not thinking about because you are based in a specific location?
Think hybrid: Can the tech role cross over into other areas? In the wider tech landscape, for example, we are seeing a shift to areas such as Chief Digital and Information Officer or Chief Product and Technology Officer. This can open the role up into different skills sets
We also need to encourage women by raising confidence in capability and investing in professional development – providing opportunity to explore other areas of their potential and finding long-term career pathways.
It is as true in our sector as any other that women will drop away from progressing their ambitions after having children. Supporting them in creating less transactional frameworks can help bring out other potentially unknown areas of interest and skill.
And it can be done. Inspirational women that have made a difference in technology in our industry can be found everywhere, making huge strides in developing data-led insights and solutions for the future of work.
Just a few of the amazing women of note include:
What these women showcase is that diversity is not about being charitable or ticking boxes, it is about creating better business. And to make better business sustainable you have to stay ahead of what is driving the market.
Some of the key trends we are noticing in how technology is shaping hiring at leadership level include:
Increased use of AI and automation: these areas of recruitment are expected to grow, helping companies streamline processing and make more informed decisions
A continued emphasis on EDI: most companies are on this journey and are using technology increasingly to support their efforts both internally and for clients
Remote working: The pandemic greatly accelerated the shift, but it remains the new normal, offering a major opportunity for technology solutions and creating new talent pools, leading to additional changes in the workplace.
Talent shortages: the demand continues to rise and as this grows the need for upskilling is business critical. The use of advanced technology like virtual reality, gamification and AI will provide personalised training and can help to make upskilling more accessible, convenient, and effective.
Importance of soft skills: as technology becomes more integrated into our lives, the importance of human-to-human soft skills such as empathy, communication and problem solving will be ever more needed especially in tech recruitment
If there is a lack of diversity and varied perspectives at the top of organisations implementing technology, we will not see the progression that is needed. This is crucial for one main reason: the output of technology is directly dependent on the input, no matter how advanced the systems may be.
Overall, we are on the same journey as most of the world’s sectors – and automatically benefit from having a workforce with good gender balance.
“At Granger Reis, we have a 50-50 split across the company in terms of gender equality and are on a journey to grow our leadership diversity while recognising this continues to be a work in progress.”
All of us in every aspect of our work are and will be shaped by a combination of technical advancements, shifts in workplace culture and the continued demand for tech talent. But, as an industry with such potential to influence the rest of the business world in its hiring decisions, we must ensure equal representation at the heart of technology and make it a fairer playing field for all.
Highly Cultured
Close Up: Ed Steer, CEO & Founder, Sphere, discusses how their business have created and maintained a great business culture.
Sphere's focus on creating a great business culture has been a key factor in our success. One of our core values is adaptability and, as the last few years will tell us, we have to move with the times and we have to continue to grow around our people and our customers.
I was immensely proud to see our business win Best Small Company 2022 at the Best Company awards. It was our first time entering the program and we believed it was an opportunity to see how we scored against other businesses inside and outside of the recruitment sector too – although we were especially pleased to win “Best Recruitment Company to work for” in all the categories: small, medium and large enterprises!.
What remains the same, from the days of me and my co-founder Niall working out of a basement in London, to now, with 65 heads in London and 7 people in our first international office in New York, is the sense of pulling together and working towards something.
Purpose driven
Purpose gives people the reason to do brilliant work every day. Work and life naturally ebb and flow yet I believe when work has purpose and meaning then you can connect to it and commit to it with the drive and energy and care that are required to achieve great results. And, importantly, to enjoy too!
We are committed to clear communication, transparency, and collaboration, which are evident in our policies and practices. And mostly in ‘how we are’ in and around the office, at our desks and with our customers.
I took home an award for Best Small Company Leader 2022 in the UK, an award that at the time, I found that quite overwhelming – I am much more concerned with Sphere and the team’s success and, leading a company like Sphere, you do not think you have the time to stop and reflect on past achievements.
The next challenge is always around the corner and we saw that in Q4 last year – which was a very different landscape to the previous 18 months.
We work in a people industry; we deal with people day in and day out. I want to make sure that people are proud to work at Sphere and hopefully that’s something I’ve achieved.
Mostly I want to do the very best that I can for our team at Sphere to enable them to do the best that they can for themselves and for Sphere and for our customers. I take a lot of care and put a lot of energy into helping people to navigate their careers, to keep getting better and to keep taking steps forward, one step at a time.
Doing what works
The feedback I’ve had since winning the award has been brilliant and there are so many great businesses out there looking to be better. In terms of tangible ways for you to create, develop and maintain a great business culture? Here’s some of what we’re doing that’s working:
We are a firm believer that one-size does not fit all and as such, we operate with flexibility around people’s lives; that could be a four day a week contract for working parents, flexible hours for school runs, or giving people time and support when they need it, and having a hybrid working policy.
From the time of induction, employees are introduced to the structure and direction of the company through a comprehensive induction booklet, with clear points of contact for any questions or concerns. We hold a monthly townhall where the data behind its performance is shared, goals are set, and successes are celebrated.
We priorise the training and development of all employees, offering bespoke schedules and in-house training that is relevant to each person's role. New hires receive four to six weeks of initial training and ongoing workshops to help them excel in their positions. They are also assigned mentors to provide guidance and support in their first few months.
Sphere’s values and principles are communicated from the interview stage to induction and reinforced throughout each employee’s time at the company. I personally introduce the values during an induction session and the values are incorporated into the career development plan and regularly discussed in weekly one-on-ones, team presentations, and company-wide kick-off events.
In 2021, Sphere were shortlisted by LinkedIn at their Talent Awards as one of three agencies nominated as Diversity & Inclusion Champions. We were nominated because we truly believe that the most successful businesses reflect the society we live in. Our commitment to this cause was reflected in the data in the LinkedIn platform. We were in esteemed company alongside Michael Page and Randstad – two companies with a multibillion-pound annual turnover.
We train our consultants on best practices around DEI, yet most importantly, we live by that ethos.
Hiring for culture-add and not culture-fit has allowed us to be a more inclusive business that attracts and supports people from all different backgrounds. A great business culture for us, isn’t about hiring the same people but instead we celebrate our differences but are connected by our core values.
To attract and retain top talent, your company's mission, values, and principles need to remain at the core of your operations to continue to drive your success.
The SaaS Factor
Analysis: Software as a Service (SaaS) is being used by many companies to streamline their operations and stay competitive – but how do you get the right talent?
A recent report by Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment, states that the global SaaS market is expected to reach £630 billion by 2023. With this rapid growth, it's important for employers to start thinking about how they can prepare their teams for the shift towards SaaS.
Attracting SaaS talent is crucial for businesses looking to capitalise on the continued growth in the SaaS sales sector. To attract top SaaS talent, businesses should focus on building a solid company culture and offering competitive compensation packages. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, a candidate-driven market means that offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options, is often necessary for finding the best talent.
Businesses should also actively seek out and engage with potential candidates through networking events, social media, and job fairs. Despite the boom in SaaS, there are still sector-specific niches with limited talent pools, and ensuring that your business vacancies are visible to the best in the industry is crucial for success.
Get the attraction right
Robert Scott, managing director at Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment said, “Attracting the right talent to grow your SaaS proposition is vital, but a bad hire can cost your company time, money and brand reputation. Recruiting the best talent possible can be achieved by revisiting your candidate attraction methods, introducing values-based and topgrading techniques into your recruiting tools and revisiting your culture and whole employee value proposition.”
Aside from attracting the best talent, the digitisation of the global economy, alongside the acceleration of remote work, means that more and more companies will rely on SaaS tools to support their teams. This means that employees will need to be proficient in using a wide range of SaaS tools, from communication platforms like Slack and Zoom, to project management tools like Asana and Trello. To ensure that employees are equipped to handle this shift towards SaaS, employers should invest in internal training and development programs. This could include online courses and tutorials, webinars, or even on-site training sessions. By providing employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively use SaaS tools, employers can ensure that their teams can work efficiently and effectively, even when working remotely.
Soft skills required
In addition to training employees on specific SaaS tools and technologies, employers should also focus on developing the soft skills that are important for success in a SaaS-driven workplace. For example, employees will need to be able to collaborate effectively with remote teams, as well as communicate effectively with stakeholders. Employers should therefore consider providing training on teamwork, communication, and project management so that employees can work effectively in a remote and digital environment.
As the report also highlights, the use of SaaS is not limited to just the IT department, but it's now widely adopted in various departments such as HR, Sales, and Marketing. Therefore, it's important for employers to also train their non-IT employees on how to use SaaS tools and how they can improve their workflows. This will not only help them to be more productive and efficient, but also streamline their processes.
In conclusion, the continued growth of the SaaS market presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses. To capitalise on the opportunities and overcome the challenges, businesses must focus on attracting the best talent alongside internal training and development. By building a strong company culture, offering competitive compensation packages, and providing employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively use SaaS tools, businesses can set themselves up for success in the rapidly changing global economy.
Balance of power
Sector Watch: As the war for talent continues in Scotland’s financial sector, Core-Asset Consulting says employees are still in control.
An ‘unprecedented’ shortage of skilled labour will be the defining issue of the coming year according to an influential annual report on Scotland’s financial services sector. Warnings over an ‘ever-increasing war for talent’ and the struggle to meet soaring staff expectations are symptomatic of a job market whereby employees still hold the balance of power, despite the country’s economic woes.
Now in its eighth year, Core-Asset Consulting’s Industry Trends and Salary Guide is a forensic review of salary levels, as well as being a gauge of market sentiment, activity and the themes impacting the sector in Scotland.
Now in its eighth year, Core-Asset Consulting’s Industry Trends and Salary Guide is a forensic review of salary levels, as well as being a gauge of market sentiment, activity and the themes impacting the sector in Scotland. Published in January, the report by the sector’s leading recruiters also underlines that the decreased reliance on face-to-face work means that firms in Scotland must compete with London and other financial hubs for available talent.
Firms offering roles north of the border have been left struggling to fill vacancies, which have risen 23 per cent over 2022 compared to the previous year, while the number of applicants is down by 19 per cent. The time taken to fill a vacancy has also telescoped, with many firms forced to review and hike initial salary levels, forcing difficult conversations internally with existing staff on similar pay brackets.
Betsy Williamson, founder and chief executive of Core-Asset Consulting, comments: “Winning the race for talent requires a deep understanding of what employees value. Flexibility is the name of the game, but as a basic benefit, not a nice to have. Flexible working is now the norm for many and organisations must reposition and reinvent themselves to compete effectively.
“Ultimately, businesses must be prepared to market themselves to candidates just as they would to potential customers,” she says, “as candidates know their value and they know that many skills face a supply shortfall.”
The causes of deficits
The guide states that the causes of labour market deficiencies are layered, however highlights that the reduction in available labour is interconnected with the UK’s exit from the European Union and the subsequent exodus of overseas nationals during the pandemic. It advises that to be successful in hiring, firms must be closely attuned to the needs of the pool of labour, with salaries meeting rising inflation, a focus on employee wellbeing, investment in training and development and support with the cost of living expected.
A straw poll of recent Core-Asset Consulting candidates revealed that 39.5 per cent would not entertain a role that offered no flexible working, while 79 per cent would be willing to travel to London two days per week in return for flexibility, over a role necessitating five days in the office.
Betsy added: “The Covid Pandemic has changed how we live and work. In many ways, for some it could have altered our office-based behaviour permanently.
“The days of the 9-5 or 8-6 have disappeared, now gracing the shelves as dusty books from the past, to be opened and peered at by the eyes of future generations with wide-eyed disbelief.
“Technology has acted as a centre point in the metaphysical change, driving normal day-to-day office interactions and meetings online,” Betsy adds. “People and businesses have modified their processes and procedures as a new remote-based culture has emerged.”
That said, there is still a lot of volatility within the UK labour market. The government seems set on proceeding with policies such as ‘building back better’ and vocational education and training initiatives; yet there is a worry within business spheres that this will not tackle the issue long term.
Betsy, said: “We need to reform Government Employment and Support Services so people who are out of work can access good quality support and re-enter the workforce.
“Bringing people back into the labour market who are on the edge of retirement through better work-life balance options for example or changing Government policies on childcare and support services to facilitate more part time working.
“The current recession forecasts could also see appetite for this type of work intensify as the cost of living escalates,” she continues. “During 2023 we may see demand in the labour market slow given the Bank of England’s recession forecasts, however skills shortages are likely to continue. Businesses need to be prepared to market to candidates just as they would to potential customers.”
Salary reviews await
The guide sets the stall for salary reviews in Scotland’s financial services sector which usually happen in March and April. Uniquely, all of the data is entirely Scottish and the report sets expectations for those who are awarding salaries, allowing them to benchmark against competitor organisations.
The report also gauges market sentiment and activity, as well as highlighting the themes that are impacting financial services across Scotland. Major issues this year include staff shortages, ESG, Brexit and ethical investing.
Core-Asset Consulting is Scotland’s pre-eminent recruitment and headhunting agency dedicated to financial and professional services. Formed in 2005, it was born out of Betsy Williamson’s desire to take the best of her experience of large corporate recruiters, applying the focus on infrastructure and training to a more sector-specialised business.
Based in Edinburgh, the £26 million firm employs 23 people and works across the entire financial services sector, from the smallest boutiques to the biggest global players.
Initially the firm carved its reputation in Scotland’s globally-renowned asset management sector. However, the success of its model allowed it to expand across the wider financial services market. It now boasts dedicated accounting, investment operations and finance teams and also works in Scotland’s thriving legal sector.
The Industry Trends and Salary Guide is 63 pages of market analysis, salary data and insights from consultants, clients and candidates. To download a copy, please visit: https://bit.ly/annual-salary-guide-2023
Shaping the Recruitment Businesses of the Future
3R and The Recruitment Network: Accelerating your new recruitment business to scale for success – quickly.
Taking the leap is the beginning
As a confident, capable recruiter hitting and exceeding targets, you know how to bill and you have decided to take the leap. So where do the nerves come from? It’s normally the unknown. Being out of your comfort zone, and the large list of new things to learn and undertake relating to business administration, across systems, processes, legalities, finances and more.
You can rid yourself of that pressure and free yourself up to focus on what you do best in the early months by partnering with a start-up provider. A provider that loves the systems and business process part and has proven experience with scaling recruitment start-ups. A partner that makes it simple for you, providing everything you need from incorporation support to website, job boards, CRM, back-office software and funding, with great customer service and recruitment expertise on tap.
Starting up as you mean to go on, by launching with the right infrastructure and partners, means reaping the benefits of owning and running your own business sooner. Start-ups after their first year can stall when having to take time out to merge multiple platforms, implement new tech and switch to flexible funding providers. This can take even more time away from you to dedicate to learning business management best practice.
Hot Tip!
Start-ups with clarity around their Value Proposition and often those focusing on a niche sector are currently seeing success.
Commitment to your plan is progress
Firstly, you need to have a business plan, a clear way forward to achieve the ambitions you set out for yourself and your business. However, a plan needs to be executed. You need the right people around you to consult and learn from, the people who will hold you accountable for delivering your plan.
If you are not going it alone and have a business partner to support you, that’s a great benefit as two heads are better than one. Different perspectives support a robust strategy and help to drive you and your business forward with greater speed.
So, imagine the impetus your business can get from an entire network of expertise from recruitment specialists who are likely to have seen it all before, know the pitfalls and watch outs. It can be incredibly valuable. A team of experts helping you navigate the balancing act of recruiting with business priorities and personal discipline.
“We have got 1000 times more value from The Recruitment Network (TRN) than from anything else we've been part of (and we've kissed a few frogs!)
The advice, the resources the support provided has blown us away. Was a cynic, having been in recruitment a while, however, TRN has been invaluable and has shown us there are other ways to skin a cat.
Being a member helps you build a strategy, creates structure and future proofs your business.”
James Butler | Enteles Search | 2020 Start-up
Finding the right network of people who can advise you, support you, train and mentor you, will help you learn faster, maximise your momentum and propel your business to scale for success.
Hot Tip!
Setting the right mix of short-, medium- and long-term business goals can be key to keeping your business on track and attaining sustainable growth.
Reinvesting in your business is growth
Growth is all about recognising key triggers and the best moments in time to reinvest in your business, ultimately helping you to realise your business plan. Knowing the right things to invest in, in the right order, is important. They need to be generating value for your business quickly so you can capitalise on the investment.
For recruitment businesses in their infancy, the list of options is long. From expanding your team, growing a contract desk, seeking our retained services, to increasing marketing budgets, investing in your culture and exploring new sectors. Endless opportunities and strategic decisions to make.
What will help you make these decisions with confidence, is a clear line of sight on data about your operational efficiency, financial performance as well as market trends. Being objective off the back of data will help you identify triggers for taking the next steps to scale. It can also help eliminate feelings of uncertainty and hesitation in decision making.
To ensure you have the best data available about your business, it’s always a good use of time to check that your outsource partners and tech stack are performing. Are you getting great customer service, added value and access to best practice processes, systems, technology and reporting data?
“The whole team is extremely professional and personable and makes our lives so much easier. I cannot recommend 3R enough to any prospective existing business looking for best-in-class or new start-up wanting a secure start in trading.”
Kwabena Amaning | Third Nexus | 2021 Start-up
The Accelerator Programme | Start as you mean to go on
The new Accelerator Programme from 3R and The Recruitment Network is an exclusive, 12-month strategic start-up programme. It's for ambitious recruitment entrepreneurs with the work ethic and drive to realise their ambitions.
What you get:
All the support to startup your business confidently and quickly. From incorporation, terms of business and employment contracts to website, CRM, back-office systems and 100% funding.
Access to a network of recruitment business experts, supporting you to build your business plan and drive it forward. Including strategic advice, guidance, mentoring and all the tools and templates to accelerate your business performance.
Exclusive 6-module training course, designed for recruiters starting up. Taking you through core aspects of creating a business to scale for success: leading your business, managing financials, marketing, building a team, operational excellence and growth.
The Recruitment Barometer | What’s hot right now?
Innovators, early adopters, and the most progressive recruiters will focus more than others on these things in 2023:
Externally
Being genuine experts and specialists
Offering value added talent solutions and services
Creating recurring revenue streams
Centering on candidate experience and engagement
Building communities
Excelling at brand building
Offering talent intelligence and insights
Supporting and driving the D&I agenda
Positively (and genuinely) impacting society
Embracing the global workforce
Internally
Having leading edge tech stacks, making the most of automation
Outsourcing repeatable and transactional activity
Being genuine experts on sourcing, interviewing and qualifying potential candidates
Investing in marketing
Offering flexibility to employees
Building a strong culture of learning and coaching
Offering great pay and commission, wellbeing, and incentive schemes
Identifying and attracting different pools of talent
Evolving from 360 and allowing people to focus on their strengths with a 180 model
Investing in leadership at every level
*<a href="https://www.therecruitmentnetwork.com/">Visit the Recruitment Network online</a>*
**Coming together is the beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.**
Recruiting the Dismissed
Opinion: Serena Pook, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Resource Solutions offers a guide to approaching laid off tech workers.
It’s estimated that in January 2023 alone, tech companies – including Microsoft, Spotify, and Google – have laid off more than 68,500 workers. Many of these companies saw profits soar during the pandemic, but only two years later and employees are already paying the price for an over-zealous hiring spree and growth-at-all-costs mindset.
Although the most recent fiscal reports increasingly point away from a global downturn and towards a more neutralised economic forecast, the recent volatility has left us with a massive pool of recently dismissed tech workers on top of a stubbornly persistent skills gap. Recruiters looking to navigate the current market for fresh talent therefore need to bear some crucial considerations in mind as to ensure they are adapting to the challenging times ahead.
Do you change your approach when recruiting someone who’s been made redundant?
Eliminate any dismissal stigma
Employers who genuinely value their teams should take the time to provide context and an explanation to those being impacted by their redundancy decisions. Unfortunately, for many leaving employees, this hasn’t always been the case.
It’s important that recruiters stress to candidates that these days dismissal can speak more about balance sheets rather than personal performance and professional ability. This can help mitigate unnecessary feelings of shame, upset, and embarrassment. And while an employee may not agree with the decision taken, this can help them recognise the bigger picture and the opportunities that lay ahead.
Be a sounding board for candidates
The psychological effects of being laid off are deep and highly complex. Much like a breakup or bereavement, they can trigger a grieving process. Whether or not we like to admit it, our jobs are a core part of who we are. When this is taken away from us it can leave us feeling that our identity is being challenged.
For younger generations, who may be experiencing redundancy for the first time, the financial and emotional impact is likely to be more severe. Inflation over the last year has impacted everyone, but this is particularly profound for people in the early stages of their career who are more likely to be living from pay cheque to pay cheque.
As recruiters, it’s important to give newly out-of-work candidates space to express their feelings and support in regaining a sense of confidence so they can excel in their next interview.
“As recruiters, it’s important to give newly out-of-work candidates space to express their feelings and support in regaining a sense of confidence so they can excel in their next interview.”
Similarly, candidates who may have worked for the same company for several years are also likely to feel unenthusiastic at the prospect of starting a new job, and may need extra encouragement.
Be transparent about job security
For those who have been made redundant, it’s likely job security will be a top priority in their next role. Recruiters need to be transparent when presenting new roles and be open to discussing the company’s financial position and projected growth. Candidates need to know the business is stable and able to support their career growth as to not worry about another dismissal.
Suggest upskilling and new avenues
Having a more in-depth conversation with candidates about their skills and interests can help you identify suitable roles in a broader range of industries where tech skills are required.
Having a more in-depth conversation with candidates about their skills and interests can help you identify suitable roles in a broader range of industries where tech skills are required.
Encourage candidates to use the time between roles to bolster their CV with a new skillset that will make them more valuable to a future employer. Skills in coding, cybersecurity, and software development are in high demand and will help set them apart from other candidates. Overall, adopting a growth mindset and viewing redundancy as a motivator for self-improvement will help candidates to re-enter the workforce in a stronger position.
Encourage candidates to not burn bridges
It’s difficult to shake feelings of resentment following redundancy, but recruiters should encourage candidates to remain on good terms with their ex-colleagues and think of the benefits these connections could bring in the future.
Once the economy improves, those who have maintained an amiable connection with their former employer will be the first to be considered. Encourage candidates to let those in their networks know their job statuses and that they are eager to remain in the industry.
As organisations continue to make changes that are disruptive, recruiters need to adapt their strategy to reassure candidates that the job market still holds many opportunities. If approached in the correct way, a dismissal can be a harbinger for growth and recruiters can play an important role in helping their candidates map this out.
