people Archives - Planet Recruitment

The Recruitment Skills Shortage: Mind The Gap

February 23, 2024/in challenges, construction, leadership, people, recruitment /by Anna Golonka

The recruitment skills shortage: how to bridge the gap

The recruitment skills shortage poses a significant challenge for businesses of all sizes. HR professionals and hiring managers must remain vigilant, keeping pace with industry trends and understanding the obstacles they face. As the demand for skilled workers consistently outpaces the available supply, strategic efforts are essential to address this ongoing issue.

Industry Insights Analysis

Across all industry sectors from IT, Engineering and Construction to Hospitality and Healthcare, businesses find it extremely difficult to fill their vacancies. This multi-faced and complex issue is a result of a combination of reasons namely the baby boomer generation retiring; the pandemic and Brexit are all to play.

Drilling down into sectors, IT and Technology, the rapid pace of digital innovation has led to a scarcity of developers, data scientists, and cybersecurity experts. Similarly, the healthcare industry is grappling with shortages of nurses, physicians, and medical researchers.

The engineering sector also experiencing a dearth of qualified professionals across various disciplines due to a lack of trained and skilled staff. According to many sources, many qualified and experienced staff on the managerial level are at or nearing retirement age. They are either staying put or have decided to end their careers with no prospects of being replaced.

What is causing your skills shortage?

When thinking of the world of recruitment challenges, important questions spring to mind: Firstly, why do we need to know all about the industry insights and trends; what can be done about it, and more importantly, how best to move forward?

The answers depend on the businesses’ individual circumstances as well as strategy. Some will have a greater impact than others. Nevertheless, understanding the drivers of change in the size of the workforce is important to identify the sources of vulnerability and resilience to future shocks. Also, staying abreast of the trends can help you navigate an unpredictable economic environment which has a direct financial impact on product and service delivery, affecting your business growth.

Do something about it.

To address the current challenges in the recruitment industry, organisations must strategically utilise technology, cultivate employer brands, and allocate resources to offer a comprehensive training and development initiative. Training and upskilling not only improves the ability of your existing employees, but well-executed training plans and courses are a major factor in attracting fresh talent.

It is also important to ask for help when needed. If you are struggling to fill vacancies, why not to speak to a quality recruitment agency for advice. Any reputable agency will be more than happy to offer free advice to struggling companies.

Thinking short-term can also help

Have you considered hiring contractors, or temporary staff to fill the skills you are missing? Every day without the right people is costing your business in loss of productivity and earnings.

As the workforce landscape evolves, staying ahead of the trends is paramount for businesses to maintain competitiveness in today’s dynamic and ever-changing job market.

If you’re facing recruitment challenges and need assistance, please reach out to one of our experts at Planet Recruitment. We specialise in connecting great employers with talented temporary and permanent candidates who are ready to make the impact. Whether you’re hiring for your company or seeking your next job opportunity, we strive to take the headache out of the process. Our personalised services, specialist teams, and accessibility ensure that you’re never left talking to a machine. Let’s find your next appointment together.

Meet Ieuan Morgan – Part of the Planet Family for 1 year!!

August 24, 2023/in challenges, construction, leadership, people, recruitment /by Barry OBrien

Ieuan Morgan joined the Planet Recruitment family one year ago… in that time he has become a key member of our industrial team – probably the busiest desk in the business.

Ieuan is a great guy so we thought you’d like to get to know a little more about him…

So Ieuan, let’s start with an easy one… tell us a little about yourself..?

My name is Ieuan Morgan. I’m from Didcot. Relatively new to recruitment. I have come from a football coaching background previously. I’ve been married for 18 months, and my wife and I are expecting our first child in December! It’s both exciting and very nerve-racking… but we can’t wait!!

What brought you to Planet?

I knew our Director, Graham Cole, previously having coached two of his sons. Also, Ollie Thomas & I went to the same school. I saw they were looking for a trainee recruitment consultant. I messaged Ollie and here I am!

Did you come across anything that surprised you when you joined?

Obviously coming from a ‘non-recruitment’ background, I came in with no preconceptions. Not many surprises so far, which is good.

Tell us about your role

I work on the industrial desk at Planet Recruitment. My main role is to find candidates for jobs and then get them out to work.

Planet Recruitment – What’s it like to work there?

It’s great! Every day is different. There’s a good group of people here. The office has a good feel about it. The team we have on our desk is great, it feels like you’re working with your mates and not just work colleagues.

Favourite Planet Memory?

There’s been a few good moments at Planet. Within my first month here we did Tough Mudder, which was a good achievement, so I would probably say that!

The biggest challenge at Planet?

This job can be ruthless at times. Especially when you’ve worked hard to get someone a job and they then don’t show up 🤦‍♂️. Thankfully that hasn’t happened very often!

What makes you tick outside work?

Like I said, I’m a football coach away from Planet. I’m in with the u16s at Oxford United three evenings a week and matches on a Saturday morning, so that keeps me pretty busy!

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I’m not sure I have a guilty pleasure; not one I want to admit here anyway! I would have to come back to you on that… 😆

So… I came across this photo. Please explain…?

My first Christmas party with the company. Too many beers, too early and not enough water! Very rooky error!

If you were to give advice to a 14-year-old you – what would it be?

Work hard in school. Do what makes you happy and follow any dreams with a passion and the desire to be the best at what you do.

If you were to give advice to a young person thinking of entering the world of recruitment, what would it be?

Do it! It’s a really rewarding job. Be prepared for stressful and long days though.

Challenges And Opportunities Facing The Construction Industry Today

July 27, 2023/in challenges, construction, leadership, people, recruitment /by Kris Blaszko

Yes, the UK construction industry faces challenges over the next 12 months and beyond, as it continues to fight back against the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising interest rates, and other rising costs. However, the industry also has some big opportunities to benefit from the government’s infrastructure plans, green initiatives and innovation as well as the increasing demand for private housing and improved infrastructure.

Economic Recovery

The construction industry in the UK is expected to shrink by 0.7% in real terms in 2024. But that’s an improvement following a 1.2% contraction in 2023. The main reason for the decline is rising interest rates and a blip of confidence in the residential sector. However, we are beginning to see signs of light at the end of that tunnel. Inflation is being reigned in and most experts predict that interest rates have now peaked.

The industry is expected to return to growth sooner rather than later, as the economy recovers from the threat of recession and consumer confidence improves. The government’s fiscal stimulus measures, such as the £100 billion National Infrastructure Strategy and the £4 billion Levelling Up Fund, will also support the construction industry’s recovery.

Green Transition

The UK construction industry has an opportunity to contribute to the global efforts to tackle climate change and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

To achieve these goals, the government has announced various green initiatives. These include the £9.2 billion Green Homes Grant Scheme, the £1 billion Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, and the £5 billion Project Speed Programme.

We need to adapt to new regulations and standards and set minimum energy performance requirements for new buildings from 2025. As a sector, will also need to invest in innovation and digitalisation, offsite manufacturing, and smart technologies, to improve efficiency and quality.

Recruitment Opportunities

The industry still faces the significant challenge of recruiting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce. It is predicted that an extra 225,000 construction workers will be needed by 2027 (45,000 workers per year), with the major sectors in demand being private housing, infrastructure, and repair and maintenance.

Construction will also need to address the shortages of both skilled and unskilled labour, which are likely to be exacerbated by Brexit and an ageing construction workforce. We need to attract more young people, women and ethnic minorities into construction careers.

To help meet this challenge, the Construction Division here at Planet Recruitment strives to attract a diverse range of recruits for the industry and will work alongside our construction partners to deliver the candidates they may struggle to source themselves.

Embrace The Challenge

Yes, we are facing some challenges, but our sector has massive opportunities ahead. By recruiting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce, who are ready and able to work with new technologies and standards to improve efficiency and quality, the industry’s resilience and adaptability will be key to future growth.

People First

March 28, 2022/in business, covid, leadership, people /by Darren Fuller

The current recruitment market continues to be a challenging one with market trends following a similar course of action. However, PEOPLE remain the core value to any business. Every organisations should take the time to assess what positions and practices your teams need when hiring ramps up.

People first in business permanence

There’s two clearly different ways you need to look at your ‘people resource’ at the moment. The individuals available to you NOW, and those that you want in THE FUTURE.

If like a lot of businesses your current recruitment strategy is to hold fire and see what happens, you need to clearly define what is expected from your teams. Are they expected to make up for gaps which wouldn’t usually be their responsibility? Create some certainty and loyal employees will shine.

worker and his senior colleague working with forklift machine in storage

This strategy is fine for the early stages of this crisis – all businesses need to take stock to survive. However, any business that wants to thrive rather than just survive needs to make difficult decisions. Now is the time to make sense of what your teams will need once the economic wheel starts turning again. Is now the time to at least start your recruitment conversations again?

Think of it this way… If you stop recruiting for 60 days, it could take 30 more days to start the ball rolling again. It could take 30-60 days to fill any newly opened roles and then you’ve to consider any notice periods your new recruits need to honour. It could be 4 to 5 months before your next hire starts. Can your business afford to wait that long?

There are of course ways to recruit faster and at a lower rate, and there will likely be a shift in talent when the economy opens up again, but the most ambitious businesses will act first to guarantee their pick of the top people.

So, no matter how your business prepares for the next stage after lockdown we all have to remember that PEOPLE COME FIRST! They are what drives our businesses forward above everything else, they are the driving force behind our successes.

Procedures and products are of course incredibly important, but people should always be your priority.

Keeping your team’s morale high during lockdown

October 12, 2020/in business, covid, leadership, people, Uncategorized /by Josh Cox

As business owners and managers we know we are expecting an extended period of lockdown, so over the next few weeks, I wanted to keep in touch by updating you on relevant industry news and maybe share some good practices so you and your team can not only survive, but thrive during this lockdown.

Looking after existing employees (including temporary staff) is paramount and with the Government schemes which have been set up there are good options for businesses to keep hold of their workforce. Where people are working from home, this is tough on anyone not already used to it. However, with with the right technology and engagement people can continue feeling involved and encouraged. The most important thing is to keep morale high and stay focused on the goal. Please find below some tips for home working but also those who are still having to go to their place of work during these extraordinary times

Keep in touch

One aspect that’s often lost when all workers are remote is the natural sense of camaraderie that springs from a shared goal and shared conditions. Those shared goals won’t disappear just because work is happening differently.

But now people will be dealing with much different working conditions. Staying in constant touch about work topics is a good way to create the sense of shared conditions. Send out a daily email every morning with topics and questions, creating a conversation and encouraging engagement.

Keep a sense of humour

These are difficult times, for sure, and it’s appropriate to acknowledge that. But maintaining a sense of humour is an important means to keep group solidarity and spirits up. It’s okay to include a humorous tone in daily communication, especially around topics related to the new reality.

Encourage video conferences

One important way to maintain a productive and professional attitude while working from home is to make an effort to prepare for the day in the same way that you would if you were going into the office. While it might be tempting to start working in your pj’s (or less), in the long run it can chip away at self-confidence.

Besides just being a great way to keep in touch, Video conferences, especially those scheduled in the morning, are a great way to bolster social interaction while also subtly encouraging people to get dressed and fix their hair.

Establish check-ins

Ask managers and team leaders to make a point of calling people just to check in, without a specific agenda or question in mind. This is especially useful to do in the afternoon, when the long hours are starting to turn into an invitation for distraction. Managers can also take advantage of the chat to remind employees casually to make sure they sign off at the end of the day. Working from home shouldn’t be an invitation to work around the clock.

I hope these tips are helpful. As I said, we’ll keep in touch over the coming weeks with more useful tips on staff engagement, retention and recruitment. If I, or any of the Planet team can be of any help over these weeks, even as a sounding board, please pick up the phone for a chat.

Returning to work

May 18, 2020/in business, covid, General, leadership, management, people, recruitment /by Darren Fuller

Following that ‘announcement’ from the Prime Minister last Sunday, and further clarification since, we’re all expecting people to gradually begin to return to work over the next while. However what does that mean for employers and employees? What do you need to do to be ready?

Thankfully, other countries have already began this process and we are able to learn from their lessons. Adopting clear and concise safety measures, flexibility and transparency are key to easing the transition for employees returning to the workplace. Health & Safety must remain the top priority in order to keep our teams safe and health as well as regaining their confidence that it’s safe to come back.

The guidelines can be a little daunting so we have compiled some points to hopefully ease the transition into what will become a new ‘normal’ within the workplace – ‘Get comfortable with the uncomfortable’!

1. Focus on Door to Door health and safety of employees

This means providing in-facility safeguards to staff. Where possible, provide masks, hand sanitiser, employee temperature screenings and social distancing. Regular and aggressive cleaning schedules for buildings and facilities. But employees could equally be at risk when they commute, eat lunch or meet clients, so anticipate and respond proactively to such risks.

Some quick wins…

– Ensure social distancing in offices – reduce hot desking, restrict the number of people in meeting rooms, shared spaces and kitchens. Think about reshuffling your floor plans, allow those who can remain working from home to do so and consider staggered opening times to reduce congestion at peak times.

– Distance Assembly line workers – allocate more time between shifts and think about reducing expectations for production because it may take people longer to move around.

– In other countries, mainly Asia, they have started to conduct health & safety checks at entry. This might be a while-off here in the UK, but the future could see us measuring body temperatures when employees arrive and asking for regular health declarations.

Waitress with meat dish serving catering table with food snacks during party event

2. Stagger your workforce’s return

I touched on this in the last point but it’s something that will really help. Most companies in other countries have begun returning employees to the workplace in phases. Look at your people, their roles and skills and decide who should return first, who can remain working from home and if necessary, who to remain on furlough.

Also, ask for volunteers. Ask who is happy to return first, those that declare themselves fit and healthy and confident to be back. Similarly, ask who is happy to keep working from home. Remote working isn’t for everyone, but some people thrive on it.

3. Maintain frequent two-way communication.

Leverage all the tools available to you. Use town hall settings if you’re communicating to those already back to site. Emails to the wider teams and intranets if you can. Proactive, frequent and transparent communications about policies and plans, the reasoning behind them and a clear timeline will help employees understand your thinking and ease them through the transition.

Ask for feedback. This is something that we haven’t gone though before so none of us have all the answers. Being felt like their opinion is valued, then employees are much more likely to buy into your plans.

industrail background of caucasian mechanics engineer operating lathe machine for metalwork in metal work factory

4. Plan for a protracted period of disruption

“Get comfortable with the uncomfortable”. What do I mean by that? Basically, be prepared to react and respond repeatedly as things develop.

The back to work process will come in cycles so you may need to repeat and adapt multiple times. Furthermore, make it easier for employees to adapt. Some ways you can do this…

– Provide and update technology, including hardware, software and security.

– Fortify remote working policies. People are likely to be working from home for some time so use what you have learnt over the last couple of months.

– Be flexible. People might need some leeway as they adjust. Some might be weary or even scared and might need time to fully get back into the swing of things.

Remember, as I said, none of us have gone though any of this before… none of us know all the answers. If you find yourself struggling, unsure or feel like you need some advice, please just pick up the phone. We’re talking to lots of businesses over all industries who are going through this so might just have the answer you’re looking for…