As a business, is “9-5” your default position?
If you’re a business that has struggled to recruit the calibre of person you really want (and need), are you being too restrictive with regards to the hours and times of the role?
I was chatting to a client about a new role when they happened to mention they had struggled to fill a position for a surveyor. They had advertised the full-time role but hadn’t received any suitable applicants. They were paying market rate so was it a lack of these particular skills in Gloucestershire, they wondered?
The thing is, whilst there could have been any number of factors for the tumbleweed response, I know in my own network there are two surveyors who would have been interested in that role, had it been more flexible.
The simple truth is, many businesses are missing out on finding the right person by rigidly sticking to the 9-5. By tweaking the hours even slightly, the potential candidate pool can be transformed.
Flexible working helps you recruit the best people
Here’s why:
- The potential candidate pool opens up significantly
- A business becomes more attractive to candidates by demonstrating an attitude of trust and consideration for an individual’s needs
- More choice means you don’t have to compromise on the quality/skill-set of the staff you hire
Taking the example of the surveyor, I asked whether the role had to be done full-time. Was that their natural default position? After some thought my client said they felt that actually there were ways in which it could be changed to allow for less hours and some remote working.
This meant it opened the job up, particularly to the market of parents looking to do 9.30am – 4.00pm, to those who had other caring responsibilities and to older, experienced candidates.
There are some highly skilled candidates in these groups, holding out for companies that can offer them the flexibility they need.
Flexible working – It’s a simple equation
More flexibility = wider audience = more applicants = success in recruiting the right staff.
Please get in touch to find out how we can help find excellent candidates for your business.
Click here to contact us now!
