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5 things to consider when hiring in 2021

Posted about 3 years ago by Rebecca Thomas
2021 Hiring

Despite the introduction of a new lockdown, many of our clients are still hiring either due to having a skills shortage within their teams or learning to adapt and push through these difficult periods.

Whilst you may be conscious of how much your business has changed in the past year, are you aware of the developments in the recruitment industry?

If you’re considering a new hiring in Q1, then there are a few things you may need to consider.

Skill set shortage

2020 really highlighted how dominating the skills shortage is in recruitment, especially on the digital front, where we saw increased levels of demand for Digital Marketers, PPC, Paid Social and Developers.

You would think that given the uncertainty of the market and the volume of redundancies that these niche and often hard to find skill sets will be easier to find. I wish this was true, but unfortunately, it’s not!

Although we saw an influx of some very talented people onto the market in 2020 with skills we don’t often have land in our inboxes they got snapped up pretty quickly! Meaning the market is still light on some of the core skill sets listed above.

How does this impact me?

Perhaps you are considering moving to an e-commerce environment or are looking for a website overhaul. In either circumstance, finding the right talent for your business is likely to take a little longer due to the digital and technical skills shortage.

Planning ahead in recruiting for these roles is more crucial than ever, and we advise you to consider all factors such are sourcing time, interview time, and notice periods before leaving everything until the last minute.

Benefits packages

According to our research, only 2% of employees expect flexible working to not be an element of their benefits package in 2021 and beyond.

And who can really blame them? Throughout 2020, employers discovered that remote working can still ensure a productive business, which is more emotionally and financially viable for employees over the longer term.

How does this impact me?

We’re not saying you have to offer remote working but this type of benefit is high on candidates agendas and with many brands offering some permanent flexibility it might be something you want to consider moving forwards in order to ensure your business stays relevant with candidate expectations.

If you’ve already jumped on the bandwagon and make flexible working a permeant fixture in your benefits package just make sure you’ve agreed your boundaries and that all members of the team are on the same page.

Remote interviewing

Given the current lockdown you’ll need to put a little more thought into your interview process as there is a possibility you won’t be able to meet face to face.

Our research found that 62.79% of candidates would prefer to be interviewed using a mix of technology during the early stages of recruitment, followed by an in person meeting during second and final stages.

However, this trend is not just limited to this lockdown, remote interviewing is becoming more prevalent within the hiring process as candidates identify the various time and financial benefits it can bring - especially for those looking to relocate.

How does this impact me?

Introducing more remote interviewing into your hiring process not only makes you compliant with lockdown restrictions but further cements you as a progressive and forward thinking employer.

Implementing such technology can have an added bonus of expanding your talent pool to those further afield, making it easier to recruit for niche skill sets.

We currently allowing all our clients to use our Pitch+ Video Interview platform for free making this an ideal time to trial what a remote interviewing model may look like for your organisation.

Inductions

Inductions aren’t often something you think about when you considering making a hire, it’s almost an after thought in the process.

I would encourage you to consider how you’re gong to onboard new team members remotely sooner rather than later.  Savvy candidates will ask how you’ve engaged your team during lockdown, supported them during furlough and communicated when the going got tough. So, thinking about how you’re going to induct, train and develop a new starter from their own home is crucial to your process.

Having a detailed plan is a great place to start, utilising your team members is also a good thing to do. It shares the load and allows your new starter to meet more of the team. However, we have a fantastic guide on how you can onboard remotely if you are feeling a little stuck for ideas.

2021 Salaries

We’re in the process of prepping our 2021 salary survey so we don’t have all the data just yet. But, from what we’ve seen there’s been limited changes in salaries. Most roles are still in line with 2019/2020 salary brackets with only a few skill set’s (mostly in the niche digital areas) seeing an increase.


The above are a few of the key things you might want to think about before pushing the button on your hiring process. But, if there’s something else you’re unsure of or you’d like us to help you with your search then get in touch today to find out more about how we can help.


Image credit

Header: Image adapted from Photo by Leah Kelley from Pexels