Author: Direct Response Employment

A Candidate Rich Market: 

For the last few years, it has very much been a candidate led market, with skills shortages across the UK and skilled candidates having the option to pick and choose, often more than 1 job offer on the table. 

Recruitment agencies have been relied on heavily to utilise on their knowledge, experience, database and sourcing techniques to assist companies through their hiring process, it is not only invaluable tool to be partnered with an agency but it saves time and in the long term money. 

Along comes 2020!

This year has been a very different year across the globe hitting companies financially and with a large number of people losing jobs and floods of redundancies across the UK. 

It definitely flips the job market around, but I think it is more important now to partner with and source help from a recruitment agency. 

With more people on the job market and the current unemployment rising has meant that one single job post advertised receives a significant volume of applications, often reaching the 100-plus mark. 

The Reality: 

This all sounds great but having a large volume of applications does not necessarily mean they are skilled and experienced in the area you are recruiting in and can often make the recruitment process harder and more time consuming. 

Let’s face it, do companies really have the time to sift through hundreds of applications carefully, reading through CVs and applications and ensuring each candidate is responded to respectively. 

It is time consuming and not cost effective to the business, not only that you want to ensure that during this pandemic or post pandemic world that you are finding the best talent to grow with your organisation. 

This is where we can assist, we take out all that time and stress when it comes to recruitment from managing the whole process for you. 

We can assist with the following:

• Assisting with writing of job descriptions, bench marking salaries and general advice on the role. 
• Full job advertisement across a wide range of job boards and social media channels
• Short listing of candidates
• Responding to unsuccessful candidates 
• We pre-screen and interview all candidates prior to submission
• Arranging interviews
• Support throughout the whole offer staff along with handling rejections
• Further support following a candidate starting. 

If you would like some advice on your recruitment campaign or want to find out more about working for an agency, then please get in touch as we would be delighted to discuss with you. 

Although it seems like Christmas is still far away, it is fast approaching with just a number of weeks left and I can imagine you may already be planning for that somewhat busy period.

During this busy period it’s the time of the year where companies often look for additional temporary support to help them through those peak times and to cover staff holidays, which is where agencies come in.

Christmas for most is a known to be a jolly and happy time of the year but can be problematic time to employees and companies alike, with the pace of companies ramping up and employees wanting time off to spend with friends and family during this festive time.

Here are some of our top tips to ensure you have a smooth festive period:

1. Communicate with Employees, try and discuss with them as early as possible if they have any plans for holiday and remind employees to book in advance, this gives you a better chance of knowing how many staff you have available during these times and help plan employees time off accordingly.
2. Action and Plan, now you have an understanding or better idea of how many staff will be on holiday and an idea when, now is the time to plan and take action. Sit down and work out how many staff you will need within each department and do you have enough staff to ensure continuity within the work place.
3. Are you going to be short staffed? If so there are a couple of paths you can use to try and resolve this and ensure continues smooth running of the business. One could be using existing workforce, this could be shuffling employees around to cover in different departments or perhaps asking existing employees to do overtime. Another solution could be to look for a temporary solution via a local agency.
4. Executive your plan, now you have a rough idea of what staffing issues you may face during this festive period its time to put this place into action and remember if all does not go to plan agencies are here to help.

Planning effective holiday cover or cover during busy periods is essential to the success of any business. Remember be open with employees, take your time with planning and aim to plan in advance. These steps will help ensure you are ahead of the game and avoid any last minute stresses.

If you would like to speak to a local agency about how we can help cover over the Christmas period then please get in touch and one of our friendly consultants will be happy to discuss.

The End of Furlough – So what is next? 

Undoubtedly Covid-19 has resulted in a major impact on businesses globally which has resulted in companies losing money and ultimately having to work at a reduced task force.

The Furlough Scheme announced by the chancellor was a blessing to a lot of companies around the UK giving them a way to reduce staffing costs to keep businesses afloat and also to keep employees job and still earning a salary. 

With Furlough payments ending at the end of October, what does this mean for businesses and employees, and what is next?  

Say Hello to the Job Support Scheme: 

Immediately following the end of furlough, businesses will be able to access the job support scheme for six months from 1st November 2020. The new scheme is designed for SMEs or larger firms that can prove their revenue has fallen as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Under the scheme, the government will top up a salary when a business cannot afford to take back an employee full-time.

To be eligible for the scheme, employees must work at least a third of their normal hours and the government and employer will each pay one-third of the remaining wages. The employee must have been on the business’s payroll since 23rd September 2020 and support payments will be capped at £697.92 per month. Employees can be made redundant under the new scheme, and businesses cannot use the money from the scheme to subsidise any redundancy packages.

To find out more about the Jon Support scheme then check out the government website link here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/job-support-scheme

What additional job support is available?

On 8th July, the government announced the job retention bonus as part of it’s plan for jobs 2020 with a view to improve job retention and boost the economy following the easing of lockdowns across the UK. Under the new scheme, employers receive a one-off payment of £1,000 for each employee they bring back from furlough and employ continuously until January 2021.

Additionally, the UK government plans to offer:

• £1,500 for each 16-24 year old given a 6-month work placement
• £1,500-2,000 for apprentices taken on until the end of January 2021

Tips to deal with Cv Rejection

If you are not having much luck on the job searching? CV rejection can take its toll on you after a while, but it is important that you stay positive and do not give up.  

Whether you’ve received multiple rejection emails, or you’ve had no response at all from an application there are several steps you can take to help you make it through this disheartening time.  

Stay positive

You must stay positive. We know this easier said than done, but it is vital that you know you are not alone and that this is only temporary.  

You are not going to be without a job forever something will come along. sometimes it takes a little longer to find the right role for you. 

Search smarter not harder

If you have been experiencing rejection, the temptation can be to ramp up your search, apply for lots more jobs and hope that someone gets back to you. But this is not an effective way to job search and means you might end up interviewing for a role you did not really want.  Take your time when searching and applying for jobs,  

Get into a routine

We understand that if you have received several CV rejections it can be disheartening. 

One of the best ways to get over rejection is to get back job hunting make it part of your daily routine. Set aside some dedicated time each day.

Seek feedback

There are a number of ways you can seek feedback on your CV. Firstly, if you have received a rejection call or email from a previous application, ask the recruiter for their feedback. They might be able to tell you which areas let you down and how to make your CV better for next time.  

If you have received multiple rejections, your CV is most likely to be the problem. If this is the case, then you need to have a re-think. 

Good luck

5 simple steps to choosing the Right Recruitment agency

• Choose an agency who specialises in the type of work role you are looking for.
• Choose an agency who is transparent
• Speak to a real person
• Always check out the Testimonials
• A good agency will give you advice, support, and guidance. They will not pressure you into a single course of action.

We are still open for business!

We are still operating through the lockdown and are here to support with staffing solutions!

We have over 21 years’ experience in supplying staff to various different sectors including the food industry, industrial, transport, commercial, skilled and technical hospitality & Catering industry. If you need support with current staffing requirements or even just to cover a few shifts, Call us on 01225 776500 or email info@direct-response.co.uk

Job Hunting in Lockdown:

 Our Top Tips 

This is a very challenging time for all of us, especially if you are unemployed or have been made redundant as a result of the current COVID19 pandemic. Looking for a new job can be a stressful experience at the best of times, so searching for your next role during a global pandemic is bound to leave you feeling overwhelmed.

Whilst many companies have put recruitment on hold, there are many others that continue to recruit remotely or are actually experiencing increased need for staff. If you are currently searching for work, take a look at our top-tips on how you can make the most of your job-seeking time…

Be Prepared

While lock-down is in place, some of us have more time on our hands than usual. You can use this time to make yourself as employable as possible. Make sure you have updated your CV, if you have LinkedIn, make sure your profile is representing you well online. There is plenty of free online training at the moment. 

If you need help check out our CV writing tips

Check out our website

Be Flexible and Open-Minded

Be open minded, it is unlikely to be the case that you can walk straight into your dream job. It may be that companies in your chosen sector are not likely to recruit until the national lock-down has come to an end. This may mean that you will need to be more open to trying something new or maybe a temporary role that you may not have considered before. Some industries are experiencing an increase in the need for extra staff, so staying flexible for the time-being may be the best way forward for you. When things begin to return to normal, potential employers will be impressed that you had the attitude and flexibility to take on a new challenge during this time.

Do not get Disheartened

The job market has changed drastically since the Coronavirus outbreak and it may be harder and take longer than usual to find work. Be patient and do not be discouraged to continue with your job search if you do not succeed right away. It is certainly not impossible to find work at the moment  many employers are adapting to this new way of life and are recruiting for roles where you can work remotely from home so be prepared to take-on this new challenge! You can read our tips on working from home. 

We are here to help

Remember to keep in touch with your recruitment consultant if you have  registered with an agency like Direct Response Employment Services. Our teams are working from home and are continuing to do all they can to help as many people find work as possible during these difficult times. If you are not yet registered with us, please do get in touch, you can find our out-of-office contact numbers on our website

We wish you all the luck in your job search.

Please get in touch with the Direct Response Team and  we will do all we can to help you with your hunt for

Whilst at present there are no formal end to the government’s restrictions on work or travel, other countries have started to ease restrictions, so when will the UK government follow suit and what restrictions will be lifted? In addition to this, the Coronavirus job retention scheme is in place until June 30^th 2020, so businesses will be needing to plan to bring employees back to work either before or on 1^st July. 

So how should Employers and Employees prepare for the return to the working environment after a lengthy time off?

When the government furlough scheme ends on June 30^th, your business may still not need to bring all its existing workforce back at once. In this case you essentially have three options:

1. )Agree reduced working hours with some or all staff
2. )Furlough staff for a further period at your own expense
3. )Consider redundancies 

Reduced working hours

If your business has work for its staff but not a full level before restrictions, you may want to consider or ask staff to reduce their hours on a temporary basis. As with furlough, as this will be a temporary contractual change, you will need to have this agreed and signed in writing. Should you need to reduce workers hours, you will need to be clear about the reasons for it and be prepared to respond to questions from your staff. 

Further Furlough

Should the coronavirus job retention scheme finish on the 30^th June, that may not necessarily fit in with your own business timescale. It may be that you wish to or prefer to keep some staff on furlough for a further period as you implement a passed return to normal working. 

If your furlough letter to individual employees did not include a specific end date, then you can continue to keep staff furloughed on the same terms as the CJRS, although your business would need to bear the full cost of their 80% payment and other employment costs. It would be sensible to write to employees to explain that you are continuing furlough for them (with an estimate of how long for if you can give it) as many will expect the end of the government scheme to mean a return to more normal working.

If your furlough letter did include an end date or linked furlough to the CJRS, you will need to seek further agreement from staff to continue being furloughed. Again, you will bear any employment costs and it would be sensible to give an estimate of how long the further period is likely to be.

Redundancies

Your business may need to seize trading, or you may only have enough work and requirements for less staff. In such a situation, at the end of the CJRS you may have no choice other than to make redundancies. While you need to follow the correct legal process, take any steps can to support employees through this process as redundancy will be a crushing blow to many people when they have just been through a challenging time. 

Employees returning to their working environment

If you have been placed on furlough or been asked to work remotely, it is likely that you have come out of your normal routine and become comfortable for the last few weeks/months knowing you do not have to get up and travel to work in the morning. So, what are the best ways for you to prepare to get yourself ready for returning to work?

1. )Have a couple of early nights, go to bed at a time you would normally and set your alarm for the time you would be getting up to go to work and stick to it because otherwise it will be a shock to the system when that time comes
2. )Eat healthier and drink plenty of water – a healthy and clean eating helps you feel good about yourself and you will not feel sluggish and tired. 
3. )Prepare for your day/week ahead. Get your work attire out and ready. Act as if it were your first day on the new job. What do you need to take to work? Is there anything specific you need? 
4. )Check with your employer and see if it is 100% save to return to work.
5. )Prepare yourself mentally – having had some considerable time off and not having been able to go out as often as you will have liked, your mindset must be focused and ready to give your all for when you return to work. If you feel you are not 100% then speak with your boss or colleagues about this as they may be able to offer you some comfort and positivity to help you. 

We hope that you are all keeping to the government guidelines and remain social distancing, and once we are back to some form of normality, we see you all again. Remember to remain kind to others, help others when you think they need it most and always check in on others because you never know, that one call or message may be the boost that they need to put a smile on their face. 😊

What does the removal of the Swedish derogation mean? 

• Abolition of the derogation means that all agency workers will be entitled to pay parity (see below).
• By no later than 30 April 2020 TWAs must provide workers whose existing contracts contain a Swedish derogation provision with a written statement telling them that with effect from 6 April 2020, those provisions no longer apply. Agency workers can bring a claim in the Employment Tribunal where their TWA fails to provide that statement on time.
• Workers asserting rights under the new Regulations will be protected from detriment and unfair dismissal.

 What is pay parity?

• An agency worker is entitled to the same basic working and employment conditions as direct recruits of the same business (including pay) once he/she has undertaken the same role with the same hirer for 12 continuous calendar weeks.
• “Pay” includes any sum payable in connection with the agency worker’s employment, including certain bonus payments, holiday pay, overtime, shift allowances and unsociable hours premiums, but excludes company sick pay, maternity/paternity pay, adoption pay, pension contributions and redundancy pay.
• It does not include bonuses which are not directly attributable to the amount or quality of the work done by a worker, and which are given to a worker for a reason other than his/her personal output, such as to encourage the worker’s loyalty or to reward the worker’s long-term service.