An over-long recruitment process could cost you talent…
While it is important to take your time when hiring, adding unnecessary delays to recruitment could cost you talent.
According to a 2022 recruitment report, 65% of employers worldwide lost out on their favourite candidate as their hiring process was too long.
As an SME, you may admire the recruitment processes that big corporations are able to develop; but if you can emulate their rigour whilst adding your nimbleness, this is a chance to beat them. Good preparation can unlock this, so planning is key.
The survey reported that 50% of all UK professionals have declined a job offer because the hiring process was too long. So in order to attract the best talent, you’ll want to keep it short and sweet whilst not missing the important parts. Here are some simple ways to keep your application process engaging…
Stick to tight timescales, and line up all those involved within your company so they are free to do the CV screening and interviews (factor in fall-back dates in case candidates are not available on the first interviews you offer). Hiring is often held up because managers are on holiday or busy.
If you know that you will get a good response, include a short cut-off time for applications.
Transparency with your candidates is key. In the invitation to the first interview, outline how the application will progress and the timescales involved. For example, how many interviews will there be? Will there be a task involved? If you can provide approximate dates for each stage, even better.
Initial telephone interviews generate momentum and save time as they are quicker to implement. They mean that face-to-face interviews are reserved for seeing only the best.
Stay in communication with your candidates throughout the process. Even if decisions haven’t been made yet, actively communicating with candidates will ensure your company appears a switched-on and engaging place to work.
Finally, don’t forget to respond to unsuccessful candidates: It’s simply good manners.
Ultimately, the best recruitment process is one that is thorough and works for you, but that keeps the applicant fully engaged. If you’d like more bespoke advice, just get in touch.
Make way for May – and its three bank holidays!
May is looking to be a manic month of bank holidays, with dates in the diary for the 1st, 8th, and 29th May. The extra holiday for the King’s coronation may be very welcome for your employees, but you might be wondering how to manage productivity with all the extra time off…
First, it’s crucial to know the rules – both in the law, and your own holiday policy. Bank holidays off are not necessarily a legal entitlement, it depends on how your contracts are worded.
Make sure employees know how much notice to give so you can plan ahead. It is common where bank holidays cluster together for some staff to request additional annual leave to achieve a long block of time away with relatively little holiday allowance expended.
If you are concerned that you will not have sufficient resources to operate fully during May, you do not automatically need to accept such time off requests.
If you foresee issues, talk to all staff – some may not be fussed whether they have time off in May or not; others may be glad of some overtime if you are prepared to offer it.
Whatever the needs of your business, a little planning now will help May pass smoothly and ensure that all the work that needs to be done is completed satisfactorily.
If, despite your best efforts, May turns into mayhem for you The HR Dept is just a phone call away to help you work out what you can do to fix it.
Spring clean your HR in three simple steps
Despite all the April showers, spring is definitely in the air. So why not freshen up your HR practices for the new season? Here are three easy ways to start:
- Dust off your policies and procedures. It may have been a while since you last updated these, so take the time this spring to re-read and make key updates – particularly if things have changed in your business.
- Want an easier way to keep organised? Consider HR software, like our HR Toolkit. This’ll help you keep everything in one place, from carrying out day-to-day HR tasks, to tracking employee records and reporting.
- Brighten up your benefits and training. To help engage and retain employees, consider boosting your benefits package, or incorporating a new training initiative.
Just get in touch if you’d like any help updating your handbook or putting a unique package in place.
88% of businesses affected by payroll errors in 2022
Payroll – it’s complicated, time-consuming and tedious… but kind of important to your employees! A 2022 industry survey reported that 88% of businesses were affected by payroll errors, resulting in delays or incorrect pay. Surely there’s a way to steer clear of this common pitfall?
Incorporating better technology could be the answer. According to the report, you could save 18 working days of payroll time by using digital payroll technology – well worth the investment. Using payroll software systemises and streamlines your pay processes, so errors should become rare.
Or, you could make things even simpler with a payroll service. At The HR Dept, we offer a payroll partner service to help with all aspects of payroll – from setting up employees, to pension enrolment and sending payslips. For a professional and error-free payroll, just get in touch.
Preparing for maternity cover
Being ready to manage maternity leave is part and parcel of running a business. It is the law but it doesn’t have to be daunting. In fact, it’s an opportunity to show that your workplace values equality and retains experienced staff.
Here’s how to help things go smoothly.
It’s best to plan straight away. As soon as your employee lets you know, it’s time to get all the information and start planning how you’ll cover their role. There are some statutory timescales to adhere to on both sides.
Decide whether you’ll employ a temporary maternity cover, or outsource. Our own recruitment service can help you attract the best candidate, especially if maternity cover is new to you – just get in touch!
For a smooth handover, ensure there’s ample time to train the covering employee, and for them to be briefed by the departing staff member.
For any more guidance, feel free to contact our friendly team.
Please find attached… embarrassing email fails
Have you ever been trying to sleep, and suddenly all your most cringeworthy memories flood into your head? Let’s hope they’re not as awkward as these email mishaps from the web…
One agency worker accidentally sent a job application to a sister agency under the same umbrella company. Needless to say her boss soon found out she wanted to leave!
How often have you sent an email to the wrong person? It’s even worse if it is someone you are criticising! At another company, an employee emailed the very person they were complaining about. They were lucky though; they deleted it off their computer just in time!
A jarring reminder to never rush an email… and make sure you’re not replying all unless you mean too!