TICKING TIME BOMB
Robert Kenward , Fitability ® recruiter at YOU Search and Select , and chief cheerleader of The Hub , writes about the recruitment fundamentals : retention and attrition .
t has never been so easy to find applicants in our industry . We currently have a massive talent pool for employers to fish in , but there is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode for any employer who either doesn ’ t do it right or gets complacent . That ticking time bomb is the thorny issue of retention and attrition .
Retention means you keep the staff you recruit in 2021 . Recruitment this year should be focused on interviewing and selecting properly . Look at it as an essential and key part of running your business and give it the time and effort that it deserves .
Recruitment may feel easy , but if the people handling recruitment within your company are not trained interviewers , an interview will often be filled with the interviewer telling the candidate how brilliant the company and the role are , whilst the candidate simply counters with ‘ I ’ m great too ’. Both only paint a rosy picture in order to get the job or fill the vacancy as quickly as possible . In six months ’ time , the reality of the role , and the candidate ’ s skill set kick in , both exclaim ‘ that ’ s not what you told me ’ and the new recruit leaves .
Recruitment needs to be countered with a reality check : the
Left : Recruitment expert Robert Kenward truth of what the role really encompasses , not just the fun ‘ front-of-house ’ stuff , but everything behind the scenes too . As an interviewer , you also need to ask the awkward questions and find out if the candidate is only happy to do a ridiculous commute or take a lower salary because they need the job , but then as soon as a role nearer to home , or with the salary they really want comes their way , they will be off . I ’ ve often said that candidates may tell a lie to get a job , but they need to tell the truth to get a career , and this has never been so prevalent . I don ’ t begrudge anyone who bends the truth at interview to get a job when they are desperate , but the job of the interviewer is to cut through that .
Use your gut sparingly
Never recruit with your gut instinct , but you should definitely say no with your gut . If something doesn ’ t feel right , then listen to your gut . But if it ’ s only your gut instinct telling you to go for it , then question it because this is where recruitment mistakes happen , and costs are incurred . Don ’ t forget that a bad hire comes not just with the cost of recruiting , but the ‘ sunk ’ costs of training someone up and the time your team will spend training your newcomer . If your new recruit doesn ’ t work out , then you will have to do it all again ; the hire that you thought only took three weeks will turn into a costly six-month task . www . conference-news . co . uk