Hiring Companies – Stand out from the crowd!

It’s no secret that the current recruitment market in the business travel industry is highly competitive so how do you, as a hiring company, stand out from the rest to attract the best talent.

Recruitment Best Practice

Really work on your process to make sure it’s not only user friendly but it’s part of your “Employer of choice” ethos. So clear requirements for the job and candidate, documented into a professional Job Description (as a specialised agency, we can help you with this). A quick, effective interview process with as few stages as possible, ensuring that interviewers are generally available in the next few days/weeks to ensure good availability for interviews. Also, make sure that those interviewers are skilled and confident in their interview skills (and don’t take this as read!).

Competitive Remuneration and Terms

This is a different market, so what might have been a competitive salary pre-pandemic, is no longer! So, (again we can help) assess the current market and put together a package that really is market competitive. This includes not just base salary but bonus, annual leave (are you prepared to lose a preferred candidate over a couple of days of leave allowance?), private health ( for example, no private medical during a probationary period – the candidate may have an ongoing medical condition and need continuous cover) and flexible working (for example hybrid office/home, compressed hours, job sharing). These are all elements that are costing companies candidates at this time.

And speaking of probationary periods, would you join a company with an initial one week notice? Candidates are still apprehensive about changing employers after the past 2 years, so losing benefits for an initial period and having a worryingly short notice period can be a deal breaker for some. The key here is flexibility by the hiring company and the recognition that job security is critical at this time. If the candidate does not see this flexibility and empathy from a potential employer, it could be the deciding factor in whether they will move…or not.

Values and Ethos

This is one of THE most important aspects for any hiring company. Your values are at the core of a candidate’s decision making process when considering you – and your values and ethos are on display constantly. From your online presence and word of mouth; and throughout the entire recruitment process. How you treat people is indicative of your innate value system – bear that in mind when dragging out the recruitment process, trying to negotiate one less day in the annual leave allowance or saving £1k on the salary bill. That is no longer a “winning” outcome – it’s a “losing” one as you lose the candidate and the company reputation will suffer.

Sustainability

A huge consideration for some and one that can cost you a preferred candidate. Wrapped up in your values and ethos, as a hiring company, how do you approach sustainability? Are you on a progressive path….are you paying lip service…or is your head well and truly buried? A true sustainability ethos that complements a company’s people practices has a higher chance of standing out in the job market. You can introduce simple eco-centred challenges, such as cycling to work and recycling waste, to engage your employees in your sustainability endeavours.

Wellbeing Practices

A company which has genuine staff wellbeing at the forefront of its culture will shine in comparison to those where consideration is low or nil. There are so many ways to show genuine wellbeing consideration in your people strategy, but this must be carried through on a daily basis by the actions of all levels of management. It’s in the way you treat staff every day as well as having “bells and whistles” policies.

So, lots of new recruitment priorities to consider in today’s business travel market!

For help and advice, contact the business travel industry “people” agency, Sirius Talent Solutions, for any or all of your recruitment and HR/Training needs.