The Challenges Of Recruitment During The COVID-19 Lockdown
We are now in our third lockdown and have been in lockdown for the better part of a year. However, even though many companies have adapted their trading processes and systems, there are still unique challenges in the recruitment industry.
High Unemployment Numbers
Unemployment has increased during the pandemic, and there is a rising trend of people applying for jobs that they aren’t fit or qualified for. According to the Office for National Statistics, the UK employment rate has risen to 5.1%, 1.3 percentage points higher than one year earlier. The rise of unemployment in the UK now sees an additional 726,000 people searching for a Job, compared to February 2020.
Fewer Jobs
As companies have to make cutbacks, fewer people are hiring, especially for low-paid roles typically filled by low-skilled workers. From November 2020 to January 2021, there were 26% fewer job vacancies than one year ago.
Lack Of Face-To-Face
It is hard for recruiters and employers to gauge the client’s skill and personality without meeting them face-to-face. Furthermore, once a candidate is chosen, it is harder to onboard and train employees remotely. Using a virtual classroom as part of your onboarding process might help you overcome this challenge.
Budget Cuts
As a result of the pandemic, many companies have less of a budget to invest in recruiting new employees. If you are wondering how much recruitment agencies charge, you should expect to pay between 10-30% of the employee’s base annual salary. For a base wage of £30,000, the recruiter’s fees could be between £3,000 and £9,000.
Solutions
Write Job Descriptions In-House
With all the helpful job description templates, tips and guidance on this site, you don’t need a recruitment agency to write a job description for you. Simply head on over to our template library and choose the template that most closely resembles the position you are looking to fill.
Interview Online
Interviewing online is the happy middle ground between face to face and a phone call. You still get to understand their skill sets, experiences and personality. There are many great free online meeting tools you can use, just make sure your internet connection won’t let you down.
Read How To Conduct A Remote Interview.
Flat Fee / Fixed Fee Recruitment
Using a flat fee recruiter gives you a low/fixed-cost recruitment solution that is capped and without any hidden fees. While you will lower recruitment costs, you still enjoy the same coverage for your job advert. Recruitment and job advertising services makes it possible to find the ideal candidates quickly and easily, with low recruitment agency fees.
How To Recruit Without An Agency
Our top tip is to conduct video interviews rather than phone call interviews. Using an app such as Skype or Zoom will let you gauge the character of your candidates. You should also request previous work examples and send tests to candidates to verify their skill level and understanding.
Employers can visit our interview hub for useful resources and advice.
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