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Employers Struggling to Recruit Despite Unemployment Figures- 03/11/2009
Despite 12-year record high unemployment figures, Shropshire organisations are struggling to recruit good workers, according to a leading employment lawyer.
Charlotte Pugh, a specialist employment solicitor in FBC Manby Bowdler LLP’s Shrewsbury office, says that the current economic uncertainty is making employees reluctant to change jobs, shrinking the pool of skilled labour from which companies can recruit.
“We are aware of a number of firms which want to take on more people to cope with an upturn in orders, but are finding it difficult to fill specialised jobs. In fact, we know of one firm which is having to re-advertise for a financial controller for the third time. Despite the unemployment figures, they just cannot find anyone with the right skills and aptitude to fill the role,” says Miss Pugh, who is based in FBC Manby Bowdler’s office on Shrewsbury Business Park.
According to Miss Pugh, the present shortage of good candidates is because most organisations recruit people who already have a job.
She says: “It is a brave person who moves job now as they will undoubtedly be leaving behind any redundancy protection, as for the first year in a new position they could be dismissed without any compensation.
“However, those organisations who need to recruit have to offer candidates sufficient incentives to move, but without losing the power to dismiss them should things not work out.”
Miss Pugh says that organisations with a defined retention programme are more likely to attract new employees. This may consist of a defined career path within the organisation, an opportunity to improve qualifications and skills through in-house and external training courses and incentives such as employee share schemes and bonus payments.
“There are also a number of benefits which employers can offer, which although they might be perceived as high value by employees actually cost the employer very little to deliver, such as health cash plans, private medical insurance, death in service benefits, income protection plans, discount shopping and fuel cards. These can also be tailored to the employee and in some cases employers allow workers to choose from a menu of benefits.
“On an on-going basis retention and reward programmes can also help to cut an organisation’s employment costs, by reducing staff turnover and reducing expenditure on recruitment,” concludes Miss Pugh.
With 40 qualified staff in offices in Shrewsbury, Telford and Bridgnorth, FBC Manby Bowdler is one of the largest law firms in Shropshire.