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Optimise Your Onboarding Strategy

Ways to improve and optimise your onboarding strategy

To ensure new employees fully immerse themselves into your business culture, and engage with their new role, it is important to provide a seamless and friendly onboarding process. By taking these recommended steps, you can ensure that things move efficiently, from the job offer stage to induction.

1. Keep in touch

To ensure your candidate is receiving the right support, keep in touch. Let them know you are happy to help them with any queries, or support with notice periods or counter offers. We often suggest that you give the candidate a call within 48 hours to inform them of how happy you are that they are coming on board, and perhaps offer for them to visit the office beforehand to meet the team. This will help them transition fluidly to become an engaged part of your team.

2. Send the offer letter

The best way to secure the candidates commitment early on, and engage them straight away, is to not delay in sending the offer letter. Our advice is always to email the candidate on the day the offer is made outlining confirmation of the offer. Let them know that a written offer is on the way, either via post, email or both. Ensure that this is with them as soon as possible.

3. Induction and Introduction

On the first day of employment, give a tour of the office or building so that the new employee can feel at ease and become familiar with their workspace. If they are working remotely, set up a team video call to welcome them, perhaps including a short ‘get to know you’ session. Ensure the employee has access to thorough training, whether this is a formal induction, a video, or one to one mentoring. Depending on the role they have been hired for, decide when their duties officially begin, and have someone available to them to answer any questions they might have, and if possible, offer some one-to-one mentoring.

It is estimated that 60% of UK workers experience imposter syndrome connected to their work accomplishments. This can often be triggered by a new role, or increased responsibility at work, which is why it is key to implement a successful onboarding strategy. By practising the methods shown above, not only are candidates more likely to engage and flourish in their new role, but also reduce feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Some other methods to help combat feelings of imposter syndrome include:

  • Recognising you are experiencing imposter syndrome is the first step to combating it. Identify your unhealthy thinking patterns, and use cognitive behavioural therapy methods to challenge negative thoughts.
  • Asking for support when you need it is a sign of strength,not weakness. Struggling in silence can be very isolating in the workplace, so be sure to speak out to avoid a build up of work and worry.
  • Try to refrain from negative self-talk, instead regarding learning experiences as growth instead of shortfall.

In addition to recognising feelings of self-doubt within yourself, there are also steps you can take as an employer to become more aware:

  • If you can, encourage a healthy work/life balance for employees. By creating a safe and nurturing work environment, colleagues will feel more comfortable opening up about vulnerabilities, and maintaining a healthy balance will reduce risks of employees overworking and burning out.
  • By adopting mentoring and coaching practices, you can help those new to the workforce to feel supported by more experienced colleagues.
  • By keeping an eye on new colleagues who seem to be struggling, you can combat the early signs of imposter syndrome. Look for warning signs, such as withdrawal from team interactions, in order to support and address the issue.

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

HR Lead- Chester/North Wales- £75-80K

  • Employee Relations

  • Training, Performance Management

  • E-Support/ Wellbeing

  • Policy Creation and Management

  • Recruitment and Onboarding

  • Talent Management

  • Tribunals

Top 3 Vacancies Filled This Month

  • Business Development/ Account Manager – Wirral – £35k

  • HR Advisor – Chester – £32k

  • Office Manager/ Secretary – Wirral – £38k

Just for LOLS

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing anymore…

Hacker

We wish we could tell you that hackers (computer hackers, that is!) no longer exist, but unfortunately, these working men were more handy with trees than HPs. Hackers were known as woodcutters, and were axed, yet again, due to technological advancements.

Fun Fact

Someone who suffers from “anatidaephobia” believes that somewhere, somehow a duck or goose is constantly watching them

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Let us help you future proof your business

2024 brings more change, so here’s our top tips:

Invest in workforce skills

The skills gap is all too real and hitting hard as the next stage of retirees prepare to exit the workplace.

That’s why hiring on soft skills and investing in development will become critical throughout the business world. More and more of our candidates are considering progression and development opportunities when exploring the job market so businesses with real plans in place for their people are more likely to stand out.

Create a more diverse workplace

Some of our clients have had success putting diversity groups in place within their workplace.

Others are adopting more open work practices, to encourage both new starters and long-term staff to be more open about their disabilities or neurodivergence.

They create a safe space for people to share experiences, educate each other and foster a more inclusive workplace.

If this is something you’d like more information about, get in touch and we can recommend a few experts in this field.

Ensure your brand gives the right message

With talent planning and candidate attraction, it’s not just about the business brand on a surface level, but also the social and ecological impact your business and culture have on the world that candidates are looking at.

Just as employers become more savvy about hiring decisions by exploring social media and the footprint candidates are making, the candidates are doing exactly the same when it comes to your business.

Consider your brand message on your website, client/customer reviews, Google reviews, and news articles that might impact their decision when accepting a job offer.

If you want to talk more about talent planning and recruitment, get in touch…

TEAM NEWS

Alongside the Paul Lavelle Foundation who has been one of our chosen charities for a few years now, this year we will be supporting Open Door Charity.

Open Door Charity is one of Merseyside’s most progressive and dynamic independent charities.

Open Door exists to help improve the lives of young people in Wirral and across Merseyside by providing them with the tools and techniques they need to become and stay mentally well.

Open Door offers a range of programmes at their home, Bloom Building, a bright and colourful space that nurtures authenticity, inclusion and wellness.

Last year, Open Door supported hundreds of individuals through their portfolio of programmes with support that is fast, free and effective.

Bazaar, an 8 week CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) mindfulness and meditation based offer that looks to positively disrupt negative thoughts and behaviours in individuals.

Colours, a 4 week introductory stress and anxiety management programme for groups and individuals.

Mysa, an informal and creativity based support session for anyone aged 18+ living with an eating disorder or distorted eating.

OOMMOO, a mental health and wellbeing offer for Children Looked After in Wirral.

Open Door empowers their community to improve their lives using creativity, music, art and human connection as a catalyst for meaningful and lasting change.

If you want to talk more about how we can help future proof your business in 2024, get in touch

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

Marketing Assistants – Liverpool & Chester – circa £25k

We’ve recently recruited for a Marketing Assistant and have two great candidates we are looking for homes for.

  • Degree level educated
  • B2B and B2C backgrounds
  • Scheduling and creating social media content
  • Email marketing
  • Events planning and coordination
  • SEO/Google Ads

Just for LOLS

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…   

Human-Computer

Long before laptops and PCs, people were employed as computers. These jobs were often held by women who worked in teams to figure out lengthy mathematical calculations. Human computers solved problems ranging from astronomy to trigonometry, but as to be expected, these jobs have been replaced by the computers we use today

Fun Fact
Did you know a cloud weighs around a million tonnes? A typical cloud has a volume of around 1km3 and a density of around 1.003kg per m3 – about 0.4 per cent lower than that of the surrounding air, which is why they float.

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JFR January Newsletter

Welcome to the JFR newsletter, where we share important updates, keep you informed about relevant industry news, and share our thoughts on the most important issues in recruitment. If you feel this may be of interest to others, please do feel free to forward it on.

This month, we’re taking a look at what we think will be the big recruitment trends in 2024

Predictions for recruitment trends in 2024

As we start a new year, we thought we’d take a look at what we expect to be making waves in recruitment in 2024 and our recommendations for you to get ahead of the curve.

Proper Talent Planning rather than reactive recruitment needs to be the norm…

Reactive recruitment has been the norm for many years, but we see 2024 as being the year we all get proactive with proper talent planning.

Reactive recruitment (aka passive recruitment) is initiated once a request for a new member of staff is made internally, which makes it a bit of a rushed process to get the right candidates vetted, interviewed and in role.

Unfortunately, reactive recruiting is very time-consuming!

If you have proper talent planning in place you’ll have discussed your business’s current, short and long term plans so you can start the process earlier and have people in place as the business demands.

Research shows that last year 76% of candidates researched the employer brand before they applied, so we know the best candidates are looking for opportunities to grow and contribute to a company’s success.

The way you recruit says a lot about your company dynamics and if your policies are proactive it paints you in a better light.

EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) is becoming more prominent and policies need to include your recruitment process.

This year, how businesses attract candidates is going to change – this is where our advice and knowledge of the market can truly make a difference as we lean into your company culture, your team, your benefits package and both personal and professional opportunities within your business.

Get in touch with us to help.

TEAM NEWS!

Congrats to Faye & Jami who got married at Inglewood Manor on New Year’s Eve!

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT!

Customer Service Administrator – Wirral – £25k 
Available Immediately

  • Strong Customer Service and Support Admin
  • Handling customer queries and complaints via telephone and email
  • Experience working within FCA-regulated industry
  • Data Entry, managing internal databases and spreadsheets
  • Working to targets and KPIs

JUST FOR LOLs

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…

Tosher- During the Victorian era in London, toshers broke into the city’s sewage system and searched for pieces of bones, metal scraps, coins or valuable items.
Fun Fact

With the movie “Mean Girls” turning 20 this year, and a new version being released, this month’s fun fact is Amy Poehler was only seven years older than Rachel McAdams when she took on the role of “cool mom” in Mean Girls.

Rachel was 25 as Regina George – Amy was 32 as her mum.

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JFR – Our November Newsletter

Welcome to the JFR newsletter, where we share important updates, keep you informed about relevant industry news, and share our thoughts on the most important issues in recruitment. This month, we’re looking at the candidate experience and how your branding can affect it.

What Does Your Branding Say To Candidates?

In recent newsletters, we’ve discussed candidate onboarding to help you retain your newly appointed recruits. We’ve also discussed flexibility in the workplace, be that in benefits packages or flexible working options to help you attract the right talent and get the right cultural fit.

However, recruitment and the candidate experience starts long before the role is advertised.

It’s important to consider your brand, both as a business and an employer.

It’s been proven that stronger brands have a bigger pool of candidates to choose from.

So it’s worth taking some time to consider.

What does your brand say to the world?

What are candidates finding when they research your business?

Here’s our list of the top things candidates are looking for:

Customer satisfaction – no one wants to work for a business that doesn’t look after its customers – especially if they will be working as part of that journey (sales, account managers or customer service). If you can’t be bothered looking after your customers, how are you going to treat your staff?

Communication with the public – If your business receives negative reviews online – make sure they get a professional, positive response. So many businesses fall into the trap of having arguments on review sites, and it’s not a good look. Remember, this includes social media too. Make sure you are engaging with your followers, even if it’s just an emoji reply.

Consistency – your brand should be consistent across all platforms, from your company website to social media profiles. Candidate alarm bells sound when a company hasn’t invested in a website, or can’t be found on social media

Highlight Benefits and Business Culture through content creation and invest in video – most businesses consider their clients when creating content for social media, blogs and their website, but don’t forget candidates will be looking at these areas too. Show your company values and have clear mission statements.

There’s some fantastic ways in which you can highlight your business culture online. If you need advice with this, get in touch. We can recommend companies to work with that get great results in this area.

Diversity and Inclusion – if you haven’t got policies and culture in place that can promote a welcoming and inclusive workplace, you’re missing a trick.
Testimonials- Candidates will utilise sites like Glassdoor to check your business’s reputation with employees. If existing and previous employees are happy, chances are they will be too.

Get in touch with us to discuss how we can assist with all of the above and help you attract the very best candidates to your business.

Speaking of which…

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

We usually highlight a star candidate but this month I’d like to draw your attention to an area we recruit for as we have four or five fabulous HR candidates currently at all levels.

  • Recruitment & Onboarding Administrator
  • HR Advisors from generalist backgrounds
  • HRIS & Data Professional
  • HR Manager with a great generalist background
  • Head of HR/HR Director
  • All of our candidates are CIPD qualified, from Level 3 to Level 7.

Whether you are adding to a department, or your business is growing, and you need a dedicated HR professional, give us a call to discuss.

TRENDING NEWS

  • British Steel confirms plans to revive steel production on Teesside
  • Can AI cut humans out of contract negotiations?
  • M&S revamp pays off with profit boost from food sales
  • Families are expected to leave it late to buy Christmas gifts this year
  • Fashion firm Boohoo breaks promises on ethical overhaul

JUST FOR LOLs

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…

Herb Strewer- The 1600s weren’t known for being the most hygienic times in history. The herb strewers job was to spread herbs and flowers throughout royal family residences to mask the stench. Plants like basil, lavender, chamomile, and roses were regularly used by herb strewers.

Fun Fact  Parkinson’s Law states “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” Hands up if you’ve experienced this phenomenon.

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Recruit to Retain – Our September Newsletter

Welcome to our September Newsletter, where we’re examining how your recruitment process impacts your staff retention rates. Keep reading for practical tips on how to take a fresh approach to staff retention by getting it right from the outset.

Recruit to Retain

The staff retention crisis seems to be a topic that we are highlighting every few months now. Well, it’s back in the headlines, so it’s time we revisit the topic as we’ve got some solutions that can help you tackle this challenge head on.

If you’re trying to improve your staff retention, it’s time to think about your recruitment process.

Top Five Reasons People Leave Their Jobs

Poor Management: 
Employees often mention poor management as the major reason they leave a job. Effective leadership and support are essential to employee satisfaction and therefore, retention.

Role not as described:
When the job doesn’t match the initial description that drew the person to apply, or if the job is changed significantly post-hire it can lead to dissatisfaction and resignations.

Lack of progression or development opportunities:
Most employees seek growth and development in their career. If these opportunities aren’t offered they are more likely to look elsewhere.

Desire for remote/hybrid or office based working (Choice Matters):
The Pandemic and resulting lockdowns proved that remote working can really be successful and reshaped many working practices. Many employees prefer the flexibility of remote and hybrid working arrangements while others prefer the office environment. Offering a choice can be key in retaining employees.

Cost of living:
Rising living expenses put financial pressure on employees. Companies that address concerns through competitive benefits packages can retain employees more effectively

How can we solve these issues?

There’s a few ways you can solve these things, and don’t worry they’re all pretty easy.

Be Transparent

Make sure your job descriptions make sense. Make sure they set out what your expectations are and are written in an understandable way.
If they’re not, you’ll find you lose staff within the first few weeks.

Hire for cultural fit

Showcase your company culture, mission and vision through your website, advertisements and social media.
More and more people are leaving because the culture isn’t what was promised during the interview stage.
Be authentic!
You’ll attract the right people, and they’ll stay!

Effective onboarding, induction and training

The first few months are critical to engagement and retention.
Ensure a consistent, seamless transition for new hires.

By addressing these key reasons for employees leaving, and by putting these simple retention strategies in place you can create a workplace where your team feels valued, supported and fulfilled.

Happy employees stick around, which in turn leads to a happy, stable and productive workplace.

Our most successful clients in terms of talent attraction at the moment offer flexible and agile working, invest in their team’s development, offer opportunities and speak to us regularly about how to attract and retain the right talent.

It might seem like there’s no magic formula out there right now to attract talent, but there is!

It’s all about having the right processes, and structure backend to allow your management to make decisions on where/when and how their teams will perform best. Not having a one size fits all approach.

TEAM NEWS

This month we’ve all been busy upskilling, with topics such as AI talent attraction and Chat GPT and email marketing. We like to keep ourselves on top of all the latest trends to get the best candidates for your job vacancies.

With wedding bells about to chime in December, our Faye is busy planning her wedding. We can’t wait, just enough time to find the perfect outfit

TRENDING NEWS

  • Roblox laid off 30 staff in the hiring team. The layoffs come following a period of dramatic growth for the game, which now commands 250 million monthly active users – more than Fortnite and Minecraft combined.
  • Recruitment activity across the UK fell during August. Permanent placements fell at a rapid pace that was the sharpest in over three years, while temp billings slipped into decline for the first time since July 2020
  • Sick days at work hit highest level for 10 years – remember we offer temp recruitment if you need it
  • Gatwick cancels flights due to sickness and Covid.

JUST FOR LOLs

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…

Leech Collector – A leech collector was responsible for retrieving the blood-sucking creatures from their natural habitat for doctors to use. Individuals with this job often used their own legs to lure leeches from creeks and rivers. That job really sucked.

Fun Fact  A Shrimp’s heart is in its head

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JF Recruitment December Newsletter

It’s December already! As another year draws to a close, we’d like to start this month by saying thank you to all our clients and wishing you a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year.

What are Candidates Looking For?

Candidates are no longer looking for superficial perks of a job, they are looking for meaningful perks that cover the essentials.

Candidates don’t want:

  • Trendy offices (beer fridges, pool tables, televisions etc.)
  • Magazine subscriptions
  • Multi discount platforms
  • Bike to work scheme

Candidates want:

  • Elevated Pension contributions
  • A bus or fuel allowance for travel
  • Financial security for family members if they get sick or die
  • Help towards energy or wifi costs for homeworkers
  • Remote work opportunities (home/hybrid)
  • Flexible working
  • Additional holiday entitlement (loyalty rewards or potential to buy additional)

What to do for the new year:

There are three things for you to start your 2023 recruitment plans.

Assess wellbeing policies (mental health, menopause, equality, diversity etc.)
Make sure staff are paid at market rate and feel valued
Evaluate predictions, growth and contingency plans to establish needs and create a target plan

For more information about how JF Recruitment can help! Contact us today.

JFR NEWS

As the year draws to a close, we’ve been reflecting on what a year it has been. 2022 has been busier than ever for JF Recruitment.

We’ve worked on some of our biggest candidate projects, supporting new and existing clients. And we’ve placed a record number of permanent candidates. We can’t wait to see what next year holds.

Our team has also had personal successes.

Jo moved house and can’t wait to start decorating.

Faye got engaged and is planning her wedding for December 2023.

And Claire got married, whilst also finding time to publish three children’s books!

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

Senior Practice Accountant – £40 – 45k Ellesmere Port

  • Degree 2:1, BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance, ACCA Practising Certificate, ACCA Qualification – first time passes
  • Preparation and review of accounts and tax returns for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies
  • Preparation and review of self-assessment and corporation tax returns
  • Preparation of VAT Returns and payroll including completion of year end P11, P14, P35
  • Represented clients during HMRC enquiries and investigations
  • Successfully agreed Settlement figures with HMRC saving clients’ £000,s in tax and NIC

TRENDING NEWS

  • More than 100 UK companies have made a permanent move to a 4-day week
  • National living wage will be increased to £10.42
  • Barratt Homes gives staff second £1,000 cost-of-living payment
  • National Grid rules out UK-wide blackout plan
  • Plans underway for Liverpool hosts of Eurovision 2023

Just for LOLS

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…

Billy Boy – these were the young apprentices of trades folk who would essentially be there to make the tea. Thank goodness our apprentices are given more responsibility in today’s world.

Fun Fact

A whole orange will float on water but sinks if you peel it.

Jo’s TOP TIPS

Recruit outside the box!

If you have a role to fill, it’s easy to think of finding a carbon copy of yourself. However, our clients have had great success either recruiting outside of their industry, recruiting a young person with no experience or an ex service/care professional.

So why take a chance?

  • Gain a fresh perspective on your industry
  • Graduates quick with tech
  • Focussed on future development not only for themselves but your business

Want to discuss further? Contact us

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JF Recruitment November Newsletter

Across the span of three years, the pandemic has irrevocably changed how we work.

We’ve faced lockdowns, social distancing, home working, Brexit, new political leaders, and so much more. As things begin to settle down, we are starting to get an idea of what the new version of normal might look like.

Many employers have taken advantage of the appetite for hybrid or home working to reduce the spend on office space, while others still prefer the traditional approach. The statistics are in, and we’re starting to be able to make sense of what the future holds.

The Future of the Office

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have released studies that capture a vivid snapshot of the new working landscape. These studies showed that around 80% of employers allow hybrid working. Within this grouping:

  • 44% have no expectation to work in the office.
  • 60% reported improved staff wellbeing
  • 41% reported increased productivity.

Despite all of this, there is still a use for the office. A recent survey by LinkedIn has highlighted how the office can mirror the needs of a perpetually changing work environment to reinvigorate itself. Those in the market for workspace are looking for:

  • Collaborative workspaces (27%)
  • Dedicated desk spaces – hotdesk (43%)
  • Wellbeing and recreation spaces (22%)
  • Sustainability and ventilation (8%)

It’s clear that modern offices need to provide a collaborative environment that fulfils people’s needs, accommodating both the individual and the group.

If you would like to survey your team, or find out more, feel free to email Claire for more information – claire@jfrecruitment.co.uk

JFR NEWS

Our team has been staying ahead of the curve to understand the future of the marketplace.

  • Attending webinar events
  • Training extensively
  • Reaching out to trendsetters both locally and nationally
  • Talking talent strategy

We’ve also been considering the charities we want to support next. We’ll be announcing them soon.

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

HR Assistant/ Officer –  £24k – Chester

  • Currently studying CIPD Level 5
  • Generalist background
  • Personnel files, letters and special requirements
  • Recruitment assistance including job boards, right-to-work checks and CV screening
  • New starter training/ induction and assisting with H&S
  • Note-taking and Minutes of meetings including absence management and disciplinaries
  • GDPR and Confidentiality
  • Payroll queries and holiday requests

TRENDING NEWS

  • New PM – Rishi Sunak’s first week underway
  • Aldi expands menopause support with manager training
  • House prices fall for the first time since June 2020
  • Elon Musk buys Twitter and fires it’s board of executives

Just for LOLS

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…

A leech collector – back in the 19th century there was a growing demand for medicinal leeches, thankfully not so much now.

Fun Fact

When David Attenborough was controller at BBC2, he spearheaded the fight to get Wimbledon broadcasted in colour. Turning the previously white tennis balls into their famous neon yellow.

Jo’s Top Tips

Get your team on your socials. 85% of our candidates say that working in a good team is important.

Allow employees to appear on your social media. Interview them, video them, and ask them what they like most about their workplace. When employees research your business, we want them to see who they will be working with.

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JF Recruitment October Newsletter

The pound recently hit its lowest levels against the dollar, marking uncertain times for the economy, and it’s making some people nervous. When it comes to attracting top talent to help your business not only survive, but thrive during challenging times, clear and unambiguous job adverts can make a huge difference. So, let’s talk about it.

Clear and Effective Job Adverts

You already know that the job market at the minute is incredibly candidate driven. So, when it comes to making your vacancy stand out and attract the right people, a great job advert is vital.

Our candidates tell us that they skim through job adverts looking for something that grabs them. That means you need to get your message across in a concise, and enticing way. Think about the language you use, and how that will come across to potential applicants; for example, ‘fast-paced environment’ could be read as no work/life balance, and ‘we’re like a family’ might be perceived as could be dysfunctional.

According to a recent jobseeker survey, some of the expressions most likely to put off a candidate include:

  •   Must handle stress well
  •  Willing to wear many hats
  •  Responsibilities may include those outside of the job description
  •  Applicants should be humble
  • Looking for self starters

At JF Recruitment, we can take care of writing the job ads for you, so that you can avoid the mistakes that put candidates off. We will help you to stand out in a noisy job market, and attract the right people.

JFR NEWS

Winner!

We’re incredibly proud to share that our very own Jo won the award for ‘Business Person of the Year’ at the Wirral Business Awards. Through JF Coaching and Consultancy, Jo offers business mentoring, and as part of her team we’re thrilled to receive such mentoring for free. She’s received great feedback from business owners who have worked with her.

Claire’s been a Busy Bee

In other news, we’ve got an author on the team! Our Claire has always been a budding writer in her spare time, and now she has released two children’s books. Aimed at years 1 – 5 they feature a great little character called Bertie the Bee.

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

Digital Marketing Director – £60k+

Wirral

  • CRM, Digital and Creative Strategy
  • Business Analysis and Marketing Analytics
  • Web Design and Development
  • Agile Methodology and Change Management
  • Business Networking and Public Speaking
  • Stakeholder Engagement and Management

Part Time PA/Secretary – £12p/hr

Chester

  • Reception/Switchboard
  • Diary/calendar management
  • Email management
  • Booking travel & accommodation
  • Business Admin & Invoicing
  • Research Projects

TRENDING NEWS

  • 86% want to continue four-day week
  • Govt will not scrap top tax rate
  • Diversity and Inclusion key for talent attraction
  • New GCSEs in Wales will have less emphasis on exams

Just for LOLS

Jobs we’re SAD aren’t a thing any more…

A Bard – Personally, I wish we had storytellers today that regaled us with facts using song.

Fun Fact

The mysterious green code introducing all the Matrix movies is in fact recipes for sushi.

Jo’s Top Tips

If you are facing a role that’s tricky to fill it’s important to consider whether you should focus on workplace fit and transferable skills, rather than direct experience.

Our clients that have the most success are those that think outside of the industry box. Filling roles with driven candidates that match the culture and vision they have for their business.

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JF Recruitment August Newsletter

As Autumn closes in, the leaves on the trees will take on beautiful brown and red hues, colours that really stand out.

So we thought, what better time to talk about how you can make your business stand out?

Make your business stand out!

In the week commencing 6th June, there were a total of 1.69 million job adverts across the UK. At the same time, there are approximately 1.5 million fewer people seeking employment since the pandemic.

The pool of candidate availability is decreasing due to young people staying in education longer, and more people moving away from the UK.

The majority of people leaving the workplace are older workers, for a variety of reasons, including lifestyle changes, illness, or care responsibilities.

With the skills gap widening, and the labour market so tight, this has an impact on succession planning. Given that 50% more babies were born in 1964 than in 1977, we are facing the challenges of an aging workforce, and retirement age is also a factor that needs to be considered.

So, what can you do to make your business stand out?

  • Show off your corporate culture on social media. What is your company brand and culture saying to jobseekers? Interview your teams and share on your socials to say why your business is a great place to work.
  • Consider your flexibility and equality HR policies; think about how hybrid working and equality could offer you more flexibility.
  • Pay – with inflation and a tight labour market, you need to be aware of the mental health of your workforce especially if they may have financial worries. According to recent research 75% of staff are too embarrassed to talk about salary with their employers. So even if they are happy in their current role, they’ll consider moving for more money. Mental health concerns can also impact attendance and productivity.
  • Create clear career pathways within your organisation, and if you can’t offer promotion, consider professional development to keep your team engaged.
  • Ask your team! Don’t be afraid of opening a discussion in the workplace, ask them why they stay working and what else they would like the business to offer. You may be surprised by the feedback!

If you think your business needs support with any of the above, give us a call and if we can’t help we can recommend you to one of our fantastic consultancies we work alongside.

If you would like to discuss further, simply arrange a consultation

JFR NEWS

JFR Welcome Julie Roberts to the Team

To assist you in finding great talent we have hired Julie Roberts, who joins us as a recruitment coordinator. Julie will join our lovely resourcing team working alongside our fantastic Faye Smith.

You can read all about Julie and the rest of the team on our website by visiting https://jfrecruitment.co.uk/meet-the-team/

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

Accounts Assistant – £25k

Wirral

  • Purchase and Sales Ledger
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Credit Control
  • Invoicing
  • Cash book and Cheques
  • Taking queries from clients and suppliers re invoices and payments
  • General office administration

TRENDING NEWS

  • The UK job market is showing no signs of slowing down according to Grapevine Leaders
  • Virgin Money gives staff £1k cost of living payment
  • The UK will host Eurovision 2023 – a hosting city is yet to be confirmed. (We hope Liverpool are bidding for the honour)
  • Ion Developments appointed by Wirral Council to bring 1400 new homes in a low-carbon urban village in Birkenhead

Just for LOLS

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…

Whiffler – This word is so much fun to say I’m sad it’s not really a job anymore, but these people would lead a procession, kind of like a herald or usher.

Fun Fact

With so many strawberries being picked and eaten with the nice weather, this fact seemed apt. Did you know that all strawberries today derive from five plants brought to France from Chile in 1712.

Jo’s Top Tips

We briefly mentioned that 50% more babies were born in 1964 than in 1977. A lot of those born in and around 1964 have already left the workplace taking early retirement or have begun to plan their exit.

However, due to rising cost of living and with new flexible work models, hybrid/ home working and flexible hours that weren’t on offer prior to the pandemic, we have seen an increase in those over 50 beginning to consider re-joining the workplace.

If your business has flexible working practices, or would be willing to consider them, you could attract a wealth of skill and experience to your business by welcoming a retiree back to the workplace.

⇽ Back To News

JF Recruitment July Newsletter

It’s still Summer, we think? The weather doesn’t seem to know what season it is, heating up one minute, storms the next, a bit like employee recruitment at the moment.

Our latest newsletter is here to bring you updates, news and advice on all things recruitment.

Attraction and Retention

The Covid Pandemic really made everyone concentrate more on their health and wellbeing. Joe Wicks became a folk hero and Argos sold out of Home gym equipment as sales spiked by 5813%.

With that in mind, considering employee wellbeing could be the secret to candidate attraction and retention.

A recent survey by Deloitte found that

  • 70% of employees would consider resignation in favour of a job that better supports their wellbeing
  • 76% of employees said the pandemic has negatively affected their mental health
  • 81% of employees are now prioritising their own wellbeing over career progression

Employee burnout is on the rise, with 57% of employees surveyed so unhappy they were considering quitting immediately.

According to HR Grapevine, 95% of employees with any level of worry at home say their personal finances are having a negative impact on their mental health.

For healthy retention and support of your current teams, and to attract talent to your business moving forward, it’s important to have an effective employee wellbeing structure that supports at multiple levels; from your employee benefits, through to how you handle employee reviews and signposting in the business.

We work with several fantastic employee wellbeing experts who can help you get started or indeed review what you have in place. If you would like to discuss further, simply arrange a consultation

JFR NEWS

JF Recruitment celebrates 9 years in business!

The team has grown so much in that time, adding temp recruitment, a bespoke recruitment package, and most recently our niche sectors to our service offering and we are continuing to grow, with a new member of the team joining us in July.

Congratulations, Claire!

Our Operations Manager Claire got married to her beau Neil, celebrating with an intimate afternoon tea with family then afterwards a party for family and friends.

Of course the JFR family attended. Lots of fun and laughter was had, there was even singing waitresses that Claire’s Dad had booked as a surprise for the pair on the night.

(She then snuck off for a fab honeymoon in the lakes – with lovely weather).

We wish Claire and Neil a long and happy life together!

CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT

BDM – £40-50k basic plus bonus/package

Wirral

  • Bringing on new business via connections and face to face business networking
  • Business Marketing, Networking, Event Speaker
  •  Litigation Solicitor with working knowledge of Conveyancing and Medical Negligence
  • Contract Tendering
  • Responsible for winning £1M legal services package for Paramedics Union membership
  • Growth Strategy

TRENDING NEWS

  • Parkdean Resorts invest in new apprenticeship drive
  • Deloitte supports work-life balance with ‘Time Out’ scheme
  • Multiple businesses are embracing ‘bring your dog to work days’
  • Merseyrail agree 7.1% pay rise backdated to April 2022
  • It’s officially business awards season with North West LGBTQ+ finalists published, MIB accepting nominations and Wirral Business Awards finalists pending announcement.

Just for LOLS

Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…

Night Soilman – these poor people had the task of emptying people’s backyard toilets and ashpits.

Fun Fact

In the time it takes The Proclaimers to sing I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), the International Space Station travels 500 miles, then 500 more. (A rather apt fact this week as it was our Claire’s wedding song with her other half Neil being an avid fell walker).

Jo’s Top Tips

We know recruitment can be difficult when you aren’t used to it. Speak to us about your process at the beginning, right before you create the job spec. We can help you figure out exactly what you need, what you need to pay to attract the right person, and even discuss your hiring process.

Believe me, in this candidate driven market, TIME is of the essence, so save yourself some time now, by speaking to us at the beginning, rather than halfway through when you needed someone yesterday!