Super excited to announce we’re been shortlisted for not one category but two in this years Liverpool Chamber Innovation in Business Awards 2024.
I’d love if you could spare a minute to vote for us – https://lnkd.in/eVbdN-7h
Our categories are Talent Development and Business of the Year Under 30 Employees.
These awards mean so much as 25% of the result is public vote, so your vote for us really matters.
Thank you so much!
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:
In addition to recognising feelings of self-doubt within yourself, there are also steps you can take as an employer to become more aware:
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
Business Development/ Account Manager – Wirral – £35k
HR Advisor – Chester – £32k
Office Manager/ Secretary – Wirral – £38k
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
While it’s important to consider all the things you need to do to make you an attractive employer to the right candidates, the first thing you need to do is to make sure you are compliant with the law.
With the upcoming changes to employment law coming in April 2024, we thought we’d take a look at what’s changing and how it could affect you.
We’ve spoken in the past about how important flexible working has become to candidates and the need to review your flexible working policies.
Now is the time to make sure you have those policies in place and your management are up to date and trained on how to handle requests in line with the regulations.
A good flexible working policy means you are better able to attract great candidates, and without one, you might just find yourself on the wrong side of new legislation. The changes being made mean employees can request flexible working from day one and can make 2 requests a year. They don’t need to make a business case for it, and you must respond within 2 months. You also need to consult with them before rejecting requests.
Making sure that dads can take time out when there’s a new addition to their family is really important. You’ll probably have a great paternity leave policy in place already, but you’ll need to be aware of the changes that have come into place recently.
From April 2024, paternity leave can be taken as two consecutive weeks or two separate blocks of one week to be taken within 52 weeks from birth (or placement for adoption).
The notice of entitlement should be given on or before the 15th week before expected week of birth.
Four weeks’ notice will be required to take each period of leave (except cases of domestic adoption where notice is seven days). Employees may give 28 days’ notice to vary the date of their planned leave if desired. Paternity leave pay has also increased from £172.48 to £184.03
Another of your policies that you’ll need to revisit is redundancy. Pregnant employees and those returning from maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave will now have extra protections against redundancy. The redundancy protection period is extended until 18 months after the birth of a child for employees returning from family-friendly leave.
You may also need to update your current time off work policy, or create a separate carer’s leave policy. Employees will have this right from day one and take up to one week of unpaid leave per year.
Employees can take their full entitlement of a week in one go, or at different periods as long as they take at least half their working day each time.
Employees can use this leave to care for a dependent that needs long-term care.
Long-term care needs are defined as an illness or injury that lasts longer than three months, has a disability covered in the Equality Act 2010, or due to old age. In some circumstances, you may be able to postpone a period of carer’s leave.
Another area of employment law to be updated are laws on how to calculate holiday entitlement, while pay for irregular hours workers and part-year staff is also changing.
The new rules only apply from the start of the first new leave year on or after 1 April 2024.
There are two methods available: the default method or rolled up holiday method.
If you have a leave year running from January to December, the new rules will apply from January 2025.
If these new rules are different to what you already have in place, this will be a change to your employee’s terms and conditions and their contract of employment.
The threshold for National Living Wage will be lowered to include 21-year-olds.
The new National Living Wage rate will be £11.44 per hour; £8.60 for those aged 18 – 20; £6.40 for those over school age but not yet 18, and apprentice rate.
Payments for Statutory Sick Pay will increase from £109.40 to £116.75 per week from 6 April 2024.
Payments for Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Shared Parental Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay, and Statutory Bereavement Pay all increase from £172.48
to £184.03 per week from 7 April 2024.
We know this is all a lot to take in. With so many policy changes happening at once, it’s worth reminding you that we’re always here to help when you need us, and we work with some excellent HR companies who can help you to navigate the new legislation. Get in touch for more information.
This month, we’re taking a look at the rise of more transient career paths amongst Gen Z candidates and how we can embrace the change.
The notion of a lifelong career in a single field is fading, with the rise of Gen-Z (people born between 1997–2012) workers who fully expect to change careers multiple times.
According to recent studies, Gen-Z workers expect to change careers three times more than any previous generation. This shift reflects a generation not driven purely by financial gain but also a desire for improved work-life balance, and a longing to work for companies that resonate with their personal values.
Many professionals agree that leveraging transferable skills from previous experiences is essential. Whether it’s analytical thinking, effective communication, or project management skills, these abilities can often be applied across various industries.
By leveraging transferable skills, individuals can navigate the path to a rewarding and fulfilling career journey and companies need to take this into consideration when it comes to recruitment and retention.
So should you embrace a more flexible and open recruitment process? Happy to have transient talent working with you and therefore look to improve how you allow talent to flow into and out of your workforce? Or should you be looking to elevate your brand, making your company an enticing prospect where people come to enjoy a long and illustrious career?
Whichever you think is the right position to take, creating a desirable working environment that stands for growth and having a solid company brand identity will attract the best candidates.
If you’d like to discuss how to improve your talent planning and recruitment process to keep in line with current trends, get in touch…
Customer Service Administrator – Wirral – £25k
Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…
Slubber Doffers
Usually children working in the textile industry who spent long days removing the empty bobbins from looms after the rovings (slubbings) had been removed.
Fun Fact
A chicken once lived for 18 months without its head.
When you’re short-staffed you may feel like you’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off! Don’t wait 18 months, get in touch to recruit and fill that position, fast!
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.
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.
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…
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Congrats to Faye & Jami who got married at Inglewood Manor on New Year’s Eve!
Customer Service Administrator – Wirral – £25k
Available Immediately
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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
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
Our wonderful resourcer, Faye Smith, sharing her insights in the power of eye contact during an interview.
Building a personal connection in an interview is super important, and first impressions can make or break your chance at getting a job offer, here’s our advice on how to use eye contact to your advantage during an interview.
Beyond the traditional handshake and CV, maintaining strong eye contact with your interviewers can speak volumes about your confidence, engagement, and communication skills. If you have more than one interviewer, or a panel of interviewers it’s important to make eye contact with each individual and not just to focus your attention on the boss or the person asking the questions.
If possible, ask a couple of questions at the end of the interview, and direct your questions to multiple people, not just the manager or person leading the interview. This demonstrates your ability to build rapport and your enthusiasm for the team as well as the role.
Maintaining eye contact can have a big influence on the outcome of your interview. It’s a powerful tool that communicates confidence, engagement, and respect, while also building rapport and demonstrating your active listening skills. By making eye contact a deliberate part of your interview strategy, you can leave a lasting and positive impression on your potential employer.
Remember, it’s not just about what you say, but how you say it—with your eyes as a key player in the conversation!
This month we’re excited to share the details of our fab collaboration with the wonderful Hi-Impact, to bring you the complete recruitment package. And we think this partnership is a match made in heaven!
As award winning, Wirral based recruiters covering various sectors including insurance, pensions, investment, property and head office roles. We are incredibly successful at placing candidates across the North West and nationally, covering roles with salaries from £20k to £150k.
At JFR our team of dedicated recruiters, account managers and recruitment coordinators
have always prioritised our client’s success, helping them from start to finish to recruit candidates that are a perfect match for them. In fact out of the last 1000 candidates we have placed into employers, we have had a 99% success rate. This is unheard of within the recruitment industry and we feel partnering with Hi-Impact is a great opportunity to help our clients further.
Hi-Impact’s immersive tools help businesses to attract and cultivate talent through their Gain, Train, Retain dynamic multimedia packages. These online experiences have emerged as a powerful tool to support businesses in attracting and training new talent as well as building employee retention across the business.
Gain
Working with your team, hi-impact plan, shoot and produce videos to build interest and increase awareness of your organisation and current opportunities.
Train
Virtual training resources allow you to train your staff before they even step foot in the door. Through the use of innovative 3D virtual tours and video technology, hi-impact build platforms that can build recruits understanding of your business and key areas from any device, at any time.
Retain
To keep employees up-to-date and secure in their position, producing high-quality, informative videos can be the way to go. You can use them to highlight important internal updates in training and company values.
When you combine all the magic offered by both JFR and Hi-Impact, something special happens. By working with both companies, you’ll have the edge you need to find and keep top staff!
Let us know if you spotted Jo there! She was there for the whole week and loved every minute of it. Not even the rain could dampen her spirits.
How many golf fans have we got out there?
Jobs we’re glad aren’t a thing any more…
Chimney Sweep – Most people think of the charm of Dickensian children straight out of Mary Poppins, but it was hard work cleaning chimneys and often came with health risks.
Fun Fact – The Spanish national anthem is one of only four national anthems to have no official lyrics.