Professional recruitment firms reported that the number of candidates securing permanent roles in June 2018 increased by 9% year-on-year, according to new survey data from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

APSCo’s research, which focuses on professional recruitment, reveals notable variations between the trade association’s core sector groups in terms of hiring activity. While permanent placements within IT and financial services increased by 23% and 13% respectively over the 12 month period, the number of marketing professionals securing permanent roles during this time slipped by 11%.

Vacancies for permanent staff, meanwhile, remained largely stable across the board, dipping by just 4% in June 2018.

Financial services remains strong

The number of finance professionals securing permanent roles increased by 13% in the year to June 2018, while the number of contract professionals out on assignment in the sector rose 1% over the same period.

Vacancies for permanent finance professionals during this time grew by 4% while demand for contractors within financial services rose 21%, indicating ongoing strength across the market.

This confidence comes following the announcement that Barclay’s plans to create 2,500 jobs in Glasgow when it moves its technology, functions and operations teams to a new hub on the bank of the Clyde in 2021. This commitment is the latest sign of strength for Scotland’s financial services sector, which is now outstripping London in terms of growth.

IT market goes perm

While the number of IT contractors out on assignment plummeted by 34% year-on-year in June 2018, the number of professionals securing permanent roles in the sector increased by 23% during the same period.

Demand for permanent professionals also rose by 7% in the 12 months to June, while vacancies for IT contractors flat-lined – falling by 0.1% year-on-year.

This shift in focus can almost certainly be attributed to recent changes to off-payroll working in the public sector, and ongoing uncertainty around if and when IR35 reforms will be extended to the private sector. A recent survey conducted by IPSE and the CIPD found that 71 per cent of public sector hiring managers were struggling to hold on to their contractors as a result of the changes.

Contract market slow

Aside from ongoing demand for finance interims, overall contract vacancies dipped by 8% year-on-year in June 2018. The overall number of contractors out on assignment, meanwhile, dipped by 17% during the same period.

This decrease can largely be attributed to a significant 34% year-on-year fall in IT professionals working on a contract basis during this time. However, the number of marketing and engineering professionals on assignment also dipped in June 2018, falling by 17% and 9% respectively.

Average salaries stable

APSCo’s figures also reveal that median salaries across all professional sectors increased by 1% year-on-year. This figure is characterised by notable fluctuations in terms of sector, with insurance, for example, recording an uplift of 4.4% while banking salaries dipped by 5.2%.

Ann Swain, Chief Executive of APSCo comments:

“Considering the level of uncertainty that the UK continues to contend with, the current strength of the professional jobs market is a positive indicator of wider resilience. Economic growth is better than expected, overall employment levels are at a record high and the signs are now positive that the AI revolution is creating more jobs than it is destroying. 

“However, there is no doubt that the present picture is far from stable. While financial services, for example, is strong for now, future growth will likely depend on whether the UK successfully negotiates advanced equivalence post-Brexit. Furthermore, with the current consultation on off-payroll working in the private sector still open, we are yet to see how the contractor market will react to any incoming changes.”

John Nurthen, Staffing Industry Analysts’ Executive Director of Global Research commented:

“The decline in professional vacancies has continued in June, though the drop in permanent vacancies is quite marginal compared to the decline in temporary / contractor roles indicating that the UK job market is actually in a reasonable condition. And confidence, however, will likely prove fragile if the government is unable to prevent Brexit negotiations becoming more fraught during the second half of the year.”

Women get promoted for ‘warmth’, not confidence

The confidence gap between men and women is a myth, according to Laura Guillén, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at ESMT Berlin, because women viewed as self-confident aren’t more likely to get ahead.   For women, gaining influence at work is more closely tied to perceptions of their warmth and caring than the appearance of self-confidence.

Laura’s research, in collaboration with Margarita May of IE Business School and Natalia Karelaia of INSEAD, examined high-performing workers in a male-dominated technology company that employs more than 4,000 people worldwide.

Reasons for gaining influence at work show clear gender disparity

Laura says:

“Despite there being no visible confidence gap in the way high-performing men and women rated themselves, their reasons for gaining influence in the company showed a sharp gender disparity. Although men viewed as self-confident were more likely to get ahead, our research demonstrated that this was not the case for women, who were judged on their warmth, or how caring and social they seemed.

“This means that popular messaging about how women must change themselves to appear more self-confident in order to be successful isn’t just false, but also dampens the gender-diversity of the workforce. It ignores that the responsibility of nurturing this diversity should fall with employers and places the onus on the female employees themselves to conform with lazy, masculine stereotypes.”

The research suggests women are expected to care for others on top of their workload, whilst men are held to a lower standard of key performance indicators.

Calls for HR to assess male and female candidates on the same criteria

Laura continues:

“In order to get ahead, women are having to care for others whilst their male counterparts focus on their own objectives. Despite this prosocial quality not being listed on any job description, it appears to be the key performance indicator against which access, power and influence is granted to successful women.

“In order to combat this, HR departments should make sure that women and men are being evaluated against the same criteria in the hiring process and when being selected for promotions. Performance appraisals often contain nearly twice the amount of language about being warm for women than for men. These unconscious gender biases must be confronted so that talents and skills across organisations are rewarded fairly, regardless of gender.”

Genius Within CIC, an organisation that specialises in the workplace support of adults with neuro-differences has won recognition from the Employability Related Services Association (ERSA), for demonstrating exceptional commitment in supporting jobseekers with disabilities and health conditions to achieve sustained employment.

The annual awards hosted by ERSA celebrate and champion best practice from across the employment services sector, highlighting the day-to-day hard work and dedication of individuals and organisations in the sector working together to help jobseekers in their journey towards, into and progress in work.

Nancy Doyle, occupational psychologist and the CEO of Genius Within sees the Disability and Health Employment Award as recognition for the important work the company does collectively.

“The employment statistics for people with neuro-differences signal a drastic need for change.  28% of unemployed people and 40-60% of people who are incarcerated are dyslexic. Only 15% of people with Autism have a job. Many talented individuals are missing out on opportunities for satisfying employment and many organisations are not benefiting from their skills.  We hope this award sheds light on the work we’re doing to champion positive assessment and work with people to turn their strengths into career success.”

Genius Within is passionate about developing talent and achieving success with hidden disability, including ADHD, autism, dyslexia, Tourette’s Syndrome, mental health and conditions such as MS. The organisation uses innovative design, research and campaigning alongside direct client work which sees 50% of all supported individuals finding sustainable employment based on their unique strengths.  Through robust evaluation and benchmarking, 90% of Genius Within’s successful jobseekers are still with the same employer after one year, with 24% promoted within that timescale. The organisation supports over 700 unemployed individuals and 2,000 employed (but at risk) clients per annum.

In addition to the Disability and Health Employment Award, Genius Within caseworker, Tanya Weston, was given Adviser of the Year Award, for demonstrating exceptional commitment in a frontline role. Tanya Weston is an adviser on Genius Within’s offender project in the South West. She has helped offenders achieve a 50% job outcome rate, which is 125% above target, while completing a PhD exploring neurodiversity in custody. Tanya is also a carer to a disabled daughter and has Asperger’s herself.

ERSA’s Chief Executive, Kirsty McHugh, commented:

‘The 2018 ERSA Employability Awards celebrate the extraordinary achievements of individuals and organisations across the sector, from the frontline advisers working tirelessly to help people into work, to employers supporting local people into the workforce, and the jobseekers overcoming huge challenges to move into employment. They all richly deserve recognition for their achievements and the awards give us the opportunity to say thank you for their hard work.

A new TomTom (TOM2) Telematics study reveals UK businesses adopt disruptive technology to improve productivity and better manage employees, but are discouraged by a lack of reliable information.

TomTom Telematics, a provider of fleet management and connected car services, found that more than two-thirds of businesses (68%) believe technology is important in recruiting, motivating and retaining employees. Meanwhile, increasing productivity (19%), increasing sales (11%), lowering business costs (11%) and improving customer service (11%) were the most commonly cited motivators for adopting new technology.

Half of businesses (49%), however, believe there is a lack of reliable advice for those looking to introduce new technology systems, with 24% citing a lack of information from providers as a major challenge to adoption. Other key challenges cited include a lack of expertise within the organisation (29%), an inability to find a provider that fits with the organization (31%) and cost (38%).

“We’re now living in the connected world,” said Beverley Wise, Director UK & Ireland at TomTom Telematics. “Businesses need to work with disruptive technology or risk being left behind by their competitors.

“We commissioned this research to paint a clear picture of the current technology adoption landscape for businesses, highlight the challenges they face when adopting and to advise on what trends they should be paying closest attention to.”

Despite the significant role technology plays in the workplace, just 41% of businesses say they are early adopters of technology innovations, with almost a third (32%) saying their use of technology at home is more advanced than at work.

“There’s a noticeable reluctance to adopting emerging solutions amongst many UK businesses,” said Wise. “This is particularly prevalent among SMEs, with these businesses 10% less likely to be early adopters of new technology than their larger competitors (37% vs 47%). But sitting on your hands while others make use of the latest innovations is a major risk.”

When choosing a provider, the research found that technological support and usability was the biggest consideration (32%).

“It’s vital for companies to do their research to ensure they are investing in systems that will be intuitive, supportive and well-suited to their business processes,” Wise added.

“At TomTom Telematics, we take this very seriously. From in-depth, hands-on information about our services, to strategically useful data like that revealed in this study, we believe in offering companies all the information they need to make the best decision.” 

An illustrated report of the findings, including actionable insight and advice, is now available on the TomTom Telematics website here.

Global organisations must combine centralised command with local delivery if they are to effectively engage top graduate talent. That is according to the latest research from talent acquisition and management consultancy, Alexander Mann Solutions: The Next Chapter: Your New Global Graduate Programme.

The white paper, which is based on quantitative research and in-depth interviews with global brands including Rolls-Royce, GE, HSBC and Citi, amongst others, also highlights how many firms rely on ‘volunteer armies’ to disseminate EVP messages internationally.

While most organisations which took part in the research have a relatively small central team – usually based at their international headquarters which sets policy and direction – all recruitment teams rely very heavily on local, non-HR personnel for face-to-face engagement with potential hires.

The research also reveals a very wide divergence of thought on necessity for, and the implementation of, a truly global EVP. While some organisations are firmly committed to a very definite corporate culture, guidance from other firms is often vague, with central teams even turning a ‘blind eye’ to actions of local operators. However, all agreed there needs to be tailoring of messages, and their delivery, to take into account local cultures, regulatory environments and education systems.

Sandrine Miller, Global Head of Emerging Talent Consulting, Alexander Mann Solutions, adds:

“While a global EVP still appears to be regarded as important, there seems a growing trend towards honing in to essential elements and then allowing for local tailoring to ensure that it remains relevant and impactful.

“All of the organisations involved in the research were committed to the idea that the calibre of individual that entered an international emerging talent programme and the quality of work and training they would subsequently experience should be consistent around the globe. However, most habitually define what messages can be amended outside of core values, particularly those which have varying identities in different countries or regions which mandates the need to shape a local message to resonate with that identity.

“It’s also clear from our research how important it is to actively engage colleagues to disseminate these tailored messages: not only to divide labour, but also to allow teams on the ground to build the workforce that they want, rather than one which is imposed on them from head office.”

Job seekers lack trust in the fairness of traditional hiring methods, so are reclaiming power over the recruitment process – and business owners shouldn’t try to fight this. That’s according to thought leaders at the recent Rip It Up, Start Again conference.

Speaking at this event, entrepreneur Juliet Eccleston, co-founder of peer-to-peer recommendation firm, AnyGood? said:

“The growing lack of trust in recruiters as intermediaries means that individuals are taking matters into their own hands. We’ve already seen it happen with estate agents and travel agents: the success of businesses such as Purplebricks and Airbnb shows that people realise that they already have the resources that they need and, as a result, are eliminating the agents that have traditionally acted on their behalf. Consequently, what we are seeing is a ‘power to the people’ shift with some large corporations among those feeling the disruption.

“The recruitment industry is already experiencing the effect of this growing movement – for example, jobseekers are now using their own connections to find work in our gig economy. It stems from the fact that hiring is a process which often lacks transparency and fairness for candidates. I’ve heard of many cases of individuals wondering why they haven’t been appointed or even shortlisted and being given flimsy explanations. And, all too often, interviewers hire in their own image, which results in a workforce which lacks diversity.

“While we’re now seeing an increase in the number of candidates opting to use recruitment apps to job hunt, they are quickly realising that these aren’t any more transparent. Although you can compare apps using online reviews, you can’t be sure that they are using algorithms which work in your favour as opposed to eliminating you. Candidates don’t want to face unconscious bias: they need to see evidence of employers actively addressing this.

“All of this means that jobseekers are crying out for businesses to modernise their hiring methods and show their integrity by recruiting in ways that are fair and clear. Firms which ignore this demand and continue to use outdated methods such as agencies and job boards run the risk of missing out on top talent.”

Whistleblowers risk their jobs to expose secrets and bring high profile people and institutions into light for public scrutiny. Despite this bravery, new research from HEC Paris reveals that whistleblowers suffer from a legitimacy deficit in society and are often portrayed as traitors and rats.

According to Professor Hervé Stolowy and his co-authors Yves Gendron from Université Laval, Jodie Moll from Alliance Manchester Business School and Luc Paugam from HEC Paris, actions need to be taken to encourage and protect whistleblowers.

“Evidence suggests society questions the legitimacy of whistleblowers – despite legal protections now being in place in some countries, including the United States,” says Professor Stolowy.

“However, we discovered that in reality whistleblowers’ actions are often perceived by superiors, colleagues and more generally society in a negative way. Yet, it is a legitimate and effective way to prevent fraud.

“Our research shows that, facing such challenges, whistleblowers develop a discourse that contributes to build the legitimacy of their role by bringing it to the public’s attention, tightly defining their actions and demonstrating its importance. The recent case of Wells Fargo highlights the difficulties faced by whistleblowers and how crucial a few voices can be to deter fraud. During several years a number of Wells Fargo employees denounced the fraudulent business practices, such as the creation of fake bank accounts, but were intimidated and retaliated against by hierarchy.”

According to their research, one core element of all whistleblowers is, regardless of their success, they all acted with the public interest in mind.

The researchers examined a variety of statements from seven high profile cases (including Enron, WorldCom and Madoff), looking at 69 sources, including books, first- and second-hand interviews, websites and videos.

Research has shown that an over-dependence on technology negatively affects six key areas – sleep, obesity and physiological health, mental wellness, social relationships, ddistraction and safety and productivity. Of course, recent advances in technology can also help aid many of these areas – particularly when apps, programming and super-fast broadband can inarguably make us more efficient and productive. But in spite of the epic technological progress over recent decades, we’ve actually noticed a dramatic fall in productivity in many developed countries, including those at the forefront of innovation like the USA and the UK.

Lucy Faulks co-founder of Elevate (www.elevateyourhealth.co.uk) and author of technotox.com gives her thoughts on why new groundbreaking technology isn’t translating into higher productivity and shares her tips to help employees better manage their relationship with their digital devices.

‘I don’t think it’s a coincidence that at a time when employees have 24/7 access to emails on their smart phone and an ‘always on’ culture is encouraged, that levels of chronic stress and anxiety are at an all-time high’ says Lucy. ‘Staff who aren’t getting proper down time never feel fully disengaged from work or their duties which can lead to emotional exhaustion, affecting both focus and productivity. Employers should look to our French allies for inspiration where a new law introduced last year requires companies with more than 50 employees to establish hours when staff should not send or answer emails. This aims to prevent burnout by protecting employees’ private time. In smaller enterprises, the senior leadership team should lead by example and ensure they don’t send or answer emails after 7pm or on the weekends.’

It’s not just stress and anxiety affecting the productivity of our businesses. Our addiction to digital provides the ultimate distraction from work – whatsapp groups, Instagram, google searches, holidays, news bulletins, memes, chats, anything to pull our focus away from what we’re doing and having a perverse affect on productivity. We end up being at work, but not actually ‘being present’. But without instigating a strict phone ban at and risking a mass uproar (even exit) from staff, what can employers do to reduce these distractions and encourage colleagues to have less dependency on their devices?

Lucy shares her top three tips;

1. Put phones at the centre of the table during meetings. This is a great place to start encouraging discipline and detachment from digital devices. No one needs to look at their phone during a face-to-face meeting, so remove the temptation and ask employees to notice when they have an urge to check their digital devices. Recognising this urge, allows employees the space to notice their dependency and hopefully make smarter choices around acting on these impulses outside of the meeting room.
2. Offer staff an introduction to mindfulness workshop. Mindfulness is all about observation, being fully present in the moment and noticing distractions more readily. The more you practice it, the more readily you become aware of distractions and can make conscious choices around how you respond to them. Research has shown that a regular mindfulness practise improves focus and productivity, as well as reducing stress levels. This is why companies such as Google, Goldman Sachs, Ford, Facebook and American Express all offer their staff regular mindfulness meditation.
3. Use tech in positive way to boost activity levels. We know that exercising during the working day has been shown to boost mental focus and performance. Instigating team Fit Bit challenges for example, is not only a great way to get your workforce fitter and more active, but also to boost team morale and ultimately improve focus and performance.

Elevate offer workshops and consultancy around physical, mental and emotional wellbeing to businesses across the UK and Europe. This includes mindfulness, tech-life balance and productivity workshops, plus drop-in meditation sessions. For more information contact hello@elevate.co.uk www.elevateyourhealth.co.uk.

Betsey Banker, wellness market manager, Ergotron, discusses why getting your wellness strategy right can drive your staff retention strategy

Job-hopping, while not new, has gained mindshare in the past few years. LinkedIn’s 2015 Global Job Seeker Trends: Why and How People Change Jobs study found that the number of active job-seekers had grown by 36 percent over the previous four years, and Gallup found that half of U.S. employees are actively looking for a job. Opportunities to make a switch abound as 11,000 baby boomers retire each day. Driven by increased competition for talent, according to a Bersin by Deloitte report, it now costs companies an average of $4,000 over the course of 52 days to fill an open position.

Retention has never been more crucial, but are businesses doing enough to create a culture that drives employee loyalty? Unique company perks and wellness offerings are attempting to strengthen employee loyalty, but with varied success. As a result, a new umbrella approach to these initiatives is gaining traction: building a culture focused on care. But how do care and wellness combine?

Caring for employees inspires loyalty

While some employers explore the latest trendy incentives (think: nap pods, ping-pong tables or fully-stocked fridges), new research indicates that when it comes to retention, the new competitive advantage may be as simple as caring. According to one study, people who worked in a culture where they felt free to express affection, caring and compassion for one another were more satisfied with their jobs, committed to the organization and accountable for their performance.

Additional research has shown that employees view commitment as a two-way street, with another study revealing that an employee’s commitment to their employer is influenced by their perception of the organization’s commitment to them. When employees feel supported by their organization, they will develop a stronger attachment to it. One of the simplest ways employers can support and show care for employees is through office wellness programs. These types of programs vary between organizations but all have the same goal in mind – to keep employees healthy.

Caring goes beyond kindness

Many wellness programs—traditional and trendy alike—already fall under the umbrella of caring. Though they look different from office to office, employees can expect a safe working environment, a management team that listens to specific needs and access to the tools they need to be the most effective workers. Despite good intentions, there are occasions in which employee care needs more attention.

• Food culture: While it may come as a surprise, food is an incredibly important piece of any office wellness plan. The relationship with food can be a place where care and wellness collide. Top performing groups get pizza parties, every birthday is accompanied by cake and ice cream and important meetings are stocked with donuts and catered lunches. Are vending machines stocked with sugary snacks? Do employees have access to a fridge where they can store lunches they bring in themselves? It’s difficult to think of ways to celebrate and show caring without contradicting healthy eating initiatives, but it is possible.
• Office design: Does the company practice what the wellness program preaches? Providing gym memberships and encouraging exercise can be a form of caring, but there may be some missed opportunities within the office space itself, especially when it comes to the office’s attitude towards movement. For instance, telling employees that movement is important by providing gym memberships, but then not offering them alternatives to sitting at desks and conference tables all day in the office.
• Employee accommodations: Office jobs can cause physical pain. According to a survey conducted by the American Osteopathic Association, two in three office workers have experienced physical pain in the last six months, while nearly one in four believe it’s just a standard part of having an office job. Though companies may be focusing on creative wellness perks, they may also be missing employee physical pain points.

Reinventing the wellness plan: Think “inside the box”

Creating a culture of care and wellness starts with thinking “inside the box” – or the built office environment.

• Food culture: Work with employees to establish a new food culture. It may be too soon to eliminate sugary treats, but try offering more fresh fruits and vegetables, whether in the cafeteria or at corporate events. Reframe thinking about food as a trophy or reward. Look beyond sweet treats for other ways to recognize accomplishments by the team, such as a traveling trophy or other small rewards.
• Office design: Construct a space that encourages movement. Create opportunities for safe physical activity during the day, such as walking meetings, guided stretch breaks and sit-stand workstations at employee desks or in other common areas throughout the office. Add a few tall bar tables in the cafeteria to provide places to break up sedentary time. If employees bring their laptops to lunch, this offers them an alternative to sitting. It has even been reported that employees who get a healthy mix of sitting and standing during the workday are more likely to exercise in the evening because of reduced work fatigue.
• Employee accommodations: A great way to demonstrate care is to take a proactive approach to comfort and ergonomics, in the one place the employee spends the bulk of their time—their desk. Access to sit-stand workstations gives employees flexibility in managing their personal comfort, while staying productive. Environments that help employees give their best efforts help promote job satisfaction. A recent study found that 62 percent of sit-stand desk users showed greater job satisfaction and nine out of 10 said sit-stand workstations change office culture for the better.

To create a caring culture at the office, business leaders should think about the types of perks they are currently offering and reassess if their approach also supports the health and well-being of employees. Some changes will come easily, others will require investment and strategy, but all will impact every businesses’ most valuable asset, its people. To remain competitive, businesses must attain and retain top talent – a caring culture that promotes health and well-being might hold the secret to staying power.