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William Fry

Competition & Compliance Breakfast Briefing

William Fry

Sigmar Recruitment and William Fry held a breakfast briefing to discuss ‘Competition & Compliance – The New Public Sector Talent Landscape’ on Friday the 23rd of June.

 

Experts from various backgrounds and sectors discussed the key features of the Protected Disclosures (Whistleblowing) legislation, and what employers must do to comply and/or protect themselves. Best practice assessment and selection strategies in the public sector were also discussed such as how to maximise objectivity and fairness in your assessment strategies and to understand how potential candidates may fit into your organisation. Finally the ways we can make a real difference through the process of recruitment and the key challenges that we face in getting not just the selection decisions right but in maximising the opportunities for enhancing the well-being and overall performance of the organisation were teased out.

 

competition

 

Speakers on the day included;

  • Bernard Brogan, PepTalk
  • Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig, CCO, Sigmar Recruitment
  • Marina Morrissey, Manager, Sigmar Managed Services
  • Catherine O’Flynn, Partner, William Fry
  • Jeffrey Greene, Employment Group Associate, William Fry
  • Nuala Clayton, Employment Group Associate, William Fry
  • Laura Phelan, Global Operaons Director, cut-e Group
  • Bryan Andrews, Managing Director, BA & Associates and Former CEO, PAS
  • Ailis McSweeney, Director of All-Things, PepTalk

Posted by Julia Purcell, Marketing & Communications Manager on 7 December 2017

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The Dos and Don’ts of Hiring Contract Workers

The Dos and Don’ts of Hiring Contract Workers

Taking on temporary staff can increase efficiency and productivity while offering workers flexibility. Here are some tips for finding the right candidates. Published in the Business Post 18th October 2020 The trend towards increased temporary and contract hiring has been magnified with the onset of Covid-19. Traditionally hired for cost-saving measures, temporary and contract staff are now hired more for their skills and expertise, for the efficiency and productivity they can bring and for the flexibility they give organisations. At Sigmar Recrutiment, we surveyed 1,000 companies in Ireland recently and 91 per cent said they were more likely to hire temps or contractors now than they were before Covid-19. This may be reflective of the need for flexibility in an abruptly volatile and uncertain market. The good news for employers, however, is that the pool of talent available for temp and contract work is probably the biggest it has been in a decade.Attitudes to this type of work have also changed post-Covid-19. In addition to our company survey, we surveyed 3,500 candidates and found that 82 per cent would be willing to consider temporary work if they were offered some flexibility, such as remote working. So, what is the best way to find and recruit these candidates? Here are some dos and don’ts to get you started. Dos: 1: Have a strategy for temps While recruiting temp or contract labour is sometimes brought on by unforeseen circumstances, successful hirers of temporary staff generally have a plan. Plans for 2021 are being formulated at most companies right now, so consider your plan for engaging flexible talent as part of your overall strategy. Who will own it, for example, HR, managers or procurement? Will you hire directly or through an agency? What is your projected spend – is it seasonal or year-round? 2: Have an EVP for flexible workers Employer brand and company culture are central to any talent acquisition strategy, but organisations predominantly focus on permanent hires. Multiple studies show the link between employee engagement and business performance. How costly is it to your brand if a temp worker is disengaged, feels undervalued, yet is customer facing for your company? Make sure you consider your employee value proposition (EVP) for temp workers. Get it right and it will yield a loyal and sustainable pipeline of flexible talent. 3: Be honest If there is potential for the job to turn permanent, shout this from the rooftops. In our recent survey, the possibility of a permanent post was the number one reason for candidates to consider a temp or contract role. On the other hand, if no permanent opportunity exists, be honest with this and manage expectations from the outset. Remember, many temporary and contract workers won’t consider a permanent job either, so honesty is always the best policy. 4: Consider a specialist partner At least consider the benefits a good agency partner can bring. Specialist agencies will already have pre-screened and pre-qualified candidates available immediately, saving you crucial time and effort. The agency takes on the costs of advertising across multiple channels, again saving you money and time. They look after employment contracts, help keep you compliant, and run payroll, saving you further on admin overheads. Good agencies can also validate salary levels and advise on availability of talent in the market. Don’ts: 1: Wait Apart from unexpected emergency cover, don’t wait until the last minute to look for temp or contract staff. Like all recruitment, forward planning will allow you to access better talent in higher numbers either directly or through a partner. 2: Ignore compliance Understand legislation as it applies to temps and contractors. Don’t assume that because they are temps, they have few or no rights. A good agency partner will help here. 3: Forget to measure No matter what size your flexible workforce is, don’t forget to audit it. How is spend on flexible workers controlled, for example, by HR, procurement or hiring managers? Keep an eye on tenures also. 4: Undervalue This is crucial. Remember, today’s temp may be tomorrow’s permanent member of staff. A good experience for a temp will encourage them to return, but also provides a rich pool from which permanent hires may come. While some view contractors as expensive, bear in mind the specialist expertise they can bring with them, and remember they can also transfer their knowledge to your internal staff, improving the overall level of expertise within your organisation.
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“K-shaped” Workforce Patterns Begin to Emerge with Major Spike in Flexi-labour

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The latest data from Sigmar Recruitment’s Employer Sentiment Report suggests that most companies plan on hiring more contingent labour in order to deal with the extended market turbulence. Having surveyed 1000 Irish based companies, 91% of respondents said they are more likely to hire temps or contractors than before COVID-19. Commenting on the results, Barry Rudden, Director, Sigmar Recruitment says; “This may signify a fundamental shift in how workforces will be constituted moving forward as employers are wary of future market shocks. Whilst demand has rebounded since March, companies just don’t know how the market will react to a possible second wave of infections, topped with Brexit fears, so there are still challenges ahead for organisations and as a result they are hesitant to commit to permanent hires.” One third of all companies surveyed said it was likely or highly likely that they would increase the % of temp/contract staff they already engage. “This is the norm in early stages of an extended recovery. Seeing this trend emerge at polar ends of the labour market is indicative of a new K-Shaped labour market.” says Rudden. He adds; “When viewed, in parallel with the explosion of the gig economy in the last decade, we now see increasing demand for temporary or contract workers in most white-collar industries, not just the traditional area of office/administration roles.” Companies surveyed expected requirements for temp/contract talent to be highest across IT, engineering & life sciences, accountancy, and HR along with office/administration. Hiring on a temporary or contract basis gives organisations an opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ i.e. hiring initially on a temporary basis before converting to permanent. “Given companies’ uncertainty at present, this model is potentially a perfect solution that enables businesses to ramp up and meet demand while the future looks uncertain. At the same time, it enables jobseekers to find work quickly. In our corresponding survey of 3500 candidates, the majority said they were more likely to consider temp or contract work than before the COVID-19 pandemic struck,” says Rudden. Flexible labour in demand at polar ends of the economy; powering growth in recovering sectors and offering interim cover for harder hit sectors 91% of employers plan to expand contingent worker numbers as increasing uncertainty looms 82% of candidates would consider temp or contract positions if given more flexibility, like remote working Further, 82% of candidates said they would be more likely to consider temp or contract work if they were offered flexibility, such as remote working. This is significant change in attitude considering 60% of respondents had not worked in a temporary or contract capacity in the past two years. Rudden adds, “It likely not only reflects the impact of the current crisis in terms of people having lost employment but perhaps a wider acceptance that flexibility may be required as we move forward.” Whilst market uncertainty prevails, what is certain is that we are in the midst of an extended period of transformation in the workplace with blended workforces i.e. a mix of permanent and temp/contract staff perhaps becoming the norm. “Prior to COVID-19 there were already several examples of major multinationals with a significant proportion of staff engaged as agency temps or contractors. We predict an increase in such models being used by other businesses going forward,” says Rudden. For a copy of the report, contact Barry Rudden on +35314744612 or email brudden@sigmar.ie
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Sigmar’s COVID Jobs Initiative Guides ONE in SIX Newly Unemployed in its First Three Months

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Sigmar Recruitment today announces the impact of its, not for profit, COVID Response Jobs initiative three months after its launch. The online platform was set up as the COVID crisis took hold, and subsequently saw six hundred thousand people lose their jobs. It was set up to connect jobseekers with frontline jobs, offer career advisory services as well as free up-skilling opportunities for the restricted workforce, ultimately to support a more robust and effective recovery. The initiative has since seen: 83,716 jobseekers’ availed of career advisory services ranging from; video interviewing, remote working, digital collaboration, social branding, job hunting in the low-touch economy to traditional advice on interview preparation, and CV content. 10,702 availed of free online upskilling, through learning partner Alison.com. Most common courses completed were in Project Management and MS Excel. 3,010 jobseekers connected with over 200 frontline employers across retail & grocery, catering, healthcare, supply chain, production, security, and warehousing. 900+ jobs advertised over the period. 15,050 jobseekers subscribed on weekly basis for employment insights. Commenting on the initial results, founder of the initiative and Sigmar CCO Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig said; “ We’ve been overwhelmed by the level of engagement amongst jobseekers coming to the site, particularly the quantum availing of the career advisory services, which have been tailor-made to support the remote job search in the current environment. Recruitment has changed significantly in recent months and how jobseekers compete is now very different from what it was. Our career advisory service has helped jobseekers articulate competencies and achievements through a digital recruitment process for a lower touch economy.” “In addition, we are delighted to have supported over 200 frontline employers in a meaningful way and in turn help keep the national infrastructure up and running.” Commenting on the take up of upskilling, Mac Giolla Phádraig added; “We had 10,702 people take up free learning pathways through our partner Alison.com, in subjects such as Project Management, MS Excel, Web development, Data Science, GDPR, Accounting and many more. In addition to skills training, the learning content has been COVID curated for maximum impact across Business Skills, IT Skills, Mental Health, and Personal Development. Thanking partners of the initiative, Mac Giolla Phádraig commented; “When times were at their worst, our partners were at their best. It’s humbling to see how our combined efforts, can touch so many at a time of need and to see the effect of Team Ireland in action.” www.covidresponsejobs.com was created by Sigmar Recruitment, supported by Candidate Manager, Alison.com, The Irish Times, Communicorp and Virgin Media
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