Staff costs are likely to be one of the biggest costs in your business. Of course, it’s important to invest in your staff, but what if there was a way to bring on board experienced, highly skilled people without paying over the odds?
Sarah Moore, founder of recruitment agency Flexible Minds, who spoke at our recent NWBL meeting, identified a gap in the market, and now helps employers to source skilled but flexible workers.
Sarah told us, “There is an under-utilised, talented resource pool in this country as a result of people are not being offered the flexible hours they need.
“Four out of five of people working part time are working in roles that are at a lower grade than their experience level. By offering three or four day working weeks, employers can take on a talented, experienced member of staff at the same rate they’d pay someone more junior for five days a week.”
“It’s not just parents and carers who want flexible or part-time hours – it can be a wide range of people, including those who have worked for thirty years, paid off their mortgage and want a better work-life balance, while still having a fulfilling career.”
Flexible Minds helps employers to make the most of this untapped pool of professionals in a range of industries, across all traditional business support positions.
Sarah added, “There are so many advantages for employers. People desperately want to use their skills and they really value flexibility, so part time workers are more loyal, more productive and more engaged.”
For employers needing more junior members of staff, an apprentice may be an option. Nik Wall of LMPQ spoke to NWBL attendees about apprenticeships, covering the advantages of taking on an apprentice:
Some of the benefits of taking on an apprentice include:
- More reasonable costs compared with taking on a graduate
- Free training
- No recruitment fee
- Apprentices are often popular with customers
- Reduced staff turnover
- Increased productivity.
There are important things to look at when taking on an apprentice, including whether you and the apprentice are a good fit, and whether they will work well in your existing team.
Other considerations that you might not normally look at with a new employee include commute time. How will the apprentice get to your place of work (they may not have a car) and are the costs of commuting realistic?
Looking at your training provider is also important. Look for a provider who wants to help you get the right apprentice, rather than one simply focused on filling your vacancy.
If you missed our last NWBL meeting, and would like to be at the next one, click here to book a place. We have interesting, relevant speakers at each event, as well as providing a great networking environment in the elegant surroundings of Hogarths Stone Manor.
