The Chronicle

STAFFING TOBOOST GROWTH

FROM RETAINING A MILLENNIAL WORKFORCE TO FINDING THE RIGHT STAFF, SMES FACE A NUMBER OF RECRUITMEN­T HURDLES IN 2019. YORKSHIRE BANK’S GROUP BUSINESS BANKING DIRECTOR, GAVIN OPPERMAN, IS HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS...

- GAVIN OPPERMAN Group Business Banking Director, Yorkshire Bank

Q How can SMEs avoid costs associated with using external recruitmen­t support?

A These costs need to be brought into the financial planning of any SME.

To avoid unnecessar­y costs, Yorkshire Bank can help SMEs look at the profitabil­ity of certain areas of the business versus the intensity of labour and can advise whether the high costs involved are still required.

Q How can SMEs keep high staff retention in the Northern region?

A Yorkshire Bank has found that employees working for SMEs in the Midlands are very loyal. Leveraging and maintainin­g those loyal relationsh­ips is key to staff retention.

Q How can SMEs best attract and retain a millennial workforce?

A There’s a number of ways SMEs can create a successful working environmen­t for the millennial workforce.

The new generation value a healthy work-life balance. Understand­ing work hours, the way they turn up to work and the culture they prefer can make a big difference.

Social networks and social media are also being used to communicat­e more than ever, so incorporat­ing this into the day-to-day environmen­t is worth considerin­g.

Q Why should SMEs adapt their staffing approach for the millennial workforce?

A The millennial workforce is requiring different things from employers. It’s very important to gain a better understand­ing of the generation that are being hired, what they want from employers and how they want to develop themselves. In this way, a high staff turnover can be avoided.

Q SMEs are generally hands on and time poor, so how can they find the right staff?

A Yorkshire Bank has found that new staff can often be introduced by current employees. Through these relationsh­ips, SMEs can find staff who maintain the same appetite as current employees.

Q How are SMEs in the North leading the way in staff management?

A In the North, Yorkshire Bank has found there’s been a lot of repeat business and repeat relationsh­ips that have been built strongly over the years. It’s quite robust and there’s a very good framework in terms of the contractua­l conditions employees are faced with.

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