How to solve jobs crisis

LIESE Lord, director of work consultancy The Lightbulb Tree, says: ‘Thinking from a candidate’s perspective is key to a successful recruitment policy. Consider how well you are selling your business to them and whether you are adapting to the candidate’s skills rather than trying to fit people into an inflexible role mould.’

She adds: ‘Flexible working is likely to matter more to people now than just a salary – there are many options around this including hybrid working, job sharing, compressed working weeks, working from home and flexible start and finishing times. Also consider where and how you are advertising roles. Some businesses have a great response to social media advertising that talks about existing employees and what they love about their careers, the potential career paths and opportunities on offer, the salary and benefits available.

‘The speed of the recruitment process is also critical – move too slowly and candidates will drop out, resulting in a waste of time, money and effort.

‘Ask existing employees what can be done to attract new recruits and set up a scheme that rewards employees who refer candidates to vacant positions.’