Marketing & PR, Digital and Technology Blogs

The Top In Demand Digital and Marketing Jobs and Skills in 2022 and BeyondCOVID-19 significantly accelerated UK digital transformation efforts, allowing businesses to respond to new trends such as online shopping, video marketing, and web-based customer communications. In 2021, the majority of customer interactions took place entirely online - meaning traditional marketing departments rapidly needed to enhance their approach to sales activity.With 28 percent of UK consumers actively using social media platforms to look up brands, social media has remained a prominent tool in product research. Increasing engagement and reviews on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok has continued to drive revenue across the business landscape.As a result of ongoing digital transformation, approximately 53,500 new marketing positions became available in the UK last year, as UK businesses sought digital experts to assist them:Analyze audience data.Analyze data to better understand your target audience.Turn leads into sales.We expect the surge in demand for in-house digital and marketing positions to continue for the rest of 2022 creating ideal opportunities for recent graduates. Throughout the year, a number of businesses will look to collaborate with experienced freelancers and contractors to secure the critical human resources required to target audiences online.Marketing and Digital Jobs in High Demand in 2022​There are five major types of in-demand marketing and digital jobs that UK businesses are currently looking to fill. While the shortage in these areas can be attributed to national talent labour shortages, we are also dealing with a problem in which candidates may lack the necessary digital proficiency for a post-pandemic world.Recruiters are assisting marketing and digital graduates in taking control of their own career paths by teaching them how to navigate new software platforms that can help them automate tasks and be more efficient in the workplace. This will help them stand out and land a position in one of the in-demand positions, where benefits and pay are increasing.1. Positions of LeadershipAccording to open listings on LinkedIn, there are over 18,000 unfilled Executive Marketing roles in the United Kingdom alone. When combined with other Marketing Director, Marketing Manager, and Head of Marketing positions, the Uk is in serious trouble. Without effective leadership, teams will struggle to work together, and businesses will become less adaptable to market changes. Because of the growing Internet of Things, these positions, as well as Digital Leads, Digital Managers, and Head of Digital Transformation, will be critical for the future of UK businesses.2. Internet CoordinatorsThe majority of marketing job roles, such as Social Media Managers, SEO/PPC Managers, Digital Marketers, and CRM Managers, continue to require expert digital skills that are in short supply. Digital Web Producers, Digital Strategists, and Digital Advisors are some of the other online coordinators who will help UK businesses grow.3. Information AnalystsAs Google's 2022 update shifts customer data collection away from cookies, creative Marketing Analysts, Customer Insight Analysts, and Digital Analysts will be needed to create one-of-a-kind solutions. Businesses will be looking to fill these roles as soon as possible in order to stay online, which may help graduates advance to exciting new job positions.Without these professionals, whether at the graduate or senior levels, ad spend may not be effectively targeted, and ROI may suffer.4. Digital Transformation FacilitatorsFor businesses to successfully undergo digital transformation, a wide range of job roles are required, from product development to end-user services. Here are a few examples of digital jobs that will be in high demand in 2022 and into next year:Managers of Digital ProjectsEntrepreneurs in Digital SalesCoordinators of Digital Web and ContentManagers of Digital Products​5. Customer-Facing PositionsFinally (but not least), customer-facing positions will allow businesses to communicate with international audiences, thereby expanding their potential for growth. Account Managers, Customer Service Representatives, Marketing Assistants, and Marketing Executives will be critical in maintaining relationships between marketing agencies and their clients - and will be in high demand in 2022.​Marketing and Digital Skills in High Demand in 2022Marketing and digital have always been creative industries, with teams of people working together to capture the attention of their target audience.2022, on the other hand, highlights new opportunities for graduating marketing and digital talent. Candidates must demonstrate their proficiency with multiple platforms in order to compete in an environment where digital skills are essential. Skills in high demand include:Web Development: Many marketers require the assistance of web developers in order to design effective websites for their businesses and clients. To understand customer movements, digital transformation specialists will need to understand how to optimise these sites.UX/UI Design: Marketers should understand UX/UI design when developing campaigns that include assets such as email newsletters and creating strong CTAs.Video Marketing: In 2022, the average UK consumer will watch 100 minutes of video content per day, making video marketing (and editing) a critical skill for qualified talent.Cloud Computing: Marketers and digital servants alike will need to communicate with customers via various cloud functions, and familiarity with the major providers will be essential.Big Data: Data Analysts must demonstrate their ability to use platforms that can process big data and derive meaningful customer insights from the results. This will put them in a better position to advise on the future of digital transformation within their organisations.Content Marketing: As Google's Algorithm evolves, optimising SEO and content marketing efforts becomes more difficult. Staying on top of new rules, regulations, and trends will assist marketers in assisting businesses in securing top SERP positions.​Job Opportunities in Marketing and Digital in 2022This establishes a precedent in which marketing teams will manage critical budgets and digital talent will be required to assist in the execution of online marketing strategies.With such a wide range of new skills being demanded of available talent, landing a competitive job as a graduate may be difficult. It is recommended that marketing and digital candidates network with recruiters in order to find the best positions for them that either:Provide digital skills training.Match their current strengths.Instead of approaching businesses individually, newly-qualified talent can get a head start by communicating with specialist marketing recruiters. This will not only save them time when applying for jobs, but it will also put their name at the top of the pile for the job of their dreams.​Working with Henry Nicholas.Contact us for assistance in broadening your horizons and driving change in your industry through intelligent recruitment! Genuine Marketing, Digital, and Technology experts who are passionate about delivering for their clients and candidates can be found at Henry Nicholas.If you are a candidate, we will treat you as we would like to be treated when making a major life decision such as changing jobs. As a client, you can expect exceptional delivery and communication as standard.​

A McKinsey report in 1997 first coined the phrase “war for talent”. Since then, this term has become instrumental in developing organisational approaches and academic interest in talent management.Business leaders across the globe have considered winning this war for talent as their single most important preoccupation for decades, due to the perceived importance recruiting the best talent has on gaining sustainable competitive advantage. Indeed, talent management is now one of the fastest growing areas in the field of management studies. Its growth in popularity and relevance is reflected by the number of internet hits the term now generates, which has grown from around 8 million to more than 23 million over recent years.Much of the current literature that surrounds talent management, however, focuses on the practices of global, privately-owned, and largely US-based organisations. With greater financial resources at their disposal, larger organisations adopt more sophisticated and socially responsive approaches to talent management and HR practices.Meanwhile, it is SMEs that make up around 99 per cent of all the businesses operating in the UK and whose success is a key barometer for the growth and sustainability of the UK economy. For SMEs, despite limited budget and resources, attraction, motivation, development and retention of employees remain a major challenge and so the talent management practices adopted by smaller businesses have long been recognised as important contributors to their success or failure.Effective performance in a SME is often measured by growth, rather than profit, which is generally the key indicator in larger organisations. With no place to hide, the speed at which a new employee can gain knowledge and become fee earning is crucial, particularly in one of our key markets, SME marketing agencies. Hence the link between managerial quality and performance in an SME is stronger and the emphasis placed on employee selection is greater.Perhaps, due to the relative size of the organisation, the links between effective on-boarding, quality of line-management and performance in an SME is stronger than in a larger organisation. But it also means that poor selection decisions in an SME are amplified ten-fold and hence understanding the characteristics of future talent has such a strong emphasis in the employee selection process. In recent research I carried out as part of my MBA last year, I investigated what talent management philosophies were being adopted by SME marketing agencies and why.Although 100% of the organisations that took part in the research invested in training and development, it was clear that talent management is not formally recognised, but rather viewed as a collection of HR practices that focuses on all employees equally. The example of talent management in practice was as a tool for succession planning.With ever-changing client needs and the rapidly evolving technological landscape, coupled with the emphasis placed on “culture fit” and attitude when recruiting and selecting employees, the majority of agencies demonstrated what the literature describes as an inclusive stable philosophy towards talent management. Stability being described as ability coupled with “culture fit” and commitment, which is categorised as “best fit” in the relevant literature.In simple terms, this means that in general SMEs focus on the positive traits of every individual within their business (Inclusive) and define talent broadly in terms of ‘stable ‘characteristics, such as intelligence, personality, motivation, drive and feeling true to themselves, which are considered strong predictors of future performance. In practice, this means identifying strengths in all employees, utilising these strengths and matching people to their best job fit. In terms of future growth it suggests that businesses should seek to recruit and retain, rather than develop, employees that already possess these same attributes.There is much evidence in the talent management literature and in my research to suggest that this particular approach to talent management is driven by a range of factors; economically SMEs have to spread their limited training budget wide and thin, while a resource dependency view dictates that requirement for future talent is driven by growth, that is largely as a result of a client win. Finally, in terms of an institutional view, it suggests that agencies seek to create a family feel to demonstrate an inclusive philosophy.Of course, recruiting high-calibre individuals with proven talent, from a limited or well-fished pool, places even greater pressure on an attraction and selection process. And as SME marketing agencies grow sporadically, it becomes harder to identify key positions and so developing a suitable talent pool to fill these positions is difficult.In a bid for competitive advantage, SME marketing agencies seek employees who add the most value. Therefore, examining your candidate attraction and selection processes is a key factor in determining what talent means to your business and how effective it will be going forward.Henry Nicholas is a specialist marketing, PR, data and insight, tech, digital and creative recruitment agency that's dedicated to advancing careers and growing businesses.Our success comes down to building meaningful relationships with clients and candidates. We asked some of our clients what specific, tangible and measurable results they realised by being a customer of Henry Nicholas. Take a look at what some of our clients say about our service here.If you would like a free, no obligation talent review, please contact John Austin for more details. 

Employee selection is traditionally the match between job requirements and candidate skills. Latterly, we are seeing a common requirement from candidates that the goals and values of the organisation also match their own. Encouragingly, the results are generally that employees who fit the culture contribute more and adopt broader roles and tasks, so it's a worthwhile exercise.But how do you get to that stage? How do SMEs get to the point of assimilating this new talent into their organisation in the face of such strong competition?I recently completed research on talent management practice. I wanted to understand how SME marketing agencies viewed talent management, what approaches they took and what major internal or external influences shaped this view.In the main, talent management literature has highlighted that SMEs, in comparison to larger organisations, differ in their overall approach to Human Resource Management and HR practice. Large organisations have the financial resource and corporate responsibility to employ sophisticated HR practices, investing in HR professionals and HR strategy, while SMEs, in general, have a far more informal approach, which can be used as an advantage.My research highlighted that, in the main, SME marketing agencies have an ‘inclusive / stable’ approach to talent management.Inclusive insofar as it involved each member of the team, regardless of seniority or role as it was felt all contributed to the overall success of the agency. And stable, because ‘talent’ was defined as a set of characteristics such as intelligence, personality, motivation, drive and feeling true to themselves which were strong predictors of future performance.The resultant philosophy meant that training and development budgets and opportunities were spread wide and thin, across the team, and future talent was identified and selected based on a candidate’s display of a similar set of ‘stable’ characteristics. Of course, this leaves little time for real talent development and clients were all fishing for the same proven talent.External factors that influence SMEs approach to talent management.There are three main theories that drive the adoption of this inclusive approach - Institutional Theory, Economic Theory and Resource Dependency Theory.Institutional Theory suggests that a need for legitimacy drives agencies to develop a culture that is attractive and has a “family feel” as a way of attracting and retaining employees.The Economic Theory recognises talent management is expensive and can often require sophisticated HR practices and HR specialists, who rarely exist in an SME organisational structure, particularly those that have a high number of fee earning employees.Finally, with so many SME marketing agencies dependent on clients and many viewing their clients as an attractor and part of their Employer Brand, Resource Dependency Theory is another key contributor as to why the inclusive stable talent management philosophy is adopted. With a client win, comes a need for more resource. When it is a good looking client, it is more attractive to potential talent.The cost of employee investment, good pay and benefit packages can make it hard for SMEs to compete in the same talent pools as the larger organisations. SMEs often have less power in the market, which translates directly into less influence on price and salaries, making SMEs vulnerable to changing markets and customer needs.The centralisation of decision making in many SMEs is focused on day to day running of the business and on how to utilise existing resources more efficiently, so talent management needs to be adapted or supported for SMEs. As SMEs grow it becomes difficult to identify key positions and the development of a talent pool to fill these positions becomes difficult, unless you have one on tap.All is not lost however, and we see a number of our SME clients adopting strategies to overcome the resource disadvantages they have when compared to some larger competitors. Many, using their inclusive approach to talent management, have created an environment where ideas and innovation flourish, their flatter hierarchy and informal approach for example, can offer better job quality and less bureaucracy. Many agencies operate with a higher degree of flexibility, which offers people better job satisfaction, a better working environment and a better work-life balance. Smaller, can be more agile too and often SMEs can target talent from larger organisations, who want to have more control over their destiny.Our clients tend to develop their own models which fit within their context, and that creative thinking enables them to open non-traditional recruitment channels not necessarily considered by larger organisations.At Henry Nicholas, our success comes down to building meaningful relationships with clients and candidates. We have a proven track record of developing talent pools for a number of long-standing clients that ask us to identify and secure future talent for them.Working in partnership, we create the additional resource our clients need to identify the right candidate characteristics that best fit a culture. We add scale to our client’s attraction and selection activities. View what our clients say about us hereIf you would like a free, no obligation talent review, please contact John Austin for more details.  

Despite the fact that there is still a heated debate over workplace equality and compensation, heightened by the BBC's 'gender pay gap' study, government data shows that eight out of 10 organisations with more than 250 employees still pay males more than women. It has been more than fifty years since the Equal Pay Act was implemented, yet gender equity remains an issue in 2022. While the gender pay gap has been gradually closing over the previous fifteen years, the World Economic Forum's 2021 study stated that "another generation of women will have to wait for gender parity." According to the most recent data, the time required to achieve wage equality has climbed from a projected 99.6 years in 2020 to 135.6 years in 2021. Significant action is required to close the gap, and businesses play a critical role in driving this transformation. So, what exactly causes the gender wage gap, and, more importantly, what steps can businesses take to close it? To examine, we look into a variety of datasets. What is the gender pay disparity? The gender pay gap is the disparity between men and women's median hourly salaries across roles. It is a high-level indication of a woman's economic situation in comparison to men. What are the root causes of the gender wage disparity? According to official ONS data, the gender pay gap for all employees is presently 15.4 percent, which means that women receive 15.4 percent less than men for performing the same job. Another 27 of the 30 jobs recorded by the ONS were found to pay males more than women for equal-value work. There are numerous explanations for the gender pay gap, but the Fawcett Society, the UK's leading membership organisation working for gender equality, boils it down to four major areas: Bias and discrimination The labour market division Inequality regarding responsibilities for care Men in higher-level positions 1. Bias and discrimination Overt and unconscious bias in recruiting, promotion, and compensation choices, including incentives, remain key determinants. Despite the fact that the Equal Pay Act of 1970 made gender pay disparities illegal, discrepancies persist. Males, for example, have disproportionate access to bonuses and are more likely to obtain performance-based compensation. 2. A splintered labour market Women's work has historically been undervalued, resulting in systems that funnel females into lower-paying industries. Women outnumber males in lower-wage occupations such as health and social care (83%), administration (76%), and retail (76%). (64 percent ). According to Statista data, the highest-paying male-dominated sectors had the widest gender pay discrepancies. The largest gender pay gaps are seen in the financial, insurance, scientific, and technical industries, which had 30 percent, 21.9 percent, and 19.9 percent, respectively. 3. Unequal responsibility for care Job options are frequently shaped by the division of childcare responsibilities within the household. To balance child-care duties, women frequently have to work part-time, which limits their opportunities for advancement and wage raises. According to a Government Equalities Office research, "women who have never worked part-time achieve career levels that are substantially similar to men." Gender inequalities in the rates of part-time and full-time work account for more than half of the wage gap, with women disproportionately affected. 4. Men in higher-ranking positions Women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of the corporate ladder and are less likely to be promoted than males in comparable positions. Only one in every three leadership positions and one-quarter of executive committee positions are held by women. Gender diversity in senior jobs has been shown in studies to help an organisation by enhancing worker retention, performance, and producing a higher financial return for enterprises. The answer... We discuss some of the tactics firms can use to close the gender wage gap with some of our experienced consultants. 1. Be open and honest about promotions, compensation, and awards. "The gender wage disparity is exacerbated by a culture of'secrecy' about remuneration and a lack of standards." When employers are open about their compensation and awards, it virtually removes the issue of unequal pay. "It's critical that HR functions conduct salary audits with a review of promotion criteria to determine the scope for improvement," says Jillian Fleming, HR Manager at Search. Employee value and appreciation are an advantage of this; "When employees sense they're being paid fairly, they naturally work more." (According to a study published in the Academy of Management Journal) 2. Make flexible working and shared parental leave the norm. Those with care duties will be able to advance despite a reduction in hours if flexible working is well-designed. Normalizing flexible working and shared parental leave can assist to break down preconceptions and encourage men to take care of their families. 3.Promote a culture that encourages women to bargain for better pay. According to a variety of studies, males are more likely than women to request salary raises and are more successful in doing so. Discrimination and fear of retaliation are stopping women from gaining better wages, with some women fearing that disputing their income may jeopardise their benefits. In addition to pay transparency, organisations must foster an internal culture in which women feel empowered to negotiate salary packages. Creating this culture begins with a focus on diversity, with organisations aiming to highlight the female voice in male-dominated industries and lobby for equal advancement chances. While significant progress has been made in closing the gender pay gap, resolving it is far more difficult, owing to deep-rooted institutional disparities. The tactics outlined above are not fast cures, but with a committed effort, companies may start to promote long-term, significant change. Lee Turner, founder of Hr NETWORK Magazine, makes the following statement on behalf of the publication: "As employers, we have a fundamental societal commitment to guarantee that women are treated fairly and equally in all aspects of working life, whether through compensation or promotion, and that this is consistent with the pay and incentive granted to their male counterparts." "Equal pay measures should not just be the legal thing to do," Lee added, "but in a modern working world with a greater emphasis than ever on inclusion and diversity, companies must regard this as the right thing to do, and by doing so, we can close the gender pay gap for good!" ​

​The return to the office has become a widely discussed, debated, and catalogued topic in recent months - with workplaces across every sector considering the pros and cons of asking workers to come back to the office full time, part time, or on a more flexible basis. As a marketing recruitment agency, a big part of our work with clients is in creating job profiles and vacancies, and matching candidates with the right job for them. Increasingly, that means understanding not only what the job role itself entails, but also what the candidate is looking for, and what the client is willing to offer in terms of flexibility. Let’s take a closer look at the discussion around returning to the office, and what it means for companies and businesses looking to hire. Returning to the Office - The Stats A survey conducted by a UK-based tech firm reported that of the surveyed group, just 4% of workers are keen to see a full time return to the office. An overwhelming 82% of those surveyed opted for a hybrid working model as their preferred approach to working, while 59% ranked workplace flexibility as a key benefit that they look for when applying for new jobs. While this survey was carried out by a tech firm, the findings are not exclusive to one industry - rather, this trend and the stats that support it is being seen across every industry and sector, from marketing to tech, HR, and beyond. What’s more, this trend isn’t just being seen in the recruitment sector but also with regards to retention. Employees who don’t feel like they are being given the same options and flexibility in the workplace are increasingly likely to leave their current role for one which offers more of a focus on the work-life balance. But what does this mean for companies looking to recruit? What does workplace flexibility look like? If a business is to optimise its current workforce, and successfully work alongside marketing recruitment agencies in order to entice and draw in new talent, it needs to re-evaluate the current employee offering and put a spotlight on those areas which do not fall under the direct remit of the job role. That is, by acknowledging that employees have commitments outside of work, and by giving them the flexibility to manage their own time, businesses put more trust in their workers and thus give those employees and workers more of a reason to stay loyal (or apply for a role at that business in the first place). And why not! After all, if Covid-19 and the great work from home movement has taught us anything, it’s that employees can work from home, that productivity can maintain a consistent level, and that remote meetings and conferences can not only work but also boast their own array of benefits. Businesses and companies that are willing to make hybrid and flexible working work for their employees, have a far better chance of attracting, recruiting, and retaining the top level talent across all industries. Here’s how to make it work for your business. How to harness this information in your business The first and most obvious step is to review your current recruitment campaign, working with a reputable marketing recruitment professional or agency to create job profiles which stand out for all the right reasons. By outlining all of the important employee benefits on the job vacancy advertisement, companies can showcase their commitment to employee wellbeing both inside and outside of work and attract the upcoming talent pool which celebrates flexible working, training and development opportunities, and more. The simple fact is that employees and candidates rule the marketplace right now, with many industries and sectors still seeking ways of enticing and drawing in candidates to fill the gaps in their business and in their potential business growth. To focus on marketing recruitment particularly, digital marketing and the shift online means that businesses are more focussed than ever on how to build their online presence - making tech and marketing professionals a highly sought after asset in the recruitment market. The best way to make sure that your company is in with a chance of recruiting the best in the business? Make sure that your recruitment drive and job vacancies touch on and highlight the areas which matter to employees - starting with flexible working. For more support on how to make your recruitment the best it can be, get in touch with our marketing recruitment agency team today. ​

​​How many times have you watched The Apprentice or a similar business-oriented program and heard the contestants talk about hard work and dedication? Let’s be honest, most of us will say what we need to in order to get ahead - but how much of it is true? And how often is hard work really reflected in career progression? In this article we tackle a very simple question - is hard work enough to earn promotion and the professional accolades you think you deserve? The ‘hard work’ myth Once upon a time, companies across every corner of every industry heralded and rewarded the ‘stay-late-rs’ and the ‘overtime-workers’. So much so that business seemed for completely ignore the reality of good time management and how those who best utilise their time are not only healthier but also more productive during the workday. As workers continued to stay later and work more over the weekends and holidays, it seemed like hard work was about the time you put into the job rather than the effort and productivity you pulled out of your work. Now, times are changing. Marketing Recruiters and companies alike are putting more emphasis on selling a work-life balance to candidates and showcasing opportunities for both progression and professional development for employees. Meanwhile, our very definition of hard work is changing. No longer relegated to output and financial success, hard work is about how much energy a candidate or employee can bring to the role - creating a productive environment which enables the business to thrive. So, if what we mean by hard work is changing, then what is it that employees and candidates really need to do if they want to thrive and rise up the ranks in a certain business or job role? Goodbye hard work, hello… Respect The single most important thing you can do if you want to bolster your professional development, workplace position, or career, is earn the respect of your colleagues - both above and below you professionally. When people respect you, they like you - they trust you to handle things which are important, and they believe in your ability to achieve and thrive under new challenges. This means showing yourself to be a strong leader and a supportive team members - with one of the best things you can do for your career development being a focus on your position within the broader team and company. Some things you can do include: •Offering to support other colleagues, especially new recruits •Connect with people at work on a personal as well as a professional level •Be careful to bridge the gap between management and ground level employees - don’t appear to be two one-sided on either end of the scale, or you will end up isolating those at the opposite end Transparent, regular communications Everyone works hard - you’re not alone. So, instead of focussing on the amount of work you do, focus on communicating your achievements frequently and regularly. It isn’t enough to work hard but quietly for a year, and then speak up at the end of the year when promotions are being considered. To really succeed, you need to be the first person that springs to mind all year round - and that means being completely transparent and consistent in your communication. We recommend creating regular updates that you can forward to a boss, and which can be repurposed into job role achievements and workplace successes when handed over to marketing recruiters or recruiting agency. Clear and concise achievements When applying for a new job or seeking an internal promotion or pay rise, it’s important for modern day candidates and employees to put their achievements in context and communicate them in a clear and concise way. Let’s be honest, your manager isn’t going to read a blow by blow account of everything you’ve done for your workmates, and a recruiter isn’t going to understand what it means when you say you managed certain challenges in your current workplace - unless you put it into clear context. Don’t just say what you did - let them know why it matters. Remember that nobody owes you anything Let’s be honest - nobody else is going to take care of your career for you, so everything you do should be in support of your own progression, development, and work-life balance and wellbeing. Yes, some of this may require a refocus on different areas of your role and may even see you embracing a different approach to work, but in time you will find that broadening your horizons away from merely “working hard” will support your career progression in the long run - both in your current company and in relation to future opportunities. ​

​Are you one of the 50%+ of reported Brits who have, in one way or another, ghosted a potential new employer? Using a term which was coined in the dating sphere, the act of ghosting an employer is one which can not only keep us from certain job roles but can also have a negative long term impact on our career. So, what does it mean and why are so many Brits guilty of it? What is ghosting in the professional sector? To ghost someone is to end communication effectively and abruptly. Now, imagine for a moment that you are dealing with a marketing recruitment agency - they’ve promised you access to tons of great job roles and vacancies, and have sold themselves with impressive stats and percentages. Then, one day, you email for an update, and you get nothing back. Worse still, imagine you have bypassed the recruitment agency system and gone straight to interview at a potential firm. You think the interview has gone well, but days then weeks pass without any update. These are both examples of being ghosted as a recruitment candidate - and as most people who have been through the same will sympathise, it feels pretty bad. In fact, around 76% of British workers state that they have been ghosted by a potential or current employer in some way - a fact which is pretty damning for companies and recruiters alike. But it seems that in the world of post-pandemic marketing recruitment, we are seeing the reverse now on the rise - with an increase in candidates ghosting potential employers across every stage of the process. The reality of ghosting - from the perspective of a marketing recruitment agency Incredibly, it seems that the higher the rank or position of a candidate or employee, the higher the chances of them ghosting their potential or even current employer - ignoring messages and only responding at a time and in a situation that works for them. And when we look more closely at the marketing recruitment industry on its own, the reality becomes even more shocking. With the huge rise in job vacancies leading to a saturated market, particularly in marketing where roles and skillsets are constantly changing, it has been reported that around 61% of job seekers are more than willing to ghost and completely ignore a potential employer they hear back from if they aren’t completely taken with the job or opportunity. Why? Because when the number of jobs outweighs the number of candidates willing or looking to move job roles, the power lies in the hands of the candidates and they can, in short, get away with ghosting and other such behaviours. As a marketing recruitment agency, we recommend a series of actions for employers to take to try and minimise their exposure to ghosting from candidates - but at the end of the day, it all comes down to meeting their needs and focussing on what will attract loyalty from the very early stages of the recruitment process. Tips for minimising your exposure to ghosting Around 25% of candidates cited a negative first impression as the main reason why they might be tempted to ghost a potential employer. What this tells us is that it doesn’t matter how active you are on social media or how innovative your company culture is - if you can’t get the first impression right, you’re turning candidates off before they even receive an offer. To combat this, it’s important to ensure that every touchpoint is positive and transparent. It is no longer enough to make broad claims about a friendly company and good salary - now is the time to focus on making sure that the vacancy is accurate, that the role is portrayed accurately and realistically, and that candidates are treated with respect from that very first email acknowledgement of their application. Finally, if you are a company that works with a marketing recruitment agency, use their access to data and their expertise to really understand which roles and which approaches entice candidates, and at which stages those candidates may be dropping out or “ghosting” the company. The recruitment process should be approached as an end-to-end experience, designed to not only attract but retain the interest of candidates. Big numbers and broad claims are no longer enough - in today’s recruitment climate, you need to stand out for all the right reasons and make yourself and your c ​

​From a recruitment perspective, we can’t think of anything more likely to promote a vacancy to potential candidates than the line “we operate a four-day week policy”. With a full extra day away from work, without any reduction in pay, the four-day work week has long been coveted by workers in all industries across the UK - but what are the benefits for businesses? And could a four-day work week really work in the long run? The concept is set to be trialled across 30 British companies later in 2022, running from June to December in a 6-month trial which will see employees changing their work habits to fit a week’s worth of work activity into four days. But what could this look like in your company? What changes might a four-day work week pose? On one hand, a four-day work week could mean just that - a reduced working week, giving your employees an extra weekend day. Another option, being embraced by some businesses, is the idea of the fifth day being somewhat flexible - where employees can choose to take the day for themselves, immerse themselves in a solo work project, or socialise with each other outside of the office. Crucially, if you select the latter then this fifth day comes without pressure, and with no expectations being held for any employees. For business owners and the management team, this extra day presents an opportunity to step back from the day to day of running the business and focus instead on your overarching goals. From recruitment to strategy training, businesses can and are using this extra day to finetune plans for the future, giving themselves more structure and a cohesive way of working. The Benefits of a four-day work week Aside from making your recruitment package highly attractive to potential new candidates and employees, a four-day work week presents a multitude of benefits. · Boost to morale across employees at all levels. · Greater flexibility in their work schedule. · Better relationships inside and outside of work. · More time spent with family, leading to a healthier work-life balance. · A feeling that employees are trusted to complete their own work according to their own timeline. · A better handle on work pressures, with employees handling situations in a calmer and more balanced way. While the benefits of a four-day work week are clear, one key question we need to pose is this: is it something that can work across all industries, or is this concept one which is restricted in the businesses it can impact and support? Take the world of hospitality for example, or marketing. Hospitality work and marketing work are very different in some ways, and yet the demand on consistency is very much the same. Marketing is always required, as are hospitality team members. In fact, many of the businesses trialing the four-day work week scheme are simply looking to their internal marketing employees to manage their own demands and time while implementing the new working structure - giving them more to do across less time. And so, can we really create a four-day work week concept in the UK when only some businesses and employees can benefit from it? This is where the things to consider come into play. Things to consider The simple fact is that the workload for employees is not decreasing, and so they need to find ways of fitting that same schedule of work into a shorter working week. The chances of a four-day work week increasing productivity across those four days are high but are unlikely to reach every corner of your business. So, what can you do to support all employees and ensure that every department is getting the support it needs? · Consider the value of a four-day work week as a benefit to recruitment - but also highlight the expectations of the role and be realistic in workload. · Make sure that each team leader or manager is adequately assessing the productivity of each individual in their team. · Consider the rigidity of the four in-office or working days. Does a four-day work week mean that you no longer give employees the same flexibility of booking appointments etc on the four days they are working? · How does the four-day work week change when you have time-sensitive projects on the go? · How can your business assess the impact and benefits of the four-day work week? And finally, to a simple question. Is the four-day work week about boosting productivity, or is it more about wellbeing? And can the two go together hand in hand, or is this new working structure more about one over the other? If your business is considering the four-day work week, we’d love to hear from you! ​

From 27th January 2022, Covid-19 rules are set to be fully relaxed in England - following the lead from Scotland who announced the same easing of restrictions from 24th January. In the biggest changes to regulations and rules since the pandemic began, from these dates there will no longer be calls to work from home or wear masks in public, and life will return - as much as is possible - to normal. But what does this mean for businesses? And is your business celebrating the great office return, or will you be keeping some of the flexibility and WFH practises in place? What the end to Covid-19 rules means for businesses Over the past two years, businesses across all industries have learnt to not only work but operate completely from home. Across recruitment, we have seen the advertising, interview, and onboarding process all being conducted from home via virtual communicative devices - transforming the experience both for candidates and our recruitment team and making a smooth process more important than ever. The same has been apparent across internal and external meetings, with the blanket ‘work from home’ policy removing the collaborative nature of working in an office and, in many cases, obliterating many organisation and business profits (the hospitality industry to name but one). So, what does an end to these restrictions mean? In short, it means businesses can finally bounce back into utilising their workspaces to the full extent without restricted numbers. It means that colleagues can come together again as a team, and that flexible working can once again become part of a workplace benefit rather than a necessity. Finally, it means that events can run as normal without the need for Covid passes, giving businesses back an important method of outreach and customer engagement growth. But it’s not just the work from home guidance which is changing. The removal of masks in public spaces indicates a shift in attitude to the virus, despite the retention of isolation for those who have tested positive. A lot is changing - but what does it really mean for businesses? The Benefits we anticipate As a marketing recruitment company, the benefits we anticipate relating to the easing of all restrictions are simple - people will be able to interact again and this allows us, on the recruitment side, to build connections between candidates and companies. While a fully virtual system has allowed us to keep filling vacancies across all industries and businesses, with marketing covering such a varied and evolving collection of job roles, being able to meet with candidates and understand how they interact and communicate is a key aspect of the recruitment process. For us and our clients, one of the core benefits will be the ability to once again show candidates a workplace environment where colleagues can come together collaboratively. And of course, it’s not just recruitment that will benefit. By enabling colleagues and teams to come together, the easing of rules will make working processes smoother, easier, and more successful. Some of the other benefits being explored and discussed include: · A better work life balance, giving employees back a level of physical separation between the workplace and their home. · A boost for hospitality and inner-city businesses, whose customer base has dried up with so many of their regular customers working from home. The high street and city centres have seen huge numbers of businesses struggling and even going out of business, unable to find ways to keep their business afloat amid the lack of footfall in central areas. A return to the workplace will once again increase demand across these businesses. Plus, there is the added fact that we are moving back to some semblance of our former normal, but with a greater understanding of what flexible working really looks like - and how well it can work for some employees who need a greater proportion of time spent at home. How to make the easing of rules and restrictions work for your business From a recruitment perspective, we anticipate that the coming months and even years will see a shift in the way businesses frame their operations to potential new candidates. Now, more than ever before, candidates want to understand and clearly identify the benefits of working with a specific organisation or company - with flexible working at the top as one of the most important preferences for candidates. Another to consider is the opportunity for learning and development - both at work with on-the-job learning and through remote learning. And a quick tip from us - build learning and development into your recruitment and vacancy package and base these training programs around what employees need in order to progress and gain promotion. By creating a very clear end goal to training and learning, you will find that you engage more employees, encouraging them to make the most of opportunities presented to them. As your business navigates the coming months, take things at your own pace. Listen to your employees regarding what is important to them and what they want to see in place in order to feel safe at work and build a newly revised benefits package which blends office opportunities and a chance to work from home as necessary or preferred. The more you can do to create a flexible approach to working, the better positioned you will be to embrace the return to the office without overwhelming your team. For more support when it comes to recruitment, both now and as we navigate the return to what was once considered so normal, get in touch with our team. ​

​They’re two words that are constantly thrown around the business world, and yet with so many different iterations available for different markets and industries, introducing diversity and inclusion into your workplace is not necessarily straightforward or easy to navigate. As we move into 2022, we spoke to some of our marketing recruitment clients and candidates to see how diversity and inclusion can be and should be introduced to the recruitment sphere in the coming months - and what you can do for your business. What do diversity and inclusion really mean? The first thing to understand about diversity and inclusion is that there is no exact definition or KPI for either term - in fact, that is very much the point of both perspectives. Being a diverse or inclusive workplace does not mean hitting a set quota of personality types and ethnicities in your office or workplace - rather, it means operating an open policy to candidates and employees from all walks of life and doing what you can to present fair opportunities across the board. From the perspective of a marketing recruitment firm, increasing your focus on diversity and inclusion means changing the way that you post and advertise vacancies, being more flexible through the recruitment process, and paying closer attention to the priorities of different candidates. It also means adjusting the process so that you attract a wider pool of candidates, each approaching your business with different experiences, skillsets, and ideas. With that said, what are the benefits of operating a more diverse workplace? The benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace When your business or company commits to building a more diverse workforce, candidates are given a greater opportunity to shine in the recruitment market - which means that your business will be well received and highly regarded as a great place to work. Now, more than ever before, prospective candidates and employees are looking to existing employee reviews and employer branding when searching for a new role, and so an employer who shows themselves as committed to diversity will quickly rank more highly than one that does not. It also means changing the way you approach and offer employee benefits - instead considering what really matters to candidates and employees and building a benefits package which is relevant and applicable to the 21st century worker. And it’s not all for the benefit of the candidates themselves. Having a diverse workplace also means that your business benefits from more perspectives, different viewpoints, and a broader array of insights and ideas. While one demographic or target group might think in one way, another group may see things in an entirely different way. When you open your business up to all of these different target groups, your understanding will become more refined and open-minded - an advantageous position to be in when it comes to marketing and growing your business. Finally, when your business opens itself up to different ways of thinking and working, it becomes more appealing to a broader customer base - which in turn means greater success in the long term. Things to consider Operating a diverse workplace has a number of advantages - but it also presents things that businesses and companies need to consider. Upon speaking to clients about their experience with adjusting the recruitment process to become more diverse, we discovered that this process puts a high focus on the challenges faced by candidates from different walks of life - which, in turn, forces the company to change the way it approaches and addresses different areas of training and development as well as recruitment itself. If, for example, a talent and skilled candidate brings with them the need for additional support in certain areas, this needs to be accommodated by the company - and addressed and showcased during the recruitment process. To cut a long story short, if you want to benefit from the advantages of a more diverse workplace, you need to be willing and able to adjust your recruitment process and ways of working in order to accommodate a more diverse workforce. And this doesn’t stop at recruitment - with a good diversity and inclusion policy carrying over into the HR operations of the company, management and leadership, and the ongoing support that employees receive. What to do next When it comes to marketing recruitment, there are a number of things that clients can do to improve their approach to diversity and inclusion. The first and most important is to change the way you recruit - from adjusting the marketing of vacancies and roles, to the way the role is presented, all the way through to the application and recruitment process itself. All too often we see businesses and companies who stick to the same routine for every role, regardless of its end position and the values and skills that the role requires. Every candidates, from leadership through to ground worker, is interviewed in the same way. But what if that changed to put more of a focus on the role itself and the skills that you are looking for? With more creative roles than ever before, particularly in the marketing recruitment sector, now is the time to open the process up with a more tailored approach - hiring on talent and ability rather than the quality of writing in the cover letter; and looking for potential ability and the right personal fit rather than judging candidates on education. 2022 will be the year that diversity and inclusion hit the workplace like never before, with now the right time to act, to rethink your recruitment strategy, and to open your workplace up to operational changes which will help you to entice, retain, and benefit from a broader employee base. If you need assistance getting this crucial element of your business correct, get in touch. ​