Utilising recruitment as a tool for employee engagement

In a 2017 study conducted by CIPD in partnership with Hays, it was demonstrated that the median rate of labour turnover in the UK is steadily increasing, while Deloitte’s Global Millennial Survey 2019 showed that 49% of respondents intend to leave their current position within the next two years. Bearing this in mind, how do you ensure that your organisation is recruiting the right people? Buzzacott’s HR Consultancy team look to bring a different approach to recruitment, focusing on employee engagement and the individual’s suitability to your organisation. 

When looking to advertise and recruit for a role, generic factors are often the sole consideration: does the individual have the relevant experience and skills? Do they work well as part of a team? Can they communicate effectively? While these criteria form an important baseline and can be very beneficial in an initial CV sift, they do not provide any evidence of the individual’s suitability to your organisation.

Throughout your recruitment process, it is important to be mindful of the qualities of the person you are looking for, and not solely whether they meet the generic requirements of the role. For example: does their personality reflect your company’s values and goals? Do they have the mindset and attitude that will enable them to work well and succeed in your organisation? Incorporating such considerations in the recruitment process benefits your team and other existing employees through shared values, and is more likely to lead to a higher level of employee engagement.

As Mcleod and Clarke stated in their 2009 study on employee engagement, ‘Engagement, going to the heart of the workplace relationship between employee and employer, can be a key to unlocking productivity and to transforming the working lives of many people for whom Monday morning is an especially low point of the week’. Failing to consider an individual’s persona and suitability to your organisation’s culture will result in hiring practices that are a bad fit for both the organisation and the individual. This could in turn result in a loss of productivity, demotivation, negative effects on the wider team and ultimately higher attrition rates. 

What frequently appears to be lacking is a human-centric approach to recruitment. Rather than focusing on filling positions quickly, Buzzacott’s HR Consultancy team aim to find the right person for the role. In order to achieve this outcome, our focus is not simply a checklist of criteria in an attempt to match an individual to a position. We identify and give more weight to specific personality requirements that will allow both your organisation and the individual to make the most of their partnership. We also work closely with organisations to provide a tailored approach, providing regular updates and feedback and adapting our process to suit your interests.   

Should you require support and guidance on refocusing your recruitment strategy, please reach out to the Buzzacott HR Consultancy team.