Launch of new labour report

Gi Group-owned recruiter, Encore Personnel, recently launched a new Labour Market Report—Encore Insight—a concise, quarterly summary of what’s affecting the recruitment landscape right now and our advice on how to get ahead of the game when it comes to navigating these trends for your business. Each quarter we’ll start with an overview and then deep-dive into trending topics from our specialisms (Industrial, Driving, Engineering, Managed Services, Energy and Professional Services).

With the new report landing in inboxes, Encore Managing Director, Pete Taylor kicked it off by setting the scene:

“I’ve worked in this business for 16 years and became MD in 2019, just prior to the world being locked down and stay home. It was wholly disconcerting, stepping up when the world was shutting down. As a people focused business, placing people for people, the feeling of detachment was intense. But we pulled together like I never knew an organization could – we maintained our services and excelled at providing bespoke and innovative solutions for our clients in the face of unprecedented pressure. We were exhausted, at points our teams were literally working around the clock, but we came through it. I can’t express in words how proud I am of our people. My admiration and respect for the Encore family is boundless.”

Pete then dived in to the current recruitment landscape, offering reflection and commentary on the challenges all employers are facing at the moment: “So, where are we now as we enter Q2 of 2022, having navigated the first pandemic of modern times and with a whole new attitude to how we do business? We’ve seen a further rapid increase in hiring activity across the board throughout Q1 which continues to be coupled with a rapid decrease in candidate availability… a veritable whirlwind of vacancies and demand. Mixed in with this is the impending impact of inflation and the rise in cost of living (concern about which are the key drivers of the growing challenge at hand) and so as I’ve coined before, you have the perfect recruitment storm.”

“But despite the mighty obstacles in sight, it is by no means doom and gloom for our customers. We’re treating this inordinate challenge as an opportunity, a ‘crisis-tunity’ (not my phrase, but one that fits the bill!). We’ve invested heavily in our candidate onboarding tool which is packed with best-practice promises, we are launching a new candidate app designed to be a communication forum and we continue to champion inclusive relationships with each and every person we place in a role.

“It’s our firm feeling that now is the time for recruiters to choose – by which we mean actively seek out – the best contracts, with the intention and belief that they will in turn attract the best candidates. And so the circle closes, based on the perfect recruitment formula.

“Quality expertise, exceptional client service and an holistic investment in both Encore’s staff and our candidates’ wellbeing, journey and retention, should be the gold standard for all recruitment agencies to aspire to.

“We predict a sea change of perspective on hiring is coming down the track (in some sectors it’s already here) which will lead to a new-era adjustment in how businesses approach recruitment. It’s time recruiters really became consultants again, and while that’s always been our approach at Encore, we’d love to see more of our peers adopting the same attitude. 2022 is the year of the employee like never before. People have come through a time of crisis and now they’re clearer than ever on what they want from an employer. It’s time to actively listen to what candidates are saying and respond in kind.”

Note – Encore Personnel was acquired by Gi Group Holding in October 2022