Post-pandemic Archives - TALiNT International

2 in 3 Brits unwilling to travel over 20 miles to work

29/08/2023
All Regions, UK

New survey: Younger employees are reluctant to commute post-pandemic

Data analysing how far people are willing to commute in 2023 questions whether businesses are at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing the best talent pools in the post-commuting era.

The latest survey on commuting habits, carried out by recruitment experts, Forward Role, compares data they carried out nearly a decade ago when 86% of the UK worked from the office five days a week.

In 2014, 72% of respondents were willing to commute more than 20 miles to work – In 2023, the figure dropped to just 26%. Only 1 in 100 of 2014 respondents said they would only be willing to travel 10 miles or less for their commute. This has rocketed up to more than a third (34%) of people in 2023. On the other end of the spectrum, more than 1 in 6 people (16%) were willing to commute over 40 miles to work in 2014, but in 2023 it was ten times less at just 1 in 60 (1.5%).

The survey revealed that 25-35-year-olds were the least likely to travel more than 40 miles for work in 2023 (<1%), while over 55s were the most likely (33%). In 2023, respondents are more likely to travel between 30 and 60 minutes for work, but less likely to commute longer than this than they were in 2014.

Negative attitudes towards commuting have accelerated due to the pandemic and a 6% price hike in train fares in March – the biggest increase in a decade.

In 2014, 28% of employers offered home working options to their staff. In 2023, the figure jumped to 79% of respondents working from home at least once a week, with 1 in 20 working completely remotely. 34% would prefer to work from home “twice a week.” The survey revealed 66% of respondents felt pressure to work from the office more often than they currently do.

Brian Johnson, Managing Director at Forward Role, said, “The pandemic has had a lasting impact on the UK jobs market, putting flexibility and remote working right at the top of the list for both those established in the workforce and those entering it. Employers who can recognise the new landscape have a chance to capitalise on it — but only if they’re willing to compromise.”

The Forward Role study is available here

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commuting, Post-pandemic, Recruitment
Categories Employers, news, Recruitment

31% of businesses fail to pay freelancers on time

10/11/2021
All Regions, UK

55% of businesses make use of the contract workforce

Based on a survey of over 4,500 people, Sonovate’s Future World of Work report reveals that freelance and contract work is on the rise post-pandemic, but 31% of SMEs routinely pay them late; with more than half of those freelancers and contractors stating that late payments impact their ability to pay their bills on time.

While small and medium sized SME owners are keen to attract contractor workers to address skills gaps failing to pay them on time could lead to them missing out on talent opportunities.

The survey revealed that 74% of SMEs said they see the benefits of hiring freelance or contract workers for specialist support over having to invest in a permanent workforce.

Over 40% of SMEs that use freelance labour admitted they often wait until the last day the payment is due before paying contractors. However, this isn’t necessarily the business owners’ fault with half (50%) saying that late payments from clients or customers impact their ability to pay their workforce on time.

Sonovate’s research shows that over half (55%) of SMEs that use freelance labour have witnessed a sharp increase in the number of people looking for temporary or contract work since the start of the pandemic with nearly four in ten workers (36%) saying they would like to move to a more flexible way of working but are worried about the uncertainty of pay. Over half (56%) said they would only work for a company which had a track record of paying wages on time and 64% think the Government needs to do more to enforce the prompt payment of invoices. Almost half of freelancers (48%) refuse to continue to work with businesses that are late to pay them.

Richard Prime, co-founder and co-CEO at Sonovate, commented: “The Report shows us that freelance and contract workers have spiked in popularity since the start of the pandemic, with the crisis opening our eyes to new ways of working.”

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Contractor Workforce, Freelancer, Post-pandemic, Sonovate
Categories Employers

Efficient onboarding vital amid chronic skills shortages

26/10/2021
All Regions, UK

A positive candidate experience is likely to result in job offer acceptance

Job vacancies across the UK have reached a record high of 1.03million. When considering the war for talent and according to screening and identity services firm, Sterling, employers must streamline onboarding processes or risk losing candidates to the competition.

Research has found that 60% of job seekers abandon the application process if it takes too long or is too complex with a separate study suggesting that a positive candidate experience makes a candidate 38% more likely to accept a job offer from a company.

Steve Smith, Managing Director, Sterling EMEA commented: “There is no doubt that acute skills shortages across the UK are driving the need for efficient onboarding processes. With rising vacancy numbers and competition for talent intensifying, employers must quite simply streamline background screening processes or risk losing candidates in the process.

“With UK employment now at pre-pandemic levels employers across almost every sector are crying out for skills – and in this jobseeker-driven market, candidate experience can become your competitive advantage.”

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Job Vacancies, Jobseeker, Onboarding, Post-pandemic, Recruitment, Skill shortages, Sterling
Categories Recruitment

Candidates hold the cards in the current job market

20/10/2021
All Regions, UK

66% of senior leadership encouraged by burgeoning economy

According to specialist recruiter Robert Half, there is no better time to secure a new job with businesses growing in confidence and recruiting for new and vacant positions.

According to their 2022 Salary Guide, the improvement in the UK’s economic climate has boosted the confidence of top-tier leaders with 66% feeling ‘somewhat more’ encouraged about growth prospects over the next 12 months.

The job market is heavily in favour of candidates who now command higher salaries, benefits and working conditions that align with their desired lifestyle. This is proving difficult for employers who need to fill roles created by the post-pandemic working economy.

With this new-found power in a buoyant job market, candidates are free to consider their job options with more than a quarter (28%) of employees likely to look for a new job in 2022 – and many are already searching.

Working from home affects salary potential

Increased activity in the permanent recruitment space is expected in 2022 as 31% of businesses move to fill roles. There is higher demand for talent with hybrid skill sets and digital skills that ensure businesses can keep up with the pace of transformation and automation.

In most sectors covered by the report, salaries are expected to remain static and 25% of employers say they have no plans for increases in the near future. However, with fierce competition in the market, intentions may not match reality, and increases in average monthly salaries show the strength of candidates’ influence when agreeing terms with a new employer.

Location of candidates still matters to employers when hiring for a remote post despite the rise in remote and hybrid working over the past year. Nearly half (47%) of employers believe where the candidate is based could limit salaries for those opting to work far away the office location.

Matt Weston, UK Managing Director at Robert Half, said: “While businesses may not intend to increase the salaries on offer, the booming jobs market means they may need to re-evaluate. With candidates holding multiple offers now, we’re finding that a competitive salary alone is not enough; businesses must review the benefits on offer and promote their values to set themselves apart.”

Rethink benefits to retain talent

To gain that competitive edge, employers are balancing stable salaries by enhancing benefits packages. For example, more than three in five (62%) employers are now offering bonuses above or in line with pre-pandemic levels to counter stagnant salaries. Nearly half (45%) now offer remote working as standard, which is what candidates expect now.

One in five (20%) employees say they would consider leaving their current role if they weren’t offered their desired working arrangements. In such a candidate-driven market it’s imperative that employers meet these needs to retain talent.

Matt Weston continued: “We’re currently seeing demand above and beyond pre-pandemic levels, and despite the so-called ‘Great Resignation’ creating a tsunami of turnover, we are still experiencing a saturated market where the demand for skilled talent outstrips the supply.”

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Hybrid working, Job Market, Post-pandemic, Robert Half, stable salaries, Work from home
Categories Recruitment

Tag: Post-pandemic

2 in 3 Brits unwilling to travel over 20 miles to work

31% of businesses fail to pay freelancers on time

Efficient onboarding vital amid chronic skills shortages

Candidates hold the cards in the current job market