Handling Declining Talent Quality: Four Solutions For Quality Recruitment

 

The way that candidates apply for jobs is changing. That’s only one factor that’s causing a decline in talent quality. The issue is being felt across many industries, but the care sector is in a uniquely challenging position.

 

To prevent the situation from getting worse, steps need to be taken during the recruitment phase. The good news is that there are ways to adapt existing processes to address the issue.

 

Being realistic about declining talent quality and why it’s happening are useful initial steps. However, there are other actions recruiters can take to solve these problems. Read on to understand how to adjust to the changing situation and find four solutions to successful talent recruitment.

 

Care Recruitment Challenges

Following issues like the ‘Great Resignation’ recruitment is facing some of its toughest challenges. Market conditions are particularly challenging in the care sector. At the height of the pandemic, applications increased with many candidates from other sectors interested in a role in care.

 

As we’re now past the peak of the pandemic, many of those who temporarily moved to the sector to prevent a crisis and fill in the gaps have left. At the same time, staff who have been in the sector for years, if not decades, have also moved on. The situation has created a sense of urgency for talent recruitment as the workforce pool reduces.

 

The issue of a reducing workforce pool is confounded by the fact that the care sector is behind the curve. When it comes to bringing new talent into care professions, providers are at the start of the journey towards attracting and retaining quality candidates.

 

The unemployment rate is currently at 3.7%, the lowest it has been since 1974. At the same time, the ONS has measured a record ratio of vacancies, with 4.4 for every 100 employee jobs. While the figures are important, there’s also anecdotal evidence from recruiters that they’ve seen a drop in quality applications.

Quality Is Paramount

It can be tempting to take shortcuts to avoid repeating recruitment processes and fill a vacancy as quickly as possible. Staff shortages are a serious matter. However, hiring the best of a group of candidates that don’t fit your organisation won’t solve your problems in the long run.

Quality applicants not only meet your needs, but they also raise the level of your team and integrate well with the existing staff. In care, the environment is a crucial part of the work. Having someone with the right knowledge and attitude will go a long way to creating a pleasant work environment with effective employees.

 

Instead of being in a situation where you’re firefighting, a quality candidate will bring a proactive approach that allows you to tackle challenges on the front foot. When standards are high, you can innovate, giving you the space to train new staff, set up new initiatives and implement policies that improve the overall situation.

 

Instead of becoming resigned to the fact that there aren’t any quality candidates available, you can make some small but significant changes to your recruitment process. Keep reading to understand how to adjust to the current challenges while maintaining your standards for quality talent.

Adjusting To Fit The Current Picture

The way job seekers apply for positions has changed. Individuals are now taking more care with a specific and targeted approach. It’s a sign of a candidate-driven market, and recruiters need to adapt to this shift to get the desired results.

 

Understanding that the current picture includes a candidate-driven market is only the first part of the puzzle. The crucial second piece is knowing what potential candidates are considering in their selective job search. They’ll be looking for signs that their needs will be met, and that extends beyond the salary. Time off, the opportunity to make a difference and an ethical and forward-thinking employer are desirable attributes.

 

It’s also beneficial to shift the emphasis of the application process to help the applicant learn more about the unique and satisfying work environment that you offer.

Four Ways to Handle A Decline In Talent Quality

These four solutions focus on how you can adjust the various stages of the recruitment process to meet the challenge of declining talent quality. Those in the care sector don’t need to scrap the existing procedure and start from scratch.

 

Making the right changes to each stage can have a significant impact on how many potential candidates you have. Instead of a handful of individuals that don’t match the temperament or skill set, you’ll be attracting people with the commitment and motivation to have a successful career in care.

 

The four solutions can give you a recruitment process that is fit for purpose. The overarching theme is to communicate your intentions to potential candidates. Finding ways to express that you’re professional and prompt, innovative and committed will attract individuals with the same values and characteristics. Below, you’ll find four ways to apply those changes to your existing process.

1.    Reach The Right Candidates

Where your applicants come from can determine their suitability for the role. Every employer in the care sector and other industries is fishing in the same pool. To take the analogy further, there’s a difference between waiting at the end of the stream and going to where the fish are.

 

Instead of only relying on job boards, recruitment needs to start within the local community. It could be as simple as adverts and information in local shops and community spaces. For a more complex but potentially rewarding approach, partnerships with local education providers can provide you with a pool of workers.

 

By partnering with colleges, you get to play a role in the training and education of apprentices and future employees. It creates a level of mutual commitment, means that students will have the required skills for the job and gives you candidates with practical experience.

 

Engaging with existing employees can also transform your recruitment process. Identifying the talent that you already have and what they appreciate about the role can inform how you proceed. Additionally, they’re your best ambassadors and can help you find candidates who’ll be more likely to trust and believe their first-hand experience.

2.    Assess Effectively

It might seem like an obvious step, but organisations often overlook taking the time to identify what quality talent means for them. Adjusting your recruitment process for effective assessment has several benefits. The first step is removing obstacles, such as repetitive or long application forms.

 

The second step is having your criteria clear in your mind. Identifying quality goes beyond looking at qualification and experience. It considers the characteristics and attributes that will bring value to your organisation.

 

Focus on what you need to know about a candidate but don’t rely on one means to obtain that information. A CV from a job board can often lack vital details and make it challenging to compare to others. On the other hand, if you leave it all to the interview stage, you might waste your time and theirs by speaking with individuals that don’t match your criteria.

 

Using Care Character as a recruitment tool, you can centre your process around your criteria and assess candidates accordingly. The short online assessment gets you the necessary information, keeps candidates engaged in the process and isn’t too demanding. It focuses on the seven qualities of care. You’ll know which candidates align with care values, which include:

 

Adaptable and Resilient – Finding someone who can act proactively to navigate circumstances instead of reacting to changes will allow consistency of care. Challenges will occur, so having someone with the capacity to recover quickly will directly impact the service provided.

 

Communication – Being able to listen will mean an employee can take on tasks and also understand others. The ability to express essential information and ideas will improve working environments and processes.

 

Compassion and Empathy – A strong desire to help is crucial in care, but also in an employee that wants to improve situations. Extending that to being able to understand how others feel and see things from their point of view leads to more thoughtful and considerate actions.

 

Dutifulness – Taking obligations seriously is an essential attribute in matters of health and social care, where the consequences of not doing a job well are significant.

 

Inclusivity and Respect – A role that involves working with people requires someone who creates an accepting and welcoming environment for all.

 

Procedural Compliance – From health issues to vulnerable people, procedures are put in place to protect all involved. A quality applicant will not only understand the rules and appropriate actions but also why they exist.

 

Team Working – Individuals that can work towards a common purpose make an organisation more effective. Someone adept at teamwork will also be able to recognise any gaps and when their skills can fill them.

3.    Engage With Talent

If you know what you’re looking for, you can respond quickly when you find it. As quality is scarce, the last thing you want to do is let it pass you by. In a candidate-driven market, having meaningful interactions with quality candidates improves your chances of attracting them to your organisation.

 

An assessment tool serves multiple purposes. Beyond assisting with identifying quality talent, it also communicates your values to applicants. When you ask them to answer the questions, it demonstrates your commitment and your organisation’s priorities. If they admire or are attracted by that, they’ll be more likely to continue through the process. IF it attracts them, they’re more likely to think the same way, making them a suitable fit.

 

As well as demonstrating your commitment, the assessment process allows prompt and consistent communication. The Care Character tool creates a candidate report, which helps them prepare for interview. It allows you to continue engaging with individuals in a way that offers value to them and you.

 

Finally, once you get to the interview stage, you’ll be able to use the information from your assessment to create effective and targeted interview questions. It’ll be the final step in demonstrating to the candidate what kind of organisation you are. You’ll be able to confirm the quality of an individual, making it less likely that you’ll need to repeat the recruitment process.

4.    Retain Quality

The initial stages of the process are the most important to recruiting quality talent, as attracting the right candidates is key. However, to ensure your organisation stands out, it’s essential to keep adjusting the recruitment stages to keep quality individuals engaged.

 

An effective interview process where you ask the right questions but also answer theirs can help. How you handle the next steps of recruitment is also crucial to retaining quality. When using Care Character, you’ll have a development report. It’ll assist you in creating a tailored and effective onboarding process that’ll make things easier for you and your new employee.

 

The development report helps managers place new hires within a team, carry out an induction and support the individual. As a result, you get to experience the quality talent sooner rather than later. From the new employee’s point of view, they’ll feel satisfied as they can integrate quickly and their development needs will be met.

 

Retaining quality talent means fewer vacancies, but it also will create a work environment that’s attractive to other candidates.

Final Thoughts

You can play a part in determining the quality of your applicant pool. How you attract, assess, engage and retain staff can enhance the recruitment process. Adjusting to the candidate-driven market by focusing on your desired criteria and how your organisation comes across will be transformative.

 

Using Care Character as a recruitment tool is a direct step towards success in challenging market conditions. It attracts and supports potential employees, refines the process for interviewers and managers, and people you care for will feel the benefits too. The Meet your Carer report demonstrates that you’ve recruited someone who is person-centred and the right fit for them.