No-one could have imagined a year ago the situation that many of us find ourselves in today. As a business leader you probably have many things on your mind and recruitment probably isn’t top of the list. However, where some see risk others see opportunity…
Back in the late 1940s, after the Second World War, many organisations were struggling. Business was slow and finances strained. Hewlett-Packard, the then-fledgling electronic equipment maker, was no different. As the U.S military labs began to close and crowds of great engineers were unemployed, HP Founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard realised they couldn’t let such amazing talent pass them by. When asked how they could afford to recruit during those difficult times their answer was ‘how could you afford NOT to!’. Years later, when asked about their incredible success, they said that their willingness to invest in talent, no matter the external economic climate. This is very relevant to us today.
In the current climate we are faced with redundancies around the UK. It’s a stressful time for all. However, to turn it on its head, it also means that there are a huge number of talented individuals out there searching for a job. This is a great time for business leaders to sit down, figure out exactly what and who they need in their business. For this short period there is some extraordinary talent available out there; this is the time to find it!
The pandemic has changed people’s mindset. People are no longer satisfied to spend their days working somewhere unfulfilling, somewhere that doesn’t help them towards their own long-term goals. The candidate market is full of talent with the right focus, right mindset and the ultimate motivation to do best by themselves and their next employer.
Location is no longer a limiting factor either. A candidate’s potential is no longer determined by the distance they live from the office. With innovations in technology, companies can stretch their candidate net further afield to attract the best talent.
There is no doubt that the Covid 19 pandemic has been devastating, in many ways. None the less, it could also be an unprecedented hiring opportunity for many businesses……