Redefining Recruitment
Redefining Recruitment
Many of us are shrouded by a naivety that assumes everyone who is old enough to drive, does drive. However not being able to drive is a lot more common than you think. As Recruiters, we come across this on a daily basis. Meaning that many highly skilled candidates miss out on great opportunities due to their reliance on public transport or keeping within walking distance. Oftentimes candidates are caught in a vicious cycle. They cannot afford a car or lessons without a job, but cannot get a job without being able to drive. What can employees do in order to access this talent? We speak to candidates with incredible skillsets that many companies overlook due to their lack of commutable options.
What are some of the options employers can take to allow them to tap into this talent pool they would otherwise overlook?
Car shares rely on the good nature of other staff members. Employees have to offer to pick up and drop off fellow members of staff during their commute. It requires matching shift patterns and ensuring contingency plans are in place in case of driver absences and holidays. This can be a really beneficial and cheap option that many companies overlook. Would you consider asking current employees if they are willing to offer car shares to other employees prior to initiating any hiring process? Would you offer incentives to employees that are happy to car share?
What if you could consider providing a shuttle service to all members of staff? Especially a good option now with the rise of electric-powered vehicles. Not only would it help with potential parking issues, but it would also help to reduce carbon emissions of all the staff that would usually drive, it could allow important moments for team building before and after work in addition to allowing you access to talent that does not drive. It can also help to alleviate staff absences and potentially improve attendance. I believe that there are a lot of merits to this idea, and despite the initial cost could be of great benefit to a company. Many companies have begun opting for this option, particularly manufacturing and logistic companies like Amazon.
In 1999, the government introduced the cycle to work scheme in hopes to promote healthier journeys to work. It allows employers to loan bicycles and safety equipment to employees typically on a salary sacrifice scheme. Benefits for the employer are that signing up to the scheme is completely free and not only can you recover the full cost of the bike you can also save on NIC contributions. For the employee, the payment for the bike and or accessories are taken from their gross salary which means they will pay less tax and insurance. The cycle to work scheme is a very beneficial incentive with no cost to prospective employers. However, it is only beneficial if they are within cycling distance from the employer.
Some employees within Milton Keynes town centre have package deals with local taxi companies. They are able to offer discounted travel and priority bookings to their employees for their commute to and from work. This is particularly good for the roles that require employees to work late at night. You are able to ensure the safety of your employees and guarantee that all employees have the means to commute home past public bus or train operating hours.
There are definitely more ways that employers could help with travelling to work if they opened their minds to new possibilities. What would you consider offering to your employees to help them to and from work?
There are lots of skilled jobseekers who do not drive. To not miss out on talented workers, employers should look at the transport options they can offer clients
