After the trials and tribulations at the start of the year, I am delighted to say that as we enter the spring, things are looking significantly more optimistic. The challenges that were presented by lockdown 3 have started to ease quite significantly across all of our clients’ businesses.

I mentioned last time around that businesses were already starting to talk to us about the main challenges within their workforces. These challenges have continued for some, particularly during the last month.

While our client work has ramped up, not just with the amount of jobs we are receiving, but the solutions we are being asked to come up with, we are still seeing a unique and slightly forced candidate market caused by the issues with Covid and lockdown.

As all of the key people across our teams are pointing out, this year will see a candidate market like no other and one that will probably most acutely affect businesses trying to grow more than ever before.  Changing jobs is simply not as attractive as it used to be.  Therefore, companies wishing to hire or expand have to maximise their engagement strategy, their branding, work with the right recruitment partners and look at a wide range of solutions that don’t just incorporate the usual methods.  

As well as wide and various recruitment methods, all of which Zitko can help you with, one of the key factors for success this year would also be looking to bring in fresh talent. The government is already offering a huge number of incentives to businesses looking at training schemes, apprentices or reskilling experienced individuals. I am delighted to say, that due to the recent accreditation of the qualification that forms part of the Zitko Talent Programme, we are also able to tap into that funding.  In my view, it will be the employers who embrace this challenge, and diversify their talent pool, that will come out of 2021 with the most success.  

As ever, if there is anything that we can help you with, please get in touch.

Wishing you a very happy March.

George Zitko

Managing Director

 

Market Update - 19/03/21

Technical: (Phil West – Director)

• Things are really busy in the Technical Team, with more and more job roles coming in at all levels and a variety of locations and companies. We’ve seen a particularly large influx in opportunities within core engineering roles (service and/or install) for the security, fire or multiskilled engineers. Our larger clients seem to be becoming extra-busy recently. Several of our clients are reporting very successful years with it being the best ever for some.
• With this surge of vacancies, there is now a big skills shortage again (possibly even more so than before the pandemic), creating a very candidate-driven market. However, we’ve also noticed many candidates looking for work after making a ‘bad move’ over the last 12 months, with the phrase ‘mis-sold’ used more frequently. It seems that both candidates and companies have made some rushed or less considered choices compared to normal.
• I hope to see candidates and companies begin to be more considered when approaching their searches to get more stability within the market and everyone be happy and positive about their choices. 

Sales: (Dave Geddes – Director)

• There have been no significant changes in the market, but we do have some exciting roles coming through, both in the UK and Europe.  With the roadmap out of lockdown in sight, we are looking forward to seeing things move in a positive trajectory.
• Integrators appear to be focusing on recruiting New Business salespeople together with a number of positions for ‘hunters’ with strong relationships with M&E Contractors.
• An encouraging sign is that we are seeing some Manufacturers & Distributors starting to re-hire in the UK.

Contracting: (Laura Raven – Director)

• Contracting has continued to build over the last 6 weeks, as confidence in the future grows.  April sees a big uplift in larger projects starting already and we expect that to continue over the coming weeks. If you are going to be needing resource in April and beyond, now is the time to be booking those in. 
• IR35 is nearly upon us!  If you are directly engaging with Ltd company contractors, you could be at risk of falling foul of IR35. Call us today to have a chat about what we can do to help. 
• We are currently delivering the service books of several of clients; in doing this we are not only taking away the hassle of managing this often time-consuming process but also then taking on the responsibility of IR35.  If you would like to know more, contact Laura Raven. 

Resourcing: (Terri Lalonde – Director)

• We are busier than ever with vacancies.  Certainly, myself and my team in Resourcing, are finding that candidates assume that there’s very little opportunity to change jobs and that it would be a big risk to change jobs right now. However, with so many of our clients winning new contracts, the need for good engineers has never been greater.  We know you are also looking at the wider picture now. 
• Your motivations may have changed from pure money and career development to how an employer treats its staff. It’s true that some employers haven’t responded well to the pandemic.  A lack of the right PPE or equipment to work on-site, the promise of further training being rescinded, or a cut in overtime or commission have all contributed to this.  
• My advice is that if you are contemplating making a move, but are a bit worried about the risk, don’t delay. Start seeing what job opportunities are available to you. Do your due diligence on your prospective employer. Or talk to us about them. 
• If you do delay, that ideal role you are looking at today may not be there in a post lockdown world. As businesses are getting ready to return to normal, employers are getting their recruitment done now to be ahead of the game. 
• Want to find out more? Head to our website, zitko.co.uk/jobs and/or book a call with me or the Resourcing team. 

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