Are you finding it difficult to hire new workers or keep existing staff members? You are not alone. In November 2022, 13.3% of businesses surveyed by the ONS said that they were experiencing staff shortages. While the root causes cannot be solved by businesses alone, there are a few things you can do to improve your relationship with your staff - saving you the headache of hiring over and over again.
Not the Right Skills
Covid and the ageing workforce have increased pressure on the labour market, but there have been skills shortages in the UK for many years, seeing industries such as healthcare, hospitality, logistics and construction struggle to recruit workers with the right skill set.
Short on time for lengthy training courses, many employers rely heavily on previously-trained staff members to show others the ropes. However, those skilled workers will face mounting pressure if there is a constant flow of new hires or temp workers, meaning that they will end up frustrated and might even quit. One solution is curating a pool of potential workers you can come back to time and time again. This can help you retain staff and reduce turnover, leading to teams who work well together.
People want their work to fit around their life
There has been a substantial shift in how people see their work, with many changing industries, retiring early if they are able, or demanding more flexible terms and better payment. In short, the pandemic has put the ‘live to work’ ethos into stark perspective, and employers are finding themselves having to make more concessions if they want to retain their workers.
Source: Standout CV
An easy way to give employees more freedom, is to provide them with a choice when it comes to their work hours. This can be done by simply ‘offering’ them available shifts and letting them decide whether they want to take them on. While it would be very time-consuming to do this manually (i.e. calling or texting all available staff members), a scheduling tool can automate the communication around shift assignment, thus reducing overhead.
Long-term illness is a challenge for workers and employers alike
There are a number of health conditions which the pandemic either brought about (such as long Covid), or worsened due to the constraints it put on the already-stretched NHS. As a result, the number of people not working because of a long-term sickness has risen dramatically in recent years. In face, long-term illness is now the number one reason for economic inactivity.
Source: Office for National Statistics
While NHS waiting lists may not improve for some time, and while we find better ways to deal with and alleviate long-term conditions, there is perhaps a chance for employers to help. Some people suffering from long-term sickness may want to work, but are finding it difficult to commit to regular work hours. For them, a return to work on a part-time basis, when and where they are able to, can be a good solution.
Giving staff members the option to choose which shifts to take on can be a huge help for those whose condition may not permit them to work regular hours, but who still want to be part of the workforce. At the same time, this does not need to lead to organisational strain for the employer if shifts can be offered quickly and effortlessly through a cost-effective software tool.
A good scheduling tool is key
While UK business are facing staff shortages for a number of reasons - such as reduced immigration - a focus on staff satisfaction will have a positive long-term impact on employer attractiveness.
A few simple changes, such as giving staff members more choice over their work hours and the teams they work in, can put you ahead of the game here. With a good scheduling staff app, this can be effortless and inexpensive, thus helping you to retain staff in the long run, while increasing efficiency and reducing overhead.
Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash
