I sincerely hope you managed to switch off and enjoy a relaxing Christmas and New Year with your loved ones.
As we look ahead to the UK recruitment market in 2022, it would be easy to draw parallels with this time last year. The pandemic is still making headlines and is likely to influence recruitment trends throughout at least the first quarter.
However, things are slightly different this year for two main reasons:
- The recruitment market has changed radically. After the disruption of 2020, 2021 became a year of recovery for many businesses.
- The impact of restrictions has changed. Although rules continue to vary across the UK, the vaccination rollout has meant lockdown measures are less severe than those experienced previously.
If 2020 demonstrated the resilience of businesses and the recruitment industry, 2021 showed just how adaptable we can be.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) reported a 16% uplift in permanent placements during the first half of 2021, alongside a 7% increase in temporary placements. Growth continued throughout the autumn, creating what the REC described as a supercharged recovery in the recruitment market.
At Citrus Connect, we continued to see further growth from Autumn 2021 onwards showing a supercharged recovery pre Omicron of course, which brings with it new challenges and what I believe opportunities in 2022.
UK Recruitment Trends for 2022
The UK recruitment market entered 2022 with record vacancies and continued demand for candidates.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK job vacancies reached a record 1,219,000 between September and November 2021. This was 434,500 higher than before the pandemic, with 13 of the 18 industry sectors recording record vacancy levels.
At the same time, labour shortages, rising inflation and uncertainty surrounding Omicron were weighing on employers’ minds.
The REC’s December 2021 JobsOutlook found that confidence in the wider economy had fallen. However, businesses remained more positive about their own prospects, with confidence in hiring and investment decisions remaining positive.
As 2022 progressed, many of these challenges continued to shape the hiring landscape. You can read more about candidate availability, salaries and employer demand in our seven recruitment trends for 2022.
We are currently living in a world of constant change. Most of this change has been imposed and so we have to react. Recruitment is primarily a reactive business requirement. However, those clients who proactively look for the right people to enable their business to grow and flourish are increasing in number, which is incredibly encouraging. As recruitment trends continue to change, there is still a scramble to engage with the right recruitment firm that can deliver.
Businesses need to think and behave differently from traditional recruitment practices if they are to claim their place back in the fast lane. If you want the best results, you must first focus on how to enable your people to deliver them and give them the tools to do so. This also means preparing your sales team for changing technology and trends rather than waiting until change forces you to react.
It’s about structuring your business to allow your managers to lead, inspire and enable the delivery of your desired results and, of course, sales headcount.
OUR 2022 VALUES
Many set goals at the start of each year, however I am a firm believer in habits, not goals. At Citrus Connect, our values shape how we work with our clients, candidates and each other. We have to learn the secrets of time, the importance of having a robust plan, how to develop leaders and generate sales and, more importantly, placements for our clients quickly.
We asked our team what results are our habits and our routines producing now and what habits would we like to align to in 2022. How do we create fulfilment, freedom security and adventure? Together we agreed on the habits of humility, capacity and opportunity.
HUMILITY
Humility builds trust. It means putting the needs and desires of others ahead of your own. It doesn’t mean putting yourself down to make someone else feel better. It means taking the focus off yourself and shining a light on other people.
True humility gives credit where credit is due. It isn’t thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.
OPPORTUNITY
Consistent follow-through proves you are trustworthy. We make our word our bond. Delivering on your word, and honoring it, speaks volumes. We’ve all heard “actions speak louder than words” and this is so true! It is with our actions that we create opportunities for our clients, candidates and each other.
CAPACITY
Frustrations can arise when we’re over capacity. Understanding our own capacity allows us to recognise where we can achieve the best results for our clients while still feeling fulfilled.
We can’t assume that someone else’s capacity is the same as ours. Instead, we need to understand our own limits, delegate unnecessary tasks and focus on the work that positively impacts results.
And finally, ask yourself: what do you have the capacity to tolerate, and what don’t you?
Building Stronger Teams in 2022
I feel incredibly blessed and honoured to work with a team every single day that would do anything for our clients and candidates. A team that will go the extra mile, follow their shot and always have each other’s backs.
So I leave you with one question: is your team aligned with your company values, so that no matter what comes your way, everyone knows what you’re working towards together?
And if building a stronger sales team is one of your priorities, get in touch with Citrus Connect to see how we can support you in finding the right people.
Wishing you a powerful start to 2022 and a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes,
Leena Parmar
Founder, Citrus Connect
