Being entrepreneurial through times of change

As a result of the pandemic new ways of working have emerged which has seen many of us become entrepreneurial. But with the news from the Prime Minister that phased approach will now be taken to allow retailers to reopen, the shoots of recovery are firmly on the horizon. Lockdown is slowly being lifted, but we still face many challenges ahead, and at Page Personnel we continue to work with our clients to ensure we offer the best support possible during this unprecedented time.

How have our customers been adapting?

Across regions we are seeing our customers respond to the challenges of the pandemic by actively preparing themselves for what is coming next. They are mapping out plans for how to return to the office and how to stagger the approach for the employees. In the last couple of weeks, we have seen a real change in the market’s behaviour, compared to the initial lockdown period. Companies were taking every precaution and putting a hold on a lot of operations, which was commonplace at the time. However, a lot of businesses have now adjusted to the new ways of working, which has seen many trying to be as entrepreneurial as possible with the use of technology, e.g. cloud based solutions, video conference calling, and remote hiring as they look to see where their businesses can diversify.

Which roles have been in particular demand?

As a business, Page Personnel has been on hand to support businesses with critical staffing needs, and have been involved in many projects outside of their normal remit to help clients and candidates alike. We have seen the demand for temp workers increase in a lot of non-core areas and other essential work within the key worker community.

Chris Crawford, Operating Director, Page Personnel Finance said: “A particular example of this is the NHS where we have filled over 150 vacancies now for general cleaners, and porters.”

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of frontline jobs and this shift in focus is in line with the current demand for those sort of roles. Chris added: “A lot of our core candidates have decided to take on these roles for the interim and they have adapted to do what is necessary to help the NHS and continue to bring in an income.”

To mitigate the period of uncertainty, many businesses furloughed staff, which led to a temporary downturn in the drive for permanent hires. Now, with clear business reopening timelines, it stands to reason that we are seeing a cluster of businesses restart their recruitment strategies and deliberate how best they can onboard new starters. Our free and exclusive eBook, Running your recruitment processes remotely: A complete guide offers tips on how to navigate this tricky process.

Shaping up for the end of Q2

We will continue to see businesses attempt to push forward and work to a new normal, while adapting their back-to-work plan for the future. It is important to note, these plans haven’t been discarded, merely put on hold. Businesses have been entrepreneurial in bringing themselves into markets that are in high demand. We are now a few weeks way off a full return, and companies are beginning to make decisions on how their workforce will look beyond any expansion plans they had in place.

Beyond hiring

We have a clear picture of the marketplace and how people are being managed remotely, and how companies are onboarding and recruiting remotely too. Diversity & inclusion and motivating a remote workforce during lockdown have become big talking points that will change the face of how we work in the future. The companies that might have taken a tentative approach before now see that their employees can work effectively from home, and there have been many instances of remote hiring becoming the new normal. In time, we will see new industry trends and marketplaces that have diversified, and increased revenue due to being in a niche industry, e.g. chemical manufacturers involved in the hand sanitiser manufacturing process.

Our clients are speaking to us about many areas, and we are happy to offer any support and advice in any way we can. If you would like to discuss how we can help you, your team, or your business at this time, please do not hesitate to get in touch for a confidential non-obligatory discussion.

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