Jobsite

On Wednesday and Thursday 19th and 20th June we’ll be exhibiting and presenting at the CIPD Recruitment Exhibition in London.

Here’s where you’ll find us:

Exhibition Stand R1

Look for the giant poster of Max and come and help yourself to some sweets from our pick n mix stand!

You’ll also be able to:

• Pick up a copy of both our latest whitepaper ‘Answering Today’s HR Challenges’ containing findings from our Recruiting Leaders’ Roundtable, and the Evenbase Hot Markets 2020 report
• Test drive our CV Database (after all, our research shows that it’s the service that most recruiters use!)
• Enter our prize draw

And meet Rob and the Jobsite team who can advise you on all your recruitment needs.

Showcase Sessions

As part of the free learning sessions we’ll be giving a presentation at 10.00 on Wednesday 19th June entitled ‘How to Stay Ahead in Recruitment and Reach Tomorrow’s Talent’. We’ll be looking at how online recruitment is changing whilst also offering practical advice on the use of digital, mobile and social channels for attracting future talent.

We look forward to seeing you there! If you can’t make the exhibition then follow our tweets over the two days at @JobsiteUK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working parents learn to juggle, and fast. The most basic juggling act – childcare versus making ends meet – is demanding enough. Then there’s the really tricky stuff, like keeping a career on track following parental leave. With skills like that, parents should be in high demand. So it’s no surprise that employers are gradually wising up.

“In some countries parenthood is assumed to bring new skills in negotiation and management,” says Susie Diamond, vice-chair of the WiBSE network for women in the building services engineering sector, “and a return from parental leave is frequently greeted with promotion.”

Closer to home, what are employers doing to show that they value, and want to retain, parents in their companies?

Childcare & the workplace crèche

More and more parents are turning to formal childcare to help with the competing demands of work and family life. According to the Office for National Statistics, there was a marked movement away from informal childcare in the home between 1995 and 2010, with a 36.4% rise in formal care for children under five years old. Yet just one in five UK businesses help their staff to find, organise or fund childcare services, according to a 2010 study.

That could now be changing, according to a report by Oliver Balch for the Guardian earlier this year. He points to on-site crèches at CA Technologies, First Direct and HSBC as examples of workplace facilities that help parents integrate their family and work life – because it makes good business sense. As Laura Swiszczowski, Head of Research at the business diversity group Opportunity Now, tells Balch: “Businesses see that providing childcare services … will retain their female staff – or male staff for that matter.”

Time away from home & flexible working

In early 2013, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer sparked fears for the future of flexible working by banning staff from working at home. But according to Samantha Parent Walravens, author of the book Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career and the Conflict of Modern Motherhood, the trend toward flexibility is here to stay – and that’s good news for working parents.

“With most families today having both parents working, the pressure to balance work and family responsibilities is growing,” Parent Walravens writes for the Huffington Post. To underline that, she cites a 2010 study from the US in which 92% of respondents reported that they didn’t have enough workplace flexibility to meet their families’ needs. Continue reading “When Family and Work Life Clashes – 3 Smart Solutions” »

We’re pleased to announce that we are continuing our sponsorship of Portsmouth Football Club.

The past few years have been an eventful ride for the club and its fans, but now under new ownership and its financial difficulties addressed, Portsmouth Football Club is set to embark on a new era and we’re very happy to be there with them.

The sponsorship deal includes branding on player shirts and around the stadium, and employees and our clients will have some great opportunities to experience the fantastic match day atmosphere at Fratton Park.

Our Managing Director Mike Wall summed up our thoughts on the good news:

“We’re so pleased to be continuing our sponsorship of Pompey. The club plays such a pivotal role in the community, and as a locally based company, we’re keen to support them in their new lease of life. We’ve been fortunate to work with the club on some of their community initiatives over the years and look forward to doing so again this season.”

“Throughout the past four years we’ve been blown away by the passion and loyalty of the fans, and so it seems fitting that it’s those people who care most about the club are now the proud owners of it. We look forward to joining them again at Fratton Park from August to cheer the club on as they take their first steps back to glory. Play up Pompey!”

Our fellow Evenbase group company Broadbean have just released this infographic showing recruitment trends for March 2013.

Every month they collate the big data they have regarding vacancy numbers and applications for a snapshot of how the market is doing.

Although the first quarter of 2013 proved to be slightly lower than 12 months previously, there are definite some signs for optimism… Continue reading “Recruitment Trends Update – March 2013 [INFOGRAPHIC]” »

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday saw our charity 5-a-side football day to raise money for Noah’s Fund. We were blessed with some fantastic weather, blue skies and a large orange ball in the sky shining down on Portsmouth FC’s Fratton Park ground!

The atmosphere was friendly as the teams arrived and changed – but there was clearly a competitive edge in the air!

We had 12 teams and the competition began with two leagues of 6 – the top 4 in each would be going forward to a knock out phase, with the remaining 4 playing for the Jobsite Plate. Joining Evenbase teams from Jobsite, Jobrapido and Broadbean were Matchtech, Picture More, SpectrumIT, Manpower, Jobs Today, Gerrell & Hard, Gold Group and Eligo Recruitment.

The early group games were keenly fought, in fact after two games each only 3 teams had a 100% record – Matchtech, Picture More and Gerrell & Hard…maybe a sign of things to come?

There were no shortage of tackles and resolute defending…though some teams had clearly not yet got their shooting boots on…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Jobsite5aside Shooting boots left at home? #GoldGroup v @jobsiteuk B goo.gl/KGKQq

— Jobsite UK (@JobsiteUK) May 2, 2013

  There were some low scoring games as the goalies were on top…

  …but the next tense clash was never far away!

Once the leagues were finished it was time to work out the league positions, whilst the hard worked footballers enjoyed pizza for lunch!

The holders, Matchtech, proved imperious in the early stages winning all 5 games, with a total aggregate of 13-1. The second best record was held by first time entrants Gerrell & Hard, with 3 wins 2 draws and 0 goals conceded! Jobs Today and Picture More were the other teams with a strong opening phase. The four teams with the lowest points totals – Broadbean, Manpower, Jobsite A and Gold Group – had proved enthusiastic competitors and went on to contest the Plate.

The quarter finals provided contrasting games, with Gerrell & Hard and Jobs Today both winning comfortably against Jobrapido and SpectrumIT respectively, whilst the other teams making it through to the last four – Matchtech and Picture More – had much closer encounters with Jobsite B and Eligo Recruitment.

In the semi-finals we had our first shock, with the current holders (and winners of the last two Jobsite 5-a-side competitions) Matchtech finally succumbing to Picture More in a penalty shoot-out. The other finalists were to be Gerrell & Hard, who squeezed past Jobs Today 1-0.

Meanwhile in the Plate, there was a tense final between JobsiteA and Gold Group. Our very own Nigel Wyman had kept Jobsite in the competition during the semi-final…

#Jobsite5aside @jobsiteuk kept in the competition by goalkeeper @nigel_wyman goo.gl/s8NlS

— Jobsite UK (@JobsiteUK) May 2, 2013

 

 

…and the final went to penalties…

 

…with Gold Group eventually winning 5-4 after misses on both sides!

 

The Jobsite Trophy final ended up a more one-sided affair, with Gerrell & Hard running out 4-0 winners against Picture More, who battled valiantly until the end…

#Jobsite5aside and that’s the third! 3-0 to @gerrellandhard vine.co/v/bQe0izwwYvV

— Jobsite UK (@JobsiteUK) May 2, 2013

 

 

And so in the day’s final action, it was left to Portsmouth FC’s manager Guy Whittingham to present the victorious Gerrell & Hard team with the trophy!

 

Here is Guy Whittingham presenting the Plate to Gold Group

 

A brilliant day in the sun, with over £1,200 raised for a worthy charity, and it was all smiles and handshakes at the end…with teams already pledging to come back and do battle for the trophy next year! As you can see, it’s already found a home in Gerrell & Hard’s offices…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all who made it such a special day, and a very big thank you to our brilliant photographer James White for the excellent action shots you can see above.

 

Historically, gamification has been widely used by marketers and product managers to better engage with stakeholders. Today, however, it is increasingly finding its way into the corporate world as a means to not only increase efficiencies in the initial recruitment process, but also engage with talent communities.

We asked Christopher Evans, Principal Consultant leading ReThink Recruitment’s digital capability across EMEA, for his views on how to get it right…

“It is the digital world where we are seeing the largest adoption of gamification techniques. Perhaps this can be attributed to the sector in question – where human performances, research, creativity, innovation and technical skills are a sought after commodity. So how can organisations implement gamification into their talent acquisition strategy which ensures success?

• Consider the pros and cons: With any new initiative there will be both pros and cons, all of which need careful consideration before you move any further down the gamification route. Gamification can increase efficiencies within the recruitment process and ultimately reduce the long terms costs – particularly for companies who have a volume problem. It can also limit the unconscious bias which is prevalent within so many sectors. In terms of the cons, the most apparent one is the risk of alienating those who are not tech savvy. Added to this is the reality that gamification techniques are reliant on access to the relevant technology – a computer with the correct programmes, a smartphone or tablet for example.
• Do your research: It may seem obvious, but it is imperative that employers not only understand what gamification is, but perhaps even more importantly they also appreciate how it can be used. Gamification can be applied throughout the employee lifecycle but it also adds significant value to both attraction – via gamified crowdsourcing activities – and assessment. A recent Gartner report estimated that by 2014 80% of gamified applications will fall short of their intended business objectives – a clear indication that many are simply not getting the basics correct. It’s wise, therefore, to seek the advice of a reputable talent management consultancy which has a solid background in the gamification arena which can guide you through the process so your business doesn’t creep into the above statistic!
• Communication: Any new initiative also needs to have buy in from the top down if it is to truly succeed. Ensure that HR, line managers and the senior leadership function are all not only firmly behind the initiative, but they are also involved throughout. Added to this is the need to communicate your plans clearly with all employees to get their input. Your staff should be playing an instrumental role in shaping your gamification model – after all they will know what skills and attributes the business is crying out for. It’s no secret that the companies leading the way in gamification have done so, in part, because the strategy is an inherent part of their culture and vision.
• Be realistic: You need to be realistic – perhaps even patient – in the initial stages of your gamification strategy. Getting it right first time is difficult, but it does need to be 100% before you roll it out. Be prepared, and willing, to test it first with current employees and subsequently change it accordingly. This stage may take longer than expected and prevent you from taking it to market when you first thought, but by putting in the time and effort in the initial stages you will be on the path to success.
• Measure your success: Once you have rolled out your gamification model it is vital that you measure its success. And in an era where return on investment is paramount, measuring the outcome based on your gamification objectives will enable you to see any return and consequently see the benefits to your bottom line.”

Christopher Evans, is Principal Consultant leading ReThink Recruitment’s digital capability across EMEA. ReThink Recruitment is an award winning business and technology recruitment consultancy that services resourcing needs across all industry sectors and for any size company.