Now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, businesses face many challenges with recruiting and keeping staff with the right skills.
Previously, as a member state of the EU, Britain had unfettered access to hiring staff such as chefs, waiting staff, cleaners, or security staff from the other member states of the European Union. This access to staff was without any restrictions, but leaving the EU means that UK based businesses can no longer benefit from Europe’s freedom of movement..
In this how-to guide, we discuss the best ways to manage staffing without the benefits of the EU’s freedom of movement.
Work with specialised recruitment agencies
Some agencies specialise in certain job roles such as hiring chefs or cleaning staff and working closely with these agencies will increase the chances of finding the right person for the role. Recruitment agencies have access to a wider pool of talent and will have the experience and know-how to help.
If you are regularly looking for staff with a specific skill set, then setting up a long-term partnership with a specialised recruitment agency will help.
Build teams through in-house training
In some cases, especially when it comes to soft facilities such as receptionists, cleaners, and food servers, it’s more important to employ staff with the right attitude and who are open-minded rather than just having the right skills. There are various studies and bodies that have argued that a successful business should ‘hire for attitude, train for skill’. In other words, if you hire someone with the right attitude then they can always be trained so that they have the right skills for the job. It’s easier to train people to have the right skills than to train or change their attitudes, and an employee with an open mind is more likely to learn new skills.
By providing a platform for continuing personal development, businesses have more options when recruiting. Offering training and ongoing personal development is also proven to increase employee retention - which results in not having to spend time recruiting over the long-term.
Look outside of the EU
If you can’t find the right staff from within the UK and the European Union, then consider widening your search. The government has changed the rules on recruiting people to create what they call “an immigration system that treats all applicants equally, regardless of where they come from”.
If, when recruiting, you meet the necessary criteria then it’s possible to hire workers from a much wider (worldwide) job market. Mastering this and having a process for recruiting internationally could be a great long-term strategy for your business.
For more information on how to recruit internationally you can visit the Government website here: recruiting staff from outside of the UK
Need help?
At Ramsay Todd, we work with catering and hospitality businesses to develop their business for long-term success. If you need help developing a recruitment strategy for hiring staff then give us a call today on 01992 467 598.
