For Clients
What is actually going on with the Construction & Property market in New Zealand at the moment?
We’re halfway through the year and the one eighty office is busier than ever. It’s a great change to what we saw a year ago, but things are not looking at slowing down anytime soon. A big skill shortage still remains across the board, with clients still struggling to find the right candidates for their available positions. Because of this, we are advising clients that they need to be assessing their current approach and shifting their strategy appropriately in order to fulfil their recruitment needs. It’s often as simple as this: clients need to be open to diversity. It may seem as though there is only one solution to solving a skill shortage in your team — hiring a qualified staff member with years and years of experience under their belt. But in this candidate short market, it’s not enough to hope that you can convince a highly qualified candidate to pick your company over another. There are a range of different recruitment options that you may not have even considered. What about utilising semi-retired people? Reassessing work loads to bring on a part-timer? Hiring a student for junior-level tasks? Graduates? Employing more women in predominantly male dominated industries? It’s also important to look at the specific role requirements you are wanting to hire for. When you sit down and really analyse the needs of your business, you may find that you don’t actually need another architect, but rather a project manager or coordinator. It can take a bit of strategy and creativity, but it’s not an impossible task. The one eighty team are continuing to fill job vacancies, and we’re slowly seeing more clients rise to the challenge. It’s normal to feel hesitant when trying something new, but our one eighty team are confident in their ability to provide innovative, tailored and cost effective recruitment solutions despite the difficult circumstances. We’re also noticing an increasing need for clients to be putting themselves in the candidate’s shoes. When looking to attract the perfect candidate, you need to understand what they might want. Remember that you were a candidate once too, but also acknowledge that different generations have different needs and preferences. At one eighty recruitment, we are very people-focused. Our relationships with both candidates and clients are highly valued, and it’s part of our job to bridge the gap between the two parties and ensure that both needs and expectations are being met. Making the effort to get to know the people we are working with is truly second nature for us. As the second half of 2021 approaches, the team at one eighty are looking forward to continuing partnering with clients and candidates to deliver success. It’s currently a tricky job market to navigate, but it’s nothing that our recruitment experts haven’t seen before. For help with all your recruitment needs, reach out to us today.
In recent times, with a slew of redundancies, business closures and as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic hits our economy, we have seen New Zealand in a “candidate rich market”. A candidate rich market is where there are many candidates, for fewer jobs. Some may say this is advantageous for employers, however, this may not be the case. The recruitment process is an art, it is a skill, it is something that recruitment consultants develop through years of experience. In ‘normal times’ the recruitment process is involved, it takes time, and it requires systems to manage the process. A candidate rich market means more candidates to manage, and it may be easy to ‘miss’ great candidates. A bit like finding a needle in a haystack! For employers: Having a well managed process is imperative for company experience and branding. For example, formally rejecting candidates politely, and within a timely manner. Ensuring candidates that are put forward for the position, are kept up to date with the process as it progresses. Knowing what to look for when reading a resume. This is where the skill of a recruiter comes in – they’ve seen it all before and can generally ‘read between the lines’ and look for attributes specific to the role/job. Keeping the ‘pool’ small. Selecting 2-4 targeted candidates and going through a full process will avoid overwhelm. Be prepared to have multiple interviews with multiple candidates - drilling down and going through the process. Robust reference checking is imperative, and again, having recordings and systems to back up this process makes it more effective. A thorough process will mean a great hire at the end. It’s when steps and systems are missed, that the hiring process starts to fail. For job seekers: Having a targeted, professional resume is important and will provide a competitive edge. Is the resume and cover letter personalised to the job by including relevant skills etc. Being confident during interviews is important. LinkedIn have interview practice tools where job seekers can hone their skills for interview. Connect with recruiters, potential employers, and other people in your desired or current industry. Utlise social media for an edge – show potential employers your knowledge and skill set. Be open to opportunities and trust the process. A candidate rich market means everyone needs to put their best foot forward, follow ‘best practice’ and strive for the best outcome. If one eighty can help with providing insight to how the process or recruitment market is placed currently, please reach out.
The biggest mistake we can making when hiring new employees is to have unrealistic expectations and unclear objectives. For a smooth hiring process, it is important to nail these tasks for the best outcome. A Clear Job Brief Working with your recruiter it is important to take the time to be 100% clear on what the job is, what objectives are, and the type of candidate you are hoping to attract. An Easy Application Process This is where working with a recruiter really helps. The systems support candidates to apply for the job in an easy manner whilst upholding candidate experience. Be Prepared for the Interview So much value and gained and provided during an interview for both the recruiting company and the candidate. If left with a bad impression, both parties won’t move forward with the process. Prepare questions and set up a great space for the interview (is it online? Make sure the wifi is good!). Move Quickly, But Not Too Quickly After a great interview, candidates are often excited to move forward with the process. They’ve fallen in love with your company and the opportunity. Leaving it too long to provide feedback or move forward with the process can sour the process. The feeling of value and worth (from the candidate) goes down, and they start to question if the opportunity is worth pursuing. Keep moving forward. Misaligned Expectations This is where a good recruiter adds value to ensure there is a match. Expectations should be up front, and addressed early in the process so that nothing comes up towards the end as a surprise which ruins the opportunity. Outlining expectations early in the process assists with a smooth process from start to finish. Communicate Above all, keep communication high. Utilise the recruiter as much as possible. They are here to help both parties. It’s just what they do – and they do it well! A smooth hiring process should be enjoyable for everyone. It’s the beginning of a new relationship, so it’s worth getting it right. Need some help with hiring or looking to make a job change? Feel free to contact us.
This report has been split into three key parts which we believe are all very pertinent to business owners and senior leaders during this time; Business Impacts, Staff & Resourcing and Future Planning. Overall we were pleasantly surprised by some of the results which is most likely a reflection of the continued government and private investment into various parts of the construction sector – be that in infrastructure, commercial construction or the residential market. Most companies are predicting a negative impact on this years financial forecast, which is understandable – however over 80% of respondents are only predicting less than 40% decline. We also found an overwhelmingly positive response to the enforced working from home situation we all found ourselves in. The wider construction sector including architecture, property and engineering has typically been very hesitant towards providing working from home options or a fully flexible working environment. However our results tell us that now 90% of respondents will support working from home in the future.
Employee onboarding certainly has changed during COVID-19. Truth is, core principals still apply; be organised, utilise systems, and deploy expertise from the business. Utilise Technology Most businesses working remotely have already deployed cloud tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack, Skype etc. Collaboration of teams online enables new employees to instantly be part of the team. Set Up with the Gear Courier all equipment required for the job to the employee; laptop, phone, stationary prior to the start date with online tech support for set up. This should be no different to the first day in the office. Set the Schedule Prepare a detailed onboarding module and schedule for the new recruit. Provide details of the schedule on the first day. This will build rapport with the new hire as they will see the investment you are about to put into them. What a great feeling. Be Prepared for Additional Support Be prepared that new employees may need a little extra help to get started. Set up a buddy system, and clearly communicate who to go to for support. Utilise your Existing Team What value can the existing team add to the onboarding process? How can they assist in the onboarding process? Utilise the existing team as possible to ease the team pressure. Be Flexible Expect that onboarding your new recruit during COVID-19 may take slightly longer and usual, and that’s ok – just be prepared and flexible. Use Video or Phone as Much As Possible Rather than email, we suggest using video or phone as much as possible with the new recruit. This builds connection, but also ensures there is no misunderstanding of tone or expectation. Encourage Connection Encourage connection by setting up ‘after work drinks’, ‘lunch dates’ including one on one time with other team members to build relationships and connection. This will help with overall satisfaction and act like a ‘water cooler chat’. Video is going to help with this. Overall, onboarding remotely is simply a time to get creative. As businesses we have to keep moving forward with delivering projects and services even under these special circumstances. If we can assist with confidentially sharing details of how other clients have successfully onboarded during COVID-19, please feel free to reach out.
COVID-19 has changed the way businesses operate. A lot of teams are working remotely and navigating a ‘new normal’. Our clients are all dealing with the changes differently, but one thing remains certain – businesses will hire again. So, in the meantime, employer branding is incredibly important to build and maintain relationships. Keep Communication High Now, more than ever, it is important to keep communication high. Now is not the time to drop social marketing (or, perhaps it is time to get started!). Share stories of how the team are adapting to working remotely, or how the team are heading back to work under new health and safety standards. It is important to think long term here. Future employees and connections will love seeing the proactive steps you are taking to protect and support your existing staff. Add Value How can your business add value to stakeholders and connections? Sharing hints, tips and free resources or time. Some businesses that are building excellent connections during this time are offering their time free to help people. For example; perhaps a 15 minutes phone chat to help potential employees/connections with upskilling or tips about how to succeed in your industry. Be Timely, and Relevant Be prepared to pivot and adjust your story daily, or, almost hourly at the moment. As the environment in which we work changes all the time, it is important to stay relevant and appropriate. Is the messaging sensitive? Lots of people are feeling stress and pressures, so keep that in mind and be kind. Work in the Now Stay in the ‘now’, don’t worry about the ‘far out future’. What do you need to support your business now and what do you see in the short-term future? It can be easy to become overloaded with worry with ‘what if’s’. Staying focused and working in the short-term as we navigate the new norm is going to help with staying focussed and achieving milestones. Keep Activity Up Above all, don’t fall into a big black hole. Keep the activity up. Talk with suppliers, customers, stakeholders, recruiters, speak with potential new recruits, and keep connected. Employer branding truthfully, is really just basic marketing. Keep communicating, keep activity high, be truthful to your brand and keep moving forward. Feel free to reach out if we can assist with employer branding ideas or have an phone chat with examples of what we are seeing in the market place that is working for others
What will the employment market look like as we move out of lock-down and into some form of normality? “Some form of normality” – it’s a phrase that our clients and me have used regularly as we (hopefully) start to see the light at the end of the tunnel with regards to the COVID-19 lock-down period. We all tend to agree that the lock-down period finishing won’t be a flick of a switch, back to normal and we will forget about social distancing and working from home. No it will be a gradual process which could take months or even years in some industries to return to some form of normality. However in some instances I don’t think we will ever return to what we knew pre-COVID-19 and probably for the better. Based on conversations with suppliers, clients, candidates and my team here are a few things we think that we can expect coming out of lock-down: 1) Not all businesses will rush back to their offices. 2) Most businesses will re-work their working from home policy having seen how productive staff can be. 3) Some businesses will never return to a traditional office space – instead continuing in a virtual remote basis. 4) We will all utilise online video platforms much more given the productivity advantages. 5) There will be more nationalisation and potentially internationalisation of work. Locality will no longer be as important. 6) Business owners will be a lot sharper and tougher having gone through this experience. Costs will be monitored and I think we will see a lot shrewder and savvier business decisions being made. 7) Unproductive non billing, non-useful, non-productive middle management roles could go given we have seen how well workers work when given the autonomy to do so. 9) Those businesses that have held onto staff and supported staff will see the rewards of doing so through their team culture. 10) Health and safety will become an even bigger essential part of any business. 11) The businesses that have focused on helping, supporting and not selling during the lock-down will see that loyalty repaid by their customers. 12) Companies that are able to adapt to the new normality will rise to the top. So as we return to some form of normality I’m interested to see what the next few months and then few years looks like. I’m not pretending it’s not going to be a challenge, but I like change personally and thrive off it. Any other major changes to the way we do business on the horizon? I’d love to hear any specifics about the construction, property and engineering industries in particular. Mike and the one eighty team,
Market insight from Susannah Shackel - Team Leader Professional Support. Professional Support, like all specialisations and industries at present, has taken a dramatic hit with overnight nearly all of our live roles being put on hold. Talking to my clients about the live roles that we were working on before lockdown the message was the same, all roles will become available again but when and what shape is unknown - a lot will be based around when we can get back to some sense of 'Business as Usual', new budgets and the amount of work that is out there. After researching what happened with recruitment in previous recessions (1989 and the GFC) the pattern was the same - permanent recruitment fell off fast and took much longer to pick back up and while there was initially a decrease in temp recruitment, the latter picked up a lot faster with businesses feeling taking on temporary staff gave them more flexibility and was a lower risk of an on-going overhead while the economy rebuilds. In simple terms - Temp = options! Other Client Insights: Most private clients are working at 80% while Government remains at 100% All construction clients are spending a lot of time working out their health and safety protocol for when they return to work at level three. These are comprehensive and some clients have requested extra health and safety support Clients have said how well their teams have adapted to working from home and a lot of clients are looking at redoing their ‘working from home policies’ to allow more flexibility when life returns to 'Business as Usual'. Clients have also mentioned the expensive overheads that come with working in an office - something that small businesses may consider changing Government clients are very keen to get recruiting again and we have had new roles in this week Candidate Insights: As we near the end of four weeks of Level 4 lock down, candidates seem to be much more positive and optimistic than when the lock down was initially announced. This can potentially be attributed to the fact that candidates have accepted the current situation and have put contingencies in place moving forward Speaking to candidates predominantly in the Professional Support space, there doesn’t seem to be too many redundancies and candidates are still keen to hear about other potential opportunities Candidates are however now more open to the type of roles they are willing to be put forward for i.e. temp, contracting or permanent as they realise that the job market will have changed and they cannot necessarily be too selective on this front As I am in a unique situation where I am talking to a lot of different clients across different sectors please let me know if there is any other insights you would like to hear about. Keep safe, keep well and keep in touch. Susannah Shackel Team Leader - Professional Support
Firstly, I hope you and your families are all well and safe at home. It as certainly been an unprecedented couple of weeks which has thrown us all a number of different challenges. As a business owner I have spent the majority of the last couple of weeks developing a contingency plan and also ensuring our staff are safe, looked after and supported during this time. I thought it would be worthwhile communicating to our clients what we are seeing in the market from a hiring and employment perspective. As you all are most likely to be based at home I feel it is more important now than ever before that we share the information we garner from both our clients and candidates. I’m sure you will understand that I won’t be too specific so as to preserve confidentiality. I thought it would be worthwhile breaking it down into some generic comments and also industry specific across our specialisms – Construction, Property & Facilities, Architecture, Engineering and Professional Support. General Comments: We have, unsurprisingly, seen a decrease in new permanent jobs, however we are continuing to actively recruit some contract roles. The public sector continues to recruit and is actively trying to contribute to the economy which is good to see. The current state of uncertainty has meant that most private sector firms have put a hold on any recruitment. However some pro-active, forward thinking and well setup businesses are hiring and they are hiring in a different way, which I have outlined below: They are interviewing everyone online. If you haven’t investigated Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business or Zoom then you need to be. They still stick to their standard hiring procedure in terms of interview formats etc – i.e. peer reviews can still be done online. They are also investigating online on boarding platforms or at the very least sending laptops to new starters and engaging with them via video conference tools. I am not familiar with these platforms but I know that large overseas companies use the likes of enboarder.com , hronboard.me , bamboohr.com and onboardexpress.com.au C onstruction Key message we are hearing from main contractor clients is the need to get back on site, most believe that once back on site there will be a return to some form of normality. There may be some additional costs around contract negotiations with regards to the time lost though. Once the sites are back up and running then all the construction advisory consultancies (PM, QS etc) will feel more confident. Having said that a number of our consulting clients are working on pre-construction feasibility projects and this is continuing. Property & Facilities Management The property sector is currently dealing with the ongoing negotiations between landlords and tenants around tenancy agreements. Most of our property clients have never been busier. Architecture We always use architects as the barometer of the wider industry in terms of future growth and optimism. In a positive but surprising way our architectural clients are currently busy as projects continue to go ahead. They are however generally not hiring and understandably are very cautious about the future. Engineering Generally speaking our engineering clients are in the same boat as the construction advisory consultancies and are in a bit of a holding pattern. Professional Support Our support roles have dropped away on a permanent basis, companies are making do with what they have and not investing in new support staff at this time – again totally understandable. However we expect to see an increase in temp requests when we return to some form of normality, this is a great way to ease back into the hiring market with less risk. So we are hopeful, but realistic when it comes to forecasting the next 6-12 months. Having said that we are also not looking too far ahead, the end of the first 4 weeks as mandated by the government will dictate much of what the future may look like. I’d welcome any comments around the challenges your business faces in this uncertain future be it positive or negative – feel free to email me on mike@oneeighty.co.nz or give me a call on 021888907 or even better – let’s setup a zoom chat! Stay safe and stay in touch. We are all in this together.