The moving and mobility industry currently faces significant recruitment challenges, exacerbated by the ongoing threat of recession and a pervasive cost of living crisis. Companies are finding it increasingly difficult to attract and retain experienced talent, with many professionals opting to leave the sector. This situation is further complicated by the trend of counteroffering, where employers, in a bid to retain their top talent, are offering more to dissuade them from leaving. Additionally, the aftermath of the pandemic has shifted candidate expectations, with a greater demand for competitive pay and the retention of flexible working arrangements that became prevalent during COVID-19.

The Core Issues

Recruiting and retaining talent in such an environment requires a nuanced approach. The key issues that our clients in the moving industry are currently facing include:

• Difficulty in finding experienced talent: The moving industry is experiencing a drain of experienced professionals, with many considering moving on from working in this sector.

• Counter-offering practices: Prospective employers are struggling to win talent against counteroffers made to candidates by their current employers.

• Shifting candidate expectations: There is an increased expectation for better remuneration in light of cost-of-living issues, and many employees now expect flexible working conditions.

Strategic Solutions

Fortunately, there are several ways to tackle these recruitment challenges. Specialist recruiters with experience in the moving and mobility industry can be invaluable in navigating these obstacles, offering solutions such as:

• Access to a vast network: Recruiters have a wide network of candidates at all levels, including those not actively looking or applying to jobs, but open to the right opportunities.

• Insight into transferable skills: They can identify individuals from other similar industries with the skills that can be seamlessly integrated into your business. This can help to counter talent shortage issues, particularly in niche industries like the mobility sector.

• Benchmarking for competitive packages: Recruiters with knowledge and experience hiring in this niche industry can help in understanding what constitutes a competitive offer in the current market, ensuring you don't fall behind. It’s not just about salaries. Reviewing and enhancing your company’s overall benefits package can play a critical role in both attracting and retaining top talent.

• Streamlining the recruitment process: Overly long and complicated recruitment processes with multiple interview stages often result in the best candidates being snapped up by a competitor. A recruitment agency can make your recruitment process more efficient, reducing wait times and simplifying the stages involved. An efficient recruitment process is key to keeping candidates engaged and making them feel valued.

• Technology advantage: Recruiters often have access to advanced recruiting tools, technologies, and platforms that your business may not, facilitating better candidate attraction, interview, and selection processes. 

• Negotiation and dealing with counteroffers: Counteroffers are very common at the moment; businesses do not want to lose great employees at a time where talent is scarce and hiring a replacement is challenging. Having established relationships with candidates, recruiters can navigate the negotiation process effectively, ensuring outcomes that favor the hiring company.

While there is an undeniable cost associated with using recruitment services, the question remains: can your business afford not to secure the best talent? The benefits of utilizing a specialist recruiter such as Alchemy Global Talent Solutions—time savings, access to a broader talent pool, competitive benchmarking, and streamlined hiring processes—far outweigh the costs, especially when navigating the complex recruitment landscape of the moving and mobility industry. In essence, using a specialist recruiter not only enhances your chances of finding the right talent but also positions your business competitively in a turbulent market.