Opinion

Flexibility can help you in the new world

Many things are changing right now and will continue to do so as organisations in the eastern region create new ways of surviving and in some cases, thriving from new opportunities.

Organisations across our region have had to adapt and evolve fast to changes in their markets brought on by the pandemic. One trend that we have been monitoring with our clients is where changing consumer behaviours have led to increased demand. Thinking back 4-6 months, were you able to get your supermarket deliveries or were you able to order those critical home improvement and gardening products. Even now, how have you adapted to booking your time slot at your local National Trust property or your gym?

To accommodate these demands we have seen more clients hiring temporary workers to meet changing demands, particularly in HR, accountancy, customer services and technology across food manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and online consumer products. Organisations are hiring temporary and interim workers in technology roles to manage changes in online demand, more accountancy and finance roles to strengthen financial management, step up the credit control and cash management and manage payroll changes and more customer service roles to ensure customers are getting a great service.

managing lockdown demand

As more people spent more time in their gardens during the lockdown, the demand for garden plants and equipment significantly increased. We helped Thompson and Morgan, Ipswich based online garden and seed company to increase the capacity of their Customer Service team with temporary customer service advisors and data analysts.

Recruiting the right people in lockdown was a key priority for LifePlus in Cambridgeshire, as the demand for healthy living and nutritional supplements increased as consumers adopted healthier lifestyles. We supported LifePlus to recruit more people to ensure they had the right level of resource to fulfil customer orders. Read their story here >>

As the lockdown was announced, many of our clients decided to retain their temporary workers, equipping them to work from home. We were also able to work closely with our clients to furlough temporary workers where needed and ensure that they were supported for the term of their assignments.

Reflecting on how our clients have adapted during the pandemic Our Head of Finance, Annette Wyld said, “we have been pleased to see how many clients are retaining temporary workers and enabling them to work from home. We pride ourselves on the strong relationships we have with our clients which has meant we have been able support our clients with their fluctuating demand as well as supporting our temporary workers on furlough.”

NEW WORLD FLEXIBILITY

As we ease into some sense of normality, many organisations are reviewing their staffing, adapting their recruitment strategies to meet the changes in demand and working practices. We have seen the need for different skills, abilities and experience, but there is uncertainty as to whether these requirements are short or long term.

Reviewing staff resources does not have to mean committing to the cost of recruiting full-time employees. Temporary and interim workers can quickly fill gaps within teams and bring a wealth of other business benefits too:

  • Experience at short notice
  • Fresh perspectives
  • Strategic skill sets
  • An increase in morale
  • Smooth the transitions

Many organisations utilise temporary workers as they need a flexible working solution where they need specialist skills or experienced consultants for specific projects.

With uncertain market conditions, hiring temporary or interim employees is a flexible option whilst you plan for the longer term. Whatever you need, our specialist temporary recruitment experience puts us in the best position to support you at every stage of the process, so you can gain all the benefits of professional interim support.

We can help you to find short-term candidates to fill any gaps and keep everything flowing smoothly. Talk to our consultants about hiring temporary and interim people. Our expert consultants will guide you through everything, from administration through to understanding the regulations around short-term contracts.

For more information, get in touch today.

 Judith Pugh profile picture

Written by

Judith Pugh

Judith joined Pure in 2017 and is responsible for marketing the business, building our marketing strategy and delivering campaigns. Judith’s worked in marketing for more than 20 years across a range of industries – from health and fitness, horticulture, GIS software, education and now recruitment.

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