Our popular UK Labour Market update is now available to watch in 50 seconds – click below for an instant update!
Signs are emerging that the UK job market is cooling. However, growth in employee average total pay is up 5.8% January to March 2023.
If you would like to discuss the latest UK labour market trends, or receive a copy of future Labour Market reports direct to your inbox, contact us or follow our LinkedIn page.
Change Specialists – The Change People
UK Labour Market Update
Change Specialists CEO John Dean was thrilled to be invited to join the recent National Housing Federation Eastern Region HR Forum Change Management Question & Answer session.
John enjoyed the lively event, meeting some amazing HR professionals, and of course discussing all things Change Management. The workshop wrapped up with a lively Q & A session, a thoroughly enjoyable event.
Maybe you are looking for some input from a Change Management expert for your next inhouse training session? Or a Change Management Question & Answer session. Get in touch!
For further information about our services and an insight into how Change Specialists can help with your current or pending business change or digital transformation programme contact us
Our Senior Leadership Team love the opportunity to share their extensive experience operating in the change space.
Hot off the press! UK Labour Market Update, our snapshot of how the UK Labour market is performing, and associated data.
A recent slowdown in hiring reflects greater economic uncertainty, rising costs and ongoing candidate shortages.
Our findings highlight the challenges facing organisations in attracting and retaining the skills and capabilities they need across all disciplines, including driving Change and IT and digital programmes.
If you would like to discuss the latest labour market trends, or receive a copy of future Labour Market reports direct to your inbox, contact us or follow our LinkedIn page.
Change Specialists – The Change People
UK Labour Market Update
FCA Consumer Duty implementation is top of mind for many organisations, and with good reason!
The rules apply to regulated firms providing retail financial services to consumers, such as personal banking, insurance and investments.
With the October 2022 deadline for organisations who are in scope to agree their implementation plans now passed, many are facing the reality of the key challenges that they face in order to conform with the regulations.
These might include:
✔️ Accurate mapping of customer journeys – to demonstrate acting in good faith right through the customer journey, and throughout the lifecycle of their products and services
⏳ Effective product governance – embedding the required products and services outcome rules in order to deliver good outcomes for their customers
💡 Evidencing their plans and actions to effectively implement the regulations within their organisation
It’s going to prove challenging to deliver on the required Consumer Duty commitments by July 2023.
Change Specialists Flex Service (CS Flex) supports your programme of work by enabling you to buy in professional change capability when and where its needed, to support the delivery of successful outcomes.
More targeted, flexible, dynamic and cost-effective than traditional approaches to change management and delivery. All backed by our Change Specialists Service Assurance model.
Contact the Change Specialists today to discuss your resourcing challenges.
info@changespecialists.co.uk / 01379 871144
We are delighted to announce that Change Specialists are now an approved supplier on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework (DOS 6) and Cloud Software and Services framework (G-Cloud 13). This enables us to support public sector organisations in securing the IT & Change expertise they need for their digital transformation programmes.
Being an approved supplier on these frameworks means that any public sector organisation can access Change Specialists’ knowledge & expertise to deliver their change & transformation plans.
As well as provision of direct Consultancy and Delivery services, Change Specialists can provide the following expertise through these frameworks.
We very much look forward to working with stakeholders in public sector organisations and helping make change happen.
For further information about the services available and how Change Specialists can help with your digital transformation programme, please email us at info@changespecialists.co.uk.
Change Specialists Flex Service (CS Flex) enables you to buy in professional change capability when and where you need it. More flexible, dynamic and cost-effective than traditional approaches to IT & Business change management and delivery. One of the most important aspects of CS Flex, for Clients and Service Providers alike, is our Service Assurance model.
Unlike recruitment agencies and umbrella companies, Change Specialists is committed to supporting all parties. Ensuring that Services are delivered in a way that meets everyone’s expectations. The Service Assurance model enables this.
CS Flex is designed to bring together Clients and Service Providers to satisfy specific needs. These needs are defined clearly in the Statement of Services which forms the basis of the contractual agreements both between CS Flex and the Client, and between CS Flex and the Service Provider.
While the Statement of Services provide a clear definition of what is to be delivered, CS Flex also provides clear guidelines on the level of professionalism and value add with which we expect the service to be delivered. Service Assurance ensures that both the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ are in line with expectation.
From the very start of the Service delivery, quality assurance tracking is carried out to ensure that all is in order.
Initial checks, done just one week into the Service, ensure that the basic building blocks are in place to enable a successful delivery. This might cover anything from the provision of security passes to the availability of key individuals.
After one month, we send a survey to the Client to ensure that Service Provider is engaging with the Client in the way that we would expect. Feedback from the Client is then shared with the Service Provider and any suggested improvement actions are identified.
Three months later, and then on a recurring basis, we conduct further surveys. These are to explore the Service Delivery in more detail, looking more closely at the specific deliverables of the Service. Input is sought from both the Service Provider and the Client, to ensure both parties have a common perspective on the state of play. Where differing views emerge, we work with both parties to identify any improvement activities which might be required.
Our unique Service Assurance model provides multiple benefits for our Clients:
What difference would CS Flex make for you? Contact the Change Specialists today to discuss Project Management Quality Assurance .
Change Specialists is delighted to have been ranked among the top 5% of global companies for our commitment to sustainability, achieving Gold status following rating by EcoVadis.
Services and business processes were measured and validated, confirming adherence to 21 recognised Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria which follow verifiable international CSR standards across four key areas – environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement practices.
Our Gold award affirms Change Specialists commitment to social and environmentally responsible business practices.
CEO of Change Specialists John Dean commented “We are enormously proud to have received a Gold standard rating from EcoVadis as a recognition of our ongoing efforts to be an example of responsible, sustainable and ethical business practices. It is especially pleasing to have been rated as ‘outstanding’ in the Ethics category”
EcoVadis is a widely recognised assessment framework that evaluates companies across industries on their sustainability performance, creating a global network of 90,000+ rated organisations.
Only organisations rated in the top 5% are awarded Gold status.
With many organisations welcoming staff back to the office this Spring senior leader’s enthusiasm for returning to the office might, to some, suggest old school thinking, with some studies highlighting a leadership team-employee disconnect with regards future working models.
Last summer The Future Forum surveyed 10,000 workers globally, finding three quarters (75%) of executives expressing a desire to work from the office 3-5 days per week compared to one third (34%) of staff. 44% of executives who have worked completely remotely through the pandemic, said they wanted to come back to the office every day, only 17% of staff said the same.
Many staff have missed the informal connections and culture that an office setting offers, however their default position has shifted, and they no longer want to spend time commuting into offices every day. They also put high value on the flexibility and work life balance that remote working can offer.
Against a backdrop of staff shortages across the UK, staff who don’t believe their organisation is being transparent on post pandemic remote working, by documenting and promoting a robust home working policy, are reporting low levels of employee satisfaction This in turn is impacting staff retention, and the ability for organisations to attract and hire new talent.
Finding the right balance is at the heart of successful hybrid working. Organisations want to keep control of productivity, encourage collaboration, and build company culture. Their staff want to choose where and when they work to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Leaders should be encouraged to listen to their staff, consulting on plans for their future work model and offering a channel for them to raise questions or concerns.
In the current candidate driven market its essential that you move quickly to make the best hire. The market has changed, organisations need to review their hiring process and speed up the time between attracting candidates, interviewing and making an offer.
Our advice is if the candidate in front of you has the skills, experience and approach that fit your needs, then make an offer. This may be the first person you meet, especially if your hiring partner has created a strong short list.
Here are a few points to consider in order to make a successful hire in the current market.
Be clear on your requirement
If the requirements are clear and concise this will help you to focus on the essential skills and experience that you need. Make sure that you involve all stakeholders at the outset.
Drill down on the detail such as essential technical and soft skills, as well as budget and expectations around location and time required onsite.
Sell the opportunity
What makes your organisation a great place to work? Be clear on your offering.
This should include an overview of ways of working, such as hybrid and flexible working as well as benefits associated with the role where applicable.
Research market rate
Benchmark, then set a realistic budget. This will ensure that you can compete for, and retain, the best talent.
If your budget doesn’t match your requirement, it’s time to review and refine both elements.
Establish a timeline – and stick to it
Set a timeline, ringfence diary slots to review candidate profiles and interview. Establish milestones in your hiring process in order to measure progress.
Consider a one stage interview process.
Make a decision
Act quickly, especially when you know you’re interested in a candidate.
Even if you haven’t made a decision yet, follow up with the candidate often. The likelihood is that they will be actively interviewing. Give a clear timeframe and stay connected.
Hire and onboard
Your onboarding process makes a big difference in how successful your new hire is within your organisation.
First, be prompt in issuing necessary paperwork to make the hire. Plan an induction, issue equipment, set up system access, schedule intro meetings – you want the first impression of working with your organisation to be a positive one.
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