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WeDO Expert Q & A: Recruitment & Retention
15 February 2022
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
As we emerge from the pandemic, businesses are having to think more creatively about how they recruit and retain the best talent. From increasing salaries to offering incentives for introducing potential new recruits, flexible working models, increased training and new benefits are tactics some businesses are trying to stand out from the crowd.
The pandemic has also resulted in many employees re-assessing their careers and looking for new opportunities. Add these factors to a labour shortage in many markets, the next few months stand to be challenging for many companies and potentially to implementing growth plans. Conversely, with many people looking for new opportunities, the volume of applications for jobs is at an all time high, taking up more time to sift and shortlist than ever before.
Join us at this interactive session to find answers to your questions pertaining to recruitment and retention and hear the thoughts, views and ideas to implement from our experts. Questions can be submitted ahead of the event by emailing [email protected] or asked on the day.
MEET THE PANEL
JIM RAE OF DOCS24 – 2021 Inspiring Leader Award Winner
The worthy winner of our 2021 Inspiring Leader of the Year Award, Jim Rae has worked in document and information management for 25 years in a variety of small to global businesses.
Jim launched docs24 in November 2013 and turned his previous business model of a traditional company to one driven by technology. Today, docs24, with offices in Edinburgh and Greenville, South Carolina, is the most agile, marketing, business content and brand asset platform delivering simple, efficient, tailored and controlled management of clients’ content and brands. The docs24 technology platform streamlines the management of clients’ marketing, content and brand assets to reduce inefficiency and unproductive time.
Working with some of the largest blue-chip companies across the globe, within financial services, franchise, pharmaceutical, accountancy and retail, docs24’s largest client is the biggest global clinical trials company in the world, employing 65,000 staff and with revenues of £15 billion.
In recent months, docs24 have recruited 8 new colleagues – 6 in Edinburgh and 2 in the US. In addition to advertising the roles, Jim encouraged his colleagues to recommend people they knew who would fit with the docs24 unique culture – regardless of whether they had experience of working in the job role they were recruiting for or not. Networking has also played an important role in identifying the right recruits for the business, as has placing emphasis on structuring the role description in advertising to emphasise who shouldn’t apply.
docs24 pride themselves on high retention levels which Jim believes is due to their inclusive culture and incentivising the whole team rather than individuals, goals are set for the team and rewards given are equal regardless of job title. Jim believes that the culture at docs24 has undoubtedly played a big part in the success of their recruitment and retention and will be sharing his tips and advice for other businesses.
LISA THOMSON of PURPOSE HR – an AAB Group Company
Runner-up in our 2021 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Lisa founded Purpose HR to provide niche HR consultancy and ‘HR as a service’ outsourcing to early stage and high growth companies. In the last 7 years she has built a team of qualified HR specialists, and they have fulfilled projects with well over 70 clients, with a focus in technology and life sciences. In July 2021, Lisa sold a majority stake to Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP, who are also members of WeDO. As an AAB Group Company Purpose HR have access to 340 business advisors and work together to deliver solutions for clients across the critical business areas of people and finance.
Purpose HR help their clients manage their businesses and people most effectively and productively in order to help scale and meet the business challenges of fast paced growth. They provide cost effective, pragmatic outsourced HR support and can also assist with due diligence to help businesses get investor ready if they are seeking funding. For international companies looking to set up business or hire in the UK, they can help to put the necessary, legally compliant HR frameworks in place, simply and cost effectively.
Lisa holds an Executive Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring practice from the Edinburgh Coaching Academy, and provide 1:1 executive and leadership coaching to business leaders, founders, commercial people and executives. Lisa is a former Scotland Director for Startup Grind and an Ambassador for Women’s Enterprise Scotland.
ALISTAIR BOOTH OF THE HR BOOTH
Alistair is the founder and Managing Director of The HR Booth based in Fife. Since inception in 2013, he and his team have helped business owners, Directors and managers across Scotland and the UK to resolve people challenges within SMEs, helping them to save time and money. This enables entrepreneurs to focus on the growing their businesses, knowing their people are being managed effectively.
Alistair has specialised in giving advice to managers since 1998 on how to manage people, listening to the challenges and offering commercial, practical advice on how best to resolve. Having supported and advised hundreds of managers during his career, he knows what works.
He advises businesses of all sizes across various sectors, offering outsourced solutions which free up Directors time to enable them to concentrate on growing their business, giving them the confidence their HR requirements are looked after.
Services offered by The HR Booth include outsourced HR retainers working with clients for a fixed monthly fee, redundancy and consultation support – protecting businesses from risk whilst saving time and HR pay as you go – a flexible solution giving support as and when entrepreneurs need it.
The HR Booth clients include Pitreavie Packaging, Sidey, eCom Scotland, Rejects Department Store, East Lothian Produce, DPS, CJ Lang, plus many more SME businesses across the country. Alistair chairs the Fife Local Area Team for Young Enterprise Scotland, and the business support other good causes as part of their Social Impact.
Alistair is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD).
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