“We’re finding we’re having some difficult conversations with some clients where they have a poor employee retention reputation - as it often means the best talent will not join their company,” says seasoned recruitment professional Lynn Sedgwick, MD at Clayton Recruitment.
In a post-recession world with Brexit on the horizon, Lynn acknowledged that businesses have to work exceptionally hard in order to attract and retain candidates. Benefits such as discounts on retail or lifestyle items like insurance are good indicators that businesses are serious about attracting candidates, and maintaining their wellbeing over the long term.
Financial incentives such as a generous pension contribution can be a good indicator of company stability and job security. Offering her words of wisdom to job seekers, Lynn said: "Many candidates are concerned about job stability. The advice we give our candidates when looking for a new opportunity is to establish whether a company is profitable and growing, and whether there is evidence that the business is invested in their own future – do they offer training opportunities to develop the best people, for instance.”
And while job stability is an important consideration for many, Lynn acknowledges that it’s one factor to consider – out of many – that informs your decision about whether to stay with a company or join a new one.
The most important piece of advice Lynn has for anyone considering a new position is “to think about what job stability looks like to them. What matters to one person might not matter to the next and it’s important that a potential employer meets your expectations as well as you meet theirs.”