Striking the right balance

With Scotlandís footballing fortunes apparently on the up, businesses could do worse than to look at Walter Smithís team model in their recruitment practices, according to leading credit management company BCW Group.

The company, which has twice won the accolade of being among the best employers in the UK, has adopted a ìstrength in depthî approach to its own selection ñ seeking to attract a wide variety of people to run its high-tech call centres in Scotland.

A team full of Kenny Millers might get the home crowd on their feet ñ but 11 strikers might not have the same success against Norway as a team with balanced mix of positions.

Jacqui Sharpe, HR Director at BCW Group, says everyone brings something to the team, whether it is energy, attention to detail, or patience, and understanding the roots of team success can be an advantage to companies looking to bring new staff on board.

She explains: ìWe believe the workforce should be as diverse as the general population, and weíre looking to recruit people from every corner of the community ñ especially those areas sometimes overlooked by generalist recruiters.

ìWe are also fighting to break down the perception of high-tech contact centres being the domain of the young ñ we have a growing number of people from a huge variety of ages and backgrounds, and we have really noticed the difference diversity makes to the team spirit in the company.î

Specifically, BCW Group have launched targeted campaigns to reach disabled people, older people and young parents looking to return to work, including providing information and educational material to all of their own staff involved in recruitment or training.

Jacqui says: ìThere are huge advantages for employers in bringing in people from across the board, but the truth is too many employers do not even know themselves what support is available to someone entering their third career, or someone with a young child desperate to get back to work.

ìWe realised that itís one thing to spread the word that you want ëback to work dadsí to give you their time ñ quite another explaining to them what government assistance is available for them to put their child in nursery during the day.

ìWe offer flexible working patterns, but we are working with government agencies and charities to ensure potential BCW Group employees know exactly what is out there for them in addition to what we hope will be a job for life.î

Overcoming the perceived hurdles to employing people from certain parts of the community is straightforward, says Jacqui. Companies who employ disabled people are often eligible for grants from the government to provide equipment ñ in BCW Groupís case, they have been able to supply a blind employee in their office in Stratford-Upon-Avon with state-of-the-art equipment which lets him work just as efficiently as his colleagues.

And because of the difficulties disabled people can sometimes face in hunting for a job, employers who are prepared to accommodate them are rewarded with hard-working, loyal employees.

Employees of a certain vintage are also on BCW Groupís hit list ñ those in their forties and fifties ñ for a variety of reasons. They are often experienced in business, with many even looking to move down a gear after years in high-pressure executive roles. But all experience is relevant, according to Jacqui, and the older you are, the more you have.

Research from Saga Group, which runs the radio station SAGA 105.2fm in Glasgow, shows that people aged 50 and over are often empty nesters with no mortgages, who are often looking for more from a job than just the next step on the career ladder. They may be more interested in lifestyle issues like flexible hours, or a good working environment ñ they may even be seeking to improve their social life through work.

And with all that experience, they are well-equipped to handle the stresses of a working day.

Jacqui adds: ìPeople in their forties and fifties have quite often been there and done that, and are far more tolerant in stressful situations. They have experience and wisdom and they bring all these qualities to the workplace ñ thatís good enough reason for us.î

She also says theyíd love to employ more single parents looking to return to work. Much of BCW Groupís work involves irregular hours with clients around the globe, and parents who are often looking to work flexible hours are a great way for employers to find staff for positions which can be hard to fill.

Jacqui says: ìKenny Miller may be the hero of the hour, but nobody would argue that to really perform any team needs to have a range of skills, experience and background. Business is just the same. People that are little bit older, are challenged by a disability or coming are back to work after a long lay-off often make great employees thanks to their personal strengths. And weíve got great jobs for them ñ itís a win-win situation.î

Issued by the BIG partnership on behalf of BCW Group. For further information, please contact Marjorie Calder on 0141 333 9585 / 07966 684227, or Bryan Garvie on 0141 333 9585 / 07863 208045.