It’s no secret that attracting and retaining early years talent is a challenge for many employers at the moment, and in the professional services sector, higher drop-out rates are a growing concern. Could greater focus on the first 100 days of employment make a difference?
To become better at attracting and managing talented people, employers should make sure that new recruits are nurtured from day one, so they receive the best possible introduction to the workplace and the industry. Their career paths should be well supported and set out clearly, according to the requirements of the sector.
But what does a supported early career path look like in practice? As well as pairing trainees with an experienced professional ‘buddy’ and building a workplace culture that champions continuous professional development, there is much more that employers can do to win the hearts and minds of new starters. At Menzies LLP, we operate an Apprenticeship Programme for individuals who want to train to become Accounting or Taxation Technicians as well as Chartered or Certified Accountants or Chartered Tax Advisers. Their end-to-end experience as apprentices is closely monitored and supported by a dedicated HR team and a Training Manager based in their department.
With today’s apprentices coming out of college or university or transferring from other roles or disciplines) into a new and evolving work environment, it is important that employers paint an accurate picture of what their role will entail. Providing an authentic representation of how things work in practice is expected by new recruits, and anything less is regarded as disingenuous. In the world of accountancy, for example, individuals applying for an apprenticeship need to know that while it is important to stay focused on their studies, and employers will support them in allowing time for this, there will inevitably be busy periods when workplace demands have to be met. While it’s by no means the norm, intense working days may be necessary during peak periods of demand.
Despite many employers wanting to put the pandemic behind them, those recruiting large numbers of trainees have found that hybrid working practices can hamper their progress. Providing structured and informal training based on core skills and behaviours is vital to ensure each employee is equipped to succeed. Even in professions where recruits are required to pass exams to get to the next stage, ‘soft’ skills like time management, delegation and communicating with clients, should also be developed and nurtured.
To reduce drop-out rates, it may be necessary for employers to focus on ‘training the trainers’ to ensure they are sufficiently prepared to motivate recruits and deliver the right information. Whether that’s making sure Training Managers have enough time in their schedule to dedicate to their additional responsibilities, or making sure that the trainer is imparting the right knowledge at a timely moment, it’s vital that new recruits feel well-supported and have a consistently high standard of training irrespective of the business department they have joined. If the support provided is inadequate in the early days, employees could vote with their feet.
Societal changes brought on by the pandemic and online trends surrounding ‘quiet quitting’ and ‘QuitTok’, have had an impact on employee expectations. Gen Z employees won’t accept a workplace culture that doesn’t listen and respond to their own ideals and priorities. Employers recruiting in this demographic need to recognise this cultural shift and provide new recruits with a transparent view of workplace values and behaviours, at the same time as explaining the steps that they are taking to nurture rising talent in response to feedback.
Understanding what new recruits are looking for is critical, and contrary to what some employers might think, this isn’t as simple as offering well-being benefits and a better work-life balance. Corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity and inclusion policies have become key considerations for prospective employees, and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) plans and targets are closely scrutinised too. Some candidates are willing to turn down a job opportunity if the workplace culture and ethos don’t align with their own. To avoid this, employers and HR departments should make sure that their ESG credentials are well signposted throughout the recruitment and induction phase, and that all staff are offered the chance to support environmental and/or social value initiatives as quickly as possible. At Menzies LLP, in addition to ‘Make a Difference Day’ in July, we encourage all staff to get involved in volunteering, offering additional leave as an incentive, whether it be for a cause of their own choosing, or a Firm-sponsored programme such as ICAEW’s RISE initiative, which involves supporting Year 10 pupils at schools in disadvantaged areas of the UK.
While starting a new job is always a life-changing experience, during a cost-of-living crisis, and with flexible working models influencing workplace practices, the challenges are greater than ever. Employees need to feel that they are part of an organisation that has principles and a sense of purpose and shares the same values. Employers should listen to their staff and shape their social events programmes and employee benefits packages accordingly.
When looking to attract and retain talented employees, first impressions count, and employers must make sure that workplace culture and practices are attractive and fit for the future. Getting things right in the first 100 days is the key to winning the hearts and minds of new recruits and driving the success of the organisation in years to come.
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