It is becoming increasingly difficult for employers to attract staff in the current competitive climate. The uncertainty of the last couple of years has left a lasting impact on the job market, with fewer candidates applying across all industries, and changing candidate expectations. Agricultural job recruitment is no exception, with staff shortages being felt across Australia.
SEEK.com.au reports a market-wide trend indicative of strong job numbers but a decrease in applicants, even in agribusiness and agricultural industries.
To combat the effects of this incredibly competitive climate it’s crucial to understand the driving factors behind job seekers or how to get someone to leave their stable job for your business.
Job Security and Stability
Job security is one of the primary considerations by job seekers. SEEK.com.au’s research shows that 31% of respondents said they’ve cancelled their plans to switch jobs, while 40% feel uncertain about their job security.
Businesses now need to make sure they are impressing upon candidates the history, longevity, and solid foundation of the business. Once appointed, it’s more crucial than ever to ensure that employees feel valued to feel secure.
Candidate Expectations Are Changing
It’s been 34 years since Gordon Gekko proclaimed that “greed, for lack of a better word, is good”. He was talking about money, and while financial compensation is still important, there’s more emphasis on work/life balance, flexibility, and personal fulfilment.
“Ensuring the satisfaction and engagement of your current staff and potential candidates by understanding their changed expectations will help your business attract new staff in today’s competitive climate,” says The Lucas Group’s Geoff Lucas.
“You need to make your business an employer of choice, a company where people can fulfil their career and life goals. By adapting as expectations change, you can ensure your business maintains growth and productivity.”
SEEK.com.au states that 2 in 3 candidates want a job that makes a difference in society.
Businesses must now ask themselves about the intrinsic value of a position and how they can market it, promoting the benefits that this role brings to the community.
Are Applicants Enough, Or Should You Be Proactively Recruiting?
With job applications down, proactively recruiting (headhunting) may be the best way to approach, negotiate, and attract the perfect candidate for an open position.
Hiring managers and SME’s can take the pain out of the hiring process with help from The Lucas Group.
The Lucas Group is Australia’s premier agribusiness recruitment agency. We have the connections and industry expertise to find the right candidates for our clients.
For every agricultural job recruitment project we apply a parallel search process, utilising outbound marketing and directly approaching candidates across our network of over 100,000 people.
Attracting and finding the right candidate for a position is a lengthy undertaking and convincing someone to leave their current job for a new opportunity is getting harder and harder.
The Lucas Group can help you to market the role, promote your business, build candidate trust, and conduct a thorough search for candidates who aren’t actively seeking a new position.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash