With the UK top of the European leader board for inward investment, fulfilling the staffing requirements for the newly formed operation is a key consideration for many expanding organisations.
Recruiting those initial, key personnel and early stage employees in the UK is critical to the success of a new or developing operation. Hiring the very best available and those equipped to succeed in start-up mode, remote from most of their colleagues, will help gain more traction in your new market.
In essence, your initial and early stage employees will be critical to ensuring you have the expertise and experience on hand to drive your UK operations forward.
Remote or overseas recruitment needn’t be an arduous task. It is a rewarding exercise and the final accompaniment to the success you have already gained. So congratulates and now is the time to look forward with the recruitment of your initial key personnel and we have put together a few of our top recruitment tips to get you started.
1: Engage with a local recruiter at an early stage:
Just as important as seeking local expertise from suppliers, clients and networks, is to engage with a local recruiter at the early stages of planning. A good recruiter will provide a professional view of the national and regional market in the UK for the skills you seek, as well as providing useful information on issues such as remuneration. If a recruiter shows little interest ahead of a real vacancy – find another one.
2: Tap into business and industry networks:
The UK has a wealth of industry specific and business networks, so utilise them. Not only are they an essential tool for meeting and engaging potential prospects, but they present a great platform to knowledge share and build relations with industry peers.
3: Help is on hand:
The UK is committed to Inward Investment. There is a wealth of business support and guidance available from UK bodies and networks, including DIT (previously UKTI), the various Chambers of Commerce throughout the UK and location specific development agencies. Utilise these networks to build your own and gain further insight into bolstering and staffing your UK operation.
4: Virtual Networking:
Just as important as face-face networking, social networking can provide insight into UK industry trends and topics but also the individuals who are ‘thought leaders’ in their field. Networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter offer valuable insight into an individual’s knowledge, persona and experience of a candidate.
5: Be aware of UK Legislation and Employment laws:
Employment laws and legislation may vary dramatically from your home market. When recruiting ensure you have full understanding of the legal obligations as a UK employer. This includes contract termination, contract vs permanent employment and the process in which recruitment is carried out. It is also important to ensure that elements of legislation are built into your recruitment and salary budget including 28 days statutory holiday allowance, as well as a statutory sick pay (SSP).
6: Communicate your Benefits as an Employer:
The UK has a wealth of talent across a variety of industries. With some of the world’s most innovative Global organisations and well respected universities based in the UK, capturing the attention of the highest calibre candidates can be a competitive task. Whilst your company name may be a well known and respected brand in your domestic market, this may not yet be the case in the UK. As such, joining you as an initial employee may be perceived as a risk by the best candidates. Work closely with your chosen recruiter to articulate the proposition which will appeal to the candidate pool you wish to attract. Even in a tough employment market, the best candidates will have other options.
7: The Personal Approach:
While taking the advice from your recruitment agent at stage one of the interview process and utilising technologies such as Skype and Zoom can be fantastic for the initial interviews, when you have reached a short list and are ready to make an employment decision, it’s best to travel to meet with your potential new employee. Meeting face-face not only allows you to create a bond between you and your candidate, but reinforces your company’s commitment to the candidate and the UK market.
Having helped hundreds of companies launch and resource their UK operation JMB Recruitment team understand the logistical, cultural and operational challenges of launching a UK operation. Yet, launching and recruiting for your UK operation is a rewarding experience and a natural development of the sales cycle. Just remember to utilise your contacts, take advice and articulate your employment offering.