Recr uitment bootcamp

Peter Jones, Founder and Managing Director of Foyne Jones Recruitment Group, shares some of the key takeaways from his exclusive three-part online series on ‘People, Planning and Pressure Points’, for businesses recruiting in the builders’ merchant industry…

PEOPLE — Focus on mental health to boost your team’s perfor mance:

n In the current economy having the right people, in the right place, has never been more important for thriving merchant businesses It’s therefore time to ask yourself some searching questions such as how do I want my business and my people to develop moving forwards?

The BMF’s pledge to onboard 15,000 new apprentices by 2030 is great news, but our focus also needs to be on the here and now For example, nearly 80% of the UK workforce are in customer-facing roles and a new report from the Institute of Customer Service states that over half of them have experienced customer abuse

So, check in regularly with your staff and encourage them to report incidents ACAS advises that creating a positive environment at work to help prevent work-related stress is key, so ensure you have a clear mental health policy

Deloitte’s latest survey in this area, meanwhile, reveals that 40% of total turnover costs can be attributed to mental health issues Over 36% of UK working adults say they have used resources to help with their mental health in the last year whilst those aged 18-39 are more inclined to seek help

Factor this into your culture - especially when recruiting - so you are seen as a supportive employer

PLANNING — Make it easy with tech and targeted marketing:

n Re c r u i t m e n t m u s t b e e m b e d d e d i n y o u r b u s i n e s s p l a n s o c r e a t e a s o u r c i n g s t r a t e g y w h i c h w o r k s f o r y o u I r e c o m m e n d v i d e o t e c h n o l o g y a n d d i g i t a l i n t r o d u c t i o n s a s p a r t o f t h e p r o c e s s i n s t e a d o f m o r e t r a d i t i o n a l m e t h o d s l i ke t h e C V. N a i l d o w n t h e s p e c i f i c r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e j o b s p e c a n d b e h o n e s t a b o u t t h e e x p e r i e n c e r e q u i r e d

In my experience, personality and a hunger to learn can be your best asset on the ground skills can be taught, but finding the right fit with your existing team can be tougher Be upfront about the salary, pay reviews and perks, be honest about your expectations and listen to applicants’ thoughts and concerns

Virtual or in-person interviews are the only way to get to know candidates Concentrate on the person in front of you, prepare a list of questions beforehand and have a clear structure

Once you’ve found the right candidate make the start date and on-boarding process crystal clear Establish a feedback policy for unsuccessful candidates Be constructive, so they can raise their game for their next interview.

And if you enlist a third-party recruiter, make sure they understand your business, your sector and route to market You are paying them to ask the difficult questions and cherry-pick the best candidates for you

PRESSURE POINTS — Plan ahead, attract new talent and share salaries:

n Many businesses are feeling recruitment pressure right now Research from the British Chambers of Commerce indicates that more than 5,000 UK businesses of all sectors and sizes are facing record high difficulties in hiring new staff, with the largest percentage tied to the manufacturing sectors

If we consider how this is affecting the merchanting industry, then the numbers suggest that 71% are finding huge difficulties in onboarding skilled workers and so making our industry an attractive proposition will ensure we capture the career-appetites of the next generation

Be upfront about basic salaries, as this, along with earning potential and associated benefits should be included in EVERY job advertisement We must find ways to reduce the skills gap and I believe this starts with promoting our industry as a lifelong career choice with endless opportunities

Is this clear in your recruitment process? Are you making it easy for people to find you?

The biggest pressure point in 2023 is achieving a healthy balance between work, home and mindfulness regardless of pay grade If you show that you care about your people, you will keep them. It’s that simple. Be honest about what your company stands for and how you want it to be seen

It’s time for us to ‘grow with the flow’ and promote a growth mindset within business, for all people Don’t let the pressure win, as everyone is together stronger n To read the full series of Recruitment bootcamp articles on Topic 1: People, Topic 2: Planning and Topic 3: Pressure Points search online on the PBM website or enter the shortcode www.rdr.link/mav007 n Plus, for more information on the ser vices available from Foyne Jones, enter the shortcode www rdr link/mav008

Forgefix

The fixings and fastenings specialist says it has “ramped up” its support with enhanced training days that give counter staff a better understanding of the key features and capabilities of its ‘best’ product range. The hands-on sessions aim to provide counter staff with the confidence to advise end users on the screws that would best meet their needs, as well as highlighting the cost and time savings that can be made by purchasing premium ForgeFix products over the firm’s more basic ranges

The practical nature of the training days helps the supplier to effectively demonstrate its ‘good, better, best’ product ranges to clients, facilitating a real understanding of the enhanced features that its premium screws possess, which in turn equips merchants with the ability to upsell away from lower-end products

Actis

Having recently launched its “revolutionary two-in-one product”

Eolis HC, Actis has expanded its merchant and distributor training as part of its wider support package. The product itself is a two-in-one reflective insulation with an integrated vapour barrier which is said to enable builders and roofers to reduce the number of steps required “to achieve an impressive U-value as well as airtightness in roofs, transforming the loft and barn conversion sectors ”

Actis says its training sessions have been running for many years and have been popular among national, regional and local merchants alike. In addition to the creation of written and video installation guidelines (which are mainly targeted at the end users), the manufacturer is offering additional face-to-face and tailored training to all its merchant customers

The training will demonstrate “how super-speedy and clean the products are to install” said to address two of

ForgeFix has three core merchant brands Fasteners & Fixings, Spectre and ForgeFast which each represent the ‘good, better and best’ product range to offer merchant customers “great quality at several different price points ”

The training programme is delivered by the supplier’s Commercial and Technical Director Tony Armitt, who draws on his vast experience gained over almost two decades in wholesaling to help enhance clients’ knowledge of the company’s products and subsequently their capacity for sales And such has been the success of the training days so far that the Spectre portfolio is now said to among a large national stockist’s fastest growing brands, with the majority of sales coming as a result of up-selling n For more details, enter the shortcode www.rdr.link/mav009 the key niggles for those ‘on the ground’ and show how they help builders comply with Part L of the building regulations Moreover, the sessions, which also look at the range of scenarios in which the products are used, are tailored to suit the depth into which each branch wants to go.

Whilst the company says it can go into “the nitty gritty, details of build-ups and the varying levels of U-values achieved through a range of alternatives”, not all merchants want such minute detail Accordingly, it notes that the “flexibility of the sessions means branches have options (and) there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach.” n Further information can be found via www.rdr.link/mav010