Over the last year, there’s been much reporting about attracting and retaining talent. The pandemic changed the working landscape not just in terms of job roles and shifting processes and ways of working online. What people wanted from their work changed massively as there was a move away from long hours in the workplace and costly commutes towards a better work-life balance. This has had a knock-on effect on the job market with people less prepared to settle for certain roles and wanting more to move from their current one.

Put simply to attract candidates to a role you will need to make it as attractive as possible, and this includes a competitive salary. Employers want to fill roles quickly as a long time to hire in marine recruitment can be costly. A huge part of this means ensuring the pay rate is clear and attractive in the job spec. But there are other ways to indicate value and opportunity to check the right candidate.

 

1. Positive company culture
In a busy thriving shipyard, many trades and professionals work alongside each other. This means the candidates come into an environment where they will be exposed to other areas of shipbuilding that could be attractive. As we enter a period of economic downturn, showcasing on a job spec that shipbuilding is one area with huge investment growth can be a big appeal.

 

2. Authoritative or influential job title
Whilst it may sound ridiculous, there are many candidates that will be attracted by a job title that suggests responsibility and will help them build their CV. Using words such as director, manager or supervisor or controller can be enticing for an individual looking to build their reputation. This will also mean adding some responsibilities to this job but if well thought out, this can be attractive and not too costly.

 

3. Company benefits
The salary or pay rate you are offering might be on par with other roles within the shipbuilding sector, but if your company can offer health insurance, pension, gym memberships or job-dependent, perks such as remote working or extra days of holiday, then all these elements can attract top talent.

 

 

4. Education and professional development
People like to feel cared about and invested in, and one way to do that is within your job spec take the opportunity to showcase what development might be available to employees as part of your business. When candidates know there is scope to achieve a qualification with financial support, it indicates that this is a company that cares about its staff and is committed to growth and development.

 

All these elements can give companies an edge over others, but hourly rates and salaries still need to be competitive in the marketplace. Ultimately people have bills to pay and if companies wish to retain and attract talent, then their remuneration package needs to reflect the important value they place on the right candidate.

We balance the needs of our candidates and clients building relationships that place value on our skilled tradespeople. Check out our latest opportunities in the shipbuilding sector.