Dated recruitment practises hobble UK industry

It's not just FM that's more technically demanding these days - most industries are now struggling to find people with the skills they need.

Consultancy Elgin Scott commissioned research across 200 of the UK's fastest growing IT companies, and found many firms not planning recruitment adequately, spending unnecessary amounts on finding staff and employing unsuitable candidates.

"Recruitment practises from the dark ages" are leading to high staff turnover rates and soaring recruitment headaches for many big UK firms, Elgin Scott says. 55% of firms surveyed have no idea how much it costs to recruit someone and just under a quarter admit to appointing poor candidates.

Managing director Kay McGregor accused the IT industry of "languishing in the dark ages," relying on employment agencies rather than doing a proper job themselves.

Jack Cooper, recruitment consultancy specialist, added: "Employing the wrong person, or a person with the wrong skills, can cost a company tens of thousands of pounds in wasted time, effort and resources.
"More demanding jobs call for more demanding recruitment. Firms which refuse to change their practises are only damaging themselves and their company morale." The I-FM recruitment section can be visited here.

Gary Cutlack