The State of Employment In the South West – What You Need to Know as a Business Owner
If you are running a business in the South West, looking to start a business there, or are looking to move your business into the region, there are some things about the area that you will certainly need to know. Along with this background knowledge, there will be some strategies that you will need to understand.
#1 What makes the South West different from the rest of the UK
The South West has the highest employment rate in England, which means that employees might well be harder to come by than in other regions of the UK. With more than 80% of people in the 16 to 64 age bracket in some form of employment as of 2019, it tops the list, but the downside is that people earn less than the rest of the UK. The average for both men and women is about 3.5K lower than the national average, with jobs in the care and tourist industries being part of the reason behind that. This means that there are the right people out there, provided you give them the right motivation to join you.
#2 Finding the right people
So, you will find that in the South West, there are many suitable candidates to fill your vacancies; however, with employment so high in the region, drumming up enough interest to have the person with the right qualifications apply could be an issue. You may find that a far better method of filling your position with a quality employee is to offer them the right training. That way, instead of seeking those with the right qualifications or experience - look for someone with the right attitude to support your business and an eagerness to learn.
Offering qualifications via online educational portals like the Open University or even as a day release to college can be seen by many employees as a major perk and should certainly be considered when seeking the right employee for the role.
#3 Provide the right working conditions and hours
To attract workers in the South West, you should also consider opening your mind and your business up to flexible working conditions. This can encourage new mums or those wishing to reduce their hours to come and work at your business, as a recent TUC survey shows that they aren’t getting the flexibility they have asked for.
Alongside this, you could embrace the recent trend towards remote working for those wishing to work from home or at least hybrid conditions where possible. These will not only keep your overheads down at a time when this matters the most but could see your business become far more desirable level among future and current employees.
#4 Support your workforce with quality human resources
Having all of your employees working under one roof can be a human resource headache, and involving hybrid and remote workers as well will do nothing to improve matters. However, hiring the help of a dedicated outsourced HR service provider such as The HR Dept - who are based in the South West of England - will understand what people in the region need. This can go a long way to keeping all your employees fully supported while your business stays compliant with the complex world of employment law.
#5 Promote from within
As your business will be in a tight community, you should set about making your employees your extended family. Promoting your employees as and when vacancies become available and teaching them to fulfil their new roles will inspire confidence and stability within your company. This will allow your business to grow with strong foundations as all your managers will have come through the ranks and, therefore, have an insight into the way your business works from the ground up.
#6 Support other local businesses
Of course, the community is more than just those that will be working for you, and as a new name to the area, you should incorporate your support to other local businesses. Using local providers and suppliers whenever possible can help the economy around your business grow and prosper - and will inevitably reward your own company and workforce in return.
So, to wrap it all up
Getting your business going in the South West is all about the people, and with employment levels being the highest in the country, you need to be on top of your game to get the best ones. You can start by offering training and flexible working, as well as promoting from within and supporting the businesses around you. However, these people need to be supported, and using an HR service from the region is probably the most vital step.
