The most important thing to get right when entering a new market

Expanding to the UK is an exciting but also challenging process. Amid the lengthy and complicated journey full of regulations and requirements, one thing stands above all – to find and recruit the right staff.

Recruitment requires an endless amount of hours and diligent work to find the ideal candidate, get them interested and sell the job to them. And even if you do this thoroughly, it doesn’t automatically mean you are on the top of the game. UK has a highly educated and skilled workforce, which means that breaking from the noise is demanding and competitive. You need to have a very attractive package to offer, in order to stand out from the market. This article gives you an overview of how to find the right staff and separate from the ‘war of talent’ in UK’s hiring environment.

Look for someone with commitment

A person who is committed and loyal to their career is an employee you need. Most of the skills can be taught, but motivation and commitment are something that develop inherently. You should always check the work backgrounds and job durations of the people you’re assessing for the role. If someone has been switching jobs frequently, it can be a possible red flag to consider.

Attract candidates with previous experience

The scope of experience is one of the key characteristics for being successful in the future role. It’s not necessarily finding someone with 100% success rate in the same role but going for someone who has a track record of positivity, innovativeness and learning when facing new challenges. Assessing outcomes and tracking previous results is important but hiring people who are ready to invest in themselves and the people around them is invaluable.

Get to know what your candidate has previously done and ask questions to understand more if their background fits into the role. The importance of background checks and referencing depend on the role and these are necessary especially if you are a regulated business. Often, having someone with experience in the UK market or an existing UK network can speed up the growth pace.

Find people who match with your company culture

Look for people who are a right fit to your company culture and who genuinely want to be part of it. Attracting the top talent in the UK’s competitive recruitment market is about branding your company well and making the candidates think of your brand over the other companies. Invest in transparency and open the doors to allow people to see what kind of environment you offer your employees. Manage and design your online presence and show people what are your company culture and day-to-day life like. This tends to attract not only talents but also potential customers and partners who are more and more interested in your employer brand.

Follow UK employment regulations

When recruiting staff in the UK, you need to make sure you follow all the employment regulations and provide with professionally conducted contracts that cover the required details. The contracts of the UK employees need to be compliant to the UK law and include all the required terms (employment conditions, rights, responsibilities and duties). Your UK employee needs a contract during or before the end of eighth week of employment.

It’s also important to ensure that your UK employees are eligible to work in the UK (having a UK/EU passport or work permit/visa) and are paid at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW).

Separate from the competition

To remain competitive, ensure that your remuneration package is sufficiently attractive and in line with the current market. It’s also important to maintain a continuous benchmarking to keep your recruitment process competitive and ensure that your offer stands out from the crowd. Get to know your UK competition and offer a compensation package that is suitable for the type of role and experience.

Make sure your recruitment process is up-to-date and you manage it professionally right from the beginning. Be detailed with your job description and show people clearly (and concisely!) what you are looking for. Try to keep within the time frame and meet the deadlines you have set. Processes that require more than just simply sending CV will prune candidates that are not genuinely interested in the job. However, too long and complicated selection process may do more harm than good.

Outsource your recruitment

The recruitment market in the UK is highly competitive and finding the best workers is challenging. Getting a specialist to help with your recruitment saves you time and money, irrespective of the size of your business. You can focus better on your core business operations and make the process more effective. Often, small companies and start-ups don’t have the same resources as their larger competitors may have. Recruiting firms can help you to find the talents and keep up with the competition.

If you are recruiting in the UK and wish to seek specialist advice, there are companies that can help you to get the right staff.

If you are an international business looking to recruit UK Sales Manager, you may consider using 360 Leaders. They are specialised in recruiting senior positions in leading tech businesses across Europe.

You may also want to turn to Propel London, which is a full-service staffing company specialising in commercial, technical, creative and operations talent. They have experience in providing recruitment services to global digital economy across the globe.

Other things to consider

• When planning to enter new market, Department for International Trade (DIT) supports companies with their UK planning and strategy. Visit DIT’s website for more details.
• When developing your marketing strategy for the new market, Rochester PR Agency helps businesses with their communications and PR strategies for the UK market. They provide senior strategic counsel and deliver event and social media campaigns to make your market entry more visible. Visit Rochester PR’s website for more information.

To conclude

Finding right people for your business in the UK is a lengthy and challenging process but with the right knowledge and tools, you can get the best talents to work for your company. Whether you recruit staff from the company’s home country or locally in the UK, you need to be aware of many regulations and obligations within the UK law. As recruitment and employment laws are different in every country, it’s good to turn to a UK recruitment specialist to make sure that all the required bits and pieces are taken into account.

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Goodwille have been helping Nordic businesses to expand in the UK for 20 years and can support you with any recruitment questions you may have. With a track record of helping nearly 2,000 businesses in the UK, we have all the experience and tools needed. Get in touch with us today if you are planning to expand to the UK or have any questions regarding the UK market.