The future of work

A changing employment landscape means recruitment consultants have to show their value to clients and candidates, reports Tim Gibson.

The world of work is changing. Expectations among the millennial generation are radically different from those of their Generation X forebears.

Not for these young bucks a job for life. Rather, they expect to make rapid progress through their chosen career path – and if they don’t, they’re more than happy to plough a different furrow.

According to a 2011 report by consultancy company PWC (Millennials at Work: Reshaping the Workplace), people born between 1980 and 2000 will revolutionise the employment landscape with their fresh attitudes and different expectations.

These include an openness to pursuing a number of careers in the course of their life, and an acceptance that they may still be working well into old age.

HR specialist Emma Kershaw, a director at Just Recruitment Group in East Anglia, says there’s another trend among millennials. Many expect to hold more than one job at any one time, because they want to retain control over their professional destiny, while gaining job satisfaction and a decent work-life balance.

“The defining mark of the new generation of people flooding into the workplace is their desire for flexibility,” Ms Kershaw observes. “They may want to work in a salaried post on a part-time basis, so they’re free to pursue a more lifestyle-friendly job in their spare time. For example, we have a staff member who works for us four days a week, then spends the rest of her time breeding horses.”

Now I have to say that none of this is news to me. Since the start of my working life, I’ve done a number of jobs at any one time. By the age of 16, I mixed freelancing for magazines with selling vacuum cleaners in Currys and washing up in a pub kitchen at weekends, all while studying for A-Levels.

It’s been a similar story ever since. I worked my way through seven years at university by writing for the local newspaper and various magazines. Then I blended tenured academic appointments with freelance journalism, teaching, and a bit of corporate consultancy. Not a day passes without my baby-boomer parents wishing I had a conventional career.

All of which begs a question for the likes of Ms Kershaw: if I were to contact her agency in search of work, how on earth would they know what to do with me?

“Our job is all about matching people’s skills with the right opportunities,” she tells me. “Increasingly, that involves more than simply cross-referencing candidates to vacancies. Instead, we’re helping candidates work out what they really want from their working lives. And we’re helping employers learn to be flexible, to make their vacancies as appealing as possible.”

This sounds simple, but it isn’t. While those of us in the midst of this easy-come-easy-go generation are, as we would say, totally cool with flexible career paths, a number of employers are still getting their heads around it.

“That presents companies like ours with an exciting opportunity,” says Emma. “In an industry that’s become increasingly commoditised, we can now provide genuine consultancy to our clients.

“We help them develop opportunities that appeal to prospective employees and make the very best use of their skills and aptitudes. This is an amazingly creative, innovative and fleet-of-foot generation. So it’s really exciting to be involved in shaping their professional future.”

Emma is right: that does sound like an exciting prospect for recruitment consultants. Enough to make me think I could try my hand in the industry. It would have to be in my spare time, mind you. I’m too busy launching a forest school to do it during the day.

© Copyright Just Recruitment 2018

If you liked this article you may like to read – Commoditisation and how to resist it

You may also like – A third of Britons are unhappy with their career prospects

Jobs currently available

New job
Warehouse Supervisor
Sector: Warehouse
Salary: Competitive
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913695
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a growing organisation, based on the outskirts of Colchester, looking to add another Warehouse Supervisor to their team.

The key purpose of the role is to work closely with the senior management team, supervising the warehouse and completing all associated tasks as expected.

Duties include:

  • Manage employees’ day-to-day activities to ensure they are meeting their goals and deadlines
  • Supervise employees and direct work as they undertake activities related to returns, re-works, order fulfilment and order management
  • Monitor employee performance to ensure they are meeting company standards
  • Work closely with the General Manager to monitor staff levels and adjust accordingly
  • Perform regular Quality Audits, documenting the results
  • Work closely with the Customer Account Manager to ensure any issues are resolved quickly and effectively with minimal disruption to both the customer and the company
  • Ensure all Health & Safety regulations and relevant laws are adhered to
  • Monitor depot housekeeping, ensuring a clean and safe work area is maintained
  • Work closely with the Senior Management Team to ensure that work tasks are completed on time and within budget
  • Supervise the training of new employees
  • Coordinate with colleagues on the retrieval of stock replenishment and outsourced stock

Key requirements for this role:

  • Have previous warehouse experience or proven experience with a leadership position in a similar role
  • Have excellent communication and problem-solving skills
  • Have proven leadership and employee management skills
  • Have knowledge of warehouse management systems (WMS)
  • Hold a valid Forklift Licence

This role is located in a great working environment with free parking available on-site.

Please note that due to the company’s location, you will need to have access to your own transport.

Working hours:

8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.
You are required to work 2 x Saturdays out of 4 (with a day off in lieu that week).

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
New job
Counterbalance FLT Drivers
Sector: Production and Stock Control
Salary: £16.87 per hour
Location: Hadleigh, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary
Job ref: JT-HAD-FD-0725
About the role

Just Temps seeks reliable and hardworking Counterbalance FLT Drivers for a hands-on role in a fast-paced environment, within a well-established food manufacturing company, based in Hadleigh, Suffolk.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11pm to 7am.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Heavy lifting – regularly handling up to 50kg
  • Ripping and tipping of raw materials
  • Maintaining a clean and safe working environment
  • Working in a dusty environment with appropriate PPE
  • Supporting general production and manufacturing tasks

Role requirements include:

  • Comfortable with heavy lifting on a continuous basis
  • Previous experience in a factory setting is desirable
  • Good attention to detail and strong work ethic
  • Reliable and punctual

What’s on offer:

  • Competitive hourly rate
  • Consistent Monday to Friday hours
  • Long-term opportunity with a reputable local employer

If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into a vital role in the food production industry, we want to hear from you.

 

Just Temps acts as an Employment Business for the supply of Temporary Staff.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Accounts Administrator
Sector: Accountancy, Banking and Finance
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913707
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a well-regarded and long-standing family business based on the outskirts of Colchester, looking to add an Accounts Administrator to their team.

Please note that due to the location, you will need access to your own transport.

Working hours:

Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. 1 hour lunch break. The company can be flexible and offer a 4 day week.

Free parking is available on-site.

You must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience working with Sage 50 accounts and Sage payroll, with the ability to work on your own initiative.

This role is focused within the remit of bookkeeping up to trial balance using Sage software.

Duties will include:

  • Ensure timely and accurate recording of financial transactions.
  • Daily financial operations, including posting of supplier invoices, reconciliation of supplier accounts, accounts payable management, creation of customer invoices, accounts receivable management, etc.
  • Perform bank/credit-card reconciliations, including a factoring banking account and Petty cash accounts.
  • Quarterly VAT returns and analysis. (including RTI submission to HMRC).
  • Prepare weekly aged creditors reports and process weekly supplier payments, run accordingly.
  • Prepare monthly aged debtors reports and provide credit control where required.
  • Maintain cashflow forecast for the Finance Director to review.
  • Process monthly payroll, payments, journal entries and year-end procedures (including RTI submission to HMRC).
  • Manage auto-enrolment pension contributions, submissions and legal returns to the pensions regulator.

Skills required include:

  • Significant experience in finance or accounting.
  • Proficiency with accounting software, Sage 50, and payroll.
  • Advanced knowledge of spreadsheet software such as Excel.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Experience in data entry.
  • Effective decision-making and problem-solving techniques within a finance environment.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Factory Operative (Nights)
Sector: Production and Stock Control
Salary: £15.27 per hour
Location: Hadleigh, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary
Job ref: JT-HAD-FO-0625
About the role

Just Temps seeks reliable and hardworking Factory Operatives for a hands-on role in a fast-paced environment, within a well-established food manufacturing company, based in Hadleigh, Suffolk.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11pm to 7am.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Heavy lifting – regularly handling up to 50kg
  • Ripping and tipping of raw materials
  • Maintaining a clean and safe working environment
  • Working in a dusty environment with appropriate PPE
  • Supporting general production and manufacturing tasks

Role requirements include:

  • Comfortable with heavy lifting on a continuous basis
  • Previous experience in a factory setting is desirable
  • Good attention to detail and strong work ethic
  • Reliable and punctual

What’s on offer:

  • Competitive hourly rate
  • Consistent Monday to Friday hours
  • Long-term opportunity with a reputable local employer

If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into a vital role in the food production industry, we want to hear from you.

 

Just Temps acts as an Employment Business for the supply of Temporary Staff.~
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more