Of the 600 employers questioned, 63 per cent thought that being a market leader attracts candidates. However, this was only a priority for 20 per cent of the 800 candidates surveyed.
John Mortimer, company chairman, says: ‘We’ve been operating for over thirty years and it seems SMEs are more creative in their recruitment processes [compared to larger companies].’
Mike Morgan, CEO of PR company the Red Consultancy, says: ‘For candidates, big is no longer beautiful. Twenty years ago received wisdom was to join BA or BT or a big bank. Now they value the flexibility that SMEs can offer.’
According to a recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, businesses are now planning to concentrate on retaining their staff instead of recruiting fresh talent.
See also: Do your employees feel valued at work?