Grainne Simpson, Head of Professional Services at Ascent Group, was recently invited to participate in WM People’s recent roundtable event – ‘Best Practice in SME Recruitment and Retention’ highlighting the significant role SMEs play in the UK economy.

Attendees openly discussed their internal challenges, ranging from competing with larger businesses to fostering team dynamics and prioritising employee wellbeing and mental health.

Following our recognition as a finalist for WM People’s 2023 Top Employer awards, we were excited to contribute to the dialogue and share our firsthand experiences with fellow businesses.

SME vs large enterprises

During the roundtable discussions, businesses emphasised the challenges faced by SMEs in competing with larger counterparts, particularly regarding benefits such as parental and annual leave.

In smaller companies, where every team member is essential, the luxury of extended leave periods is often unfeasible. Unlike larger corporations equipped to handle absences, SMEs heavily rely on their team’s presence, limiting their ability to provide such additional benefits.

Nevertheless, this prompts small businesses to explore alternative methods for attracting talent and maintaining team satisfaction.

These strategies range from offering part-time opportunities to creating entrepreneurial and leadership pathways accessible to all employees—a unique advantage not commonly found in larger corporate settings.

Inclusive strategies

What steps can businesses take to foster inclusivity in their hiring practices? SMEs examined their approach to writing job adverts, ensuring language used is free from bias.

The driving force behind this initiative is to ensure equal access to roles for women, particularly in traditionally male-dominated sectors. This practice commonly applies for internal hiring too.

Flexible working

Grainne discussed our firsthand experience with flexible working, specifically implementing a four-day workweek where employees can earn ‘Flex-Friday’ upon meeting weekly targets. Since introducing this initiative, we’ve observed a considerable increase in applicants.

However, while this move represents a positive step towards enhanced flexibility, some businesses expressed challenges in fully embracing flexible working benefits due to the need for availability during decision-making processes.

Hiring talent

Another point raised was the utilisation of separate hiring locations for different types of roles.

We personally find that graduates tend to benefit more from spending their initial six months in the office, given the higher level of support and strong office environment, while senior hires are recruited through a different office, affording them greater flexibility.

Both approaches prove strategically effective for training and development.

Additionally, the recent promotion our first female Director – Emily Riddington, shows how crucial parental flexibility is. It allowed her to balance motherhood with a thriving career in recruitment.

Policy boundaries

We talked about the importance of setting clear limits for some policies. For instance, our usual four-day workweeks might not always work out if urgent matters come up on Fridays. So, we remind employees to use the four-day policy wisely and not overlook their clients or candidates during urgent situations.

Additionally, we recently introduced a policy for longer lunch breaks to promote healthy habits like hitting the gym. But eligibility for this perk depends on consultants meeting their targets in the last 90 days, aiming for consistency within the team.

Lessons learned

The event taught us a valuable lesson: it’s crucial to listen to what employees truly need. Every team is different, whether it’s a small trio or a mix of younger and older members.

So, businesses should customise their offerings to suit their team’s preferences, giving them what they actually want and will use, while also maintaining realistic expectations regarding what businesses can feasibly offer. Getting the balance is vital.

Thank you to WM People for inviting Grainne to participate in this interesting and important discussion. We look forward to future opportunities!

If you want to keep up with what the team’s doing, check out our Life at Ascent page.