Why employers need to be flexible to recruit top talent

By Rob Muddiman, Healthcare Manager at TPP.

The latest figures show that unemployment has dropped to below 1.97 million in the three months to the end of August and although businesses are growing, there is a threat of potential skills shortages. With fewer candidates available and applying for jobs, employers will need to work harder to find staff. The very best candidates are likely to already be happily employed, and are unlikely to be tempted to move unless an attractive salary entices them or the job advertised suits them better in terms of their life stage.

As a not for profit organisation, offering financial rewards is not always possible, so you need to attract staff with a job that suits their lifestyle. This month we give you our top tips on how to attract top talent by offering flexibility.  When writing your job description and person specification consider how you can make this role attractive and what flexibility can be offered and ensure these are advertised in the role from the start.

Life Stage Benefits

Individual benefit plans can appeal to employees, as they can select the benefits that suit their individual needs, tastes and goals at their current stage in life.  For example, childcare vouchers would suit a parent, where as mentoring or vouchers for gym membership may suit people beginning their careers or without commitments.

Other benefits that could be included in life stage benefits include pension, life assurance, private medical insurance, holiday and purchases on items such as laptops/ mobile phones.

CIPD provide more information on flexible benefit schemes here.

Hire and train up

Consider hiring a more junior candidate for the role and train them up. Carry out a job analysis to identify skills and knowledge that are essential before beginning the recruitment process, be realistic with essential and desirable skills.

By offering training, you have the added benefit of being able to employ a more junior candidate at a lower salary and you can mould this person to your organisation, while improving their skills. By offering scope for development, you are more likely to attract an individual that will remain loyal to your organisation and money saved in terms of salary can be invested in on the job and off the job training.

Gov.uk provides further information on hiring and training staff.

Part-time/job share

Consider whether you need someone full-time. If you need someone full-time consider allowing job share applicants. By allowing these you immediately open up your job vacancy to more applicants, such as parents. With job shares you have the added benefit of two people’s ideas and initiatives on your team.

Many part-time workers will also consider travelling further for the right role, as they won’t be travelling everyday, this may be the difference of attracting a great candidate that is the perfect fit for your role.

You can find out more about recruiting part-time workers here.

Flexible working

Flexible working gives people a better work-life balance. Results of our past salary surveys have showed that flexible working is a sought after benefit. Flexible working can include part-time working as mentioned above, but more sought after is flexitime. This gives the freedom for people to work when they want (possibly from home) with core hours when they need to be present.

It is rare to see many jobs advertised with the benefit of flexible working advertised, although are sometimes negotiated at offer stage. This immediately will put some candidates off applying, by advertising this benefit you will have a broader, more diverse applicant pool. This can also help with equal opportunities and diversity for staff that might be unable to work standard hours or full time.

TPP has adopted a flexible working policy to retain our current staff and attract the best new employees in the future. You can find out more about flexible working on the gov.uk website.

Building in flexible working practices and benefits into the job description right from the start of the recruitment process is one of the key ways in which a not for profit organisation can distinguish itself as an employer of choice and compete with larger organisations and the private sector for the very best candidates.

5 tips on choosing between your two best equally qualified candidates

By Rob Hayter, Director at TPP Not for Profit

Imagine you are in that lucky situation that many would like to be in; you don’t have one great candidate for a role, you have two! Sometimes though, having two great candidates can make the decision process even harder. There are many elements to think about, recruitment can be expensive and you don’t want to regret your decision in a few months’ time. This month we give you our top tips on how to ensure you are choosing the best candidate for the job.

Testing

You can test candidate’s skills and experience pretty well in a formal interview, however testing, such as psychometric assessing, can give you a better idea about their personality and cultural fit. This kind of testing typically consists of numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning or situation judgements. There aren’t always right or wrong answers in these tests, for example, situational judgement tests look at the way someone may handle a situation.

Before commencing these tests, ensure you have a good idea about the type of person that will fit in; do you want someone that thinks on their feet and takes action? Or are you looking for someone that seeks advice before making decisions? Are you looking for someone who can work well on their own (maybe home working is an important element to this role) or someone that works well in a team (based in a busy office)? Having these details before your candidates commence the test will make analysing them much easier.

Meeting in a relaxed setting

If the interview process has been very formal or included panel interviews, then invite each candidate for an informal relaxed meeting, maybe even a morning’s visit to the office. Incorporate the team into this; this will give you a good indication how the candidates will work with other members of your team and how they’ll fit in with your culture.

Seeing a candidate in a relaxed setting will also show you more of their personality, which isn’t always easy to determine in a formal interview. By meeting the team, you are getting them on board for whichever candidate you choose and they may even have a favourite too.

Take references

Obviously you would not want to contact the candidate’s current employer; however this does not stop you taking references from previous employers. Ask each candidate for details on their previous employer and contact these, ideally for a verbal reference. This will give you a better idea on the candidates’ cultural fit and personality, than a formal reference form around absence and employment dates.

Look at the future of your team

Hopefully this person will remain with your organisation for the foreseeable future, so it’s a good idea to look at your organisation’s future plans. For example, if your team is going to expand rapidly, someone who has worked in larger teams before may perform better in this environment. If you are going to expand internationally, someone with languages may be beneficial.

Equally, just because an applicant doesn’t have experience working in a particular environment, does not mean they won’t perform well. However if you know what’s likely to happen in the future, you can construct scenario-based questions which will help you assess the candidates’ abilities to cope.

Do you have any other skills gaps in your team that one of these candidates could help fill in? For example, one of them might be a whizz with social media, something you are lacking. Could they help support this until you are ready to recruit for this role?

Ask them directly why you should choose them

One candidate may be more motivated for the role than the other. By asking why you should hire them, you should get an indication about their motivations for their role and a good candidate should be able to ‘sell’ themselves and tell you what skills they feel they would bring.

Finally…

Ensure you have asked the candidate their thoughts on the role, salary package, notice periods etc. You may end up being in a position where one candidate is more likely to accept an offer than the other, or one wants a higher salary than you can realistically offer. These are better sorting out before offer stage.

Ensure you keep both candidates in the loop during this process, especially if it becomes lengthy, or you may end up losing two good candidates. And finally ensure you take the time to give the candidate that is not hired feedback. You can read more about the importance of providing feedback on our blog. 

If you aren’t in the fortunate position to have two candidates to choose from and would like to see a selection of candidates for roles you are recruiting to compare or benchmark against your current shortlist please contact us on 020 7198 6000 or info@tpp.co.uk

Top 8 Creative Recruitment Adverts

 By Hayley Robinson, Manager at TPP Not for Profit

Finding the right person for your organisation is essential, but it can be difficult to find those candidates that tick all the boxes on your job description and person specification. It can pay to sometimes try more creative ways of finding those candidates, especially passive candidates who are not actively looking for a new role.

This month we look at 8 types of creative recruitment adverts, using examples from the web that caught our eye (although not always for the right reasons!)









1.    Before even applying these organisations tested their skills.

2.    These certainly weren’t proof read!

3.    These are enough to make you feel claustrophobic

4.    Being honest about pay and responsibilities

5.    Adverts for the end of the day or week

6.    We have no clue, any guesses?

7.    A little scary

8.    Finally ones to make you laugh

 


 

  

Are you guilty of hiring clone employees?

By Rob Hayter, Director at TPP Not for Profit.

Imagine if one of your key employees left.  You need to find a replacement, and in a hurry.  It can be tempting to look at your best, more productive employees and think “we need someone just like them”.  After all, they are your top employees, so more of them will be more of a good thing, right?

Well, not necessarily.  We’ve previously written about how important it is for charities to embrace diversity, and this is a classic mistake employers can make.  Recruiting a workforce made up entirely of people like you can ultimately lead to sterility and an end to progress.

Why is it a bad idea?

Having a team who all have a similar background and similar points of view can easily lead to a lack of new ideas.  A little bit of creative tension is great for inspiring people – you need people who can contribute different perspectives, can bounce ideas off of one another and disagree with each other.

Even more than in most organisations, it’s important for charities to maintain a diverse staff.  Although charities now generally have a more diverse workforce than in private sector companies, the third sector as a whole still struggles with the perception that charity employees are all white and middle class.  The sector also has a moral duty to uphold equality and diversity, and a diverse workforce is important to reflect the background of service users.

Why does it happen?

We are all genetically predisposed to like people like us, as we naturally feel that we ‘get’ them and that we can trust them.  Candidates who share interests with their interviewer can chat and make small talk more easily, which makes an interview feel much more comfortable and successful.

This is particularly true with referrals, often a key source for internal recruitment.  Employees tend to know people like them, and the added weight of recommendations means that those candidates have a greater chance of being hired.

What can you do about it?

It is important to note at this point that you don’t need to throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Avoiding hiring clones doesn’t mean you do not want to replicate previous successes within your team.  The key is separating out a candidate’s motivations and ability to handle a role from their personality, background and interests.

The best way to remain objective is to agree the criteria necessary for the role, score candidates against that and make your decision based on those scores.  Behavioural interviewing will help you to stay neutral and focussed on the candidate’s ability to do the job, rather than their personality.  Avoid relying on your gut feeling and consider using psychometric testing to remove even more bias from the interview process.

It’s always a good idea to invite a couple of wild cards to interview.  Even if they don’t work out, it can be rewarding just meeting with them and give you access to new ideas and points of view.

How TPP can help

If you’re struggling to find someone to fit a role, it’s always worth talking to a specialist recruiter like TPP.  We are experts at refining job descriptions and person specifications to make sure only key attributes are included.  We are also a professional third party, so less susceptible to the natural bias that employers feel towards the personality types of their current employees.

Are zero hour contracts right for your organisation?

By Penny Antoniou, Social Care Manager at TPP Not for Profit

Recent government announcements to sanction job seekers who refuse zero-hour contracts, have received a mixed response. With recent statistics from the Office for National Statistics revealing that 1.4 million people are on zero hour contracts, which according to the ONS has increased more than threefold since 2010, we take a look at the benefits, drawbacks and alternatives for charities and other not for profit organisations when considering these types of contracts.

The CIPD results showed that 34% of charities compared with 24% of public sector employers and 17% of the private sector employ staff on zero hours contracts.

Why would you use them?

Zero hour contracts are flexible for both employer and employee. For many charities,operating is becoming increasingly unpredictable, due to changes in funding and the way their services operate; such as service users being given their own budget to spend with providers of care. Therefore they don’t have a regular need for staff and these contracts allow them to meet their users’ needs without wasting funds. For employees who don’t need a set number of hours each week, such as students/carers, zero hour contracts give them the flexibility to work when it suits them.

The government have recently been pushing for more flexibility in terms of staff working hours, home working etc, and the charity sector has traditionally offered more flexibility than commercial organisations. Zero hour contracts offer a lot of flexibility for staff and, unless stipulated in the contract,allow employees to work for more than one organisation, enabling them to ensure they still have a regular income. 

What are the disadvantages?

On the flipside, many people need stability and regular income, so they can manage their everyday bills and commitments. Employees on zero hour contracts can also miss out on benefits, such as pensions, especially when employers offer a certain percentile of salary towards pension contributions. 

People on zero hour contracts may not be fully committed to your organisation if they are working for more than one charity and you may still not have staff available when you need them, as they may be working elsewhere. 

It can be difficult to work out holiday pay, holiday accrued, whether the contract still exists between assignments, especially if they work for more than one employer. It is important to therefore ensure their work is tracked by HR and a good relationship is managed between the employee and manager. 

Zero hour contracts can prevent continuity of care, especially in health care settings where care workers get to know the people they care for and their health needs. Zero hour contracts could result in a breakdown of communication or a lack of staff to cover. 

Not for profit organisations need to consider the negative publicity surrounding zero hour contracts. Only last year, organisations such as Turning Point became the target of news stories. Turning Point did respond to this negative press with a statement; however charities should consider the negative impact on donations and to potential donors compared with the savings they make on these contracts.

Points to consider

Before implementing contracts such as these, organisations should think about their aims and ethos and ensure any contract is consistent with this. Give these contracts to the smallest amount of your overall staffing numbers as possible and regularly review how these are working. Where possible, ensure zero hours staff are receiving the same employment rights as staff with part-time or full-time contracts. 

Ensure you both have a copy of the employment contract and if they are managed by a team/line manager, ensure they are aware of their contract and work in-line with their employment status. At all times the contract should be of benefit to you as an employer and to the employee. 

Consider other types of staffing contracts, such as annualised hours. This offers the employee a fixed salary where they work more hours when there is a need and less otherwise. If more hours are required in addition to the fixed hours, you could consider paying overtime.

Temporary or contract staff also offer flexibility without commitment. By working closely with an agency such as TPP, you could have a bank of candidates available at short notice who are actively looking for temporary work.For further information on our temporary services please contact us on 020 7198 6000 or email info@tpp.co.uk.

For further information or advice on zero hour contracts, you may find the following websites useful:

ACAS

CIPD

To follow the latest news on zero hour contracts visit Google news

Our top tips on creating a healthy working environment

By Rob Muddiman, Healthcare Manager at TPP Not for Profit

Our salary surveys indicate that many employees look at other benefits other than salary when moving roles. Everyone wants their staff to be engaged and happy and every organisation can promote a healthy working environment, regardless of financial benefits. Not only does it keep staff healthy, it can improve productivity, morale and reduce absenteeism. Here we give our top tips on creating a healthy working environment for your staff. 

It may be beneficial if you are a large organisation, to conduct a staff survey to find out personal motivations of staff before implementing a plan.


Encourage staff to move

We all know the benefits of exercise and physical activity; it can help increase attention, speed and decrease stress and anxiety.  To encourage staff to get active offer opportunities, such as a cycle scheme, encouraging them to go for walks and have lunch away from their desk. Offering flexible working hours can enable staff to exercise before and after work. It is important to have Team Managers on board when implementing, in order to encourage others to get moving and lead by example.



Support healthy eating

A well-balanced diet helps us to stay healthy and perform well at work.  We are all more likely to change our habits if we are aware of the benefits. Conduct a questionnaire on what staff want and tailor a plan around this. If you offer food or drink in the office, such as through vending machines or a canteen, ensure there are healthy options available at all times, such as water or fruit delivered to the office for people to eat as a healthy alternative.



Promote well-being

Employees want a positive working environment, which promotes their wellbeing and reduces stress. This could include their workload; ensuring they are able to manage the amount of work they have, having a clearly defined role, that they know what they are responsible for and ensuring good relationships between them and their Managers. A good working environment with natural light, appropriate temperatures and good ventilation all help create a good working environment.


Create a clean workspace

Generally people work better when less cluttered, ensure staff have the work space they need, with monitors at the correct height and a supportive comfortable chair. Employees should be able to adjust their own chairs, monitor (brightness/font size). This should be checked when you carry out workstation assessments. Encourage hot desking, can promote de-cluttering of workspaces and bring people together that may not normally work with one another. This can encourage new ideas; ways of working and help people feel more positive.


Quit smoking

For many, smoking is part of routine and habit, such as a smoking break mid-morning. Find out who smokes and who wants to stop through a questionnaire. Holding an event in the office can get people on board and the support from one another can help people to quit. More information can be found on the British Heart Foundation website to help implement a successful campaign.


You could consider a wellbeing day for your organisation, inviting a company in to undertake lifestyle questionnaires with your staff and give advice on nutrition, physical exercise and general wellbeing advice.

Further information and advice for managers on creating a healthy work environment can be found on the following websites:

British Heart Foundation
ACAS
National Institute for Health & Care Excellence 
Chartered Management Institute 

5 simple ways to reduce your stress in the workplace

By Jayne Morris, Chief Executive at TPP Not for Profit

Work stress can be brought on by a number of reasons, such as increased work demands, deadlines, changes to staff or bullying. This can have a negative impact on your health, and create problems such as not sleeping, lack of concentration or cause unhealthy behaviours, such as drinking in excess. It can also make it difficult to prioritise, juggle demands and can lead to long term absences from work. It is important to therefore tackle and manage your stress as soon as possible for your overall health. 

In this month’s blog we give our top 5 ways to managing your stress in the workplace. 


1.   Speak out

Speak to your Manager when you feel you have too many demands or deadlines approaching. Together work out a plan of tackling your workload before it becomes too much.  By speaking to your peers or colleagues, they may have ideas you had not thought of or may be able to help complete some tasks for you.

Your Manager may be able to make reasonable adjustments to assist you in performing well or suggest ways to organise your workload to help. It is essential to tell your employer if it is putting you or others health at risk, as they have a duty under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure your welfare at work.

If you are stressed over staff/company changes or being bullied, talk to your Manager or an employee you can trust. They can help you understand why changes are happening or deal with a problem, such as bullying, through your HR department.


2.   Build relationships with colleagues and peers

If you are in a senior role within an organisation, it can feel isolating at times; use your network or social media to connect with other peers. People in a similar position can help you obtain ideas and cope more effectively. Be positive and have positive people around you and avoid people that can be draining. Have regular meetings with your colleagues, discussing tasks on your radar. This can help ensure tasks get dealt with promptly before it becomes too late and prevent your workload from becoming too much.


3.    Have breaks

Take breaks at work, away from your desk. A brisk walk can really help clear your head and although may not feel like it, physical exercise can sharpen your focus and lift your mood, making tackling a stressful situation seem less daunting.  Take time to eat throughout the day. Low blood sugar levels can make you feel anxious and irritable. By eating healthy and throughout the day you can keep your energy levels up and stay focussed, to help you tackle your work.

It may feel like you’re wasting time that could be spent working, but you’ll be much more productive, as well as less stressed, when you return to your desk.

Access to work from home, such as through a mobile phone/ laptop, can actually make it more difficult to switch off from work or a problem such as bullying. It can be more tempting to check your emails late at night or at the weekend, giving you no time to clear your mind. Switch your phone off after a certain time and at weekends.

Many organisations offer advice and guidance on a healthy work life balance through employee assistance programmes. Speak to your HR department for advice on this.


4.   Get Organised

It is very easy to say ‘yes’ when asked to do something by your Manager or a colleague, but if you are taking on too much you will end up doing nothing well. Think about your current workload and use a “to do” or task list, prioritising your tasks and how long they will take you to complete. Use this information when assessing whether you have time to take on additional work.

If you have a large task to complete, break it down into smaller tasks. This can make it easier to handle and give a greater sense of achievement as you complete parts of it. If you are find you are getting distracted from a task being in a noisy office, with phones ringing and emails flooding in, put your out of office on and turn your phone on to do not disturb. Switching off from distractions and getting a task completed can really help your workload and reduce stress as a result.  If your workload is still too much after prioritising your to do list then delegate responsibility.

If staff changes are affecting your workload, have a meeting with your team, to work out how to share increased demands and who is best placed to handle tasks. For issues such as bullying, ensure you record when the problem happens and report each instance of it. Having everything in order, will help when speaking to HR.


5.    Think Positively

Stress can feel a lot worse by thinking negatively; you won’t feel motivated or have the energy to tackle the problem. Give yourself a well done for completing tasks, however small and using your network, build relationships with positive people.

If changes in the work place are causing your stress, think about the positive impact this may have on your organisation. People generally don’t like change but certain things are out of your control, such as redundancy by your employer and worrying or stressing about them won’t stop it happening. Instead have plans for ‘what if’ scenarios and try to think about the positive it could have on your work life.


Links for HR/Line Managers

If you are a HR Manager or line Manager, you may find the following links useful in tackling the issue of stress in the workplace. Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
 

CIPD – Line management behaviour and stress at work
Health & Safety Executive – Management Standards for work related stress
Employee Assistance Professionals Association


Useful Links on managing your stress

Managing Stress at the top
Help guide – Stress at work
Health & Safety Executive – tackling work related stress

 

 

 

 

An employee onboarding checklist

By Rob Hayter, Director at TPP Not for Profit

Onboarding is the process on inducting a new employee into your organisation and getting them up to speed.  Rather than just leaving them to get on with things, it’s important to make sure that a new member of staff understands your brand and values, the working culture of your organisation and their personal targets and expectations.


A good onboarding process means that a new employee can become productive much more rapidly, helping you to recoup the time and costs involved in recruitment more quickly.

This month’s blog takes the form of a checklist that will help make sure you don’t forget any steps in this important process.  And don’t forget that temps, Trustees and volunteers will need onboarding too!


Before they start

Hold a planning meeting before the new employee starts with key stakeholders, so you can ensure nothing is forgotten and everyone knows which areas of the onboarding process they are responsible for.

Work with your IT team to make sure they have a workstation, email, telecoms, network drives etc set up.

Order business cards.

Make sure key events and meetings are in their diary before they start.

Update your org chart, telephone directories, staff list, seating plans & circulate to all staff.

Make sure the new employee knows when and where to report and who to ask for at reception.

It’s a really good idea to create an induction manual to ensure everything is covered and that the process is consistent for all new members of staff.  This should include your organisation’s background, mission and structure plus staff policies, health & safety information, etc.


On the first day

Book time slots in your diaries for induction, and make sure you go to a meeting room so that you are not interrupted.

Make sure you give your starter a written plan of their objectives and responsibilities.  This is crucial to making sure they know what is expected of them and where to direct their energies.

If there is a probationary period, make sure it is clear what is needed to pass probation.

Have all HR paperwork ready to be completed on day one (or in advance if possible).

Introduce the starter to all their colleagues (or all employees in smaller organisations).

Assign a mentor or buddy at the same level as the new employee to help with day to day issues.

Take them out to lunch with a group of colleagues on their first day.

Run through your organisation’s formal policies, as well as informal conventions like dress code, sickness procedure etc.


In week one


Arrange induction meetings with all teams and back office functions for the new employee, so they have a good understanding of what different areas of the organisation do.

If possible, it’s a really good idea to arrange a welcome meeting with a director or the CEO, so they can personally make the starter feel welcome and explain their vision for the organisation.

Arrange training if needed.

Make sure they have some actual work to do, not just learning.  It’s virtually impossible to take in everything if it’s presented in one unbroken block of information.


Ongoing

Set regular (weekly if possible) meetings to check the progress of the new employee and that all areas of the induction have been covered.

Arrange a formal progress meeting (often a probation review) after three months.  This should have been enough time for an employee to settle in and start producing work of value.

In the unfortunate situation where things are not working out, act promptly.  It’s in everyone’s interest to be told about the situation as soon as possible.  Set a plan for improvement and if that fails, cut ties as soon as possible.


Useful Links

Induction advice from CIPD

Induction & probation forms and templates from HR Bird

Recruitment & induction booklet from Acas

Downloadable probation documents from CIPD

A round up of 2012

2012 has been an eventful year in charity recruitment; the shadow of recession is still affecting charity jobs, there have been several significant changes in employment law and nation-wide events gave us all extra holiday time.  TPP Not for Profit were busy throughout the year, volunteering and helping to support the sector in many different ways, as well as supplying high quality experienced charity staff.

In this round up of the past year, we look at what happened during 2012.

January

 
TPP.co.uk mobile site
TPP successfully launched our mobile platform, allowing our candidates to search and apply for jobs directly from their mobile phone.  It helped boost visits to the tpp.co.uk website, and January 2012 was our busiest month ever for jobseeker traffic, with over 22,000 visits (we’ve since passed 25,000).
TPP’s mobile site was also featured in Recruiter magazine.



Innovation for Fundraisers seminar
Presented by two leading industry experts, this free workshop for fundraisers looked at thinking creatively to diversify your fundraising and inspire your teams and supporters.
You can see the slides from the presentation here.

January’s blog post was on How to offer the right salary.

February

New gift aid declaration guidance
On the 24th February 2012, HMRC published updated guidance on Gift Aid declarations for charities and provided new declarations for donation forms. In this article, Wellers accountants take you through the changes to declarations and the best way to incorporate these.

Our February blog looked at how Part time workers can add value to your organisation

March

TPP HR Seminar - Employment Law Update
This seminar was presented by Julie Fewtrell, HR Consultant
You can see the slides from the presentation here.

Are your accounts compliant under the new charities act?
Since 1993 The Charities Act has been recycled through the House of Lords a further two times. The most recent being the Charities Act 2011, which came into force on 14th March 2012. In this article, Wellers Accountants explains which Act to refer and from when, and the differences between new and old. 17 May 2012



TPP raises £4k for Sense
On the 8th March this year 12 employees at TPP took part in the Sense 'Battleshops' Charities Corporate Challenge and raised £3,998 for Sense. You can find out more about the event or see our photos.


NCB CV Workshops
TPP employees provided CV workshops and interview advice as part of the National Children’s Bureau – Skills Development Programme.

Nick Billingham, Manager at TPP, was quoted in How to get hired as a head of fundraising on the Guardian Voluntary Sector Network

March’s blog dealt with Achieving diversity from the bottom up

April

Charity Marketing & Communications Salary Survey
The results of our Charity Marketing & Communications Salary Survey were released in April.  Based on data from over 500 roles, the survey maps out salaries for marketing and communications professionals in the third sector.
You can see the survey results here.






Marie Curie Cancer Care Swimathon
TPP staff members Shelley Hawkins, Emma Lucas and Jo Buckley all successfully completed the Marie Curie Cancer Care Swimathon on the 28th April and raised over £1,100.

Inca Trek Challenge
Charlotte Callin from TPP successfully completed the Inca Trek challenge and raised over £4,600 for the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity.  You can see photos from her journey here.

TPP’s article on Recruitment Trends in International Development was published in Bond Opportunities magazine.

April’s blog was one of our most popular ever and examined Interview questions you should avoid (and what to ask instead).

May

Launch of CPD Voucher
In May, TPP launched our CPD voucher together with the Institute of Fundraising.  All fundraisers successfully placed in a role by us now receive £100 to spend with the Institute of Fundraising to support their ongoing career development.

The CPD voucher has proved extremely popular with both our candidates and their new employers.  More details are available on our website.


KnowHow NonProfit published TPP’s guide on How to avoid illegal or innapropriate interview questions.


May’s blog post look at How many candidates should you interview?

June

Finance Seminar - Risk Management & Governance
This seminar was presented by Kingston Smith, one of the UK's top 20 audit and chartered accountancy firms.
You can see slides from the presentation here.

Flexible Working Survey
In June 2012, we surveyed 376 employers and employees across the sector, asking them about the flexible working options their organisation offered and the options they would most like to receive.
You can see the results of the survey here or see the article on our survey in Charity Times magazine.


To complement the publication of our Flexible Working Survey, June’s blog post was on Five ‘hidden’ employer benefits of flexible working.

July

IoF Convention
Once again, TPP sponsored the Job Board at the Institute of Fundraising National Convention 2012.  Thanks to everyone who came and visited us there!

 

Fundraising Salary Survey
The results of the 2012 TPP Not for Profit Fundraising Salary Survey were released in July.  Based on data from over 320 roles, the survey maps out salaries for fundraising professionals in the third sector. Find out more or read the full survey results here.




July’s blog topic looked at 17 ideas for measuring employee effectiveness.

August

  
The 2012 Olympics
The UK practically shut down for August, as everyone stopped work to watch the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics.
As well as supplying hundreds of exceptional temporary employees to charities suffering staff shortages, TPP staff also went to cheer on the Olympic Torch.


August’s blog dealt with the The right way to check references.

September

Sophie Butler from TPP was quoted in the Charity Finance Function Survey 2012 from Charity Finance magazine.

Women in finance flagship event: Head hunters – realising your dream job
Rob Hayter, Associate Director at TPP, spoke at this event.  More details can be found on the ICAEW website.

The blog post for September listed our Top tips for managing employee departures.

October

Kingston Run Challenge
TPP Managing Director Tracey George successfully completed the 13k Kingston Run Challenge and raised £400 for Crohn's and Colitis UK.

National Minimum Wage Changes
The UK National Minimum Wage went up from 1st Oct 2012.  Find out more here.



Our article on Using LinkedIn to find your next fundraising job was published on the IoF Conference & Exhibition 2012 Blog.


Amendment to Audit Exemption Thresholds
The audit exemption thresholds for charities changed in October 2012.  Wellers Accountants took us through the changes.

TPP HR Seminar - Managing Culture and Risk
This seminar was presented by Ann McFadyen, Head of Training and Events at the Institute of Risk Management.  You can see the seminar slides here.

October’s blog post looked at Using behavioural interviewing to look behind the mask.

November

Part time Charity Jobs
Research in October from Skills Third Sector showed that while the overall number of workers in the voluntary sector is falling, the number of those working part time has increased. TPP could help your organisation benefit from part time staff.



Centrepoint Sleep Out
TPP staff members Danielle Lock and James Hunt braved the cold in November for Centrepoint's Sleep Out. You can view the photos here.





Institute of Fundraising London Conference
TPP presented at this event on 'Plotting your path to success - what you really need to make your fundraising career shine'.  You can view the slides from our presentation here.

Client Relations Manager Donna Newton took part in a walk to raise money for a Romanian Dog charity.  Donna is also a regular volunteer for Alaskan Malamute Rescue.

TPP Finance Seminar - Top tips for charities in an economic downturn
Our speaker for this seminar was Norma Stewart from Wellers accountants.
You can view the seminar slides here.

Movember
TPP Manager Nick Billingham grew a very fine moustache in aid of Movember.

Our November blog post was all about How to reject candidates without turning them off your brand.

December

Best Recruitment Agency
TPP has been shortlisted for Best Recruitment Agency by the Institute of Fundraising.  If you or your organisation are IoF members, please vote for us.
Why?  Find out more here.




DBS replaces CRB checks
Disclosure & Barring ServiceThe Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has now launched, following the merger of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).  Find out more about how this change might affect you.

Coming up in 2013…

We’ve got more planned for 2013.  Here are a few things on the radar at the moment – details will be released in our email newsletters.

A new office to deal with regional recruitment
Having been inundated with requests from charities struggling to find high quality staff for locations outside of London, TPP are planning to open another office to help deal with regional recruitment.  More details soon…

More professional development seminars
We’re currently planning our calendar of free seminars for 2013.  So far, it’s likely to include HR seminars in spring and autumn and a seminar for finance professionals.  If you’d like to be sent details of these when they are finalised, please email marketing@tpp.co.uk

Talk to the leader podcasts
TPP is pleased to announce that we will be sponsoring the next series of Talk to the Leader podcasts from Bertie Bosredon.  In this series of podcasts, charity leaders reveal what they do and why they do it.  Find out more here.

Development Directors’ Forum
TPP will sponsor the meetings of the Development Directors’ Forum, a networking group for Fundraising and Development Directors in the South West region.

Free use of our boardroom
In 2013, TPP will continue to offer any not for profit organisations the free use of our Boardroom and interview space.  More details are on the website.

Thanks so much to all our clients and candidates for choosing to work with us in 2012.  We wish you all a Merry Christmas and look forward to a successful 2013!

5 ways to improve your recruitment next year

Managing your recruitment effectively is one of the most significant ways to improve your organisation.  Getting it wrong can cost you in lost productivity and can mean you end up recruiting twice.  Getting it right should allow you to delegate more and have more confidence in your team.  This month, TPP looks at a few ways you can quickly and cost-effectively improve your recruitment.


1.  Spend more time on job descriptions

When you are replacing members of staff, particularly if you are in a hurry, it is tempting to put together a job description as quickly as possible, usually just copying the role requirements of the previous incumbent.

However, spending a bit more time reviewing the job description and person specification prior to starting recruitment will really pay off in the long run.  A detailed brief that defines not only the needs of the role and the organisation, but also the qualities of your ideal candidate will help you to judge interviewees objectively against set criteria, and avoid over-reliance on ‘gut feelings’.

While putting together a job description, you may also find that some duties would be better split or moved around the department, rather than just replacing like for like.

For more advice, see our previous blog post on writing effective job descriptions and person specifications.


2.  Consider your timing

Traditionally, January is the month many organisations start big recruitment drives, as there tend to be more jobseekers around as people resolve to improve their working life in the New Year.  However, it also means your vacancies are competing against those from other organisations, so it may be worth considering moving your recruitment to a different time.  In fact, almost half of British firms plan to recruit before the New Year starts.

It’s definitely worth keeping an eye on the recruitment of organisations similar to yours.  If they are running a recruitment drive at the same time as you, this could be a benefit as your brand can ‘piggy-back’ on their efforts, but it may also lead to competition for the same candidates.

As well as reducing competition for jobseekers, recruiting at less popular times of year, eg around national holidays, could also get you better deals on advertising on job boards or in publications – making your recruitment budget go further.  2012 will be a particularly eventful year, with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June and the Olympics starting in late July.

Even if you need to replace a staff leaver asap, don’t feel pressurised into rushing your recruitment.  Consider using temporary or fixed term contract staff to fill the gap, giving you more time to define the role and allowing you to wait for the perfect time to recruit.


3.  Put a PSL in place

If your organisation hasn’t already got one, putting a preferred supplier list together can have some excellent benefits for your recruitment, the most obvious one being saving you money, as recruitment consultancies included in a PSL usually offer a discount on their standard terms.

However, PSLs also establish relationships with your recruiters, with expectations and levels of service agreed in advance.  This saves you time both in recruitment and administration, and ensures a consistent quality of service across all roles and departments.  Using a small set of suppliers on a regular basis also means they are likely to have a better understanding of how your organisation works and the type of employee that will fit your culture.

You can read more about setting up PSLs in our previous blog post on making your recruitment budget work harder with PSLs.




4.  Use your existing staff more

Your internal employee base is a great resource for recruiters, but one that is often neglected.  As well as an obvious source of in-house candidates, your employees are also your best source of referrals, as they usually have a network of contacts with similar roles in the not for profit sector.  Ensure all your vacancies are well advertised within your own organisation, make sure you advertise them on your organisation’s social media channels and ask your employees to redistribute to their own contacts and consider setting up an employee referral incentive scheme.

You can also use your existing employees to help with the recruitment process.  Allowing them to give feedback on the job description and person specification prior to recruitment is likely to help ensure that a new employee works well with the rest of their team.  Existing employees can also help you review CVs and sit in on interviews, to give you an additional point of view.

Finally, don’t forget to give your staff leavers thorough exit interviews, and to feed the results back into your recruitment programme.  This is one of the best ways to improve staff retention, as it addresses problems when they arise.  See our past blog on the 3 stages of a successful exit interview for more help.


5.  Work on your employer branding

Your employer brand is simply your organisation’s reputation as an employer, and should accurately reflect the values and culture of your organisation.  It is particularly important to protect your employer brand in the charity sector, where being seen as an ethical organisation, both internally and externally, is vital to attract new employees.  There is also a big overlap between your employees, volunteers and supporters, so damaging your employer brand could lead to a drop in support for your organisation’s mission.

Even if you cannot compete in terms of salary with other organisations working to attract the same type of candidate, you can still distinguish your organisation as a great place to work.  Make the best possible use of staff benefits to attract candidates.  Offering flexible working options is particularly attractive to jobseekers in the third sector.

Managing your employer brand is also about ensuring that every interviewee you see has a good experience, regardless of the eventual outcome.  Providing as much feedback as possible is key to this.  See our blog on lack of interview feedback can damage your donations for more information.


Happy new year from all at TPP!

Free HR Seminar for Not for Profit Organisations

TPP Not for Profit are holding a free HR breakfast seminar on Thursday 20th Oct at Toynbee Hall, London.  The seminar will be an employment law update, covering several in-depth examples of recent case law, with an emphasis on the practical actions that HR Managers of not for profits, or those responsible for HR in their organisation, will need to take.

Follow the link below for more details or to book your free place>
http://www.tpp.co.uk/hr-seminar-oct-11

5 ideas for training on a budget

Not for profit organisations have been hard hit by the economic downturn over the last 12 to 18 months, and when savings have to be made, training, learning and development is usually one of the first things to go.  However, this can be a false economy, as slashing funds for training means your staff don’t develop at the same rate and your organisation becomes less efficient and productive.

However, with a bit of creative thinking, there are plenty of ways to provide your employees with training opportunities when funds are tight. Here are TPP’s top ideas for training on a budget:


1.  Use your existing staff
There are several ways to use your current employees to assist with learning and development.  Find out if your members of staff and in-house volunteers have any skills they can communicate to others, and appoint internal mentors to guide the development of more junior staff.  This is particularly useful for ‘soft skills’, such as communications and team management.

You could choose to make one member of staff a ‘champion’ for a particular topic.  Once they have received training, they should then be responsible for communicating their learnings to other employees.  This has the added advantages of cementing the knowledge in the employee champion and creating an in-house support service for queries regarding that topic.

Encouraging your employees to take part in internal secondments or shadowing also allows them the opportunity to learn from other members of staff and teams.


2.  Share resources
You can get more from your training budget by partnering with other organisations.  For example, banding together with sister organisations or other charities to offer joint courses will bring down your training cost per head.  Or do a skills swap with another organisation, where you share knowledge and experience between you.

The Small Charities Coalition facilitates the sharing of skills, experience and expertise between charities, and is completely free to join.  Even larger organisations can benefit through sharing their skills with others.

Investigate any private sector companies your organisation has contact with, such as corporate donors or service suppliers.  Do they run in-house training programmes your staff could piggyback on?  Of course, this training will not be charity-specific but could still be useful.

Encouraging your employees to volunteer or become a trustee in another not for profit organisation is another great way to bring new knowledge and skills into your charity.


3.  Look for freebies

If you know where to look, there can be many opportunities for free training for your staff.  The key is to make the best use of your network of suppliers, partners and membership organisations.

Private sector firms who work with the third sector often offer free training, eg TPP Not for Profit runs a series of professional development seminars, and solicitors’ firms often hold regular legal updates for their clients.  Simply googling “free <topic> training for charities” can usually bring up some interesting possibilities.

Membership organisations, such as the NCVO, IoF or CIPD, often run training sessions that are discounted or free for their member organisations.  Investigate what is included in your membership and make sure you are getting the most from the fees. 

Charity Days and the NFP Academy organise free training for not for profit organisations, and their websites are well worth a visit.  There are also opportunities to get funding for learning and development, such as the InterChange funding for leadership and management training.

Check out the blog comments below for some free training courses coming up soon.


4.  Investigate online training

The huge growth of the Internet has brought a wealth of resources for online learning and development, often specially aimed at not for profit organisations.

Knowhow NonProfit have a wealth of career development information, most of it completely free of charge, including videos, training courses, articles and discussion forums.

The Media Trust website has a wide range of articles on marketing and communications topics for not for profit organisations.

The Charity Learning Consortium offers a wide range of eLearning for their members.


5.  Get value for money

Sometimes, paying for training is unavoidable, so you need to make sure you get the best possible return on your investment.  Investigate running courses in-house using small training providers or consultants, as this can be less expensive than sending multiple staff members on external courses.  It also has the added advantage that the course content will be tailored for your organisation.

If you are investing with any new suppliers, eg of any new software, make sure that training is included for free or at a discount in the initial agreement.  In addition, when creating new PSLs, why not ask suppliers if they can offer any training as part of the deal?


Summary

As you can see, there are ways to continue to provide opportunities for learning and development to your staff while keeping training budgets tight.  However, your organisations will always need to invest some funds in training to make sure employees remain efficient and productive.

TPP Not for Profit is a big supporter of investing in learning and development, as it helps to keep staff motivated and reduce turnover, and makes your organisation more attractive to new recruits.  Don’t forget to check out our programme of free seminars.

We are also speaking at and sponsoring several upcoming events, such as the Third Sector Social Media Convention and the IoF Annual Convention.