Candidates · White Recruitment

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Here at WR, all of the professionals in our divisions are playing their role in helping against the fight against COVID-19. This week, we’ll look at the role of engineering in mitigating the effects of coronavirus.In the fight against the virus many manufacturing and engineering companies have had to put ordinary production procedures on hold, and look at alternative ways to utilise their materials and resources to build equipment for the medical industry and help save lives. Here’s what you need to know.Engineering & COVID-19: Building ventilatorsThere's currently a shortage of ventilators for COVID-19 patients. On March 16, 2020, the government called on the UK’s engineering industry to make up the anticipated shortfall of ventilators by producing and assembling the life-saving devices.Since then engineering companies have been coming forward to help. For example, advanced material cutting business Bindatex has altered production to begin die-cutting discs that can be used in filters for NHS ventilators.Similarly, engineers from UCL and doctors at University College London Hospital (UCLH), along with engineers at Mercedes Formula 1, have worked together to create a specialist device that delivers oxygen to the lungs, without the need for invasive ventilators.Dyson, the vacuum cleaner company, has already received an order for 10,000 ventilators, and Smiths Medical’s efforts to treat less critical patients with CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) devices, are advancing rapidly.Meanwhile, engineers and researchers are coming up with other creative solutions – such as the Ventil, a new machine that, when attached to a ventilator, can allow for the ventilation of two patients simultaneously.PPE equipment for healthcare staffHospital staff around the world are putting themselves on the front line to help treat patients with coronavirus. But, unfortunately, there's currently a shortage of PPE to help keep medical staff safe. This is another aspect of COVID-19 where engineering companies can offer their expertise and facilities to help out. In one recent example showing the speed at which help can be deployed, Inverness companies 4c Engineering and Aseptium designed and manufactured 1,000 face-shields destined for the ICU unit at Raigmore Hospital. The design brief saw the team working toward a simple method of providing face protection that would be robust, secure, and comfortable and could be rapidly manufactured. Within a week, the team had sourced materials, refined the design and had its prototype accepted by Raigmore ICU.Engineers at The Royal Mint have also announced their design and production of medically approved visors and are planning on releasing their designs online so other engineering and manufacturing companies can follow suit. TestingFinally, one innovative solution has seen engineers in China developing a robot to treat and test COVID-19 patients while allowing healthcare workers to remain at a safe distance from the highly infectious virus. The remote-controlled, wheeled machine can take mouth swabs, perform ultrasound scans and listen to organs with a robot stethoscope.High infection rates among health care workers prompted the designers to see if a robot could provide protection. Medical staff can operate the robots from a safe distance using on board cameras to monitor the patient, reducing the chances of exposure. The robot's chief designer, Tsinghua University Professor Zheng Gangtie converted two robotic arms such as those used on space stations or lunar explorers to build the robots, which were almost entirely automated, and could even disinfect themselves after performing actions involving contact.WR EngineeringAt WR Engineering, we’re proud to see the continued work that the engineering sector is undertaking by pooling its expertise to find innovative solutions to support COVID-19 and continue to support professionals in our sector in any way possible while working in a remote capacity.Contact us today for any further information

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How will the coronavirus affect logistics? As the coronavirus continues to spread around the globe, widespread economic uncertainty has affected almost every industry sector – and professionals in our divisions are no exception. At WR, we are doing the utmost to support our candidates and clients across HVACR, Health, Logistics, and Engineering. This includes using our expertise to inform professionals about the potential impact of the current pandemic on business. Here’s the thoughts of Tom Nichols, Divisional Manager of WR Logistics, on how COVID-19 might affect the sector: What effect do you think coronavirus will have on the logistics sector? COVID-19 is already having a significant effect on logistics. The sector is such a broad spectrum that different areas will feel various impacts. For instance, some areas like food and pharmaceutical logistics are in greater demand than ever. Across the sector, we are also seeing evidence of innovative collaborations with firms that have seen drops in volume helping out those who are in demand – Screwfix supporting Morrison is a good example. Can professionals in your sector be effective while working from home? There are plenty of examples of individuals in logistics being effective working from home - particularly with planners in UK transport and in freight forwarding that can control operations remotely. However, millions of workers across the front line, such as warehouse operatives and drivers will be unable to do this. How can WR serve the logistics sector going forward – (while working from home)? Due to our strong remote working proficiencies, our capability to support clients, candidates, and our staff is just as strong as before. Despite trying times, we can conduct all of our operations from home and provide the same high-quality service. Apart from that, we have reached out to all of the companies on our database to extend our services to cover temp as well as permanent vacancies. What advice do you have for professionals in your sector? We encourage professionals to pay attention to the news and government developments to understand the latest economic measures, stick to the guidelines around social distancing, and work from home if possible. We’re here to help Ultimately, this is a difficult situation for everyone in the sector, and the effects of the coronavirus on logistics are changing every day, with the true impact yet to be felt. At WR Logistics, we encourage all candidates and client to get in touch with us if they need more information on the situation. We are just as dedicated and as capable as ever, and will strive to help businesses and job-seekers during this time. Contact us today

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Here at WR, our divisions look after some of the most valuable workers in times of crisis – and therefore, they must be able to care for their mental health in trying times. Whether you are at home, or working on the frontline in the fight against the coronavirus, taking care of mental health and wellbeing is essential. Here are some expert tips for looking after your mental health during COVID-19 for our workers in Health, HVACR, Engineering and Logistics.Mental health and COVID-19: Staying at homeWith government advising us to avoid all but essential social contact, many of us will be spending a lot of time at home, and our social activities will no longer be available to us. However, try and see this as a different period in your life, rather than a bad one, even if you didn’t choose it.It will mean a new rhythm of life, a chance to be in touch with others in different ways than usual. If you are feeling lonely, contact friends and family regularly on social media, e-mail or the phone, as they are still good ways of being close to the people who matter to you.It also may help to create a new daily routine that prioritises looking after yourself. You could try reading more or watching movies, having an exercise routine, trying different relaxation techniques, or finding new knowledge on the internet.Avoid rumour and speculationWhile it can be difficult, try to avoid speculation and look up reputable sources on COVID-19. Rumour and speculation can fuel anxiety and other mental health problems. Limit the amount of time you spend reading or watching things which aren't making you feel better. Perhaps decide on a specific time to check in with the news. Having access to good quality information about the virus can help you feel more in control. You can get up-to-date information and advice on the virus here:•Gov.uk•Health Protection Scotland•Public Health WalesTry to stay connected At times of stress, we work better in company and with support. Try and keep in touch with your friends and family, by telephone, email or social media, or contact a helpline for emotional support. However, if you are on social media, try not to sensationalise things. If you are sharing content, use trusted sources, and remember that your friends might be worried too.Finally, remember to regularly assess your social media activity. Tune in with yourself and ask if they need to be adjusted. Are there particular accounts or people that are increasing your worry or anxiety? Consider muting or unfollowing accounts or hashtags that cause you to feel anxious.Keep calm and carry onUltimately, it is OK to feel vulnerable and overwhelmed about the outbreak, especially if you have a long-term physical health condition that makes you more vulnerable. At WR, we will do everything we possibly can to support our workers across HVAC, Health, Engineering and Logistics during the crisis.

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International Woman’s Day: Is it time to look at your talent pool? Although we live in a society where gender equality is not only expected, but also legally required, females continue to be underrepresented in the workplace – particularly at the most senior level. International Women’s Day is a great opportunity for businesses to look at their existing workforces and see if they can widen their talent pools to become more inclusive to female talent. According to figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), female employment in the UK has risen through the decades. The most recent statistics show that as a proportion of the population, 72.3% of women aged 16-64 are in employment, compared to 52.7% of women back in 1971.However, analysis from the Royal Statistical Society shows that, in the UK, some 82% of all CEOs, 92% of chairpersons and 73% of directors are male. Further data from the ONS meanwhile, indicate that the UK’s overall gender pay gap - the difference between men and women’s median hourly earnings - is 17.9%. This means that for every £1 the average man earns, the average woman earns just 82p. That’s not to say we’re not making progress, though: for full-time employees, the gender pay gap decreased from 9.1% in 2017 to 8.6% in 2018. However, eight in 10 UK firms still pay men more than women. What’s more, Britain’s top 100 firms have just six female CEOs - in fact, in 2019, FTSE 100 CEOs were more likely to be called Stephen, or Steve, than they are to be a woman.While this inequality is prevalent across the business landscape, some sectors report more equality than others. Indeed, data shows that women are significantly underrepresented across three of White Recruitment’s four specialisms: ● According to the Women’s Engineering Society, just 12.37% of all engineers are women in the UK. ● While 37% of all logistics related graduates are females, only 5%of top-level supply chain positions are held by women. ● In HVACR, meanwhile, women account for a tiny 1.4%of the workforce of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers. Interestingly, all of these sectors have also reported talent shortages or skills gaps in recent years. The business case for diversity With this in mind, boosting gender equality in the workplace makes perfect business sense. Research suggests that organisations that respect and value the diversity brought by both women and men are better able to attract and retain high performers and improve operational performance. The recognition of the business case for diversity in the workplace is by no means a new phenomenon. No longer just a ‘nice to have’, it is now widely accepted that greater diversity really does have a positive impact on core organisational outcomes. The research most often cited as evidence was provided by separate studies by consultants Catalyst and McKinsey, both published in 2007. These studies compared the financial performance of organisations according to the gender diversity at senior levels - and both found that greater diversity had a notable impact on businesses profitability.Since these landmark reports, a myriad of further studies have supported and expanded upon the benefits of truly representative teams, namely the advantages of having greater access to different perspectives and sources of information.Widen your talent pool beyond International Women’s Day It is also widely recognised that having the best talent is critical to success in competitive markets, and the wider your talent pool, the better your chance of finding and securing the best people. However, employers may be inadvertently limiting the number – or type – of individuals who are exposed to their job opportunities by advertising in the same places, using language which isn’t inclusive and relying too heavily on employee referral schemes – all of which can severely limit talent pools. WR SearchWR Search, our brand new retained model has been carefully designed to empower businesses to hire the best person for the job every time – regardless of gender. WR Search provides cutting edge insight, behavioural assessments and comprehensive on-boarding to save clients time and money, and advanced tools to help candidates land their dream job. In fact, we’re so proud of it, we offer a 12-month replacement guarantee should a candidate leave – for any reason.To find out more, contact us today

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The importance of cultural fit is widely recognised. So, how can companies build this into their recruitment process?While the importance of cultural fit is widely accepted, it is something that many businesses find hard to define, and even harder to build into the hiring process. While it’s helpful to know that the broad definition of a candidate with cultural fit is one ‘whose beliefs and values are congruent with those within the organisation’, hiring these candidate can prove far more tricky. However, there are many ways that companies can use talent strategies to create constructive cultures. Why are company culture and fit important? The importance of cultural fit was summed up in the Harvard Business Review, which described it as ‘the glue that holds an organisation together’ and ‘the key trait to look for when recruiting.’ According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the result of a hire that is a poor fit can cost an organisation between 50-60% of the person’s annual salary. In addition to this, low-level engagement as a result of a bad hire can lead to a 33% decrease in operating income. Conversely, a highly engaged workforce can improve a business’s performance by up to 30%, and create several other positive outcomes. Defining your purposeOnce you’re sold on the importance of cultural fit, it’s crucial to define your purpose before embarking on any hiring. This means being clear on why your company exists, what it stands for, and where you want to go as a business. How this is best achieved will be depend on the dynamics of your firm. You could run focus groups, surveys or workshops involving the whole company, for example. It’s best to draw from as many internal resources for this stage of the process, and canvass opinions from all levels of the organisation – not just the directors. The recruitment processOnce this has been achieved, the next step is to build cultural fit into all levels of the recruitment process. One of the most effective ways to do this is to introduce interview questions based on values. This will help you tease out candidates who are more likely to be a good match and give you something more objective to look at as a safeguard against bias. Here are the type of questions that will help assess cultural fit in an interview. These will give away key indicators of whether a candidate is a good fit for your workplace:• What type of culture do you succeed in? • What values are you attracted to and what’s your ideal workplace?• How would you describe our culture based on what you’ve seen? • What best practices would you bring with you from another organisation? Do you see yourself being able to implement these best practices in our environment?Alternative hiring methodsAnother method to embed company culture in the recruitment process is by using technology to enable alternative hiring methods. Have candidates send in videos instead of cover letters, or conduct interviews over video instead of phone. These strategies are most effective if they get a candidate to display elements of your company values and affinity to your culture. Using these preliminary screening methods to put across your culture in a more explicit way will also help you screen out many unsuitable candidates before having to assess them in person.WR SearchUltimately, most companies know the importance of cultural fit, and how it contributes to a productive, engaged workforce. However, without a well-established set of values, and dedication to building this into the hiring process, this is going to be much harder to achieve. This is why we have invested in WR Search, our brand new retained model which has been carefully designed to empower businesses to hire for cultural fit. WR Search provides cutting edge insight, behavioural assessments and comprehensive on-boarding to save clients time and money, and advanced tools to help candidates land their dream job. In fact, we’re so proud of it, we offer a 12-month replacement guarantee should a candidate leave – for any reason.To find out more, contact us today

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WR Engineering, Candidate of the Year Award: A case study of success Our Candidate of the year 2019 was Jason Hall from Newbow AerospaceJason was nominated for "making a real impact from the day he started" Marc, the Sales Manager at NewBow Aerospace said "He’s already secured the largest contract we have signed and through his pro-active approach he has secured numerous orders from brand new customers. I am sure his success will continue, he’s been a great addition to the team”. Sam Pearce, Jason's Recruiter said “I knew Jason was a great candidate whilst working with him, but to achieve this success so early on in his career with is truly remarkable. Congratulations Jason, a worthy winner of Candidate of the Year”.Below is a short case study of Jason's hiring process:Newbow Aerospace are a company that design, manufacture and supply a diverse range of aircraft ground support equipment, tooling and customised solutions for commercial and defense aviation worldwide.Located in Redditch, UK, Newbow Aerospace offers a global strategic partner network covering sales and after sales services throughout Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and USA. At the end of 2019 they approached us at WR Engineering looking for a Engineering Sales Manager the the UK and Ireland. The job required someone to have a hands-on technical sales approach while needing to be a good sales person but also being able to support any on-site physical technical support. WR Engineering Samueal Pearce took on the job and started searching for the perfect candidates . During the process he sent 9 candidates cv's over, with Marc Green "The caliber of candidates that WR Engineering were putting forward was extremely high". Out of these candidates they chose Jason Hall as their new Sales Manger because "he brings a wealth a commercial sales and technical experience which they hoped would further strengthen and support the business. When asked about Jason's performance since joining the team Marc said "Jason’s performance has been beyond our expectation in the short time he has been with us. Covering the entire UK, he has so far managed to maintain regular weekly customer site visits, introduced new service lines and has secured a high quota of orders." After Using WR Engineering for the first time, we asked Marc if he would use WR Engineering again in the future. His response.... "most certainly yes"If you would like WR Engineering to help find you your next employee, please call 023 9285 2318.

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@WhiteRecruitmentBlogs

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