Building a great place to work and managing challenges with hiring

In this webinar, Emma Jones of Enterprise Nation hosts a panel discussion with industry experts and business leaders who share their insights on hiring trends, workforce challenges and strategies for creating an attractive workplace.

The panel includes:

• Brian Keane (director of small business solutions, Indeed) – Works with over 100,000 small businesses annually, helping them attract and hire talent.

• Kirsty Heywood-McDonald (Heywood-McDonald Accountancy Services) – Specialises in supporting neurodivergent and disabled entrepreneurs while ensuring an inclusive work environment.

• Jeremy Paratilla (head of people operations, Enterprise Nation) – Focused on creating a strong internal culture to attract and retain top talent.

• James Uffindell (founder and CEO, Bright Network) – Runs a tech scale-up connecting young professionals with top employers, including Google, Amazon, and Goldman Sachs.

Topics covered in this session

• How the hiring landscape is evolving, with economic, technological and cultural shifts influencing recruitment trends

• Why SMEs must set themselves apart by offering flexibility, inclusion and strong company values.

• The increasing role AI and automation will play in making recruitment more efficient

• Why survival in 2025 will mean being adaptable, hiring smartly and investing in people

Key points from the webinar

(Brian Keane, Indeed)

Shifts in hiring trends and employer challenges

• UK job postings are 15% lower than they were before the pandemic, with a two-year decline across all sectors.

• The current labour market has 1.8 unemployed people for every open role, compared to three per role before the pandemic.

• Employers face difficulties in finding skilled candidates despite an oversupply of applicants in certain sectors.

Key recruitment trends

• An increase in zero-hour contract postings indicates a shift towards more flexible employment models.

• A reduction in sign-on bonuses suggests a power shift back toward employers.

• Remote and flexible work remains highly sought-after, with the UK having one of the highest remote job postings in Europe.

• Pay transparency is rising, with more job postings including salaries and benefits – helping to set expectations early and improving hiring outcomes.

Employer strategies to avoid "interview ghosting"

• Pre-screen candidates with a phone call to assess interest and make no-shows less likely.

• Keep job postings open until you've officially hired a candidate, to avoid delays in finding replacements.

(James Uffindell, Bright Network)

What employers and young professionals are looking for

• Employers' priorities:

  • Large corporations and SMEs alike seek top-tier talent ("finding needles in the haystack").

  • Businesses prioritise quality and performance in hiring, given the increasing number of applications.

  • AI tools are being used to filter applications and making the hiring process more inefficient.

• Young professionals' priorities:

  • There's an increased interest in returning to the office for career development and networking opportunities.

  • Surge in job applications:

    • Pre-pandemic, there were 80 applications per graduate role – now, that number is more than 140 applications per role.

    • AI tools are allowing candidates to mass-apply for jobs, increasing competition.

• Return to office and work culture trends

  • Many large corporations are asking that employees return to the office.

  • Some younger professionals prefer in-office work for collaboration and professional growth.

  • Hybrid models (for example, two days in the office) are increasingly popular among SMEs.

(Jeremy Paratilla, Enterprise Nation)

How SMEs can stand out in a competitive job market

• Importance of company mission and culture

  • Employees want to work for companies with strong values that match their personal beliefs.

  • Enterprise Nation reinforces its mission and values in team meetings and job descriptions to attract like-minded talent.

• Employee experience and engagement

  • Flexibility in work arrangements is a key factor in hiring and retaining top talent.

  • Performance management tools (such as Lattice) improve goal-setting, accountability and employee satisfaction.

  • Providing meaningful work helps employees stay engaged and committed.

(Kirsty Heywood-McDonald, Heywood-McDonald Accountancy Services)

Creating an inclusive and supportive hiring process

• Inclusive hiring practices

  • Job postings explicitly welcome applications from disabled and marginalised groups.

  • For accessibility, candidates can submit applications in various formats (CV, video, voice notes).

  • Pre-shared interview questions help candidates prepare and showcase their best selves.

  • Candidates are allowed to bring a support person if needed.

  • Flexible interview accommodations:

    • A traffic light card system (red = need a break, amber = need time to process, green = ready to continue) assists candidates with communication needs.

• Workplace support and employee wellbeing

  • Fully remote and flexible work arrangements with core business hours.

  • Employee assistance plans (24/7 mental health support, private healthcare).

  • Group and individual coaching to support employee development.

  • Job swaps to boost teamwork, empathy and skill-building.

  • Clear progression pathways make sure employees see opportunities for growth.

• Business benefits of inclusion

  • Hiring inclusively provides access to a larger talent pool and diverse skillsets.

  • Supporting employees helps with retention, loyalty and overall performance.

(Brian Keane, Indeed)

HR vs. outsourcing: Managing recruitment challenges

• SMEs should assess the complexity of their HR needs before deciding whether to hire in-house or outsource their HR.

• Growing businesses should plan ahead and bring in HR expertise early if they anticipate they'll be scaling up in the near future.

• Networking with other businesses in similar industries can help guide HR decisions.

(James Uffindell, Bright Network)

Future hiring trends and 2025 predictions

• Economic uncertainty and hiring models

  • The phrase "Survive 2025" reflects the challenging economic environment for businesses.

  • Many SMEs may shift toward hiring contractors or flexible workers instead of full-time employees.

  • Employment regulations may make hiring more rigid and costly for businesses.

• AI and automation in recruitment

  • AI-driven hiring tools are making recruitment more efficient and improving the standard of job matching between candidates and employers.

  • Businesses should start experimenting with AI tools for hiring, screening and candidate engagement.

Hiring advice for small business owners

• Prioritise your company culture and make sure the work environment attracts top talent.

• Invest in employees' professional growth, as this will help you retain key staff.

• Focus on profitability and sustainability while adapting to hiring trends.

• Recruitment is an investment, not a cost.

• Entrepreneurs must be resilient and focus on their long-term vision.

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