THE MD
As Gianni Rigutto, one of our most experienced Trojan Workforce branch managers, highlights in this issue of Recruit News, the skills shortage is hitting employers hard, especially in the construction industry.
Our industry, the recruitment business, has always been a competitive one, and the ‘war for talent’ and record low employment numbers, combined with a strong economy, have magnified this.
Trojan Workforce and Corus People Solutions have been harnessing their national databases of candidates across our 19 offices Australia-wide. Through building and maintaining genuine relationships with our candidates, we are able to access their networks by referral and source candidates for difficult to fill roles in both the blue and white-collar sectors.
Everyone at Trojan Recruitment Group is aware that there is no short-term, easy answer to the skills shortage crisis. However, we pride ourselves on living our core value that ‘people really matter’. As a result, our reputation and actions as a trustworthy, caring and professional recruitment agency mean we have built long-term relationships with candidates.
In this employment market, high quality candidates are more discerning about who represents them, and because we’ve looked after our candidates well in the past, we are usually their first point of call when they become available for both permanent and temporary work.
More and more often, I hear stories of candidates who have contacted us through personal recommendations and have been successfully offered employment. These referrals come through our candidates’ networks, and are their friends, colleagues and even family members. Because referrals are a demonstration of the trust candidates have in our business, I consider each one a compliment.
Michael Cherry
Managing Director
QUEENSLAND RAIL APPOINTS TROJAN
Trojan Workforce and Corus People Solutions have been appointed to the preferred supplier panel for Queensland Rail. With more than 14,000 employees across 300 jobs roles, Queensland Rail is one of the state’s largest employers.
Corus will have the opportunity to recruit for permanent and temporary office administration, sales and marketing, and engineering positions. Trojan Workforce has been appointed to a panel for temporary recruitment in industrial trades and logistics.
“We will use our branch network in Brisbane, Brisbane South and Toowoomba to recruit in south-east Queensland and look forward to strengthening our relationship with Queensland Rail,” says Queensland State Manager, Scott Sobey.
EMPLOYERS SLACK ON TEMP OH&S
White-collar temporary staff are being let down by on-hire and host employers who are failing to provide comprehensive occupational health and safety (OH&S) training and support, according to a new study.
OH&S training company WorkPro found that only a third of temporary staff were given an induction at every new assignment. Of 332 temporary clerical workers, 52 per cent said their employers failed to check that their workstations were ergonomically correct – a serious concern, as this is a major cause of spinal and neck injuries for office-based workers.
Amy Arcangeli from Corus People Solutions in Adelaide has more than six years’ experience working with temporary candidates. She says ensuring safety for office-based workers is a top priority for both Corus and Trojan Workforce.
“When we receive a new temporary assignment, even for existing clients, I conduct a work area analysis, including checking the workstation for chemical hazards, dangerous cords, and ensuring adequate lighting and ventilation.
“I speak to our temps on their first day and ensure they are aware of the basics: fire exits, bathrooms, where to find water and refreshments, and lunch areas.”
According to WorkPro, staff were not told about possible workplace hazards in 37 per cent of cases. Most employers did provide basic OH&S inductions covering evacuation procedures and the location of emergency exits and first aid kits.
“We work in partnership with clients to ensure the safety of our temporary staff, but any candidates concerned about safety should speak to their host employer or contact their Corus consultant immediately,” says Amy.
BUILDING STAFF A BATTLE
Despite a downturn in the number of building approvals, workers with building skills remain one of the hardest to find categories of staff. A recent survey from the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RCSA) found roles for engineering professionals, associates and technicians topped the list of difficult positions to fill.
“The shortage of skilled labour across multiple industries is a significant problem that curbs the growth and competitive edge of many organisations,” says Gianni Rigutto, Trojan Workforce Sydney Manager.
“In NSW, Victoria and to a lesser extent South Australia, lucrative positions in booming WA and Queensland mining towns have drained the market of talent.
“The surge of construction in international hot spots, such as Dubai, is also luring Australian labour offshore.”
Speaking to clients in the construction industry, Trojan Workforce has found that employers expect workloads to increase in the next 12 months. But many employers are concerned that skill shortages will limit business growth by making them reluctant to take on this extra workload.
Nationally, the RCSa survey shows the hardest-to-find candidates are:
- Non-building professional engineers;
- Business professionals;
- Non-building engineering associates and technicians;
- Building professionals;
- Building associates and technicians;
- Non-building electrical/electronic trades;
- Health professionals;
- Electrical trades (building);
- Receptionists and telephonists; and
- IT and telecommunications professionals.
Talk to Trojan Workforce about your hard-to-fill roles. Michael Cherry writes about how Trojan Recruitment Group is tackling the skills shortage in his MD column.
CLIENT SHOWCASE
AirRoad
As the first domestic transport carrier to introduce individual barcode scanning, AirRoad can legitimately claim superior delivery service supported by cutting edge technology and security systems.
Personalised customer service might be a secondary priority for many technology-centred organisations, but not in AirRoad’s case, says NSW Logistics Manager Matt Verzelitti.
“We pride ourselves on the quality of our delivery networks across Australia, and in our personal relationships with customers,” he says.
“With around 300 staff, we are not one of the ‘big boys’ who treat customers as a number. We are big on personal service, interaction, and building relationships.”
The approach has paid off for the company, which proudly counts the Australian Intelligence and Security Commission (ASIO), as a client, and boasts a 98.16 per cent rate for delivering items in full and on time.
“Our focus on security and tracking sets us apart,” says Matt. Each AirRoad item barcode is scanned at transit points to produce an audit trail.
Corus People Solutions and Trojan Workforce have provided AirRoad, with administration and warehousing staff for more than 18 months.
Leanne Davies, AirRoad’s Trojan Workforce account manager, says the business’ many parallels with Trojan Recruitment Group have helped to cement the relationship.
“Our companies are of a similar size and we also have a national network, and our commitment to client service and belief that people really matter are at the core of our relationships with clients.
“We offer the same personal service to AirRoad that their customers expect from them. We get to the bottom of any difficulties straight away. This willingness to find a solution together means our businesses are in a true partnership.”
AirRoad uses Trojan Workforce to supply both temp-to-perm warehousing staff and for urgent on-call labour hire needs. “I often call Leanne at 4pm needing staff to start at 7am the next morning. Trojan is always quick to respond and address any concerns I have immediately.” says Matt.
“If I can’t get staff on time, the flow-on effect through the business and to our customers is huge. We simply couldn’t deal with a bad recruiter.”