Care market needs to avoid 'investing in the wrong people'

Labour market data reports continue to show a growth in vacancies and staff appointments throughout UK job sectors, as confirmed by KPMG LLP and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

Indeed the latest ‘Report on Jobs’ finds that demand for staff has increased at its fastest pace since April 1998, with the growth of permanent placements easing since the start of the year but still strong.

This increased demand for permanent staff members has led to the launch of at least one new recruitment agency, in the shape of ‘turro’, sister brand of which is based in Leeds.

Launched on the company’s tenth birthday, this new firm has been established in order to offer clients a more targeted service when it comes to placing permanent professional social care and healthcare staff.

As senior recruitment manager, Tobi Akintokun explains: “Our customers’ needs for permanent health and social care staff are becoming increasingly specific and so, in order to meet these needs effectively, we felt that a dedicated, exclusive service in the form of turro was the solution which would offer most benefit.

“At turro,” he continues, “we’re looking to change the perception of recruitment agencies; focusing on simplicity, excellence and a superb return on investment.”

Looking to save customers’ money by shortening time to hire, turro will look to match only relevant and experienced candidates to roles and hopes to change the way that care professionals think about recruiters. KPMG partner and head of business services, Bernard Brown, comments on the potential problems ahead if markets fail to make the most of stronger economic conditions.

“The problem is exacerbated by the fact that employers still cannot find staff with the right skill set,” he says. “Their desperation to fill recruitment holes is leading to continued wage growth, which is creating a market that is both unsustainable and unrealistic. With vacancy growth reaching its highest since the survey began, I believe that the nervousness in the marketplace is more about the consequences of investing in the wrong people, than it is about spending money in an attempt to recruit the best talent. It’s a conundrum British business will have to solve quickly because if the job market stagnates the wider impact on performance will end up harming productivity.”