Posted 23 November 2023
Affordable Housing Awards success for our Talent & Recruitment Team
We are thrilled to announce Talent Team have been chosen as the “Recruitment or Retention Campaign of the Year” at this year’s Affordable Housing Awards. This prestigious award is a testament to our unwavering commitment to attracting and retaining top talent to provide the best service to our customers.
A Customer-Centric Approach to Recruitment
Our recruitment campaign is rooted in a customer-centric approach, prioritising candidate experience throughout the entire process. This dedication to building relationships with potential employees extends to offering tailored guidance and support, including interview coaching for internal candidates. Additionally, we actively engage with local schools, colleges, and restart schemes to inspire future generations to pursue rewarding careers in social housing.
Impressive Cost Savings and Talent Pipeline Development
The effectiveness of our recruitment campaign is evident in the significant reduction in agency spend, averaging £140,000 per year. This financial saving is a direct result of moving our recruitment process internally, demonstrating our ability to optimise our talent acquisition strategies.
Bruce Moore, CEO of Housing 21, one of the judges at the Affordable Housing Awards, highlighted two key aspects of our recruitment campaign that particularly impressed him:
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Customer-First Approach: The emphasis on building relationships with candidates and providing personalised support sets us apart from traditional recruitment practices.
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Community Engagement: Our proactive involvement with local education institutions and restart schemes fosters future talent pipelines and promotes social housing as a rewarding career path.
“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire Talent Acquisition team,” said Gary Frobisher, Talent & Acquisition Manager at LHP. “We are committed to attracting and retaining the best possible talent to help LHP continue to provide high-quality homes to our communities.”
A Benchmark for Success in Social Housing
Our award-winning recruitment campaign serves as a benchmark for other housing associations seeking to enhance their talent acquisition strategies. By prioritising candidate experience, fostering community engagement, and effectively managing recruitment costs, we have established a model for success in the social housing sector.
Our Journey to Excellence in Recruitment
This nomination recognised the introduction of several new initiatives, such as a “Telephone first” approach, asking candidates for convenient times for interviews and providing them with all the information they need to be prepared. Additionally, we developed a CV selection template to help hiring managers assess applications against the job specification in a fair and objective way.
In addition to these initiatives, we have also anonymised applications for senior leadership teams and board members to remove unconscious bias. We have also attended recruitment events targeted at getting local Lincolnshire talent back into work and school & college leavers looking to find a career. Additionally, we have launched an internal apprenticeship training programme.
Impressive Results and Ongoing Commitment to Excellence
The results of our recruitment campaigns have been impressive. In 2021-2022, 54% of our positions were recruited through agencies. In 2022-2023, this has fallen to just 8%. Internal recruitment has increased from 22% to 28%, and recruitment through word of mouth has increased from 7% to 26%.
Our recruitment campaigns are focused on creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce is essential to our success and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and valued.