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An important SECR(et)
From 1st April 2019, UK Quoted Companies (MGHG) or UK Listed Companies (with two of the following: 250 or more employees, a turnover of over £36m or a balance sheet total of over £18m) will be required to comply with the Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting. They’ll have to report on their energy consumption and carbon emissions relating to their use of electricity, gas and transport. There’s also the deadline for the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) Phase 2 on 5th December 2019. A lot of business are making an effort to make the deadline. Based on ESOS Phase 1, it would appear that 40% were not ready first-time round. Even with non-compliance penalties of up to £50,000, many left reporting till the last minute. The Energyst* reported that The Environment Agency received around a third (1,925) of total notifications of compliance in four days in December, and 1,015 notifications of compliance in the two days before the final 29th January 2016 deadline. Not the best start to this initiative. The businesses that have learnt their lesson and are eligible for ESOS Phase 2 are well on their way to complying. There are just under 12,000 companies required to comply with SECR who will need to collect data on their energy consumption from 1st April, to include in future annual reports. Whilst the SECR intends to make reporting easier for energy managers, substantial time and resource will still be needed to ensure compliance. To help you with meeting the deadline and complying with the SECR further, Allen & York have a network of experienced sustainable energy professionals. To see who would be the best person to join your team in the energy sector, please contact Kris Kobi on the direct line +44(0)1202 888986, ext. 242 or email: kkobi@allen-york.com linkedin.com/in/kriskobi www.allen-york.com *theenergyst.com/pulse-check-businesses-ready-secr-esos/
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Social Value in Construction
With the challenges facing the construction sector to lower carbon emissions and waste, it’s a great time to join this sector at a time of technological advancement and innovation. With a third of all waste in the UK coming from the construction industry, there is a drive in terms of pushing the sustainability agenda and to ensure “green business” is the foundation for the future. A recent webinar on edie.net* determined that to ensure the focus continues, that a company’s people - alongside social value targets - sit at the centre of the success of these initiatives. With companies looking at their own organisations take on the wider economic, social and environmental effects of their actions, social value encapsulates these effects. Those who make a conscious effort to ensure these are positive effects deliver social value by contributing to the long-term wellbeing and resilience of their employees and society in general. Alastair Mant of UKGBC stated that their research demonstrated that “over 50% of its gold leaf members now measured the social value of the firm – and 38% also measured wellbeing of staff in the workplace”. Simon Tranter, Head of Sustainability at Wilmott Dixon, stated that working with the supply chain and subcontractors were also crucial to success. And, that targets wouldn’t be met unless there was a "supporting culture that drives the motivation and leadership we need”. He also stated that this cultural change would drive higher levels of productivity, innovation and performance. Isabel McAllister of MACE said that “being a responsible business was vital to the success of creating a successful sustainability agenda within a construction firm”. Like all change, cultural or otherwise, the attitudes and beliefs of the people you hire will help push forward these programmes. Simon Tranter thinks that getting people to “think like entrepreneurs” when it comes to sustainability and creating a culture of “competitiveness and action” will deliver on the sustainability agenda for the future. From a recruitment perspective, candidates who are in the market may be more inclined to favour those organisations with an active sustainability culture and who allow them to have a voice in how this manifests itself. New ideas and different ways of thinking could be key to achieving zero carbon on all new buildings by 2030. At ALLEN & YORK, we have placed several Sustainability Managers in the Construction sector and love to work with companies making a positive difference to the sustainable global economy. If you have roles proving hard to fill, then get in touch today and see if we can help you hire innovators in your field. Contact: Katie Pereira, Team Lead - Sustainability Call: +44(0)1202 888 986 ext.207 or email: kpereira@allen-york.com *https://www.edie.net/news/12/How-to-build-a-sustainability-culture-within-the-construction-industry/?utm_source=Edie+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5d8e267dbe-weeklynewsletter_COPY_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_02b6d7c115-5d8e267dbe-102640529&mc_cid=5d8e267dbe&mc_eid=277a09249c
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CV or not CV…
According to Glassdoor, six seconds is the average time a recruiter gives to a CV before they decide to 'accept' or 'reject' it. Six seconds. Less time than it takes to tie your hair in a ponytail, count 1-10 in a foreign language or place your foot over your head. Which are probably easier tasks for some than writing your CV, but they’re not skills that are necessarily going to get you an interview. If you don’t have time to read the whole blog, there’s some “do’s and don’ts” at the bottom of this article. So, what should you write in your CV? A CV is your chance to market yourself to prospective employers. It needs to – quickly (remember you only have on average seven seconds) – convey who you are, your skills and experience, your achievements and ultimately why you’re the best person for the job. What are the non-negotiables? CVs not only vary in quality, but they also vary in style. Seven different coloured fonts, profile photos from your holiday, coloured paper and glitter – they’re all a resounding NO. The non- negotiable is that whilst the structure of your CS is flexible, there are several things recruiters expect you to include, namely: Your name and contact details Steer clear of putting in your five generations of middle name or your nickname. Forename and surname will suffice. Don’t put in your full postal address - it’s unlikely anyone is going to post you an invitation for an interview. A phone number and an email address are essential. Remember your email address reflects you – so if you created it when you were 13 and a big fan of Rio Ferdinand, e.g. rioismine@XXXX.com, you should probably get a new one). If your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date, you can add this too – especially if the role requires a level of networking and that’s demonstrated in your profile/contacts. Personal Profile This one is a little more contentious. A small paragraph (50 to 150 words) at the top of your CV, where you concisely state your skills and strengths (tailored to the sector or role you’re applying for) and your ambition for the future. Some believe personal profiles help sell you quickly to an employer, others say they’re a waste of space. General rules are: If you’re applying to a specific role, with a cover letter, then maybe don’t put one in (chances are you’ll be repeating information). If you’re a graduate, you might not have that much to say regarding your skills and experience, so maybe use the space more effectively elsewhere (like talking about your dissertation or volunteering work you may have done). If you’re posting your CV on a job board add one, it gives you the chance to highlight skills or experience. If you include one, make sure your personal profile is short and concise and not full of hyperbole. You’re marketing yourself, be confident not arrogant, so reflect the job description/person specification in the profile. Employment history Here you’re selling your experience whether it’s from jobs, internships, graduate programmes or work experience. Put your most recent job first and work backwards. State your job title, employer and the dates you were there. Bullet point key responsibilities, adding in key achievements and supporting details, e.g. Did you over-achieve your targets? Did you win any awards? Did you save the company money? Keep the detail in your most recent roles, older jobs will only need a bullet point or two. Education and qualifications It’s time to focus on what you achieved at University, School or College – not your 25 metres swimming certificate. Put your most recent education first and work backwards. State your institution, subject, grade. For degree level qualifications, add in a little detail about assignments relevant to the job you want. Don’t forget your professional qualifications. In niche roles, these will be particularly important. Core skills You’ll have picked up lots of skills that you should be highlighting on your CV. Bullet point these skills, split over two columns to highlight the most important skills for the job you are applying for. IT packages that you’ve used are good to add. Foreign language skills and at what level. Project Management, where you can demonstrate them, e.g. PRINCE II. Hobbies and interests Another contentious one. Only add them in if they’re selling you or your personality and it’s relevant to the job. If you have no work experience, then maybe add them in, e.g. if you were captain of the football team at University this could demonstrate leadership and people skills. If your hobbies are a little weird or eccentric (we’re not judging) then maybe leave them out (the recruiter will be judging). If you like reading and going to the cinema, that’s great, but so do many (many) other people. Best not to mention it, it won’t make you stand out. References There is no need to put in full contact details for references, merely state “Available upon request”. You shouldn’t need to provide details until you’ve been made an offer. Ask referees before you give their contact details out. Make sure they’re going to talk positively about you. Ensure they’re contactable on the details you have. Do’s and don’ts Do keep to two pages of A4 (ideally). Do keep it clear and simple – good formatting is key. Do keep it short, to the point. Do use clear and universally available fonts (Arial/Calibri). Do keep your margins a decent size – 2.5cm average. Do save as a PDF so the formatting doesn’t change on different devices. Do fill in work gaps – don’t hide them, explain them in a positive way. Do tailor your CV for each job you are applying for – it does take time, but it will give you a competitive advantage. Don’t repeat the details on your CV on a cover letter. Unless specifically asked for a cover letter, a short note on email will probably suffice. Don’t use small font sizes (10pt minimum). Don’t share your date of birth or marital status, they don’t affect your ability to do the job (see Equality Act 2010). Don’t include a photo – recruiters can stalk you on LinkedIn. Don’t tell lies – you’ll get caught out eventually. Don't use txt speak or too many buzzwords. Don’t include your full address – you don’t want people stealing your identity. Finally, proof read, proof read, proof read! We help our candidates refine and refresh their CV for the roles we are currently recruiting for. If you need some help, call +44(0)1202 888986 or email: info@allen-york.com
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What is the price of clean air?
It’s been widely reported* that leaders of cities across the UK are calling for action by the government to provide a £1.5bn fund to remove polluting vehicles from the streets. Proposed by London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, working alongside UK 100, a network of local government leaders, they hope to shift the nation to 100 per cent clean energy by 2050. And it’s not just the obvious problems people are facing with asthma and other breathing related disorders, The Guardian** reported that “children who lived in areas with higher air pollution when younger are significantly more likely to have developed major depression by the age of 18, according to research”. With young people “three to four times more likely to have depression at 18 if they had been exposed to dirtier air at age 12”. Polly Billington, director of UK100, states "Air pollution is a national health crisis," and that "Government should work in partnership with local leaders by providing new powers and adequate funding: that will make a real difference to drive urgent and effective action”. "Many councils and mayors are acting, but an extra £1.5 billion is needed to support people and businesses to switch from older polluting vehicles into low emission transport, cycling and walking so we can all love clean air. We also a need a new clean air law including tougher, legally binding World Health Organisation air pollution limits and an independent watchdog that will hold Government to account." But what would be done with the money? Suggestions include funding towards ultra-low emission vehicles or for scrapping diesel cars registered before 2015, for creating cheaper public transport or promoting car share/car clubs in problem areas. In bigger cities electric buses or and low emission bus zones could be the answer. Michael Gove, the environment secretary agrees that "Tackling air pollution needs strong collective action" and that the forthcoming Environment Bill would include new legislation on air quality and “deliver on it’s commitment to leave the natural world in a better condition than we found it.” *** Inevitably, where there is a focus - and a significant budget for improvement - then experts in the field will be required to ensure that what has been promised can be delivered. At Allen & York, we specialise in recruiting hard to fill and technical roles and are proud of the sectors we work in, they include Environment, Energy and Sustainability. We have a long history of working in these sectors and have worked on over 230 vacancies for air quality professionals. Our specialist recruitment consultants are delighted to have placed 18 air quality specialists throughout the UK. We have live vacancies for consultant to director level and, by placing some of the best people in these vacancies, are supporting the quest for air quality and a better environment for generations to come. If you are a candidate looking for a new job in air quality, or an employer who needs assistance in recruiting air quality staff, then please don’t hesitate to contact us. Let’s work together to improve air quality. *https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/pollution-cars-uk-michael-gove-sadiq-khan-vehicles-air-quality-a8778486.html **https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/30/children-exposed-to-air-pollution-more-likely-to-develop-depression ***https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-environment-principles-and-governance-bill-2018/environment-bill-policy-paper
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Love your job?
It’s that question that we sometimes ask ourselves and if we’re lucky (sometimes very lucky) the answer is a resounding YES, I LOVE MY JOB! But for those less fortunate, what should you do about it? In uncertain times, and where you’re in a job that pays a decent salary and has a good bunch of workmates, maybe you can just sit it out? And there’s nothing wrong with that. You know it’s not forever. You’ll just ride it out until something better comes along. And then you get complacent. And then you settle. And then you get to a point of questioning, am I even marketable? Can I even get a new job? When you haven’t changed jobs for a while, you forget how time consuming and sometimes soul destroying it can be. But don’t let the fear of moving put you off. Think about what you really want to do in your dream job and make it happen. Here are five things you should consider right now: 1. You feel invisible No-one is giving you any feedback on what you’re doing. You feel like people who have been in your organisation less time are moving up the careers ladder and you’re laying stagnant. Your career has stalled, and it doesn’t look like changing. You need to move on. 2. Challenge rejected You’re not challenged any more. The excitement you once felt about delivering a fantastic project or writing a Pulitzer prize winning report has gone. Okay, maybe its unrealistic to think you’re going to be challenged in a positive way, every day, but there should be an element of improving your knowledge and picking up new skills. If your employer isn’t interested in your career development, then why would you stay? 3. Do you want to sign this card….? If there’s been a sudden glut of leaving cards, leaving drinks or covering someone who’s left work, then it might be time to start updating your LinkedIn profile. If your friends and colleagues are finding new opportunities, then you probably can too. 4. Your heart’s not in it You’ve given it a go, sometime for years and years, but you know intrinsically it’s time to move. It’s time to take charge, make some positive steps and go out and get what you deserve. 5. Recruiters are calling When you’re happy in your role, calls from recruiters can be a mild annoyance. When you’re feeling a little bored, uninspired or un-challenged, they could be exactly what you need. Even if you’re not in the market, keeping in-touch with a recruiter will keep you on their radar when that dream job does come up. And they could negotiate you a better deal – both financially and in term of flexibility. If you find yourself in a position where you’re thinking about any or all the five points above, maybe it’s time to speak to a recruiter? At ALLEN & YORK, we work with clients across the globe to find people their perfect role. We’re working collaboratively, in partnership with our clients, to find you a job you’ll love. Happy Valentine’s day.
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Brexit and recruitment... the story so far.
Whilst Brexit has been an ever-changing beast over the past two years, the CIPD have been closely monitoring its impact employment and workforce trends, to assist employers in recruiting and retaining the right talent. Highlights of this article include: Overall Employment Despite early concerns of a decline in employment, the opposite has been seen - with the UK hitting a record high of 32.54 million (according to the Office for National Statistics), unemployment flat and the number of job vacancies rising from 10,000 to a record high of 853,000*. However, there’s no time to be complacent, with recent announcements of potential job cuts from retailer Tesco (9,000), Santander (1,200) and Jaguar Land Rover (up to 5,000) – the impact of the uncertainty around the impending Brexit could yet to be seen. What about Recruitment? Over the course of the last 2 years, with a 95% drop in EU nationals joining the UK workforce, alongside strong labour demand and low unemployment, we have seen recruitment becoming increasingly difficult. CIPD data shows 44% of employers having trouble in recruiting in 2018, with another 34% facing the challenge of retaining staff. Hard to fill roles are ever increasing. Employers with vacancies who said that at least some of those were hard to fill rose from 51% in Spring 2017 to 70% in Autumn 2018. The numbers of applicants per vacancy has also decreased – with low-skilled roles falling from 24 to 20, medium-skilled roles from 19 to 10 and high-skilled vacancies from 8 to 6. Align the difficulty in recruiting, retaining, placing people in hard to fill roles and reduced applications with increased cautiousness from candidates - and a prediction of increased difficulty in recruiting senior and skilled/technical employees over the next few years - being a talent acquisition manager or in-house recruiter could become increasingly challenging in the coming months/years. Let’s throw some money at the problem Around half of organisations struggling to recruit (48%) threw money at the problem by increasing salaries, alongside 51% who were experiencing retention issues. Upskilling employees to take hard to fill positions was also used to fill the gap. These however may not be long term solutions, employers should potentially be looking at non-financial benefits and making their brands more attractive to their audience. Looking at benefits like flexible working, training and mentoring programmes, clear routes for career development etc could all assist with recruitment and longer-term retention. Fail to plan, plan to fail Some urgency needs to be seen regarding workforce planning and development if organisations are to be able to respond in a decline in available skills and an increase in hard to fill roles. Identifying skills and knowledge required - or being savvy in how to resource for those roles - for now and in the future is key to longer term success. What’s next? Whilst it is relatively easy to look at what has happened in the market and to predict steps that need to be taken to ensure recruitment and retention are front of mind for business, we’re still relatively in the dark as to the actual impact of Brexit on the UK workforce. With a deal still not on the table and the possibility of a No Deal Brexit still on the cards, it’s impossible to state the ramifications of the UK leaving the UK on 29th March 2019 (if indeed the deadline isn’t extended). What we do know, based on the trends above, is that recruiting and retaining the best talent isn’t going to get any easier, therefore having a robust plan in place - alongside a partnership with the right recruiters, right now - can only stand organisations in good stead for the future. To talk to us about how we can help hire for hard to fill or technical vacancies, get in touch at info@allen-york.com or call +44 (0)1202 888986. www.allen-york.com Based on an original article from the CIPD: https://www.cipd.co.uk/news-views/brexit-hub/workforce-trends *https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46958560
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Who Dares Wins - Q1 2019
As we move into increasingly uncertainly social and economic times, I am often asked a simple question along the lines of: “How has Brexit affected the recruitment market in the sector?” The answer is, clearly, as complex as the issue itself and has interesting implications for both employers and job seekers. Since I started recruiting into the Environmental sphere in 2014, the market has been dominated by a pattern of high demand, and a relatively low supply of qualified candidates. This always meant that engineers, scientists and consultants that found themselves looking for a new role, either by choice or external factors, have in the main been met with a strong jobs market to explore either actively or passively. In the 18 months after the referendum, we saw little let up in the demand to grow the consultancy teams across the country. In Q4 of 2018 and so far, in 2019, candidates have started to hunker down, citing uncertain market conditions and economic factors. The general trend is fearing a downturn after the EU withdrawal period and not wanting to be the “last in and first out”. This means a candidate short market will be further starved of the talent pool it desperately needs to deliver, on existing and upcoming projects. However, this presents an interesting market for those bold enough to take a perceived ‘risk’ at this time. Candidate short markets hand the power directly to the job seeker, rather than the employer. This has been proven by an average 9% salary rise gained by the candidates we placed last year, followed by more focus on flexible working, progression and CPD. In short, market conditions, compounded by a further drop in candidate availability, means that those willing to review their options could be in a stronger position than ever. Projects like HS2, the Heathrow expansion, and government investment in house building means that there are teams that are still flying during uncertain times. Allen & York are working with some of the UK’s top ground engineering teams. I would love to chat with you to see what options we may have for you to review. Who Dares Wins. CONTACT: Tom Herbert Recruitment Consultant - Environment T: 01202 888986, ext: 270 E: therbert@allen-york.com
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Women in Planning - is diversity an issue?
In short, yes, there are still steps to take on this hot topic. Planning Resource website has published an article on the firms with the highest proportion of female planners following a speech made by Royal Town Planning Institute chief executive Victoria Hills about diversity. "From a planning perspective, it’s really rather simple," she said. "It’s about being representative of the communities we represent." As action speaks louder than words, the institute has now launched a "vision statement" and action plan to be developed next year, to represent society at large. They issued a statement which promised to "…act inclusively, treat everyone fairly, and seek to provide a culture which delivers the best outcomes for the diverse society in which and for whom we work". The 2018 Planning Consultancy Survey revealed variable results regarding female planners employed by leading firms, with the average across all firms being 38 per cent and just 19 per cent at the vast majority of firms being director level. Which means there is still a long way to go for complete parity. Which is “…pretty shocking," according to Charlotte Morphet, co-founder of Women in Planning, the network that champions for gender equality in the planning industry. Only three firms reported a proportion of female planners’ equivalent to 50 per cent or more; Atkins (55 per cent), CBRE (51 per cent) and Arup (50 per cent). Alison Tero, senior director in CBRE’s planning team, stated “It’s about working with the best talent, irrespective of gender." CBRE and Atkins both use initiatives such as "unconscious bias" training to recruit the best talent. Using policies put in place to assist women to stay in post throughout their career, e.g. their enhanced maternity and paternity leave, and having a women’s development programme which offers training in "personal branding" and professional network building to empower women to go for promotions and drive for bigger projects are also initiatives undertaken by CBRE and Atkins respectively. Richard De Cani, head of planning for UK, the Middle East and Africa at Arup, thinks company culture and career pathing plays a big part in attracting a diverse mix of employees too. Flexible working and opportunities for people to move around the business helping this issue too. We agree with Women in Planning and the RTPI that more must be done to encourage the best talents into the profession and use our tried and tested search methodology to ensure we’re finding the right skills for the roles available - regardless of background, gender, age or disability. See the original article here: https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1519916/firms-highest-proportion-female-planners
