Revealed: The Industries Winning the Recruitment Race – and the Ones at Risk of Losing Out on Top Talent

Posted 16 August 2023

The UK job market is impossibly tough in many industries today. With demand for labour outstripping supply, employers are struggling to fill vacancies which is threatening the productivity and performance of organisations in both the public and private sectors.

The British Chambers of Commerce’s latest Quarterly Recruitment Outlook (QRO) found that as many as 80% of UK businesses (of which 92% are SMEs) reported recruitment difficulties – down just 2% from the ‘highest level of recruitment difficulties on record’ last year.*

We’re seeing the impact of these labour shortages first hand. Driver shortages have contributed to the rising cost and availability of food in supermarkets, while many pubs and restaurants are being forced to reduce their hours because they can’t find staff. As well as the economic damage this wreaks, shortfalls in sectors like health and social care and the NHS could compromise the care of vulnerable people.

All this means that some employers are doubling down on their recruitment, offering financial incentives – like a golden hello – and highlighting benefits like flexible and hybrid working.

Some organisations may be investing more heavily in their employer brand too, ensuring their culture and values are clearly communicated across all their channels – and careers pages are critical. First impressions count, which is why the best careers pages are easy to navigate, fast to load and can be viewed on different devices. They’re also packed with content to inspire prospective candidates and encourage them to complete their application.

Given the scale of the crisis, we wanted to find out which sectors are delivering the best candidate experiences and which are falling behind, potentially missing out on top talent.

Our Recruitment and Resourcing Index has revealed a gap between candidate experiences across the major sectors.

It was compiled using different metrics – including user-experience of careers pages, the number of questions on an application form, and whether candidates can apply via LinkedIn or need to send a covering letter. The higher the score, the better the candidate experience.

Top industries for candidate experience

Retail and ecommerce is leading the way when it comes to candidate experience, based on our analysis of around 100 well-known brands. Bookstore Waterstones had the best-performing website, while Hobby Craft, Mamas and Papas and Bargain Booze came out top with the shortest application processes. Overall, comic book and science fiction retailer Forbidden Planet scored the highest among the retailers with an average index score of 188.1.

Another consumer-centric sector – homewares and interiors – came second of all the sectors, with online firms Willow and Hall, the Country Living Marketplace, and Scumble Goosie all offering hassle-free application processes. Wayfair and the Conran Shop had the most user-friendly websites but Nordic Nest had the highest average index score for the sector at 188.9.

Worst industries for candidate experience

At the other end of the scale, the table is dominated by industries with long-standing skills shortages, like warehousing and distribution, and transport and logistics. Also on the list are some of the most highly-regulated sectors – accountancy/finance, legal and healthcare – which require evidence of professional qualifications and the fit and proper person test.

Why it matters

Organisations today are not only competing with ones in their own sector but in others too. A record 40,000 teachers left the sector last year,** while health leaders have warned that the NHS cannot compete with the big warehousing and retail firms.***

Often it’s the prospect of better pay and a less stressful working environment that tempts them away from their current job. While a seamless recruitment process alone cannot solve the issue, it can at least help to prevent drop-offs when they’re searching for roles or filling in their application form. It could also ensure candidates aren’t discounted because they haven’t provided the correct information.

It’s worth remembering, of course, that recruiting for some roles takes longer because candidates must be vetted. A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check might be required for some roles, including health and social care workers, while others need proof of accreditation with a professional body such as the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). Thanks to candidate screening and pre-employment screening technology, much of this process can now be automated, helping to save time for both hiring managers and candidates.

Commenting on the findings, Julia Harvie-Liddel, Head of Recruitment at The Access Group said:

“In today’s competitive jobs market, organisations cannot afford to risk losing candidates at the final stage because of poor experiences with their website and arduous application forms.

“The good news is that with a few improvements, employers could see a vast improvement in the number of people who complete their application form. Make sure your careers pages or microsite is performing well from a technical perspective. Like customers, candidates will be put off by sites that are slow to load or don’t display properly on a mobile, so ask your digital team to check its Core Web Vitals (CWV). Just as important is updating your website with the latest roles and engaging content – everything from rewards and benefits, to company life.”

She added that in-house recruitment software can also play a valuable role in achieving this.

“This technology enables firms to create a professional branded website that attracts candidates, engages them at every stage of the journey – keeping them updated on the status of their application and completing checks as efficiently as possible.”

Find out how you can use business management software can help you to streamline your recruitment processes.

Methodology

The Access Group used two key metrics to compile an average index score for each industry analysed, based on the UK’s top 100 brands by turnover by sector.

Core Web Vitals (CWV)

We ran each company’s jobs/ career related page through the Core Web Vitals tester (Lighthouse) then took an average score as the result. This would include the careers page, job listing pages, job description pages.