Facilities Management Recruitment Trends for 2022

Facilities Management recruitment has faced a lot of uncertainty in the last 2 years. With various lockdowns, restrictions, and a general shortage of candidates, it’s been a challenging time. But, as we start to look ahead to see how 2022 is shaping up, we can see some great positives.

Despite the increase in the number of vacancies in the UK currently standing over 1.3m, the number of people applying for jobs is also starting to increase. But that’s not all. Our team have scoured the market to share the facilities management recruitment trends for 2022.

More than 76% of UK professionals intend to look for a new job this year (CV Library)

It’s being dubbed ‘The Great Resignation’. And it’s set to continue long into 2022, so it really is time to be prepared! Looking after your current team must be high on your priorities or you may spend most of 2022 interviewing replacements. It may help to understand why so many people are considering a change in jobs. We’ve researched this for you and can share the top 5 reasons that candidates want to move from their current job –

• 42.1% want or need a career change
• 41.3% are looking for a higher salary
• 40.7% have delayed changing jobs due to the pandemic – they are now ready to move
• 38.9% are looking for more flexible work options
• 33.2% are experiencing burnout in their current job

So maybe it’s time to talk to your teams and see if they are happy, fulfilled, and secure. It may be time to conduct ‘stay interviews’ to help keep hold of your best employees.

Flexible working has changed the face of facilities management recruitment

To be able to attract and retain some of the best talent, most companies are now offering flexible working, but that’s not all. How we work, how we interview, how we hire and how we onboard have changed. So, here’s what to expect –

• 86% of workers want to continue to work remotely at least part time (Glassdoor)
• Candidates are willing to sacrifice up to 12% of salary for flexible or hybrid working
• 61% of candidates expect video interviews to become the norm for 1st stage interviews. Ask about Catch 22 Connect, our virtual interview platform.
• 73% of companies plan to increase freelance or contract hires in 2022. However, except to pay more! Nearly 90% of businesses have been forced to increase contractor rates since April 2021.

What a candidate expects

The power is most definitely with the candidate now. The skills shortage has made sure of that. But when it comes to recruiting the best candidates, there are some things that you need to be aware of –

• 49% of candidates have declined a job offer due to a poor recruitment experience
• Company diversity is important to over 75% of candidates
• If you have a reputable brand, you are likely to receive as many as 50% more qualified applications
• 84% of job seekers use social media for their job search

Long-term talent retention has a renewed focus in facilities management recruitment

Companies across the UK are looking to increase their retention levels. Not only does this reduce the amount of recruitment needed, it also helps to increase productivity too. There will be a renewed focus on working with agencies who develop long-term partnerships. Agencies who are focused on getting the best for client and candidate. That’s where we can help! We are proud to be the first facilities management recruitment agency in the UK. We’ve been helping companies to recruit the best people in FM for almost 40 years. Our many years of experience mean that we know what it takes to find, and to keep, the right facilities management candidates. But don’t just take our work for it…

If you are looking for a facilities management recruitment agency you can trust, look no further than Catch 22. Contact our expert team today and find out why more than 25 of the top 50 FM companies in the UK choose us to fulfil their recruitment needs.