THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | 3 MIN READ David Lynchehaun, Morson Group Sales Director is featured discussing the future of engineering recruitment. The skills shortage, Brexit and the growing importance of technology are all hot topics in the industry right now. Find out more about how Morson can help you with your recruitment needs. (function () { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.type = 'text/javascript'; e.async = true; e.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https' : 'http') + '://btn.createsend1.com/js/sb.min.js?v=3'; e.className = 'createsend-script'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(e, s); })(); In the latest SIA Staffing Industry Review, David Lynchehaun, Morson Group Sales Director is featured discussing the future of engineering recruitment. Read on to find out more about the latest industry trends including the skills shortage, the impact of Brexit and the growing importance of technology in the recruitment industry…. Demand remains strong for engineering talent in the UK but recruiting in the sector faces some challenges brought on by a skills shortage. In addition, thanks to the rapid evolution of technology, clients are changing how they engage with recruitment firms. Brexit also looms with its uncertainty. In a report released in early May, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies reported that demand for contract workers within engineering fell by 20%; however, demand for permanent placement rose by 16%. The Candidate Experience In the UK, competition is fierce for top engineering candidates, and there’s a growing shortage of talent with in-demand engineering skill sets, says David Lynchehaun, group sales director at Morson Group. And the skills shortage is more problematic in some sectors than others. For example, in the nuclear sector, nearly 50% of workers will reach retirement age in the coming decade. Given the shortage, Lynchehaun says it has become increasingly important for clients to ensure the candidate journey is as positive and seamless as possible. This is especially true with social media and smartphones making communication ubiquitous; meaning a candidate’s unhappiness with the recruitment process can spread quickly. Separately, some companies are also capitalising on transferable skills by hiring people from alternative sectors. Casting the recruitment net outside of the traditional talent pool can help to deal with peaks and troughs during project delivery, while revealing insight into how best to upskill other candidates. The demand for talent also highlights the need to bring more people into the engineering field and establish candidate pipelines that are fit-for-purpose. As they leave school, candidates are considering a multitude of industry pathways, and not necessarily engineering, which only fuels the problem further. There’s also somewhat of an industry identity crisis going on in the UK, whereby young people simply aren’t aware of the breadth of roles and opportunities available in engineering, Lynchehaun says. Morson is dedicated to providing candidates with the best customer experience possible. Therefore, we have implemented the latest web accessibility technology to ensure that there are no barriers to success. Find out more here. Brexit What is Brexit’s impact on the UK engineering staffing market? Morson Group’s David Lynchehaun says his company’s work is UK-based, however, there is a growing need for boots-on-the-ground labour, especially for major projects such as the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line. The UK has sourced workers from throughout Europe in the past to fill the labour gap, but it’s unknown how Brexit will ultimately affect such overseas labour pipelines. “It’s an issue that is definitely being considered and forms part of the group’s ongoing risk assessment and risk mitigation. But until we know what the agreed Brexit deal looks like, it is still very much business as usual for Morson,” he says. To read the full article by the Staffing Industry Analysts, click here. Technology The recruitment industry has embraced artificial intelligence in a big way over the past few years, from becoming more aware of how analytics can assist with hiring to actually using AI capabilities. Technology allows us to automate parts of the recruiting workflow, especially repetitive, high-volume tasks such as reviewing CVs. Ultimately, AI can make the recruitment process faster and more efficient. AI recruiting video interview platforms, for example, use biometric and psychometric analysis to evaluate not only the quality of candidate answers but also voice quality, the pace of speech, voice energy, use of fillers, facial micro-expressions and body language. Morson has partnered with RecruitmentSMART to implement its game-changing recruitment sourcing and screening technology. SniperAI provides a game-changing technology that incorporates machine learning and auto screening to match job specifications to potential candidate CVs at rapid speed. Read more about the latest technology here. To find out more about how Morson can help you with your recruitment needs, click here. Or, to find your next opportunity, search Morson jobs here.
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In many companies, big or small, the hiring process is outdated on more than one front. The impact of technology on the way people work, the rapidly growing gig economy, and more generally speaking, the changing expectations of (younger) job seekers are just a few reasons why the way organizations are hiring doesn’t reflect the dynamic nature of the contemporary job market. These are the most common pitfalls we see in candidate selection today: 1. An unstructured process A messy selection process is bad for both recruiters and candidates. 56% of candidates even say that a poor recruitment experience leaves them with a negative view of the brand. On top of that, an unstructured process isn’t scalable nor easily repeatable and puts a strain on your recruitment department as well. 2. A one-size-fits-all selection process Every job family requires a unique combination of skills, competencies and personality traits in order for someone to be fully productive. Therefore it makes no sense to use the same hiring process for all roles, especially since 55% of HR managers say ‘loss of productivity’ is the biggest problem associated with bad hires. A one-size-fits-all selection process increasingly leads to an inefficient selection process and subsequently, bad hires. 3. Sticking to manual labor Are you still posting your vacancies on job boards, plowing through stacks of resumes and scheduling interviews manually? Nowadays, many tedious, time-consuming tasks can be handled by technology saving you precious time in the process. And this doesn’t just make your life easier, candidates will love you for it as well. Did you know that 57% of job seekers lose interest in a job if the hiring process is too long? 4. Selecting candidates without data or collecting the wrong data Too often still, recruiters make hiring decisions based on gut feeling rather than data. Not only does this create a big risk of hiring the wrong candidates, but it also makes it easier for bias to creep into the process. Not surprisingly, 74% of employers admit they’ve hired the wrong person for a role somewhere in their recruiting efforts. 5. No focus on candidate experience When you’re under pressure to find that perfect candidate sooner rather than later, it’s easy to forget about the candidate experience. Often heard criticism from applicants includes a lack of feedback about their application or how they did in the assessment. Furthermore, 61% of employees say the realities of their new job differ from expectations set during the interview process. Contributors: This article was written in partnership with Harver. Harver is a pre-employment assessment platform, that enables innovative companies around the world to hire better, faster.
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MORSON NEWS | 2 MIN READ Morson Forces Ambassador Andy Reid awarded MBE in Queen's honours list "It's not why I do what I do but it's nice to recognised in such a special way." - Andy (function () { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.type = 'text/javascript'; e.async = true; e.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https' : 'http') + '://btn.createsend1.com/js/sb.min.js?v=3'; e.className = 'createsend-script'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(e, s); })(); We’re delighted that Morson Forces Ambassador Corporal Andy Reid has been awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty the Queen. Andy has been selected for the MBE on the strength of his services to the veteran community as well as his extensive work helping the disabled in St. Helens. Morson appointed Corporal Andy Reid as its first official Morson Forces Ambassador in 2018. Andy was injured by a Taliban IED while on patrol with the 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, in Afghanistan in 2009 and lost both legs and his right arm. Describing himself as ‘a survivor, not a victim’, Andy’s attitude has seen him become an inspirational motivational speaker and he works closely with Morson to empower its workforce and strengthen the work it does in bridging the gap between the armed forces and ‘civvy street’. Andy’s experience within the armed forces and knowledge of the terminology used by veterans allows him to act as a conduit and interpreter between them and the Morson team. During his time as Morson Forces Ambassador, Andy has also launched a guide for armed forces leavers looking to transition into civilian life, and helped rail training division Morson Vital Training offer free rail training places. The Morson Group has been supporting the British military for more than 20 years, with our Morson Forces team comprising a number of ex-military personnel that possess a combined 70+ years’ forces experience. With 20% of our total workforce being ex-military personnel, Morson has some 2,500 workers on assignment on various client projects globally. Speaking of his award, Andy told Morson “It’s such a fantastic honour to be awarded an MBE, especially in the Queen’s birthday honours list. It’s not the reason why I do what I do – that’s to help people in the same way that I’ve been helped throughout my journey – but it’s nice to be recognised in such as special way and I’m very proud” Morson CEO Ged Mason said “I’d like to say congratulations to our good friend and ambassador Andy on being included in the honours list for an MBE. I’m absolutely delighted that an award has been given to such a great man. All that he’s done and all that he’s achieved continues to be an inspirational story to many.” As a reflection of this commitment to armed forces leavers, Morson Forces are the proud owner of the Gold Award from the Employment Recognition Scheme (ERS), which is the MOD’s most prestigious badge of honour awarded to employers that deliver outstanding support for those who serve and have served and set a precedent for industry standards. Morson Forces also works closely with the Careers Transition Partnership (CTP) and British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) to ensure smooth recruitment journeys, attending numerous annual events to build an invaluable network. Looking to transition from the military into a civilian career with one of our industry leading clients? Read more about Morson Forces
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INDUSTRY NEWS | 2 MIN READ JLR and BMW have announced that they are joining forces on the development of electric car technology to be used in the next generation of electric vehicles. Andy Allan, Senior Consultant at Morson International comments on the collaboration, providing an insight into what it could mean for the automotive industry. (function () { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.type = 'text/javascript'; e.async = true; e.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https' : 'http') + '://btn.createsend1.com/js/sb.min.js?v=3'; e.className = 'createsend-script'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(e, s); })(); Jaguar Land Rover and BMW Group have announced that they are joining forces on the development of electric car technology to be used in the next generation of electric vehicles. The companies will collaborate on the development of Electric Drive Units (EDU), which includes electric motors and the electronics required to control and operate them. The move will support the advancement of electrification technologies, a central part of the automotive industry’s transition to an ACES (Autonomous, Connected, Electric, Shared) future. Both companies have experience in developing EV technology; Jaguar Land Rover has delivered the world’s first premium battery-powered electric SUV, the Jaguar I-PACE, along with developing several plug-in hybrid models. BMW Group has developed and produced several generations of electric drive units in-house since it launched the BMW i3 in 2013. Nick Rogers, Jaguar Land Rover’s Engineering Director, said: “The transition to ACES (Autonomous, Connected, Electric, Shared) represents the greatest technological shift in the automotive industry in a generation. The pace of change and consumer interest in electrified vehicles is gathering real momentum and it’s essential we work across the industry to advance the technologies required to deliver this exciting future.” “We’ve proven we can build world-beating electric cars but now we need to scale the technology to support the next generation of Jaguar and Land Rover products. It was clear from discussions with BMW Group that both companies’ requirements for next-generation EDUs to support this transition have significant overlap, making for a mutually beneficial collaboration.” Next year, BMW Group will introduce a new electric drive unit, the fifth generation (“Gen 5”) of its eDrive technology, with the BMW iX3 Sports Activity Vehicle. The Gen 5 electric drive unit will be the propulsion system upon which subsequent evolutions launched together with Jaguar Land Rover will be based. Klaus Fröhlich, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development said: “The automotive industry is undergoing a steep transformation. We see collaboration as a key to success, also in the field of electrification. With Jaguar Land Rover, we found a partner whose requirements for the future generation of electric drive units significantly match ours. Together, we have the opportunity to cater more effectively for customer needs by shortening development time and bringing vehicles and state-of-the-art technologies more rapidly to market.” It is believed that the partnership will bring cost efficiencies for both parties and the EDUs will be manufactured by each company in their own production facilities. Commenting on the collaboration, Andy Allan, Senior Consultant at Morson International said: “I think JLR and BMW collaborating is great news for the industry. With the advancements in battery electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell technology there is added pressure to manufacture the battery units. However, the current market is already limited, and high prices have almost forced these collaborations. It had to happen due to the huge expense involved to produce EDU’s (Electric Drive Units), coupled with the increasingly restrictive regulations (rightly so) to protect our environment. These collaborations should see some great brands continue to be produced, which in turn, should see an improvement within the automotive recruitment industry as a whole.” Involved in over 2 out of every 3 vehicles built in the UK every day, Morson has some of the most exciting automotive jobs in the motor industry. Search Automotive and Motorsport jobs now.
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WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY | 5 MIN READ This World Environment Day, Gareth Morris, Director of HSQE, explains how Morson is reducing its carbon footprint. He shares some information on the key areas of air pollution and some small changes that you can make to help combat the problem (function () { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.type = 'text/javascript'; e.async = true; e.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https' : 'http') + '://btn.createsend1.com/js/sb.min.js?v=3'; e.className = 'createsend-script'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(e, s); })(); Gareth Morris, Morson Group Director, Head of Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Compliance, has driven environmental awareness and compliance within Morson for the last 10 years. Gareth is an active member of The Supply Chain Sustainability School of which Morson is a partner, developing people and planet-positive strategies. Today, we celebrate World Environment Day where the United Nations encourages worldwide awareness and actions to protect our environment. The theme for 2019 is air pollution which is one of the most significant challenges facing the UK and the rest of the world. Currently, we breach the European legal limits for Nitrogen Dioxide, and many UK cities exceed the safe limits for particulate matter expelled by diesel vehicles. In this blog, I take a look at what you can do to help reduce air pollution and the key Morson environmental innovations that are currently in place. Energy production Energy production is the leading source of air pollution, predominantly coal and gas power generation. The UK is investing heavily in renewable energy production, mainly through wind power. We can all help by using less electricity at work and at home. Don’t leave devices and equipment on standby, keep heating at an optimal level and turn off lights when not required. Transport The transport sector accounts for 25% of energy-related carbon emissions. Reducing vehicle emissions is an important intervention to improve air quality, especially in urban areas. We can all help by reducing the number of journeys we take, the distances we travel and by using public transport where possible. Air travel is a heavily polluting method of travel, so try and avoid it where possible. Agriculture About 24% of all greenhouse gases come from agriculture and other land use. The two major sources of air pollution from agriculture are livestock which produces methane and ammonia; and the burning of agricultural waste. We can all help by eating more plant-based food, eliminating food waste and by eating local, seasonal foods. Waste Waste burning and organic waste in landfill release harmful dioxins, methane and black carbon into the atmosphere. We can all help by reducing waste and segregating our waste. Morson’s key environmental innovations As part of our ISO 14000 Environmental Management standard, we set annual targets to reduce our carbon footprint and create sustainable work environments, which is underpinned by continual innovation, technology implementation and employee education to promote best practice behaviours. Our environmental policies work to minimise our CO2 emissions, waste per member of staff and divert waste from landfill. Throughout 218 our key environmental innovations included: Automatic shut down on all PCs Promoting of car sharing Automatic sensor lighting Promoting of remote conference calling to eliminate unnecessary travel Green procurement Targeting vehicle emissions Average vehicle emissions continued to fall in 2018 thanks to proactive efforts in reducing our carbon footprint. Expanding the use of Traffilog technology, a global leader in Telematics, throughout our Vital Human Resources national fleet enabled continued improvements in behaviour and reductions in road risks. An ‘in cab’ visual and audio alert warning system provided live data and real-time feedback to our drivers to support safe driving in compliance with the law. The technology enabled us to analyse and act on any journey issues, helping to reduce fatalities, injuries and lost days that can arise from road traffic accidents, whilst giving our management team extensive insights into the way our drivers behave behind the wheel. Traffilog also maximised fuel efficiency and driver speeds, directly reducing associated driving costs. Our continued committed to investing in vehicle technology and driver behaviour to ensure our staff and other road users remain safe at all times, saw us maintain our Bronze Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) accreditation. To find out more visit our sustainability page. Or, if you’re looking to progress your career, search our latest jobs here.
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As you may know, the rules for the taxation of individuals providing their services through via a personal service company (PSC) are changing. As of April 2020, IR35 changes will affect all contractors, including those working in the private sector, who do not meet HMRC’s definition of self-employment. Morson are aware of the proposed IR35 changes and we have been lobbying government and our associated industry bodies about the importance of our contractors operating via Limited Company and the flexibility it provides for companies. We are therefore keen to understand your views and, as such, are running a short survey (2 mins to complete) to discover how the new rules will affect contractors like you. This will help towards shaping our plans for how we can best support our contractor community. To thank you for your time, we will be running a prize draw to win a £200 Amazon voucher, please enter your email address at the end of the questions to be eligible. Click here to take part in our IR35 Contractor Survey. What is IR35? IR35 is intended to catch any individual who but for the supply of their services through a PSC (treated, for tax purposes, as an ‘intermediary’), would otherwise be regarded as an employee of the end-client to whom the services are being provided. Payments received by a PSC, if caught by the IR35 rules (often referred to as operating “inside” IR35) would be subject to tax and NI as if the individual were a PAYE employee of the end client. The resulting tax liability would fall upon the PSC. Whether an individual is operating “inside” or “outside” of IR35 has been previously determined in the first instance by the PSC itself. If HMRC disagree with the PSC’s initial determination and cannot reach agreement with the PSC, then the tax tribunals/courts would decide the position. IR35 Changes The main IR35 changes will include: - a simplification of the determination of status of the individual through use of a tool developed by HMRC known as CEST (short for Check Employment Status for Tax). This is commonly used in the Public Sector and has a number of limitations the responsibility of determining status will lie with the end-client, rather than the PSC (excluding potentially any end-client that is a ‘small business’, in which circumstances the PSC would retain responsibility). Whilst there are concerns over the simplification of how to decide when IR35 applies, the considerations for the end-client should not differ fundamentally to those which would be applied under the current legislation. What are Morson doing? Morson are aware of the proposed changes and indeed have experienced the challenges presented by this legislation when rolled out to the Public Sector April 2017. The original consultation closed August 10th 2018 and both Morson and our clients and associated Trade Bodies (APSCo and The REC) responded to the consultation document, we now await the detailed consultation from Government to be published. Once we have such detail we will be able to work with both clients and contractors to establish processes and procedures for establishing the tax status associated with the various roles undertaken by our contractors prior to implementation 6th April 2020. We will endeavour to keep all parties updated to ensure a fully compliant supply chain. For more information please contact the Morson IR35 Team at ir35@morson.com
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