Despite July and August being quieter months for recruitment, SMEs across the UK should be ready for a job hunter surge in September, as over half of workers reveal that they are more likely to consider a new job as the summer comes to an end.
In fact, according to data, September 2015 saw a 13.2 per cent increase in candidates registering their CVs, while job applications also soared by 7.5 per cent. This latest news means that SMEs should be prepared to experience an increase in candidate interest come September, as many workers look to explore new opportunities as a result of the typical post-summer-blues.
Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments: “We’re entering a traditionally busy time in recruitment, so it will be interesting to see how the job market favours, especially given recent concerns in the economy. Post-summer labour market activity always tends to improve, as more people return from their holidays, and SMEs begin to pick up the pace. During this period last year, for example, we saw job creation rise by 17 per cent, and we’re hopeful that we’ll witness a similar increase again this year.”
According to the research, which studied over 2,200 UK workers, 70.1 per cent find it difficult to get back into a routine after a summer holiday, with nearly three quarters admitting that it takes one to two days to adjust to work post-holiday. Moreover, over half think that the workplace morale drops as the summer comes to an end and 86.9 per cent said it’s an employer’s responsibility to keep the morale up.
Biggins continues: “It’s clear that the post-summer blues can get Brits down, with many struggling to readjust to the working day. Implementing a robust process which helps to ease people back into work post-holiday is extremely important. Our research tells us that employees feel much better if they have an update meeting on return, followed by time to catch up on emails and projects, as well as speaking with team members and having enough time to create a priority list. Ensuring you accommodate these needs can help workers feel more positive about their return to work after a summer break and may prevent employees looking for work elsewhere.”
The research found that workers find the following factors most difficult about returning to work after a summer break: getting up early, getting back into a routine, catching up on work, catching up on emails, staying motivated and dealing with work stress.
