Twenty years ago, the landscape of recruitment looked vastly different from what it does today. And in many respects so did the world. In 2004, Facebook or ‘TheFacebook’ was launched. Popular US sitcom ‘Friends’ aired “The Last One”. The Summer Olympics returned to its roots in Athens, marking a technological revolution with enhanced real-time scoreboards.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane…
The recruitment industry was marked by traditional methods. Newspaper advertisements, generalist job boards, and word-of-mouth referrals dominated the hiring process. Let’s not forget the ‘milkround’ for graduate hiring too.
A talent pool was a physical filing cabinet. Hiring managers received interview paperwork by fax. Candidates answered their phone despite their ‘generational label’ – possibly even a landline. Candidates received letters by post, and they sent CVs in the same way – often taking days to reach recruiters desks for review (if they ever arrived!)
Eventually, first generation careers websites were on the rise – with LONG application forms!
The role of a social care worker was less specialised, and while the demand for care was growing, the profession did not yet have the structured training programs or the technology-driven resources that are now commonplace.
In the early 2000s, recruitment in social care was often a localised affair, with smaller agencies or even individual services managing their hiring independently.
Fast forward to today, and the picture has changed…
The rise of digital platforms, specialist recruitment teams and partners, and advancements in technology have transformed the social care recruitment process.
Online job portals are now tailored specifically for the care sector, and social media has become a powerful tool for attracting and engaging potential candidates. The introduction of AI-driven recruitment tools and data analytics has enabled recruiters to more effectively match candidates with the right roles, ensuring a better fit for both the employee and the employer.
In social care, values-based recruitment has made its mark over the last ten to fifteen years. Where focus once was predominantly placed on candidates with experience – we’ve needed to change our approach. And arguably for the better. Social care is all about people and values. So why wouldn’t we move to a position of recruiting with this at the forefront of screening practice? Utilising tools and technology can help to identify people with the traits proven to lead to better outcomes after all.
Considering social care workforce challenges…
The early 2000s saw ongoing struggles with staff shortages in social care. Retaining staff was a key issue, with burnout, low pay, and stressful working conditions leading to high turnover rates. Sound familiar? Turnover has consistently been a challenge. The annual turnover rate remains high, exceeding 30% at times. Despite slight reductions during the pandemic, overall retention remains a concern.
Wages have seen moderate increases, particularly with the rise in the National Living Wage. However, pay remains low compared to similar sectors, contributing to turnover.
Around this time, the UK began heavily relying on international recruitment to fill gaps in the social care workforce. We only need to look back at the last couple of years to see the reliance we’ve placed in our international hiring efforts. But sustainability wise? An 80% drop in people coming to social care work in the UK reported recently suggests the tide is turning.
The social care workforce often faced low pay and limited career progression opportunities. This was a period when debates intensified about the undervaluation of care work, which remains a persistent issue today.
With an aging population, the demand for social care services was already increasing rapidly in the early 2000s. This created additional pressures on recruitment as more positions needed to be filled to meet rising needs. And now? Based on growth of the population aged 65 and above, by 2035 the sector may need 440,000 extra new posts (25% growth).
The workforce remains predominantly female and older, with a slight increase in male representation, partly due to international recruitment. Younger workers under 25 remain underrepresented, leading to a rethink on efforts to attract more of this demographic.
Ok… so not much change there…
Overall, the past two decades within social care shows a mixed picture of incremental growth, persistent recruitment challenges, and increasing reliance on international workers to fill gaps in the workforce.
Much like our approach to recruitment and the delivery of care, the future of social care recruitment is filled with opportunity and transformation – and demands bold innovation. It’s time to redefine the way we build our workforce.
