10/06/2026
A huge thank you to BRM and the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce for inviting me to speak at today's HR Forum. (and to our Heather and Rob for being fantastic photographers!).
It was a pleasure to spend the morning with so many HR professionals and business leaders discussing the realities of recruitment and retention in today's market. Lovely to catch up with some familiar faces, and also make some new connections.
One of the biggest takeaways from the session was this:
➡️ More applicants doesn't automatically mean easier hiring.
While vacancy numbers may have fallen, many employers are still facing skills shortages, longer hiring processes, changing candidate expectations and increasing competition for the best talent.
The organisations achieving the best hiring outcomes aren't necessarily those spending the most money - they're the ones with clear processes, strong employer propositions and the ability to make informed hiring decisions quickly.
We covered:
✅ Current labour market trends
✅ The recruitment challenges we're seeing locally
✅ Practical solutions to improve hiring outcomes
✅ When to engage a recruiter and how to get the best results
✅ Strategies to improve retention from the point of hire
Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed to the discussion and shared their own experiences.
I gave away our Recruitment Made Easy™ Framework that accompanied the presentation, which is a great free resource if you are exploring ways to tighten up your recruitment process. Stay tuned to our socials for how to grab your copy.
