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Recruiting 17 Engineers for the
biggest biscuit factory in Europe

Of O’Connor’s range of HR services, this case study demonstrates:

• Campaign planning
• Press advertising
• Online advertising
• Careers website development
• Response handling
• Candidate management
• Competency-based interviewing

Introduction
A new shift pattern was being introduced at United Biscuits McVitie’s factory in Harlesden - the biggest biscuit factory in Europe. The new shift pattern created 17 new engineering roles:

6 x Technical Co-ordinators
(Rotating shift) - c.£40,000

11 x Maintenance Engineers
(Night shift) - £41,834

It was also considered possible that the impending move to the new shift pattern might increase employee turnover and a need for further Maintenance Engineers might arise.
The speed of recruitment was very important because the new shift pattern could not be implemented until these staff were in place.

The brief
We were asked to present a recruitment SWOT analysis in light of the candidates United Biscuits was attempting to attract and the current market conditions. The principle aims of the campaign were speed and calibre of recruits. Cost was a consideration but there was a payback to recruiting quickly.

UB anticipated a three-pronged external recruitment strategy:

1) Internet recruitment
2) Media recruitment
3) Agency recruitment

Agency recruitment was the least preferred route to candidate attraction so it was important that the first two stages of the recruitment strategy - Internet and media recruitment - were as successful as possible.

We were also asked to suggest the best approach to managing response on behalf of UB.

SWOT analysis
Strengths - attractive salary/well-known brand/accessible location/we could provide all the services in-house, ensuring speed and cost efficiency.
Weaknesses - shift work/shortage of skilled labour.
Opportunities - quick implementation of the 24/7 engineering resource/ a successful campaign would negate the need for using agencies.
Threats - failure to attract candidates, leading to the costly use of recruitment agencies/delay of 24/7 implementation.

Visiting McVitie’s
We visited McVitie’s to meet with UB’s Site HR Business Partner and their Engineering Manager.

We considered the London Evening Standard, the Metro, the Career Engineer website and Jobsite. We also discussed a number of other media, including the Daily Telegraph, Food Manufacture and the Engineer magazine.

Media selection
The UB engineers that we canvassed supported the choice of the Evening Standard and Metro. Thereafter, we could target additional audiences elsewhere. Possible areas within commuting distance of the city included Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Luton.

Microsite
We also suggested the implementation of a microsite to accommodate full details of the vacancies (role profiles, person specifications, key outputs and shift patterns) and information about UB and the Harlesden area.

Such a comprehensive facility would allow press advertisements to be concise and therefore more cost-effective. CV screening could also be carried out online without the need for administrative resource.

We hosted the microsite on our own webspace to ensure co-ordination with the response handling and candidate management. (We also developed the site with future use in mind. For example, we utilised the site to serve the KP Ashby campaign whilst the Harlesden campaign was still underway.)

Online
We agreed with UB’s choice of Career Engineer and also suggested the use of another website, the Engineer. This avoided the need to use the more costly specialist magazines. To attract candidates on a wider geographical scale, we also advertised on Jobsite, Fish4Jobs and Monster.

Press advertisements
We came up with the idea of featuring one of McVitie’s best-known brands (HobNobs) to create a striking visual impact. We replaced the very familiar HobNobs type style with a play on words, retitling it as HotJobs.

Candidate screening
All candidates were actively encouraged to apply through the site, thus allowing the site’s database to collect all candidate information. The microsite carried a screening form containing ‘killer’ questions regarding work permits, qualifications and availability for shift work.

Telephone interviewing
O’Connor then interviewed against UB’s High Performance Behaviour (HPB) framework. (O’Connor has the in-house capability of assessing candidates against high performance/potential frameworks.)

Competency testing
We also tested candidates against our own competency framework. This focuses less on technical ability to perform the role and more on personal attributes - emotional stability, communication skills, problem-solving etc.

Reporting
We provided UB with a comprehensive report on each candidate, showing scores for behaviour and competency. To assist UB in creating a shortlist, and to differentiate between candidates who scored an equal number of points, we also gave our personal opinion on candidates’ suitability as employees.

Assessment Centres
We were asked to invite suitable candidates to a series of Assessment Centres. The quality of our judgement gained the trust of UB to the extent that, after the success of the first Assessment Centre, we were asked to invite candidates based entirely on our own opinion.

Summary
UB’s initial plan of a three-pronged approach would have resulted in five vacancies outstanding after the campaign to be sourced through staff agencies. Both UB and O’Connor were delighted to have avoided this.

The development of a microsite was a crucial factor behind the campaign’s success. It showed the importance UB attached to the vacancies, helped candidate management and led to a high percentage of well-informed and qualified applicants.

The microsite saved unnecessary media spend and it constituted only 10% of the total campaign costs.

Response handling was also very successful. Focusing on candidate quality - over quantity - kept these variable costs to a minimum.

The microsite’s database enabled us to analyse the effectiveness of each medium.

• The microsite attracted 4,130 visitors.
• Over 75% of these visits were generated by press advertising.
• The two specialist websites contributed over 300 visitors - split more or less equally.
• The three general websites supplied over 170 visitors.

Results

• All 17 vacancies were filled quickly.
• Further suitable candidates were able to be held in contingency for future recruitment needs.
• Total campaign costs (production, microsite, media,
  response handling etc.) came in at less than £20,000.
• Savings on budget = £30,000.