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We haven’t done a business update in a while so thought it was about time we shared a little insight in to what’s been going on behind the scenes at Urbanberry Recruitment!

It’s been 6 years since we started taking that dream of owning our own business out of our heads, and down on to paper. With a strong business travel recruitment background behind us and a deep rooted desire to do things our own way, we knew we had to give it a shot or would regret it forever.

And we most certainly haven’t regretted it! Whilst covid proved a huge challenge and one that of course we wobbled about whether we’d get through it or not with a business intact, determination and persistence prevailed and we ended up having a record breaking year in 2022!

Yes, last year there were lots of companies looking to hire which of course is always good news for a recruitment company.

But everyone was citing it as a “candidate driven market” (meaning simply that job seekers were calling the shots). We’ve recruited in candidate driven markets before but nothing quite to the extent this was.

We had to address complex hiring situations left right and centre, certainly adding a new dimension to the role and pushing our people skills to the max!

We were constantly battling counter offers, candidate uncertainty over industry stability, the loss of confidence in their own skills, last minute poaching by other companies, competition with industries outside of travel who realised just how great our people are, and of course, an overwhelming amount of talented professionals having left the sector.

But that was 2022.  Old news right?

Have things settled a little bit now we’re part way through 2023?

There’s definitely been a more calmer approach to the frantic recruitment pace that last year held (and one we’re thankful for!).

But recruitment in the business travel sector is still tough.

We’ve seen an increased focus from candidates on salary, benefits and work/life balance.  A lot of people have made significant changes in their lives over the last couple of years and very few can afford to take a pay cut, seeking to find the best possible package on offer.

However some regional businesses are still expected to compete with London based salaries which strengthens the argument that there is huge misunderstanding between cost of living and cost of labour:

Cost of living: How much it costs YOU to live where you do.

Cost of labour: How much it costs a COMPANY to employ in that area.

When regional businesses are structuring their pay, they’ll look in to cost of labour in certain areas and pay accordingly. So despite remote working meaning *technically*, they could hire from anywhere, it doesn’t mean they’ll have the budget to pay for someone who lives in a more costly region. (obviously there’s far more to it than that but keeping it simple!)

We’re also being made aware of a gentle (or not so gentle in some cases!) push towards getting people back in to the office. Roles that were once promised as homeworking, slowly migrated in to one day a week in the office and are now regularly becoming 2-3 days upwards. That’s causing disruption amongst many who have settled in to a new way of life, working from home without the commute and enjoying it.

So how are we, as a business, working to support our clients and candidates to stabilise the market going forward?

1.We’re focusing on shifting embedded hiring behaviours – changing perspectives and outdated views.

2. Challenging what we’re asked to find on a CV – constantly asking “what if, how about, have you considered..?”

3. Advocating for inclusivity and educating that “professionalism” isn’t one dimensional.

4. Working tirelessly for those people who want a job in business travel – show us your passion and we’ll help you as much as we can find a company who’ll nurture it. 

5. Listening EVEN MORE and being held accountable for sharing what we’re hearing people want.

6. Educating companies that the next generation of travel industry leaders are entering the industry NOW. We must work together to make sure it’s a place they see career longevity.

7. Investing in our business- watch this space for new ways we’ll be sharing our knowledge!

We hope to continue to help the business travel industry move forwards, not slip back in terms of attracting, hiring and retaining talent.

We know what’s important to the job seekers we speak to because they tell us.   Therefore working with us as a company looking to hire, means we’re your eyes and ears on the ground at all times, allowing you access to super important knowledge you may not get from hiring yourself….

So here’s to the next 6 months of 2023! We’re certainly excited about our future and look forward to being the voices of business travel & travel tech recruitment for a long time.