Mactaggart & Mickel’s HR director, Marion Forbes, on how to recruit the best talent when the employment pool is shrinking.

It is welcome news that Scotland’s unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4.2% between April and June. According to The Office for National Statistics, the number of Scots aged 16 to 64 who are in employment rose by 17,000 to a working-age rate of 75.2%.

However, for employers looking to expand and recruit, this trend brings additional challenges in that the pool of job seekers shrinks.

So how do employers make themselves more attractive to potential employees? I believe the answer lies in building your brand as an employer.

A few weeks ago, Mactaggart & Mickel Homes achieved something that no other Scottish housebuilder has done. And which only one other UK housebuilder has accomplished.

We were awarded Investors in People Platinum accreditation, the highest level which can be achieved. Only 2% of IIP-accredited organisations in the UK – 78 companies – have attained this standard.

As a director of Mactaggart & Mickel Homes with responsibility for human resources, I welcome this recognition. But, the truth is, we didn’t set out to gain IIP Platinum.

Our objective was, and remains - to be an employer of choice. Gaining IIP Platinum tells me that we are heading in the right direction – but the journey is not over. In fact it should be a lifelong journey for all responsible employers who wish to recruit the best talent.

So how do you become an employer of choice? There’s no set formula but here are four areas that have proved to be instrumental for Mactaggart & Mickel Homes:

There’s no silver bullet that will ensure that the brightest talent chooses to join your business rather than your competitors. But committing to programmes such as Investors in People is a good place to start on your own journey to be THE employer that everyone wants to work for.