• Four in 10 HR directors say rise in video conferencing is due to recruitment of out-of-town candidates 
• Vast majority of senior executives (89%) across UK businesses report it challenging to recruit skilled professionals

London, 12 March 2013 – With candidate shortages and recruitment challenges reportedly plaguing UK organisations, increasingly HR directors are relying on the advancement in technology to support their wider recruitment drive, according to new research¹ from specialist recruitment consultancy OfficeTeam UK.  More than four in 10 (41%) UK HR directors say that compared to three years ago, they have increased their use of video conferencing to conduct interviews, presenting a radical shift in the overall hiring process.   

Highlighting the increased challenges that companies are facing to attract suitable candidates, nearly nine in 10 (89%) senior executives² across UK businesses report that it is at least ‘somewhat’ or ‘very challenging’ to find skilled professionals, with small (91%) and medium (90%) sized organisations finding it the most challenging.

400 UK executives were asked, ‘How challenging is it for your company to find skilled professionals today?” Their responses:

		Business size
		Small	Medium	Large
Very challenging	27%	29%	24%	26%
Somewhat challenging	62%	62%	66%	57%
NET CHALLENGING	89%	91%	90%	83%

When asked why their company increased the use of video conferencing to conduct interviews, more than a half (56%) of HR directors said they now have access to better quality video conferencing tools, whilst four in ten (41%) cite an increase in the recruitment of domestic, out-of-town candidates as one of the main reasons.

Phil Sheridan, Managing Director, OfficeTeam UK said: “Hiring managers are increasingly finding it difficult to source skilled local professionals and are turning towards technology to assist them in the hiring process. Video conferencing allows hiring managers to conduct a visual and verbal assessment of the candidate, which is particularly useful for those who have a long journey to navigate.”  

The research also reveals that UK companies are looking even further afield than purely out-of-town, domestic candidates. A third (32%) of HR directors said that video interviews had risen in the past three years because of increased recruitment of international candidates. This mirrors the number of those looking to shortlist candidates for in-person interviews (32%) and the increased prevalence of free or low-cost tools, such as Skype (31%).     

200 HR directors were asked, ‘Why has your company increased the use of video conferencing to conduct interviews?’ Their responses:

 

Better quality of video conferencing tools	56%
Increased recruitment of domestic, out-of-town candidates	41%
Increased recruitment of international candidates	32%
Shortlisting candidates for in-person interviews	32%
Increased prevalence of low-cost tools (i.e. Skype)	31%
To avoid the commute	21%
Other	1%

Phil Sheridan, concludes: “It is very important that candidates treat video interviews as they would a normal face-to-face interview. Hiring managers will still be assessing physical attributes such as non-verbal communication, professional attire and confidence when being interviewed on screen. 

“Technology is continually advancing, so it only seems fitting that businesses take advantage of the ease of convenience it offers. However, video conferencing will not and should not replace traditional means of assessing and hiring a candidate, which can only be gleaned from an in-person meeting.”  

- ENDS -

Notes to editors

About the Survey

¹The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 200 HR directors across the UK. The survey was conducted in December 2012.

²The survey is based on more than 600 interviews with senior executives from companies across the UK, in areas of HR, financial services, finance and accounting and technology with the results segmented by size, sector and geographic location. The survey was conducted in December 2012.