The Bain and Gray annual survey of market and salary trends was conducted in the latter half of 2020, with over 1,000 clients. It is designed to provide an overview of recruitment volumes, industry sectors, hiring protocols and the use of temporary versus permanent staff. We also delved deeper to understand fully the changes to the London support market during the pandemic and the impact on the longer-term job market for executive support staff for 2021 and beyond. More recently, in a series of candidate webinars and individual candidate interviews, a truer picture of the long-term implications to business support roles across London has emerged.
The General Picture
At the start of 2020, recruitment in London’s executive support industry was robust and employment levels were at a record high of over 75%. The pandemic hit and virtually overnight employees and employers were forced to adopt home-working and nurture a workforce without a communal workplace. The most agile of companies were well placed to adapt quickly, whilst other senior management faced a very real culture shift.
The UK was forced into a national lockdown from March 23rd 2020 which sent shockwaves throughout the country’s recruitment industry. Nobody knew what the future of the workplace would entail or indeed when business would return to the city. The executive support recruitment industry saw an immediate freeze on hiring; in the second quarter of 2020, 15 per cent of job offers were withdrawn by clients, and the demand for temporary staff cut in half.
However, it has remained clear that the role of executive support assistant has adapted well to working from home and those who were always efficient have become more so. We anticipate 2021 will see a bounce back for client and candidate recruitment alike, with temporary and permanent vacancies on the rise.
The key facets of 2020
As spring morphed into summer 2020, the UK market saw significant changes in the demand for executive support roles: junior positions that typically required more onboarding and training lost out in the move to remote and virtual working. Conversely, the demand for more senior positions continued: at the height of the pandemic, the requirement for exceptional organisation skills was more valued than ever.
Many businesses continued to hire throughout the second half of 2020 in expectation of the resumption of normal service levels. Executive assistant and personal assistant salaries in London held their ground throughout this time; there was no noticeable drop in remuneration levels. Innovative businesses found ways to continue without prolonged disruption and many intend to keep flexible or hybrid working as a key component of working practices.
The abrupt reduction in the temporary market of March 2020 steadily picked up in the latter half of the year and remains on an upward trajectory that is predicted to continue as staff return to the workplace. For many, hiring temporary staff is a good way to ensure goals are met without the long-term commitment of a permanent headcount. We are seeing more clients employ temporary and contract workers for front of house and project roles.
The status quo in 2021
Many London companies are now adopting hybrid working arrangements; easily achieved with the right combination of efficient technology, good management and constant communication to keep everyone up to date. To maximise this new working model, exceptional organisation skills are more important than ever and the role of EA or PA is vital. For remote or hybrid working to succeed, support staff must enable the flow of communication in and out of the boardroom. Without this role of management gatekeeper, the boardroom risks being drowned out by noise.
It is now clear that remote working does not damage productivity. Streamlining office systems has been a direct result of enforced remote working and will be vital for the successful adoption of hybrid working. Executive support staff are at the heart of adopting more efficient ways of working and ensuring that relevant technology is understood by everyone within a business or team.
Those fortunate enough to have remained in permanent employment have discovered more effective ways of working and re-balanced the demands of home and work life. The two-hour daily commute has been replaced with two hours of desk time. It’s possible to nip out for the school run and be back at your desk within the hour, working more effectively than before. Some families have moved out of London altogether, a permanent solution for those returning in a hybrid model which only required presence in an office for two or three days of the working week. This had led to a more productive and happier workforce, which is good for business and individuals alike. Many companies are adopting new measures to avoid staff burnout and taking onboard the positive lessons learned.
Maternity cover on the rise
Now over a year since the first national lockdown, there is an upswing in the number of maternity cover roles, which ties in with the reported five year high in demand for National Health Service antenatal appointments in the third quarter of 2020. One London based client who usually has two or three maternity contracts per year now has over ten, which makes up an eighth of their EA support group in the business.
Maternity contracts have historically only appealed to a smaller percentage of candidates; many steered away short-term contracts and preferred the security of a permanent role where companies offer a more comprehensive benefits package. Contracts tended not to be attractive to someone in a role on a short notice period.
Due to the surge in numbers of maternity contracts, we are now advising candidates to be more flexible in their job search as they are missing out on exciting, varied and fantastic opportunities that could in turn go permanent. Those looking to thrive in these roles need to be nimble to adjust to new ways of working and to blend in quickly and effectively in a new business environment. Temp positions often lead to permanent contracts and for those looking for full-time opportunities this can be a good way through the door.
Interview and selection
Candidates have experienced a longer interview process and report they have met more team members during the post-pandemic recruitment than would have been typical before. A brief meeting or handshake at the end of a face-to-face interview with a handful of individuals has been replaced with a more protracted process. While harder to ascertain the office environment, many candidates feel they have benefited from meeting more members of the team, which has given them greater insight into the business and the people. Candidates now have a more in-depth impression of the person they may be working with and of the corporate culture.
Some candidates have gone for opportunities that they might not have previously considered. While remote recruitment practices work, nothing beats the ability to meet potential employees face-to-face before deciding whether they are a match for your organisation, a point on which candidates and clients happily agree.
