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There are over&nbsp;<a href="https://airlinehistory.co.uk/planned-airlines/">150 airlines</a>&nbsp;planned for operations but yet to start trading. Europe is the most popular destination for budding Aviation leaders, however the past decade has seen an increase in start-ups from all over the world.
In 2023, around 19 new airlines were launched globally. These included several notable entrants such as Uzbekistan&rsquo;s Centrum Air, Malta&rsquo;s Valletta Airlines, Nigeria&rsquo;s NG Eagle, and the luxury boutique airline BeOnd from the Maldives. Despite the economic challenges in the aviation industry, new ventures continued to emerge, driven by both regional and international opportunities.&nbsp;
In 2023, a total of 19 airlines shut down globally due to financial hardships, market pressures, and operational issues. Key closures included major players like Viva Air Colombia, Go First, and&nbsp;Air Moldova, alongside smaller carriers such as Niceair&nbsp;and Fly Gangwon. These shutdowns were influenced by factors like rising fuel costs, competition, and regulatory challenges. Several other regional airlines, like Equair and Aeromar, also ceased operations
VHR looked at the reasons behind the success and failures of start-up airlines.
<h3>4 Factors Determining the Success of a New Airline</h3>
<h3>1.&nbsp;Lack of Resources</h3>
Flyr, a Norwegian low-cost airline, launched in June 2021 with ambitions to become a significant player in the budget travel market. However, by early 2023, Flyr ceased operations after less than two years. Despite initial optimism, the airline struggled with liquidity issues, exacerbated by the pandemic's lingering effects on travel demand and rising operational costs. Flyr's small fleet and limited route network made it particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in passenger numbers.
In January 2023, the company filed for bankruptcy following unsuccessful attempts to secure further funding, and all flights were canceled, marking the end of its short-lived operations.
<h3>2.&nbsp;Internal Operations</h3>
Infamous start-up ValuJet lasted only three years. Notorious for its dangerous cost-cutting measures, the carrier prioritised finances over worker and passenger safety, which ultimately led to its downfall. Staff received scant and infrequent training, contract workforces were improperly managed, internal communication was inconsistent and the company&rsquo;s entire fleet of aircraft was purchased already used from other carriers
In addition to poor operations, the airline neglected to listen to customers, market experts and industry authorities. In 1995, the military&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ValuJet_Airlines">refused</a>&nbsp;ValuJet's bid to fly military personnel over safety worries, and the FAA wanted the airline to be grounded. However, the fatal crash of Flight 592, which exploded in Florida due to faulty oxygen generators that were scheduled to be removed, saw the grounding of all flights in 1996.
<h3>3.&nbsp;Planning</h3>
A sustainable business plan is key to launching any new venture, but planning is particularly vital to building a successful airline.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.boeing.com/company/about-bca/startupboeing.page">Boeing</a>&nbsp;lists the following considerations for potential CEOs before take off:
&middot; Market analysis
&middot; Competitor analysis
&middot; Branding and positioning
&middot; Operational strategy
&middot; Management team experience and fit
&middot; Exploration of risks and obstacles
&middot; Financial projections
&middot; Implementation strategy.
In April 2016, start-up FlyKiss met its end before it had even begun operations. The carrier was designed to connect cities with limited travel links, however a confused proposition of non-stop and one-stop services, longer flight times due to indirect routes, and a niche of a few small city destinations in England and France served only by 49-seater jets did not receive enough demand to launch. FlyKiss had sold several tickets well in advance, leaving multiple passengers in the lurch when it was cancelled.
<h3>4.&nbsp;Differentiation</h3>
Launching in June 2018, a new Canadian low-cost airline from parent company WestJet, was voted the world&rsquo;s best start-up airline by CAPA Centre of Aviation.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flyswoop.com/">Swoop</a>&nbsp;won the title for creating a brand within a brand by successfully introducing the ultra-low-cost model in Canada on a large scale.
Swoop&rsquo;s business model is based on &lsquo;ultra-customisation&rsquo; to make travel more affordable and accessible to individuals and families of all income levels. Passengers only pay for their seat, with complete control over adding in-flight food, Wi-Fi or check-in baggage for an additional cost if desired. Swoop&rsquo;s personalisation model empowers customers to travel the way they want, every time they fly. Fuel efficiency is favourable to consumers looking to minimise their carbon footprint, and further helps cut costs and deliver customer savings.
To thrive in competitive environments, start-ups must find a true gap in the market and capitalise on it with unique services that add value to the customer experience. Differentiation of brand and business model saw Swoop transport circa 1million passengers during its first year of service.
Explore the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/global-aviation-challenges-market-predictions-report-2020">Aviation Challenges &amp; Market Report for 2020</a>.
Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/step-by-step-recruitment-strategy-for-brexit">Step-by-Step Guide to Recruiting After Brexit</a>.

4 Reasons Why Start-Up Airlines Fail or Succeed

The aviation industry faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic, which not only slowed growth but also forced a rapid transformation across every facet of the sector&mdash;changes that seemed unimaginable before 2020. 
However, the pandemic didn&rsquo;t initiate these shifts; it accelerated them. Many airlines already had plans to embrace digital transformation, and the global crisis fast-tracked their implementation. 
Today, airlines are investing heavily in cloud-based services, data management solutions, and automation technologies&mdash;tools that have long existed but are now central to the industry&rsquo;s evolving digital strategy.
Operating on razor-thin margins and highly susceptible to volatile market forces, such as fluctuating fuel prices, airlines must embrace these digital strategies to stay competitive. Meeting the expectations of a new generation of tech-savvy customers, who demand seamless, digital-first experiences, is no longer optional&mdash;it&rsquo;s essential for long-term success. 
<h2>The benefits of a digital strategy for the aviation industry&nbsp;</h2>
One of the main benefits of a digital strategy is that it captures and generates data points allowing for faster delivery of services, as well as analysis into how things could be made better or more efficient. &nbsp;
If the aviation industry focuses on digitalisation and integrates AI, data, and other technologies, we could see improvements in fuel efficiencies, cost savings, new revenue opportunities, increased passenger engagement and brand advocacy from customers, better passenger flows through airports, and most important of all, increased levels of safety. &nbsp;
<h2>Digitalisation in Aviation&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Airlines will give customers more control over their flight experience through an omnichannel approach&nbsp;</h3>
With everything from food shopping to paying bills becoming easier to do online, every industry has had to start thinking about their service in terms of digital impact. &nbsp;
The aviation industry is no exception, and while we&rsquo;ve been able to book flights and tailor experiences online for years, the industry has stepped up the online experience considerably in the wake of the pandemic. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Digitalisation, when implemented correctly, should offer a seamless experience for the customer. &nbsp;
Omnichannel delivery allows for a continuous customer experience no matter which device is being used to access information. Customers can book using their laptop at home, and purchase extra luggage space or entertainment add-ons via their phone on the way to the airport. &nbsp;
Notifications and updates allow customers to stay informed of changes to the flight schedule, rather than only finding out once they get to the terminal. &nbsp;
Lastly, more and more of us are expecting to be able to check-in via mobile, instead of going through long queues. &nbsp;
Digitalisation enhances customer control, which in turn significantly boosts customer satisfaction. According to the 2023 Global Passenger Survey by IATA, the percentage of airline passengers willing to share their personal data for better, more personalized services has risen to 75%. This reflects an increasing comfort among passengers with sharing biometric data and personal information in exchange for more streamlined and convenient travel experiences, such as faster processing through airports and enhanced customer service​.&nbsp;
In 2023, Delta Airlines' loyalty program continued to see significant growth. The airline earned close to $7 billion in remuneration from its partnership with American Express, reflecting a 22% year-over-year increase. This growth in loyalty program revenue underscores the increasing importance of personalized, digital-first experiences as Delta continues to invest in enhancing customer engagement through its SkyMiles program and premium offerings​.
<h3>Digitalisation of flight systems&nbsp;</h3>
Digitalisation doesn&rsquo;t just help customers, it can also help the aircraft pilots by assisting with every stage of the flight, improving overall operations.&nbsp;
A network of apps help with flight processes, improving operational efficiency, situational awareness, collaboration ability between pilot and co-pilot, and compliance with safety protocols.&nbsp;
Each digital tool helps reduce the burden on pilots, improving efficiency, as well as safety. Establishing a single digital ecosystem for application testing and training makes it easier for pilots and ground-based operators to interact more efficiently, sharing data in real-time. &nbsp;
Greater consistency and communication can be achieved by providing everyone involved in flight operations with the same information, regardless of where they are situated. Having more eyes on the same data increases the likelihood of detecting problems or opportunities for improvement. &nbsp;
<h3>Digital tools are changing aircraft design&nbsp;</h3>
It&rsquo;s not just the operations and customer service areas of the industry that can be improved with digital tools. The very design of aircraft is changing thanks to new technology. &nbsp;
New prototype models are designed and tested in an entirely digital space, with computers able to simulate weather patterns, stresses, emergency scenarios, and more, to completely test a new design in ways that couldn&rsquo;t possibly be accurately recreated in the real world. &nbsp;
When prototypes are built and tested in the real world however, again data is helping make things more accurate, with the testing of a new aircraft design requiring thousands of data parameters be tested, capturing tens of thousands of data points every second. Even a full team of scientists couldn&rsquo;t analyse all that data, but machines can. &nbsp;
Mechanical computer-aided designs (MCAD) and electronic computer-aided designs (ECAD) are widely used across aviation and other technical industries, but new technology allows for systems and designs to be synced automatically, while also highlighting the changes for human review. These designs can then be viewed in virtual reality, allowing designs to see the project from all angles, in greater detail than ever before. &nbsp;
This kind of virtual reality-mapping can also be used in maintenance and repair, with engineers working with virtual reality glasses that display what needs to be done. &nbsp;
&nbsp;To reap the real rewards of digitalisation the industry needs to put it at the centre of every decision moving forward. Digitalisation should not be an afterthought but the first point of call for new initiatives as well as existing processes. The aviation industry shouldn&rsquo;t see digitalisation as a challenge but rather, an exciting opportunity to grow. &nbsp;

How the Aviation Industry Is Shifting To A Digital Strategy

6 Ways to Attract the Best Aviation Talent

The development and implementation of green energy is one of the most pressing concerns we have as a global civilisation. Without it, we will struggle to ensure environmental conditions won&rsquo;t rapidly deteriorate, causing widespread damage and loss of life.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s well known that fossil fuels create pollution when they are used, and with CO2 levels climbing every year, we&rsquo;re already seeing dramatic weather events, heatwaves, and storms being driven by climate change brought on by the use of fossil fuels. Luckily, we have viable alternatives in wind and solar energy.
While these green energy systems have existed for decades, the uptake is still relatively small when compared with traditional fossil fuel use. We need renewable energy to become the global standard as soon as possible, not just for environmental reasons, but also societal ones.
As the name suggests, renewable energy is so important as the energy sources that power it will not run out. Fossil fuels are a finite resource, meaning that one day we will run out of coal, oil, and natural gas. Unless our energy systems are switched to renewables, vast amounts of the population will one day be left without any energy, as we&rsquo;re already seeing today.
We&rsquo;ve outlined below several reasons why we should be developing and utilising green energy.
<h2>Why developing green fuel is so important</h2>
<h3>Renewable energy is the best way to stop climate change</h3>
&nbsp;The extraction, transport, and use of fossil fuels is the single biggest contributor to our overall levels of pollution as a global species.
Utilising solar and wind power, we won&rsquo;t need to expend energy extracting oil or coal or natural gas. Mining and extracting these resources is incredibly labour intensive, requiring energy be used just to extract more fuel. We also won&rsquo;t be risking oil spills or pollution leaking into the environment during the extraction or refining process.
When it comes to the pollution generated by burning fossil fuels, the key element is the carbon inside them. When burned, this creates carbon dioxide, a major factor in the warming of the planet. In contrast, there is no pollution given off by green energy.
We also need to create green fuel for cars, planes, and boats. We&rsquo;ve seen huge leaps in electric car technology over the last decade, but we need more widespread availability of charging stations around the world if electric cars are to become viable for everyone.
If we pivot to a green energy civilisation, we will drastically reduce the rate at which climate change is occurring, giving the environment a better chance to stabilise.
<h3>Renewable energy will unlock a new green economy</h3>
If we as a society move away from traditional fossil fuels, and all the infrastructure that entails, we will require an equally dramatic shift to a new green economy.
Workers and engineers will need to be trained or up-skilled in new technology, and given the massive scale and speed at which we will need to pivot our energy infrastructure, there will be many new jobs available.
It&rsquo;s not just the generation, but also the storage of energy that will create jobs.
<h3>Renewable energy will increase energy security</h3>
Given the energy crisis, it&rsquo;s clear that our current methods of sourcing energy aren&rsquo;t fit for purpose. Importing energy from other countries leaves us vulnerable to political, economic, or military tension, leaving us without enough energy, or forced to pay extortionate prices for it.
Solar and wind power would allow us to be fully in charge of our own energy production, meaning we&rsquo;d never have to rely on foreign countries for our energy. As these technologies become more efficient, and additional investment in energy storage is made, we would eventually have a surplus of energy that could be sold to other countries. Green energy can help end energy scarcity around the world, meaning blackouts would be a thing of the past.
It&rsquo;s clear that we need to change how our society operates if we&rsquo;re to stop the climate changing irreversibly. Renewable energy is perhaps the best way for us to be able to continue living as we are now, but with a massive reduction in overall pollution levels. As the technology involved becomes more efficient, and the need for change becomes even more apparent, hopefully renewable energy will come to play a bigger part in all of our lives, helping us create a healthier environment.
Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/renewable-energy-the-solution-to-the-energy-crisis">renewable energy</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/establishing-strategies-for-sustainable-aviation">strategies for sustainable aviation</a>.

The Urgency of Developing Green Fuel

In the last decade, the superyacht industry has boomed. Of course, with the growth of any luxury market also comes an increase in security issues within that market. &nbsp;
While pirates have been a threat to marine vessels ever since we first invented the boat, now yacht owners and managers must deal with a new threat: hackers.&nbsp;
All industries, including the marine industry, have moved more online in the last few years. The need for online service and support was made clear a few years ago, and the superyacht industry has had to pivot to a more online service model, as well as general operations while at sea. &nbsp;
Safety management systems are now online, and communication and navigation are done via the internet. This has generally made things safer and more reliable, but it does open up yachts to new threats like cybercrime. &nbsp;
As we move into an increasingly uncertain future, superyachts, their owners, and their manufacturers will likely become targets for malicious activity. &nbsp;
There are new risks that must be managed if the superyacht industry wants to retain its reputation. &nbsp;
<h2>Risk in the superyacht industry&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Piracy&nbsp;</h3>
The oldest threat to the marine industry is unfortunately just as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago. As things become more desperate for people around the world, the promise of wealth, perfectly captured in the form of a nearby superyacht is hard to ignore, driving many to piracy. &nbsp;
<h3>Cybersecurity&nbsp;</h3>
If someone manages to hack into a yacht&rsquo;s network, they can potentially take control of the navigation system, communications system, and surveillance systems, all of which can aid with physical attacks. &nbsp;
<h3>Supply Chain Disruption&nbsp;</h3>
Throughout the pandemic, virtually every industry on the planet has suffered some form of disruption to its supply chain. The industry may need to re-evaluate how it operates as we move forward into a world where speed is the number one priority for all customers. &nbsp;
<h2>How to manage risk in the superyacht industry&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Identify all threat vectors and assess your defences &nbsp;</h3>
You can&rsquo;t protect yourself if you don&rsquo;t know what threats you face. Carrying out a full audit of your cyber security, entry points, fuel, supply chain access, durability, staff, and other vulnerabilities will show you exactly where you stand, and where you need to improve. &nbsp;
This allows you to build a practical risk assessment and strategy for moving forward, as well as being able to manage all risks end-to-end. &nbsp;
Unfortunately, given the world we live in, everything must be analysed, from the management company to the fuel supplier to the engine manufacturer. &nbsp;
From here, you can begin to assess which threats are most likely to be faced, on specific voyages, in specific conditions, and begin investments to improve protection where it will be needed most. &nbsp;
<h3>Remove human error wherever possible&nbsp;</h3>
Employees across the entire manufacturing and management process must meet a high standard of work and knowledge about the end product.&nbsp;
It is now essential that cyber security awareness should be included in basic training. Human error is the number one cause of cyberattacks, so crew and support staff must be trained in cyber security awareness and always follow best practices. Cyber security must be given equal importance as fire safety, survival techniques, and first aid if a modern yacht is to stay safe.&nbsp;
Accountability is also crucial. Roles and responsibilities for all those on board the yacht and in the management, company should be made clear, along with penalties for those who fail to comply with the procedure. With everyone clear on what they need to do, and the proper education and training, there should be fewer opportunities for cyber-attacks and other issues to occur. &nbsp;
<h3>Ensure robust security&nbsp;</h3>
Whether physical or virtual, security is the number one deterrent to bad actors. &nbsp;
Bringing on additional security personnel and surveillance equipment, as well as the most up to date cybersecurity can help prevent attacks just by being there, rather than repelling any attacks.&nbsp;
Criminals will usually do some research or reconnaissance before attempting anything, and if it&rsquo;s clear that you&rsquo;re a tougher target than someone else, you&rsquo;ll be left alone. &nbsp;
Times are changing for the superyacht industry and the marine industry. While staying compliant with the new legislation is the first step towards security, the industry must go above and beyond to ensure the reputation of the industry and the protection of its clients
Learn more about <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/creating-a-sustainable-workforce-for-the-marine-industry">creating a sustainable workforce for the marine industry</a>, or read about <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/marine-sustainability-trends">marine sustainability trends</a>&nbsp;

Managing Risk In The Superyacht Industry

Technology, compliance and increased awareness and legislation around modern slavery have made significant changes to recruitment processes in the past decade.
22% of UK Engineering business leaders and 42% of Aviation business leaders listed skills shortages as their most urgent business challenge in the coming years. With skills shortages forcing many employers to change their approach to recruitment, how can organisations attract and retain the best talent?
<h3>5 Ways to Find and Hire the Best Engineers</h3>
<h3>1.&nbsp;Build Your Employer Brand</h3>
Branding is centred around how you market your company to potential employees. Branding isn&rsquo;t just a logo, a colour scheme or even a website: it involves every touchpoint across every channel that a prospective candidate could come across. Your brand image is conveyed by the ways you intentionally promote yourself, such as through press releases and digital campaigns, as well as uncontrollable external conversations such as reviews and criticism that you receive and the ways you respond to them.
Recruiting in 2020 will require companies to put forward a compelling case to make candidates actively want to work for them. Building your employer brand means conveying your ideologies and values consistently and genuinely, tailoring your message to the wants and needs of each type of candidate you want to recruit.
When looking to appeal to the younger generations, millennials and Generation Z value autonomy and the opportunity to be creative and enjoy what they do, ahead of social events or nights out as company benefits. Younger candidates are attracted to organisations that match their worldview and personal beliefs: open and transparent processes, proactively supporting diversity and inclusion, and valuing employees as individuals with wants and needs. Work out where your company fits into the modern working landscape, highlighting positive aspects that match it and ensuring these aspects are communicated effectively.
Employers can build a positive brand image by prominently leading with staff benefits and employee case studies in recruitment campaigns, and targeting each candidate audience segment on the channels where they naturally exist. For example, are your candidates on certain social media channels, do they read certain industry or trade publications, are they members of specific networking groups or do they visit particular tradeshows or events? Involving existing staff by asking for their feedback on the current culture and working environment can provide insight into the image potential employees may have of the organisation and changes that could be made to improve the employer brand.
<h3>2.&nbsp;Invest in Apprenticeships</h3>
Rising university fees and heightened job market competition are encouraging more students to take up apprenticeships after leaving school. Engineering is a particularly compatible career choice: trainees can learn practical skills and techniques whilst on the job and can go on to specialise in specific areas once qualified.
Apprenticeships catch potential Engineers at the beginning of their careers, meaning individuals can be trained up to the standards of the employer and their skills perfectly honed to the needs and aims of the business. Investing in employee training and development has overwhelmingly positive correlations with staff retention: apprenticeships are key not only to finding the next generation of Engineers but keeping them to add business value for years to come.
Businesses can partner with local schools and colleges to recruit apprentices from a young age. Getting in contact with young people before they even begin to think about career choices, ideally, before GSCE level, helps to raise awareness of the fascinating variety of Engineering careers that are available but that are usually not promoted in the education system. Correlating apprenticeship recruitment campaigns in schools with external industry events, such as International Women in Engineering Day, will garner further support from schools and reach diverse groups of young people.
<h3>3.&nbsp;Engage Diverse Talent Pools</h3>
A mere 9% of the UK&rsquo;s engineering workforce is female &ndash; the lowest in Europe &ndash; which is driven by an underrepresentation of female engineering students. Just 15.8% of engineering and technology undergraduates in the UK are female, whereas one in three engineering students in India are female. The problem appears to start even earlier than the University. Although there is now very little gender difference in the participation and achievement of girls in core STEM GCSE subjects, only 20% of A-Level Physics students are female; a number that has not changed in the past 25 years.
Other diverse groups are also underrepresented. Despite people of ethnic minority background making up 14% of the total UK population, Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) talent is also underrepresented in the UK engineering industry. Although BAME students account for 25% of university engineering graduates, only 6% of UK engineers are from BAME backgrounds. The high graduation rates followed by industry underrepresentation suggest a variety of causes, including the lack of job opportunities specifically open to BAME engineers after graduation, and the ability of engineering businesses to effectively reach and engage BAME talent.
Existing female and BAME engineers are proving that they have the talent, but that their skills are not being harnessed by schools, universities or businesses across the UK. The proportion of UK citizens from ethnic minority communities is projected to reach 30% by 2050, signalling an expanding pool of potential BAME engineers who could provide the new skills that the UK engineering industry urgently needs.
A recent report from McKinsey evidences that companies that score highly for ethnic diversity are 35% more financially successful than their competitors, with gender-diverse companies outperforming their competitors by 15%. Diverse and inclusive companies are better equipped to understand and engage their global customer base and are more successful in attracting and retaining talent from diverse groups. For the future innovation, growth and success of the industry, engineering businesses must find ways to become more diverse, starting with getting more young people from diverse backgrounds into engineering.
<h3>4.&nbsp;Widen Talent Pools to Include Other Industries</h3>
Most technical career paths involve skills that can be adapted to other similar industries: for example, Aircraft Mechanics can upskill to become adept at building wind turbines. Highly skilled Engineers will benefit from the same things &ndash; flexible working and shift patterns, opportunity to travel and career progression &ndash; across Aerospace, Aviation, Motorsport, Automotive, Marine and other technical sectors. With the potential to learn new skills and become officially certified even easier thanks to Online Aviation Training courses and Government investment in the industry.
<h3>5.&nbsp;Work with a Specialist Recruitment Company</h3>
Engaging with a recruitment company that specialises in your industry can offer insight into the wants, needs and situations of the talent that you want to attract. Specialist recruitment consultants can help business leaders build a picture of what will really attract skilled candidates into the business and create a bespoke plan to reach talent pools at all stages of their careers.
&nbsp;
Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/best-jobs-you-dont-need-a-degree-for" rel="noopener">Best Jobs You Don&rsquo;t Need A Degree For</a>.
Find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">VHR&rsquo;s award-winning recruiting solutions</a>.

The Secrets to Finding Top Engineering Candidates

STEM, or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is an important field, one that requires talent, ingenuity, and creative thinking to solve the world&rsquo;s problems.&nbsp;
However, historically women have been less likely than men to engage in STEM subjects at school, less likely to pursue STEM careers, and worst of all, less likely to be encouraged by parents and teachers to study STEM subjects in the first place.&nbsp;
We live in a time when we desperately need creative solutions to difficult problems, whether facing climate change, the energy crisis, space exploration, or the infrastructure needs of a growing population. Women could have answers to these issues but are being put off rewarding, exciting, meaningful careers in science, and this needs to change.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Less than one in five employees in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/the-empowering-guide-for-women-in-tech/" rel="noopener">tech industry are women,</a>&nbsp;despite the fact that women make up more than half of the U.S. workforce.
Women make up only around a quarter of the STEM workforce, less than a fifth of STEM board members are women, and only around <a href="https://www.bigrentz.com/blog/women-in-stem-statistics">3% of STEM CEOs are women</a>. &nbsp;
This is largely in part to the drastic drop-off of women studying STEM subjects after the age of 16, being encouraged or even told to study &lsquo;softer&rsquo; subjects, instead of pursuing a talent for sciences. &nbsp;
<h2>Why are there fewer women working in STEM?&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Gender Stereotypes&nbsp;</h3>
Even today, STEM subjects are often seen as more &lsquo;masculine&rsquo; subjects to study. Because of this, teachers and even parents can doubt girls&rsquo; maths or science abilities, which impacts their confidence in pursuing these subjects.&nbsp;
<h3>Male-Centric Cultures&nbsp;</h3>
Because so few women work in STEM, workplaces often take on a male-centric or male-dominated culture. This makes it harder to introduce women into the workplace, especially since it&rsquo;s more likely that those in charge of the hiring process will be overwhelmingly male. &nbsp;
<h3>Fewer Female Role Models&nbsp;</h3>
The final reason why there aren&rsquo;t as many women working in STEM is that there aren&rsquo;t as many role models to influence and encourage young women to enter the field. This of course perpetuates a negative cycle, where fewer women pursue a career in STEM precisely because it seems like so few have been able to do it. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Only by bringing more women into the field can we break this cycle. &nbsp;
<h2>Why we need more women in STEM&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Diversity improves workplaces and industries &nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>
Only having one set of backgrounds or opinions has a negative impact on a workplace&rsquo;s culture, productivity, and overall quality of work. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Ensuring an equal split of men and women helps bring in other viewpoints, considerations, and skill sets that would otherwise be missing. McKinsey found that companies with an <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/why-diversity-matters">even gender balance are around 25% more likely to outperform competitors</a>.&nbsp;
By encouraging a wider talent pool, businesses can expect smarter, more competitive employees, with wider experiences to draw on for their work.&nbsp;
<h3>More women in STEM careers narrows the overall pay gap&nbsp;</h3>
STEM careers generally offer high pay, in fact, a typical <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/01/09/women-and-men-in-stem-often-at-odds-over-workplace-equity/ps_2018-01-09_stem_1-09/">STEM worker earns two thirds more</a> than the average worker in a non-STEM field.&nbsp;
Yet even in STEM, many women are missing out on higher pay compared to their male counterparts performing the same jobs. <a href="https://www.aauw.org/resources/research/the-stem-gap/">Men in STEM&rsquo;s salaries are on average around $15,000 higher annually than women&rsquo;s</a>, so it&rsquo;s clear there&rsquo;s still more work to be done in closing the wage gap.&nbsp;
However, if more women were working in STEM, it would provide more women with economic security on an individual level, as well as close the overall national pay gap. &nbsp;
Encouraging young women to study STEM subjects and pursue science and engineering careers, is one step towards a more diverse and equal workforce. Beyond this, workplace initiatives designed to encourage and champion female STEM workers will help raise awareness of women in the field, which will, in turn, encourage more women to work in STEM in the future. &nbsp;
Read more about <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/4-most-exciting-careers-for-young-people">exciting careers for young people</a>, or learn about &nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/reasons-to-work-in-civil-engineering">reasons to work in civil engineering</a>.&nbsp;
Read the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/the-empowering-guide-for-women-in-tech/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Empowering Guide for Women in Tech in 2022</a>.
&nbsp;

Why We Need More Women In STEM Roles

Executive search is a specialised type of recruitment aimed at locating and sourcing highly-skilled senior management talent for an organisation.
In this guide, we&rsquo;ll look at how the executive search process works, and the benefits of using it over other recruitment methods.
As high-level executives have crucial responsibilities within the company, like leading teams, making key business decisions, and gaining an edge over competitors, the cost of a bad hire can be high, leading to stalled projects, damaged morale, and even increased staff turnover.
To ensure maximum success with this crucial element of the business, this specialised area of recruitment utilises unique expertise in the sector, in order to find the highest quality candidates.
&nbsp;
<h2>What is the difference between executive search and recruitment?</h2>
An executive search agency will conduct extensive interviews and research with their client to learn exactly what they want, the kind of person they&rsquo;re looking for, and what they want the new team member to achieve. They will also learn about the client company&rsquo;s values, ethos, and culture, as these are vital in ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership with potential candidates.
Instead of casting a wide net to find as many qualified candidates as possible, executive search focuses on the best of the best. A typical recruiter might put forward 10 or 20 people for a role, whereas in executive search, they may well submit a single candidate, out of hundreds they&rsquo;ve spoken to or assessed.
&nbsp;
<h2>What are the benefits of executive search?</h2>
<h3>Focus</h3>
Unlike a typical recruitment strategy, executive search takes a high-focus approach to a very small number of roles.
After the research phase, the recruiter has a clear understanding of what the company needs and who they need to look for, making the selection process far more specific and granular.
By design, executive search requires proactive engagement, as most of the time the candidates are already employed and not actively looking for a job. As leaders in their fields, these candidates often need more than just an impressive salary in order to consider the role.
This is part of the strength of executive search, in that the recruiter understands what the candidate wants from a role, and the candidates are chosen for their specific experience, traits, and compatibility with the company.
&nbsp;
<h3>Better match between candidates and company culture</h3>
When it comes to executive search, recruiters have to be experts in the field they&rsquo;re recruiting for. They need to understand the landscape of the sector, what the company offers, where it aims to be in ten years, and how those goals align with those of the potential candidate.
This is how recruiters match the client brief and expectations to the right candidate. It isn&rsquo;t just about understanding the skills that make certain candidates excel, it&rsquo;s about understanding them on a personal level, and helping them make the right move for their long-term career.
Over time, the relationship between client and recruiter can prove invaluable when looking for high-profile talent, as the recruiters have developed an exceptional understanding of the brand&rsquo;s culture, values, and requirements, leading to higher levels of success when placing high-level team members.
&nbsp;
<h3>Guarantees on delivery</h3>
An executive search campaign provides value to businesses by giving them a map of the market, complete with profiles of industry-leading candidates, as well as benchmarking for particular skills, roles, and salaries.
This allows smarter decision making, and a more informed approach to where talent can be sourced. High-performance candidates often have a wealth of transferable skills, and the right fit for an organisation may not be immediately obvious.
But a good recruiter can see the potential for compatibility in different candidates, and thanks to their expertise can deliver on very specific and exact requirements for a role.
It can be easy for organisations to fall into the trap of recruiting similar people as the previous team member, but executive search firms often excel at finding people who will help the business to grow and evolve in new ways, understanding what the client needs, and who can deliver. This way, executive search can guarantee results, even for very difficult roles to hire for.
&nbsp;
<h3>Deeper candidate pool</h3>
An executive search firm will have extensive knowledge of board directors and senior executives across the industry, allowing them to tap into a considerable pool of top executive talent.
While the pool for executive search is naturally smaller than for more generalised recruitment projects, the pool for a given role can have surprising depth, with candidates weighing up every element of the job to see if it&rsquo;s really the right fit for them.
This is why the additional attention to detail and personality that is innately part of executive search is so important, as it allows for a deeper match between candidate and role. The process is often far longer and more detailed than typical recruitment for this reason, with the candidate being fully immersed in the finer details of the role and organisation before they make their decision about whether to pursue the opportunity.
It&rsquo;s this level of dedication that leads to successful candidate placement with long-term satisfaction on both sides.
&nbsp;
<h3>Higher quality of candidates</h3>
If a company is looking to grow and improve, and to do so at speed, executive search is often more valuable than a traditional widespread recruitment campaign. One great senior leader member can empower an entire team, improve processes, and bring in new business.
To enable this kind of rapid transformation, executive search only focuses on candidates who are experts in their fields, with clearly proven leadership and team-building skills, who can walk into a role and start producing value from day one. These candidates take on essential responsibilities that have a direct effect on the company&rsquo;s growth and success.
This is why executive search can often drive growth at higher levels than a more widespread recruitment campaign.
&nbsp;
Executive search is a way for businesses to transform how they work, and to improve their overall culture with just a few strategic hires. If you&rsquo;re interested in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/client-area/">learning more about executive search</a>, get in touch today.
Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-businesses-can-attract-engineering-talent-lower-turnover-and-create-opportunities-for-professional-development">how businesses can attract top engineering talent</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-boosting-self-esteem-in-the-workplace-can-help-productivity">how boosting self-esteem at work can help productivity</a>.

Benefits of Using Executive Search Over Traditional Recruitment

While every industry suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic, aviation was one of the worst hit, and took a long time to recover.
It wasn&rsquo;t just airlines that struggled: airports, aircraft and engine manufacturers, and supply chain businesses worldwide felt the dramatic impact of the pandemic.
The industry is, by its very nature, global, meaning it was one of the main vectors that allowed Covid to spread around the world. Many countries shut down their airports immediately, while others allowed flights to operate at a fraction of what they usually would. By mid-April of 2020, international air traffic in Europe was down by 95% from what it was the previous year. In 2020, industry revenues totaled $328 billion, just 40% of what was made in 2019.
This was necessary to combat the spread of the virus, but brutally damaged the aviation industry. There are many lessons the industry can learn from how the pandemic unfolded which should be a priority to act on, as they can help the industry become more resilient to sudden disruption of any kind in the future.
<h2>Lessons the aviation industry should learn from the pandemic</h2>
<h3>Flexibility is vital</h3>
Every business and industry had to suddenly pivot to new models of working almost immediately when lockdown began. For many, this meant changing to a 100% digital offering, regardless of whether this suited their business.
The aviation industry had to invent creative new ways of providing value for customers, while also abiding by new rules, regulations, and laws.
<h3>Communication and collaboration between airlines and governments</h3>
Due to government loans or bailouts, it&rsquo;s likely that airlines will have more interaction with governments. While this may bring additional scrutiny, it is also an opportunity for industry leaders to develop better relationships with governments.
As an example of this, the ICAO introduced the Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), which provides guidance to both governments and industry operators to support the aviation industry and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
<h3>Build stronger supply chains</h3>
There was widespread disruption across supply chains of virtually every kind during the pandemic. Aviation was no different, and this issue could pose a problem again if not addressed.
The industry as a whole needs to be able to source materials and parts quickly and easily, and we&rsquo;ve seen what happens when this can&rsquo;t happen. Industry leaders must not rely on a single supplier, and build a wide and robust network that can allow them to source whatever they need.
<h3>Sustainable fuel should be a priority</h3>
There has been disruption in the availability of oil and fuel for some time, but the pandemic put more pressure on supply, making it difficult to get regular, dependable fuel.
If the aviation industry were able to fully transition to sustainable fuel, it would provide far more security, with fuel readily available and easy to source and supply wherever it is needed.
<h3>Digital experiences are more important than ever</h3>
Lastly, the pandemic brought into focus just how vital digital experiences are for aviation customers.
Creating leading digital experiences and apps isn&rsquo;t cheap, so airlines need to accept a certain level of investment. Before the pandemic, the average annual airline spend on IT and digital technology was low, certainly compared to the cost of maintaining the fleet.
But now, it&rsquo;s absolutely necessary for every airline to have a digital offering, and to have staff able to use digital tools to provide a seamless experience for customers. Check-in and boarding should be simple, and able to do from your phone. Certain airlines are leading the way for this, with dedicated apps that allow customers to earn points, manage their bookings, and have more control over their travel experience.
Analytics are similarly important, allowing for enhanced, intelligent decision making. As more airports make the transition to becoming smart buildings, they&rsquo;ll be able to better understand the needs of their customers.
If the aviation industry at large learns the lessons from navigating the challenges of the pandemic, it will be stronger, more resilient, and in a better position to meet the changing needs of customers, allowing the industry to thrive, even in uncertain times.
&nbsp;
Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/airport-challenges-2022-23">challenges airports faced over the last year</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-covid-changed-the-job-market">how Covid changed the job market</a>.

Lessons the Aviation Industry Learned From the Covid-19 Pandemic

The marine industry is one of the worst polluters in the world, making up around 3% of all carbon emissions yearly, equivalent to the total level of emissions from entire countries like Germany or Japan.
This is due to the shipping industry mostly running on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. The industry currently uses around 300 million tonnes of fossil fuels a year. If nothing is done, this is due to get worse, as shipping levels are predicted to vastly increase by 2050. If the industry doesn&rsquo;t address its pollution problem, it will hasten climate change on a dramatic scale.
Luckily, there are alternative, cleaner fuels the industry is looking at to lower its carbon footprint. One such alternative is biofuel, which is abundant, easy to store, transport, and use, and doesn&rsquo;t pollute as much as fossil fuels. While not as clean as truly green energy like solar power, biofuels can work as a good stopgap solution while the industry shifts away from traditional fuels like oil and gas.
Liquid biofuel demand is predicted to grow to 3.4 million boepd (barrel of oil equivalent per day) in 2030, and 5.3 million boepd by 2050, so it&rsquo;s clear biofuels have a big future in the marine industry.
<h2>What are biofuels</h2>
Biofuels are a sustainable fuel source produced from renewable biomass: things like vegetable oils, animal waste, crop residues, and food waste.
&nbsp;When used in the marine industry, biofuel is typically in a liquid form, but it can be gaseous as well.
The three most common biofuels are:
HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), also known as renewable diesel
&nbsp;FAME (fatty acid methyl ester), also known as biodiesel
&nbsp;Bioethanol
&nbsp;The three fuels that are most used in shipping are HVO, FAME, and bioLNG, which is liquefied biomethane produced from biomass.
<h3>&nbsp;Hydrotreated vegetable oil</h3>
&nbsp;HVO is made by taking vegetable oils and fats and removing the oxygen from them in a chemical reaction, using hydrogen to produce renewable diesel. HVO is available in its pure form or as a blend.
<h3>Fatty Acid Methyl Ester</h3>
&nbsp;FAME is the most commonly used biofuel quality in shipping and, like HVO, can be derived from various vegetable oils, used cooking oil, or animal fats. It is made using a process called transesterification, which converts the fatty acids to biodiesel in a reaction with methanol. FAME is available as a pure product or as a blend.
<h3>BioLNG</h3>
&nbsp;BioLNG is produced by liquefying biomethane made from biogas, which can be produced from animal waste, crop residues, and food waste.
<h2>Why biofuels will make a difference in the shipping industry</h2>
<h3>They can reduce carbon emissions</h3>
One of the main reasons why biofuels are going to be introduced in shipping is because they will reduce the industry&rsquo;s overall emission levels. This is important as in 2018, the International Maritime Organisation launched its Greenhouse Gas strategy. The strategy recommended that the shipping industry must reduce its total annual emissions by at least 50% of 2008 levels by 2050, with an emphasis towards zero emissions.
Biofuel blends can reduce carbon emissions by anywhere from 5-25%, so can help to reduce pollution while cleaner fuel methods are developed and improved.
<h3>Price of fuel</h3>
While biofuel can be expensive today, the price is lowering as production becomes easier, and more widespread.
Conversely, fossil fuels can only get more expensive as the supply dwindles. Eventually, it will cease to make economic sense to run a fleet on fossil fuels, as biofuels will be cheaper and easier to acquire. &nbsp;
Biofuels provide a simple, flexible solution to the shipping industry&rsquo;s pollution problem while more long-term methods are researched.
Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/marine-sustainability-trends">marine sustainability</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-the-gas-shortage-is-predicted-to-impact-the-marine-industry">how the gas shortage will impact the marine industry</a>.

The Future Of Biofuels In The Marine Industry

The Engineer has released its yearly survey into the salaries and job prospects of engineers across the UK, and it has revealed fascinating insights into the state of the engineering industry, the direction it&rsquo;s going, and how businesses can hire the right talent, while retaining the talent they already have.
The survey has found that the average salary of an engineer in the UK is &pound;57,366. Good pay is one of the main motivators for people looking to join the engineering industry, and the survey records that salaries can go as high as &pound;150,000 at director level.
However, the survey also found that only 55% of engineers say they&rsquo;re happy in their current role, so it&rsquo;s clear the industry needs to make drastic improvements to retain talent.
&nbsp;But before you can retain talent, you have to find it in the first place. With competition for new engineers getting more fierce each year, engineering firms have to make sure to stand out from the crowd when it comes to recruitment.
&nbsp;
<h2>How to attract engineering talent</h2>
<h3>Increase salaries wherever possible</h3>
The survey found that the average mean salary has actually decreased since last year, and with the cost of living crisis only having worsened, talented engineers will be looking at all available options for jobs that offer more pay.
As previously mentioned, a strong salary is expected in the industry, so wherever possible companies need to be offering the most competitive salaries they can to attract new talent.
It&rsquo;s clear that not everyone is, as 47% of engineers are actively looking for another job. This is an increase compared to the previous year, so engineering companies need to start focusing on staff retention if they don&rsquo;t want to risk losing their top talent to rival firms.
&nbsp;
<h3>Offer remote working</h3>
Since the pandemic, remote working has become the norm across almost every industry. Many engineering firms have embraced this, as more and more candidates are looking for it, even prioritising flexible working over salary.
To attract new talent, engineering companies will need to change with the time and offer remote working as standard, or else will see competitors absorb all new engineers entering the field.
&nbsp;
<h3>Develop a strong brand</h3>
A strong brand is more important than ever. With new engineering companies starting up, and others diversifying into new industries, a strong brand is vital for standing out from the crowd.
Branding is what separates one business from another, makes them easily identifiable, and can make a huge difference in whether or not people decide to apply to work for them.
Shockingly, the survey revealed that 10% of engineers surveyed are considering leaving the engineering industry altogether. This is devastating news for the industry as a whole, as there is already a skills shortage hampering growth. But it is also bad for individual businesses, as it can cost around &pound;30,000 in lost productivity to hire and train someone new.
To avoid this, engineering businesses should make staff retention a priority.
&nbsp;
<h2>How to increase staff retention</h2>
<h3>Invest in company culture</h3>
Culture can be make or break for any business. It can help keep morale up when working on difficult projects, and for some it&rsquo;s more important than salary. When considering a job move, as many engineers are, culture may well be the thing that stops them from moving on.
Because of that, engineering businesses are looking to improve their culture, building relationships between team members through social events, or running workshops to upskill other team members. This initiatives can make a place far nicer to work, and really do improve perceptions of a business.
&nbsp;
<h2>How to increase opportunities for professional development</h2>
<h3>Increase training, mentoring, and upskilling among your engineering talent</h3>
While there are many engineering students studying STEM subjects, many of them drop out of university, or abandon an engineering career before it can even start, due to competition for roles.
Some companies are opting to invest heavily in learning and development programs to help their staff develop and grow throughout their careers, upskilling as the industry changes. This not only increases the ability of your team to work across different projects, but also increases company loyalty.
Engineers want to learn. According to an earlier survey, 86% of workers say that job training is important to them, 59% say that training would improve their job performance, and 51% believe it would improve their self-confidence.
Being given the opportunity to learn on the job is incredibly valuable in an industry like engineering, where things are changing all the time. Engineers value flexibility, progression, and job security. If you can help them become more resilient to shifts in the industry, they&rsquo;ll want to stay, and will recommend you to others.
&nbsp;
<h3>Invest in and improve opportunities for women in engineering</h3>
Women account for just 16% of junior engineers, and this number shrinks at every senior level, with just 5% of directors being female.
Getting more women into engineering would introduce a huge injection of talent into the hiring pool, so it should be a priority for more businesses to sponsor universities, offer internships, and hire women across all levels of the business.
These survey results illuminate a lot about the current state of the industry, and show areas where businesses should focus their efforts when it comes to recruitment, retention, and overall development for their engineering staff.
Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/new-technologies-in-civil-engineering-and-infrastructure">new technologies in civil engineering</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-we-need-more-women-in-stem-roles">why we need more women in STEM roles</a>.

How Businesses Can Attract Engineering Talent, Lower Turnover, And Create Opportunities For Professional Development

Many business leaders are looking to improve the mental health of their team, as it improves the overall culture and workplace experience for everyone involved.
For every $1 invested in improving mental health at work, there&rsquo;s an ROI of $4 in improved health and productivity.
There are many benefits to improving the mental health of your team, and relatively minor changes can make a big difference.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2>Why improving mental health at work is important</h2>
<h3>It increases productivity</h3>
&nbsp;Studies have shown that poor mental health costs businesses over &pound;1,000 a year, per employee, in lost profit potential. &nbsp;
Conversely, when staff have good mental health at work, when they feel happy and supported and empowered to succeed, they&rsquo;re more productive. It sounds obvious, but many businesses don&rsquo;t consider mental health a priority, looking only at the overall productivity and the company&rsquo;s bottom line.
But productivity increases with good mental health. A study from Oxford University quantified this boost in productivity:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-10-24-happy-workers-are-13-more-productive">happy workers are 13% more productive</a>, so it isn&rsquo;t just a question of health, it&rsquo;s also a smart business decision to improve the mental health of your workforce.
&nbsp;
<h3>&nbsp;It lowers staff turnover</h3>
&nbsp;Staff who have better mental health at work are far less likely to look for jobs elsewhere.
The security and stability that comes with knowing that your day at work will be easy to manage is incredibly valuable, and for some people far more so than even an increased salary.
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>It improves workplace culture</h3>
&nbsp;There&rsquo;s nothing worse than a workplace where no one is happy. It saps morale, derails momentum, and isn&rsquo;t conducive to good results.
&nbsp;A team feels supported is more likely to enjoy their work, work better together, and be more motivated to succeed. This feeds back into the overall culture, making your place of work a safer, warmer environment for everyone.
&nbsp;
<h2>How to improve mental health in the workplace</h2>
<h3>&nbsp;Let employees have input into decisions and KPIs</h3>
Our mental health suffers when we feel like we don&rsquo;t have any control over what happens to us. Work is such a huge part of our lives, but often decisions are made without any input from the staff, and this can leave us feeling powerless.
Employees that are brought into the decision-making process often feel more included in the direction the company is taking.&nbsp;
This also applies to individual KPIs. When employees are working to targets they didn&rsquo;t set and weren&rsquo;t consulted on, it can feel like an uphill struggle. When they help to set their own targets, challenges feel more achievable, making the work ahead less daunting.
&nbsp;
<h3>Start a culture of open dialogue&nbsp;</h3>
Often at work, we&rsquo;re on our best behaviour all the time. In certain workplace cultures, any expression of difficulty, of struggling with work, or of unhappiness is taken as a criticism of the company as a whole, which often isn&rsquo;t the case at all. This can lead team members to fear to express themselves, especially if they&rsquo;re having negative feelings, which isn&rsquo;t healthy.
In any context, when we&rsquo;re allowed to express ourselves and feel heard and understood, our mental health improves.
Starting weekly or monthly team meetings, and one to ones between team members and managers, allows everyone to express how they feel at work. This can be things like frustrations, doubts, and worries, but it can also result in pride, compliments, and thanks being shared that otherwise might not.
&nbsp;Having a designated time where employees feel comfortable and empowered to share their feelings can help them feel listened to, acknowledged, and able to express themselves, which in turn will help their mental health.
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Offer mental health benefits</h3>
&nbsp;Realistically, there&rsquo;s only so much businesses can do to improve mental health at work by themselves. At a certain point, partnering with mental health organisations is really the best thing a business can do to improve the mental health of its employees.
&nbsp;Many businesses are now offering therapy or counselling as a health benefit alongside gym memberships or health insurance.
Improving the mental health of the team at work will help them be more productive, and ultimately happier at work.
&nbsp;
Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-address-the-skills-shortage-in-the-technical-and-engineering-industries">how to address the engineering skills shortage</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-covid-changed-the-job-market">how Covid-19 changed the job market</a>.

How to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health in the Workplace

With everyone working from home, 2020 saw a massive spike in cyber crime, as there were more vulnerable systems for criminals to take advantage of.&nbsp;&nbsp;
With so many people working from home on unsafe networks or unprotected devices, it was easy for cyber criminals to steal data, extort businesses, and get away with it. Sadly, businesses are now more at risk of becoming victims of cyber crime than ever before.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Phishing is the most common type of cyber threat, where cyber criminals pose as legitimate businesses or organisations in order to get unsuspecting victims to click on links or change passwords on fraudulent websites to gain access to their systems.
Other incidents experienced by small businesses include spyware and malware attacks, hacking, and denial of service attacks, all of which can majorly harm their day-to-day operations.
Keeping safe from cyber crime isn&rsquo;t as simple as buying some software or upgrading your computers. There are multiple different practices, all of which play a part in keeping you safe.
If you&rsquo;re a business owner wondering how to protect your business from cyber crime, these five tips are a great place to start.
&nbsp;
<h2>How to protect your business from cyber attacks</h2>
<h3>&nbsp;Secure your network</h3>
Firewalls and antivirus software are the first line of defence against cyber attacks. On top of this, don&rsquo;t forget to hide and password protect your wifi network, as this is one of the major weak points that is often exploited to gain access to systems. Once cybercriminals are on your network, it&rsquo;s only a matter of time until they start dealing serious damage, so keeping them out is the first step you need to take.
However, this won&rsquo;t guarantee the safety of your data, so make sure you back it up should the worst happen.
&nbsp;
<h3>Backup your data</h3>
Ransomware is a type of virus that locks every computer and device on the network. If this strikes your office, you won&rsquo;t be able to access any data saved on any computer.
Hackers often give businesses 24 hours to pay to get their data back. If the business doesn&rsquo;t pay, sometimes all that data is deleted. This can mean client lists, email databases, website designs, and all documentation, gone.
&nbsp;That can be avoided by backing up your data regularly, ensuring you&rsquo;re never left with nothing should the worst happen. This backup should be saved on a separate system so it can&rsquo;t be reached by any viruses.
You may have many hundreds of gigabytes of data, so understanding what&rsquo;s critical for your business to continue is an important step. Back up this data first, and regularly, to ensure you can handle any sudden data loss.
Additionally, under the 2018 UK GDPR and Data Protection Act, if your small business processes personal or sensitive data, you must take reasonable steps to safeguard it from a data breach, or be prosecuted should that data be stolen or compromised.&nbsp;&nbsp;
One of the most effective ways of keeping data safe is to encrypt it. Secure data is encrypted and decrypted using a secret key. Only authorised team members should have access to the key, meaning criminals will not be able to decipher the encrypted data if they&rsquo;re able to steal it, rendering it useless, and keeping you, and your clients and partners, safe.
&nbsp;
<h3>Keep all your IT systems updated</h3>
Updates are one of the best defences against cyberattacks. When systems aren&rsquo;t updated, they don&rsquo;t have the latest protection against new viruses, leaving them vulnerable to cyber attacks.&nbsp;
Updated systems are stronger, and less likely to be targeted as their weak points haven&rsquo;t been discovered yet. Sometimes the best way to stay safe from cyber attacks is simply to be slightly more work to break into than the next business, and keeping your software up to date is the easiest and cheapest way to do that.
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>Have a disaster recovery plan</h3>
Hopefully you&rsquo;ll never need it, but should your business suffer a cyber attack, the fastest way for you to recover is to have a well-planned and effective recovery plan. This plan can have contingencies for during and after an attack, so you can minimise losses, protect yourselves, your partners, and your clients, and get up and running again as fast as possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3>Train your team to be aware of best practices</h3>
&nbsp;This last tip may be the most important on this list. Ensuring your team knows the best practices for staying safe online is the best way to keep your business safe from cyber attacks.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While you can invest in antivirus software and top of the line equipment, your cybersecurity is really only as effective as your employees. They can spot suspicious emails, detect faults on the network, and raise the alarm if there is a security breach.
The most common element in all cyber attacks isn&rsquo;t a lack of firewalls, or old vulnerable systems, it&rsquo;s simple human error.
&nbsp;For your team to be an effective defense against cyber crime, they&rsquo;ll need consistent training, as threats are always changing. Create a culture around cybersecurity throughout your entire organisation, making sure that people know not to click links they don&rsquo;t recognise, not to send passwords through email, and not to download files they aren&rsquo;t sure about.&nbsp;&nbsp;
It can also help to have policies in place so your team knows what practices are unacceptable, and limiting the number of users who have admin privileges. This minimises the amount of programs they can download, in turn minimising the risk of downloading viruses.&nbsp;
While there are many threats out there, keeping your business safe doesn&rsquo;t require you to have technical knowledge, the best equipment, or a huge cybersecurity budget. Just adhering to these simple principles and consistently using best practices can help keep your business safe from cybercrime.
&nbsp;
Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/cybersecurity-trends-and-predictions-for-2022">cyber security</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-security-leaders-can-close-the-cyber-skills-gap">how security leaders can close the cyber skills gap</a>.

5 Ways To Protect Your Business From Cyber Crime

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of 2020 had a huge impact on the global job market. Every business had to alter how it operated, or even close entirely. Millions of workers were suddenly confined to their homes to prevent the spread of the virus, changing how they worked overnight.
Vast amounts of people were furloughed, or lost their jobs, and businesses stopped hiring new staff in an attempt to limit their expenditures in an uncertain world.
As global vaccination campaigns began in 2021, the situation has thankfully improved. But the job market has changed, irreversibly according to many in the recruitment industry. Employees have new perspectives, and new priorities. What has changed? What has stayed consistent? And what can businesses and job seekers do to find the right fit for them in the post-Covid job market. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2>How has the job market changed since Covid?</h2>
<h3>Flexible and remote working is now the norm</h3>
The most immediate and obvious change after Covid is the rise in fully-remote working. During lockdown, everyone had to work from home if they could, proving that millions of jobs could be done from anywhere, not just in an office.
Now that we are able to go back to work, many workers are choosing remote positions as they allow more control over their lives, giving a better work/life balance, saving time and money commuting, and being able to spend more time with loved ones at home.
Others are opting for flexible working, spending some days working remotely, and others in the office with the rest of the team. This gives workers freedom to choose their work schedule and pattern in a way that benefits them. Most workers simply did not have this option before Covid, and don&rsquo;t want to return to a 9-5 in the office.
&nbsp;
<h3>Salary isn&rsquo;t the only concern</h3>
&nbsp;Having seen the benefits of remote and flexible working, many workers are now less concerned with their salary, and more interested in what other perks, benefits, and incentives a business can offer them.
Wellness initiatives, team-building days and events, additional training, reimbursement for commuting, these are increasingly attractive benefits that companies are offering in order to get top talent. In a survey last year, over a quarter of European workers surveyed said they would take a&nbsp;<a href="https://employeebenefits.co.uk/28-employees-reduce-salary-flexible-working/">reduced salary for a position with flexi-time</a>.
Over half of those same respondents said they were more productive when working from home, so it&rsquo;s not just about comfort, there are real benefits for businesses in allowing remote working post-pandemic, as many people do their best work at home.
&nbsp;
<h3>Company culture is increasingly important</h3>
&nbsp;Company culture has alway been important, and is one of the main factors in why people change jobs, or why they love where they work. During the pandemic, with so many people working remotely, many workers felt isolated, lonely, or disconnected from the culture which is so vital in keeping up morale.
During lockdown, companies that didn&rsquo;t invest in their culture through virtual events, chats, or other initiatives felt the strain far more than those who did. A company&rsquo;s culture can help keep the team motivated when things are difficult, and can make a difference between someone working harder, or giving up and looking for a new start somewhere else.
Now, workers are looking for companies that go the extra mile with culture, as it&rsquo;s become clear just how much of a difference it can really make, both on an individual and a company-wide level. Culture is made from everyone who engages with it, adds to it, helps make it better.
&nbsp;
<h3>Companies are looking to grow</h3>
Post-pandemic, workers and businesses alike feel like they have some catching up to do. After a year and a half of stagnant growth, some businesses are trying to supercharge their teams, services, and revenue in order to offset losses during the pandemic.
&nbsp;There&rsquo;s been a long time to reconsider how things can be done, with some sectors emerging out of the pandemic completely transformed and revitalised.
It&rsquo;s not just about re-hiring to get back to where they were before Covid, businesses are looking to expand, to go above and beyond where they were, with new staff and new ideas.
While this is a positive step, it&rsquo;s important that businesses don&rsquo;t try to grow too fast. Growth needs to be planned, prepared for, and executed at a stable rate. Rapid expansion can worry existing team members, and new managers or senior leaders can take things in unexpected directions.
Business should include their team in decisions, communicate where the company is heading, and keep them up to date on how things are progressing. This is key to ensuring everyone feels confident about the future, and their place in it.
It is perhaps still too early to tell whether there is truly a &lsquo;new normal&rsquo; in the international labour market, with so many different cultures, working standards, and priorities in flux, with some businesses and governments looking to get back to &lsquo;businesses&rsquo; as usual as fast as possible, and others moving forward with new lessons learned.
&nbsp;With many workers having reassessed their priorities, and many businesses having adapted their targets, strategies, and overall goals, it remains to be seen whether the changes we have seen in the last two years will persist into the future or not. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Read more about <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/has-covid-altered-our-tech-habits">how Covid has altered our tech habits</a>, or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-best-engineering-jobs-for-the-future">the best engineering jobs for the future</a>.

How Covid Changed The Job Market

The skills shortage is one of the biggest issues facing the technical sector today. Across different industries, whether aviation, automotive, marine, or energy, businesses are struggling to attract and retain top talent. &nbsp;
Given these industries have generally offered security, competitive salaries, and rewarding work, why is there such a shortage of talent?&nbsp;
Why is there a skill shortage in technical industries&nbsp;
The main issue is a lack of widespread available talent in the first instance. As roles require more skill and expertise, the less people there are that are qualified for those roles. As competition rises, so do salary offers, meaning skilled workers have the incentive and security to change companies. &nbsp;
This means that there&rsquo;s both a lack of new talent entering the workforce, and senior technicians and engineers are unlikely to stay at a company long enough to train or upskill junior workers, leaving a talent vacuum at both ends of the ladder. &nbsp;
This can be rectified by educating and bringing more people into the industry, but this kind of widespread change requires help from the government, as well as from schools and universities. &nbsp;
However, there are things businesses can do to proactively find, engage, and retain engineering talent. &nbsp;
<h2>How technical businesses can find and retain engineering talent&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Aviation &nbsp;</h3>
Across the pandemic we&rsquo;ve seen the aviation industry struggle due to a lack of staff, whether from furlough, illness, quarantine, or leaving the industry entirely. Given the instability of the industry over the last two years, it&rsquo;s not hard to see why.&nbsp;
However, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, by 2026, we will need <a href="https://www.icao.int/newsroom/pages/icao-addresses-shortage-of-skilled-aviation-professionals.aspx">480,000 new technicians to maintain the industry</a>.&nbsp;
This leaves aviation companies with precious few senior engineers left to upskill new workers, and a lot of jobs to fill. A solution to this is more aggressive recruitment of new workers, combined with rigorous training and development while on the job. &nbsp;
Increased education and support for engineering students will help ease the talent shortage for every technical industry, but businesses can take the long view of looking at the potential of new talent and investing in them, instead of thinking only of what they can do today. &nbsp;
<h3>Automotive &amp; F1&nbsp;</h3>
&nbsp;According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, staff turnover rose to more than 14% in 2020. Following on from this, the number of job vacancies rose by 40% in the first three months of 2022, to a five year high for the industry. As demand for roles increases, so does the salary, which is why the salary for vehicle technicians has risen by around 8% on average, year on year. &nbsp;
While raises in salary can help attract and retain workers, the Institute of the Motor Industry has warned that the automotive retail sector currently <a href="https://www.am-online.com/news/aftersales/2021/08/18/imi-calls-for-15m-skills-funding-boost-to-get-technicians-ev-ready">does not have the skills pipeline</a> necessary to service and repair electric vehicles, calling on investment from the government to help contribute towards additional training. &nbsp;
As with all technical industries, more needs to be done to upskill existing workers, as they can then train and mentor new recruits. &nbsp;
<h3>Marine&nbsp;</h3>
One of the best ways for the marine industry to stay ahead of talent shortages is for businesses to identify the specialised talent they need, and when they need it. Marine-specific talent with experience are in high-demand, and can be difficult to source and scale when production calls for it, so knowing ahead of time when projects will be going live can save a headache later on.&nbsp;&nbsp;
A recruitment company that understands your needs can locate and supplement your current workforce, and is critical in today&rsquo;s labour environment. &nbsp;
<h3>Energy&nbsp;</h3>
The energy crisis has shown how much could be solved if we developed more renewable energy infrastructure, prompting fresh interest from businesses, the government, and young engineering students. However, in the UK, the offshore wind sector alone requires 69,000 workers to reach the government&rsquo;s 40 gigawatt target by 2030, leaving a large gap to be filled.&nbsp;
While new workers in traditional fossil fuels have been declining, there still aren&rsquo;t enough new workers entering the renewable field, which is somewhat surprising considering how secure the long-term job prospects are.&nbsp;
This may be due to a lack of focused, secure contracts with the government. Plans should last for years or even decades, not months. This would encourage younger people to begin a career in energy, knowing that there will still be good job prospects when they are fully qualified. &nbsp;
The government has introduced a raft of new skill programmes for young people, but these largely rely on teachers securing placements themselves, on top of their already full schedules. Put simply, it isn&rsquo;t enough to just offer new programmes, more must be done to raise awareness, and support those who express an interest. &nbsp;
<h3>Engineering, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing</h3>
Manufacturing businesses were struggling with a skills gap long before the pandemic: in 2015, manufacturers reported 35% of their positions were challenging to fill, this climbed to 46% last year, according to a study by Deloitte.&nbsp;
As with many of the industries listed above, one of the easiest ways to increase recruitment into engineering and manufacture is to offer an increased salary.&nbsp;
As engineers are often needed onsite, remote working or other perks aren&rsquo;t always able to be offered, but a higher salary is always attractive no matter what the job may be. &nbsp;
Of course, beyond salary there are other areas the technical industry needs to address in order to fill the skills gap. &nbsp;
Firstly, there needs to be more awareness and guidance for early career professionals and young people about careers in the industry, and secondly, employers need to invest in education and upskilling to retain skilled professionals and create the next generation of industry experts.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While industry leaders are of course devoting time and resources to combatting the skills gap by training the next generation of tech experts, there also needs to be consideration for how the skills gap presents itself right now. &nbsp;
Providing training for existing professionals is a good start, but business leaders also need to consider the transferable skills of those outside the tech industry. &nbsp;
These skills provide unique problem-solving skills, which is well-suited to a rapidly evolving industry. Tech moves quickly, and with most young people being digital natives, or working in adjacent fields, it can be worth utilising their perspectives for technical roles.&nbsp;
Candidates with varied or non-traditional engineering backgrounds may not just provide the necessary labour the industry is seeking, it may even help improve processes, increase efficiency, and help propel businesses forward. Specialised technical recruitment is one of the best ways you can find new workers outside the established talent pool of your industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The skills gap is not unsolvable, it simply requires industry leaders to adopt new solutions to this old problem.&nbsp;
For help finding top talent, <a href="https://info.v-hr.com/recruitment-services-request?hsCtaTracking=031bd555-7bf4-402d-9e75-1c55dd740139%7C8d9b22a6-89ab-4fcb-afa5-42abf04dbcfb">contact us today</a>. &nbsp;
Read more about the <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-security-leaders-can-close-the-cyber-skills-gap">skills gap in cyber security</a> or read our <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-civils-and-infrastructure-employment-market-outlook">civil infrastructure employment market outlook</a>.

How To Address The Skills Shortage In The Technical And Engineering Industries

The world uses over 320 billion kilowatt-hours of energy a day. That&rsquo;s the equivalent of everybody on earth running 22 lightbulbs non-stop, forever. &nbsp;
All this energy has to come from somewhere, and for many countries around the world, it comes from fossil fuels. This is bad for the environment, but it can also pose economic problems, as we&rsquo;re currently experiencing. With so much energy coming from a finite source, eventually, there will come a crunch where there isn&rsquo;t enough fuel to meet our energy needs. &nbsp;
Many factors contributed to the energy crisis we currently find ourselves in, but only one way out: renewable energy. &nbsp;
To understand how to get out of the energy crisis, it&rsquo;s helpful to understand how we got here.&nbsp;
<h2>Why are we in an energy crisis?&nbsp;</h2>
A significant amount of the energy we use in the UK is generated from fossil fuels, much of which needs to be imported. More than three-quarters of our homes use natural gas for heating, making it an incredibly vital resource across the country, which we don&rsquo;t make ourselves.&nbsp;
Demand for natural gas has steadily risen in China and other countries over the last decade, putting additional pressure on production and distribution, as well as a rise in prices. &nbsp;
Russia provides some of the UK&rsquo;s natural gas supply, and there is a common belief that this is the cause of the current energy crisis. However, less than 4% of the UK&rsquo;s natural gas was supplied by Russia in 2021.&nbsp;
Russian fuel is not the root cause of the energy crisis, merely a contribution to it. The pandemic was another. In 2020, energy demands plummeted during the lockdown, meaning fossil fuel production and investment also fell. &nbsp;
The pandemic also forced vital maintenance and repairs on fossil fuel infrastructure to be postponed. This meant that when demand rose after lockdowns ended, it simply couldn&rsquo;t be met, plunging us into an energy crisis.&nbsp;
However, given the inherently finite nature of fossil fuels, it was always inevitable that we would find ourselves in an energy crisis sooner or later, as natural gas and oil reserves are certain to run out eventually.&nbsp;
The precarious supply of fossil fuels makes us vulnerable to energy crises like we&rsquo;re seeing now. Given how volatile the fossil fuel market is, and how precious the resources are, it&rsquo;s only logical that as demand increases, supply decreases, and prices rise, trapping us in a cycle that punishes people just trying to heat their homes. &nbsp;
But it doesn&rsquo;t have to be this way.&nbsp;
Renewable energy can ensure a constant supply of clean energy for everyone, breaking our reliance on importing energy from around the world, and helping ensure bills are manageable.&nbsp;
<h2>How renewable energy can help end the energy crisis&nbsp;</h2>
&nbsp;
<h3>Renewable energy can be generated anywhere&nbsp;</h3>
The single biggest benefit of renewable energy from an economic point of view is that we can generate it at scale across the country. Solar panels could be installed on skyscrapers, residential homes, even roads that can be used to generate solar energy. Wind power can be generated on land, at sea, and on the tops of buildings. &nbsp;
While renewable energy generated through solar and wind can&rsquo;t be created 24/7, methods for storing and transporting it are improving all the time. &nbsp;
This can help end the energy crisis as no country would have to rely on others for their energy needs, eliminating the political and economic restraints that we currently find ourselves up against. &nbsp;
In recent weeks over 50% of all electricity in the UK has been generated from wind energy alone. With additional investment, combined with solar power, this could grow to meet all of our energy needs, making a real difference to the energy bills of everyone in the country. &nbsp;
<h3>Excess renewable energy from individuals can be sold to the grid&nbsp;</h3>
If renewable energy got widespread adoption, we could soon be generating more power than we need. Individuals with their solar panels could then sell excess energy back to the government. European households with solar panels are saving around 60% on their electricity bills, with the ability to make extra savings through energy sales to governments.&nbsp;
If this were something UK residents could do across the country, this would give us a stockpile of energy, even during winter when new energy would be harder to create, safeguarding us from future crises.&nbsp;
<h3>Renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels&nbsp;</h3>
The energy crisis is an economic crisis. Given that renewable energy is cheaper than traditional fuels like gas, they could easily provide a way out of the economic cost that comes from being reliant on fossil fuels. &nbsp;
A decade ago, the cost per megawatt/hour of gas was $83 while the MWh cost of wind was $135, solar was almost three times as expensive, at $359.&nbsp;
As of last year, those costs had completely reversed. Wind and solar were $36 per MWh, whereas gas was $60.&nbsp;
As solar and wind energy improves and becomes more efficient, it also becomes cheaper. &nbsp;
Countries that invest in renewable energy will be protected from energy market fluctuations, as they will have a degree of self-reliance thanks to the energy they generate themselves. &nbsp;
Without a secure and reliable means of generating our energy, the UK will remain at the mercy of whoever is supplying the gas we need, meaning future energy crises will sadly be a certainty. Renewable energy can provide for everyone, ending our reliance on fossil fuels, and freeing us from energy anxiety. &nbsp;
Learn more about <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-future-of-green-energy">the future of green energy</a>, or learn about <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/marine-sustainability-trends">sustainability in the marine sector</a> and <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/establishing-strategies-for-sustainable-aviation">how the aviation industry is becoming more sustainable</a>. &nbsp;

Renewable Energy: The Solution To The Energy Crisis

We&rsquo;re living at a critical moment in the fight against climate change. &nbsp;
According to some estimates, emissions need to fall by 7.6% each year over the next decade to limit global warming to 1.5C. This is a huge undertaking, and every industry needs to play its part.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The aviation sector has come under scrutiny due to being a large contributor to global emissions.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In 2019, the global aviation industry was responsible for 12% of all transport-related CO2 emissions that year, over 900 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Realising things had to change, the aviation industry has made significant progress in fuel and CO2 efficiency, halving the amount of fuel used per flight compared to 1990. This has been achieved through technological advancement, as well as improvements in operations and infrastructure.&nbsp;
Each new generation of aircraft is roughly 15% more fuel-efficient, and manufacturers invest billions per year in research into greater efficiency. &nbsp;
The UK aviation industry has set decarbonisation targets of at least 15% by 2030, and 40% by 2040, which has reaffirmed its commitment to net-zero by 2050, a crucial target year for the entire industry. &nbsp;
But how will this be achieved?&nbsp;
<h2 aria-level="2">How the Aviation Industry can become more sustainable&nbsp;</h2>
<h3 aria-level="2">Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)&nbsp;</h3>
One of the easiest ways for the aviation industry to tackle its carbon footprint is by using a more sustainable fuel than traditional jet fuel. Luckily, a reliable fuel alternative has been in use for some time: Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF. While it doesn&rsquo;t have the most imaginative name, it works and is growing in popularity.&nbsp;
Part of what makes this fuel so powerful in the fight against emissions is that it doesn&rsquo;t require additional equipment or infrastructure investment, as it can be mixed with existing fuel. &nbsp;
This fuel isn&rsquo;t just cleaner than traditional fuel, it can be made from the by-products of other industries, so it helps recycle materials that might otherwise go to waste or cause harm. Sustainable Aviation Fuel also reduces the number of harmful particulates that are produced from air travel, such as SOx and NOx emissions.&nbsp;
If used alone, SAF can reduce emissions by up to 80%. In its pure form, however, it is not yet able to meet the standards set by the aviation industry, so it&rsquo;s blended with conventional jet fuel, helping to limit the carbon footprint of air travel. &nbsp;
Although the use of SAF is increasing in the aviation industry and is expected to become much more common in the future, it represents less than 1% of the types of aviation fuel currently in use by the industry. This is partially due to the cost: it is around four times more expensive than traditional fuel. It is also due to availability. SAF has to be manufactured, and while it is readily available in some locations, it has to be shipped to others. &nbsp;
This presents a problem since the environmental benefit of a &ldquo;green product&rdquo; such as SAF is diminished if it has to be transported long distances by truck before it can be used. Consuming SAF close to where it is produced is crucial for the aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s where &ldquo;book-and-claim&rdquo; comes in. This is an emerging practice in the aviation field, where SAF is purchased by one customer and used by another, helping to limit the environmental impact. &nbsp;
<h3 aria-level="2">Operational Improvements&nbsp;</h3>
Fuel is only one part of the equation, the way the planes are built, flown, and maintained is another.&nbsp;
New fleets are being made lighter, and more efficient. Even the way air traffic control operates is changing. Landing using a continuous descent instead of the more traditional method saves around 150kg of carbon dioxide per flight. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Even the wingtip devices can have an impact on the overall fuel efficiency of the plane, so every component, every technique, everything from the seats we sit into the cutlery we use is being optimised for sustainability. &nbsp;
<h3 aria-level="2">Government policies that incentivise carbon removal technologies&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>
Aviation businesses have been looking at cutting their emissions for decades, but this comes at a massive cost to their bottom line. Government policies, incentives, and subsidies help ease the financial impact, making it easier for progress to be made faster than would be possible if the industry was working alone. &nbsp;&nbsp;
As such, the industry is asking for more support from governments around the world to help shoulder the cost of increased sustainability. &nbsp;
One such initiative is the international Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), which has helped the industry make great leaps towards carbon neutrality. &nbsp;
When it comes to sustainability projects like electric cars and solar power, there have been landmark projects showing the effectiveness of government policies and subsidies in speeding up sustainable action, as well as aiding with widespread adoption. &nbsp;
More needs to be done on a national level to support airlines around the world, so we&rsquo;ll likely see more initiatives as we get closer to 2050 and governments begin to see the tangible benefits of supporting the aviation industry become more sustainable. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Read more about the aviation industry in our <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/aerospace-aviation-trends-report-2021/22">aviation trends report</a>, or learn about other <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-future-of-green-energy">sustainable energy sources</a>. &nbsp;

Establishing Strategies for Sustainable Aviation

The concept of intermediaries' legislation status for national insurance and tax law is issued by HMRC. There will not be any changes in the<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/ir35">&nbsp;IR35 tax law</a>&nbsp;in the future; however, the rules relevant to that status will keep on updating from time to time.&nbsp;
VHR's specialists reflect on the first quarter of IR35 and the changes that have been as a result of the legislation.
<h3>&nbsp;The Changes and Effects of IR35 on Contractors/Businesses-</h3>
IR35 is known as "intermediaries&rsquo; legislation.&rdquo; It is a tax law issued by HMRC. The benefit of this tax law is to prevent automated contractors from the captivating unfair advantage of constructive taxation by providing services through a partial corporation or some other means.
The independent contractor or businesses must understand the allegations of IR35 tax law entirely to report easily and pay taxes correctly. It will help them in saving from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accountsportal.com/blog/how-to-disagree-with-a-tax-decision-by-hmrc">penalties from HMRC</a>.
<h3>What is IR35?</h3>
IR35 is a tax law that was first introduced in 2000. The purpose of IR35 is to gather employment grade income tax and national insurance from businesses and contractors who are working independently and have set up their own business or company. Running an independent business can facilitate contractors to be taxed as a business, not as an employee.&nbsp;IR35 aims&nbsp;to spot all those contractors. Previously, for suppliers working through their services business, the individual who determined whether an agreement was outside or inside IR35 was the supplier themselves.&nbsp;
However, from 6th April 2021, it is the responsibility of the end client to check things properly. Ne must achieve status fortitude by reviewing the day-to-day functioning practices of each of their suppliers and deciding whether each supplier is inside or outside of IR35. If some supplier or contractor is working as a worker of the end client, the client could conclude that the contractor is inside of IR35. Similarly, if some supplier or contractor is working as an independent consultant, the client could determine that the contractor is outside IR35. In case the status determination is inside of IR35, the fee financier, who is the person that pays the contractor's unique service company, must remove national insurance and employment status income tax as if the supplier was a member of staff.
<h3>Workers Affected by IR35-</h3>
IR35 affects two main types of workers. It includes&nbsp;freelancers and independent contractors. The freelancers are similar to independent contractors as both are handling their business independently, but the freelancers offer a variety of services to clients on an "as needed" basis.&nbsp;
On the other hand, independent contractors are self-employed people who provide services through a limited company or other comparable business. It doesn't matter how you are offering your services to people. If you are working as a freelancer or an independent contractor, you will get affected.&nbsp;
<h3>&nbsp;Workers not Affected by IR35-</h3>
The individuals who receive and payroll compensation monthly and work as permanent employees in some business or company are not affected by IR35. The reason is that such individuals are already paying tax payments. The individuals working as temporary employees and providing services straightforwardly to some businesses do not fall in this tax law category.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>How Could IR35 Benefit your Business?</h3>
According to media reports, the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-is-ir35-and-how-does-it-impact-businesses-and-contractors">IR35 rollout</a>&nbsp;to the secretive segment is a bad idea. The IR35 legislation will undoubtedly bring a lot of different challenges. If a person can handle all such challenges correctly, it could be helpful to businesses. According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gattacaplc.com/IR35-update-finance-bill">latest Finance Bill</a>, the Government is hauling on with the transformation, full steam ahead. So, anyone who still has some hope that the Government can change its decision must accept it so that they cannot get disappointed later on. However, as much of the commentary around IR35 seems to be doom, we perceive IR35 as a prospect for our customers, our suppliers, and the business to make optimistic changes.&nbsp;
Some of the important reasons that explain how IR35 could&nbsp;benefit your business&nbsp;are as follows:
<h3>1.) Provides a Deep Knowledge of Things</h3>
For one thing, the new obligation of deciding 'inside/outside' status powers organisations to do something vital: distinguish your contingent workforce. We work with numerous customers who don't have the foggiest idea of how to catch the divergent administration of unexpected laborers across their business, and IR35 expects you to do this.&nbsp;
Assessing how your organisation draws in unexpected specialists, as well as how much you&rsquo;ve got and how much you splurge on them, is a good fixation. Information is power: the new legislation gives a chance to review your assets and guarantees you have the proper cycles set up to help your business while becoming IR35 compliant. &nbsp;
<h3>2.) Engage the Best Talent</h3>
After the changes, unforeseen laborers will still satisfy an essential job in your business. You need the best workers for hire, who can offer the most benefit to your work.
Organisations with a groundbreaking way to deal with IR35 and the commitment of their unforeseen laborers are probably going to capitalise on the changes. In contrast, others will hazard both non-compliance and unfortunate admittance to the contingent workers' community.&nbsp;
While contenders are scrabbling about to figure out their way to deal with IR35, you could turn into a magnet for the best off-payroll talent. They will be hoping to work with associations with a straightforward, agreeable IR35-related process.
<h3>&nbsp;How has the technical industry adapted to IR35?</h3>
From April 2020, it gets compulsory for the private sector companies to define their workers&rsquo; status as self-employed or employed. IR35 makes technical companies serious about getting a thorough process in place to determine their workers' employment status effectively. It is observed that IR35 helps in reducing jobseekers seeking contracting roles. It opens up direct employment opportunities for people in It-industry and more. The companies now attract young individuals by offering flexible working hours, different graduate schemes, and ongoing training sessions.&nbsp;
The difficulty with taxation changes and a large number of companies and businesses see them as unfavourable. The same is the case with IR35. The IR35 law has caused agitation for independent organisations and contractors but has numerous benefits associated with it. It provides the ability to people to earn more in less time. Because of IR35, the companies agree to a specific budget which leads to a defined timeline. This approach helps contractors to&nbsp;complete the task correctly on time and move towards the next more quickly.
Are you a Contractor?&nbsp;<a href="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/3329963/IR35%20A%20Contractors%20Guide%202021.pdf">Download our Contractor's Guide</a>&nbsp;and read more about the next steps regarding IR35.
Are you an Employer?&nbsp;<a href="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/3329963/IR35%20A%20Clients%20Guide%202021.pdf">Download our Client's Guide</a> and discover the next steps to staying compliant.&nbsp;

The Changes and Effects of IR35 on Contractors/Businesses

Aerospace&nbsp;and Aviation generates 2% of the world&rsquo;s carbon emissions, with one flight producing&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/aircraft-design-challenges-and-solutions-for-2020">more CO2</a>&nbsp;than the average human produces in one year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Airports are exceeding or reaching capacity due to the increased demand and accessibility of business and leisure travel. In an aim to reverse the climate change caused by the sector&rsquo;s emissions, the United Nations have targeted airlines globally to monitor their CO2 emissions as part of the Pairs Agreement and regularly review emissions to identify reductions, and the UK&rsquo;s Sustainable Aviation Commission industry&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/feb/04/uk-air-industry-sets-zero-carbon-target-despite-70-more-flights">recently pledged</a>&nbsp;to cut net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.&nbsp;
Made even more difficult by Covid-19. The pandemic has set new hygiene and safety standards for the year ahead, and these requirements are sure to continue into the near future as increased globalisation prepares international leaders to expect other contagious disease outbreaks. Necessary cabin decontamination will use additional energy and water utilities for every flight, airport sanitisation will be made possible through the use of various chemicals, and disposable products that protect travellers and employees from cross-contamination will build up a high volume of excess waste.&nbsp;
&nbsp;However, many Aviation leaders and sector specialists are already stepping up to the challenge. Here are five ways that carriers can meet sustainability targets whilst maintaining business continuity and protecting passengers and crew.&nbsp;
<h3>5 Environmentally Sustainable Aviation Innovations&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>1. Biofuels&nbsp;</h3>
&nbsp;
Aircraft fuels are one of the largest culprits for Aviation pollution, and rising fuel prices have been attributed as a major factor in the collapse of multiple airlines around the world in recent years. The EU&rsquo;s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (<a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/transport/aviation_en">Corsia</a>) aims to stabilise CO2 emissions at 2020 levels. The measures will be voluntary until 2027, after which European counties and their airlines will be targeted to reduce or offset their emissions &ndash; and fuel innovation could provide the solution.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Biofuels created from renewable energy sources and more environmentally-friendly materials are becoming a more popular investment across the industry.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.transportenvironment.org/publications/role-electrofuel-technologies-europes-low-carbon-transport-future">Electrofuels</a>&nbsp;such as power-to-liquid are a potential source of zero or lower carbon alternatives. Sustainable Aviation fuels could&nbsp;<a href="https://aviationbenefits.org/environmental-efficiency/climate-action#:~:text=Sustainable%20aviation%20fuels%20have%20great,systems%20or%20engines%20of%20aircraft.">reduce CO2 emissions by 80%</a>&nbsp;compared with fossil fuels, without the need to radically change the fuel supply systems or engines of aircraft, presenting a mutually beneficial situation for environment, legislators, manufacturers and airlines in terms of compliance and cost.&nbsp;
<h3>2. Reducing Flight Times &nbsp;</h3>
The European Commission set new performance times for air journeys in 2019 with the aim of increasing efficiencies and decreasing pollution through shorter flight times. The EU Transport Commission&nbsp;<a href="https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/news/2019-05-29-targets-improve-air-traffic_en">advises</a>, &lsquo;The average actual distance flown by aircraft should be shortened by an additional 0.2 percentage point as compared to the target for 2019. This would improve flight efficiency, reducing fuel burn, and thus avoid a large amount of CO2 emissions per year.&rsquo;&nbsp;
 Shortening flying times by just one minute saves&nbsp;<a href="https://aviationbenefits.org/environmental-efficiency/climate-action#:~:text=Sustainable%20aviation%20fuels%20have%20great,systems%20or%20engines%20of%20aircraft.">at least 100kg</a>&nbsp;of CO2 per flight. Boeing are currently&nbsp;<a href="https://simpleflying.com/worlds-fastest-aircraft/">leading the way</a>&nbsp;with Research and Development, aiming to release the next fastest plane in the world before the end of 2024, and pursuing the ambitious mission of building planes that can travel from London to New York in under two hours. &nbsp;
<h3>3. Air Traffic Management Efficiencies&nbsp;</h3>
&nbsp;
The Single European Sky (SES) concept, created to reform the continent&rsquo;s air traffic management systems using cross-country collaboration in an aim to increase capacity, safety, sustainability and efficiencies, has been hotly contested but now appears increasingly welcome. More flexible airspace management using combined efforts are aiming to help address the high numbers of flight delays: in June 2019&nbsp;<a href="https://flightchic.com/2019/12/07/europe-moves-towards-greener-skies-with-ses-regulation/">over 210,000 flights</a>&nbsp;(20% of all flights) were delayed, with delays lasing 17 minutes on average.&nbsp;&nbsp;
As global passenger traffic is predicted to double in the next 20 years, to double by 2037, air traffic management efficiencies are vital to meeting passenger demand whilst minimising the environmental impact of a greater volume of flights. That will require the innovation of air navigation service providers, better communication between national jurisdictions, the integration of unmanned systems, infrastructure upgrades and the full digitisation of air traffic management. &nbsp;
IATA reports that the implementation of SES over the next 15 years could accommodate 50% more flights than the total number of air journeys operated in 2017, whilst simultaneously cutting a staggering 18 million tonnes of Europe&rsquo;s CO2 every year.&nbsp;
<h3>4. 3D Printing&nbsp; </h3>
Manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing have&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/3d-printing-can-change-the-aviation-industry">already begun using 3D Printing</a>&nbsp;to create thousands of flying and non-flying parts. As some airplane parts can weigh up to a third less than traditional metal components, 3D technology could significantly reduce the weight of planes, requiring less fuel and therefore reducing pollution.&nbsp;
The rapid prototyping of 3D printing also means faster build and maintenance processes, creating further efficiencies, and significantly reducing waste. The reduction in error when designing and building parts also aids any necessary redesign, further reducing the volume wasted energy or materials, and delivering cost savings which could free up funds for environmental and further efficiency investment.&nbsp;
<h3>5. Green Planes&nbsp;</h3>
Following the revolutionary technological advancements of the Automotive and Engineering industries, which have seen such innovation as electric and autonomous vehicles and robotic design and manufacturing using Artificial Intelligence (AI), the&nbsp;Aerospace&nbsp;&amp; Aviation industry has been investing into the research and testing of new technologies to solve the sustainability challenge.&nbsp;
After displaying the new model at the Paris Air Show in June 2019, the world&rsquo;s first all-electric commuter aircraft is set to launch later in 2020. Returning from a difficult start to the year, which saw implementation delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and the destruction of a prototype in a fire,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eviation.co/">Eviation&rsquo;s Alice</a>&nbsp;aims to signal the aircraft evolution of the future with affordable, sustainable air travel for all. &nbsp; 
The so-called &lsquo;green plane&rsquo; will run on an efficient power system run by a combination of batter and propellers that reduce noise and fuel pollution, and utilises a streamlined supply chain that reduces waste. The smaller design empowers the aircraft with aerodynamic flight and fast speeds across 1,000km distances.&nbsp;
Earlier this year, Automotive giants Rolls Royce&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/electric-hybrid/rolls-royce-reveals-300mph-electric-aircraft.html">released the first model</a>&nbsp;from their ACCEL (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight) Project which aimed to build the fastest electric plane in history.&nbsp;Rolls Royce partnered Motorsport innovators Formula E to design the plane&rsquo;s advanced 6,000-cell yet featherlight battery, which is reported to be the most powerful and energy-dense battery ever used for an aircraft. The single seater aircraft should be able to reach speeds of 300 miles per hour (beating current records of 210mph) through an all-electric powertrain generating 750 volts and a propeller powered by three motors that generates 500 horsepower.&nbsp;
 The 90% efficient plane will reduce fuel consumption and therefore pollution through shorter journeys, and the aircraft will generate its own data that can be analysed to further improve efficiencies and inform the next generation of green plane design. Rolls Royce are looking to incorporate electrical energy into their long-term strategy over the coming decades, and could pave the way for sustainable manufacturing and operations across the transport sectors.&nbsp;
Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/4-award-winning-aviation-companies-the-story-of-their-successes">4 Award-Winning Airlines and Airports and the Stories Behind Their Success</a>. &nbsp;
&nbsp;Find out more about our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">specialist Aviation recruitment services</a>.

How Airlines Can Meet Sustainability Targets

The world is moving from manual work towards automatic work as it has been found that robotic automation is fast, accurate, and reliable. Robotics protect the employees in the industry from any type of risky, difficult, or dangerous tasks.
Robotic automation in the automotive industry can be installed for speeding up the manufacturing process as well as the rate of production. VHR&rsquo;s F1 recruitment specialists look at how robotic automation is affecting the Formula One and Automotive Industry.
&nbsp;
<h2>Automotive Automation in F1</h2>
&nbsp;<a href="https://www.f1-fansite.com/f1-teams/">Formula 1 automobile manufacturers</a>&nbsp;attempted to create a fully functional self-driving vehicle. There is no doubt that autonomous cars are already present in our lives with Advanced Driving Assisting Systems. Formula 1 cars are a pinnacle of automobile racing, and the best drivers around the world participate to race the most advanced open-cockpit cars ever built.&nbsp;
In present years, F1 has become a double-tier competition with six cars only, which are built-up by three brands, including Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari. The automatic process is being used by almost all of the manufacturers in the automotive industry, including:
<ul>
<li>
Mobile robots&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Three-dimensional printers&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Robot manipulators
</li>
<li>
Object sorters&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Automated machine adjustments&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Robotic wheel loading&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Different technologies that are based on robotic automation, as well as AI (artificial intelligence), help us to make the processing more efficient, accurate, feasible, and stable.
&nbsp;
<h2>Advancements in Automotive Assembly Stations</h2>
The automotive industry predominantly consists of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Automobile.html">assembly stations</a>&nbsp;which include engine shop, welding shop, final assembly shop, and paint shop. Various autonomous robots are used in welding shops. They are used to weld different parts of an automobile. This process is pre-set in the algorithm of a robot which is used to analyze the metal. The robot welds it at a particular place without any error. Metal parts are then coated with the help of an anti-rusting material to make an automobile resistant to corrosion or rust. The Assembly line takes the materials into a tank, and a machine dips a part of it, making sure that the chemical is completely exposed to every corner of an automobile. Then the parts are painted well and are sent to final assembly stations where are all the components are assembled using robots.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2>Advantages Of Robotic Automation</h2>
Robotic automation has many&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-smart-technology-will-transform-the-automotive-industry-in-2020">positive impacts on formula one cars and the automotive industry:</a>
<ul>
<li>
Autonomous vehicles have very high speeds and have a narrow width to keep the assembly line short.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Formula one vehicles are stated to be safer when compared to standard vehicles.
</li>
<li>
The introduction of robotic automation has eliminated errors due to human distractions and tiredness.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Wide operation ranges are made well-structured, making sure safety and accessibility and allowing the robots to keep the downtime at minimal levels. Challenging processes, for example, casting processes, have a lot of minor details and are very difficult to obtain from manual processes. However, robotic automation has made it easy for us to deal with difficult tasks.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Dual-arm allows a robot to work at different movements simultaneously.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
The triple arm robotic concept has also been introduced as it is reliable and capable of performing different operations at an assembly line.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
It reduces labour which helps to save salaries, and these systems act as a cashback source.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
All of the formula one cars have been manufactured having a high degree of precision and accuracy without any dimensional errors.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3>Drive Your Automotive Team to Be The Best&nbsp;</h3>
Having difficulty in finding engineers to join your team? Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-hire-top-quality-engineers-after-covid-19">3 Innovative Ways to Hire Skilled Engineers in 2021</a>.
Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-recruit-internationally-after-brexit">Guide to International Recruitment After Brexit</a>.&nbsp;

Impacts of Robotic Automation on Formula 1 and Automotive Industry

In 2009, 3 years after securing a long term partnership with Etihad Airways (UAE&rsquo;s national airline) there was a shortage of Aircraft Cabin Technicians (ACTs) &ndash; a crucial and rare Aviation skillset. Etihad had become the World&rsquo;s fastest growing airline in part due to prioritising their Cabin to attract travellers across economy, business and first class cabins. Etihad&rsquo;s problem was that Emirates and Qatar Airways were also prioritising Cabin&rsquo;s and searching for the same skills. The approach of all 3 airlines had been to hire ever more expensive European cabin technicians. Staff retention became an increasing issue as did cost due to a wage spiral. &nbsp;
A new approach was required if Etihad were to recruit the amount people that they required. VHR persuaded Etihad to adopt a sustainable approach to their ACT workforce. The aim of VHR&rsquo;s programme was to:
<ol>
<li>To create a skilled workforce to solve the initial and future skills shortage</li>
<li>To reduce the associated manpower costs whilst maintaining ethical practices and a quality workforce</li>
<li>To increase worker retention rates</li>
<li>To improve workforce planning and create a talent pool</li>
</ol>
VHR scoured the world to source workers with excellent English language skills (communication is paramount to Aviation safety) and identified the Philippines, where individuals have excellent English languages skills and which has a large Aerospace industry (resulting from WW2 and American influence). In addition Filipino nationals are culturally comfortable with working overseas for extended periods.
&nbsp;After securing a source location for skills VHR identified a training provider in the form of Lufthansa Technik Philippines whom had a large facility in Manila.
Etihad and VHR then spent several months designing a training course in conjunction with Lufthansa Technik. The course was designed to take airframe and engine mechanics and to train them into cabin maintenance mechanics on advanced wide body jet aircraft. The 6-week course included 12 modules and exams and practical experience on Etihad seats which were specially shipped to Lufthansa&rsquo;s facility. Each course was designed to accommodate 25 students.
VHR identified a local recruitment partner (legal requirement in Philippines) to organise a series of recruitment roadshows. Initially 60 candidates were recruited, referenced and put through a medical to ensure they were fit to work and would pass entry requirement to the UAE.
The first course commenced in August 2009 with 25 students graduating in late September 2009. VHR covered all the tuition costs.
In October 2009 VHR deployed the first 25 newly qualified ACTS to Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. Each ACT was provided with an initial 3-year contract with VHR, a salary of between 7-10 times the salary they received in Philippines, free good quality accommodation in shared apartments inclusive of bills and Wi-Fi, free transport to/from work. In addition each ACT received an annual leave ticket back to Manila.
VHR partnered Etihad management on performance monitoring and additional training. VHR and Etihad provided continuous professional training throughout the duration of each ACT&rsquo;s contract with VHR.
To date VHR has run 22 training courses for Etihad training 550 people. This success of this programme was then used as the basis for a similar programmes in Czech Republic and Malta that has trained and employed in excess of 450 workers.
VHR&rsquo;s sustainable workforce programmes have trained, up-skilled&nbsp; and secured employment for just over 1,000 aircraft workers for 5 clients in 3 countries since 2009. This represents 9% of all the workers VHR have found employment for since VHR started trading in 2003. &nbsp;The average worker retention rate for our sustainable programmes is more than 90%.
&ldquo;VHR&rsquo;s innovative aircraft cabin technician program has been integral to the success of Etihad Airways Cabin Maintenance Department and the product we offer our guests. I can thoroughly recommend VHR, they provide a quality and professional service and consistently go the extra mile.&rdquo; - Jeff Wilkinson CEO Etihad Airways Engineering
If you would like more information on how VHR can tailor a sustainable workforce programme for your organisation please contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hello@v-hr.com">hello@v-hr.com.</a>

Creating a Sustainable Workforce in the UAE

The Covid-19 pandemic ensured that the New Year began with a mountain of challenges for the business world. With a Brexit deal announced just before 2020 drew to a close, the eventual outcome of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union will mean permanent changes for organisations across industries, both in the UK and in the EU.
Hiring internationally will present great challenges for organisations across sectors, alongside a wealth of opportunities to access fresh talent and create new ideas and solutions.
Here are five ways that businesses around the world can continue to find the best talent and drive business growth following Brexit.
<h2>5 Ways UK Businesses Can Grow Their International Teams After Brexit</h2>
&nbsp;
<h3>1. Understand and Take Advantage of the Fine Print</h3>
Although&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/hiring-strategies-after-brexit">25% of UK businesses</a>&nbsp;currently employ European nationals, over half of British business leaders are concerned about employing an EU citizen due to potential changes in immigration laws. However, many Human Resources departments and senior teams may not be fully aware that British businesses can still access a notable section of the European workforce with little to no red tape:
<ul>
<li>Skilled Scientists and those working in Technology, Research, Academia or Arts and Culture can quickly move to the UK under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/global-talent">Global Talent Scheme</a>, even without a guaranteed formal job offer</li>
<li>EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and other non-visa nationals do not require a visa when visiting the UK for up to 6 months (however they will need to apply for the Right to Work), which could provide valuable talent to the contract workforce</li>
<li>EU citizens who were already living in the UK before 2021 must hold or have applied for UK immigration status to legally work in the UK. Workers who have applied for and received Settled Status are already eligible to work in Britain</li>
<li>A new graduate immigration route will be available to international students who have completed a degree in the UK from summer 2021. Organisations can employ these international graduates at any skill level for up to two years (rising to three years for PhD graduates)</li>
<li>Individuals who were born in the UK or are citizens of the European Economic Area will automatically have the right to work in the UK, but will need to apply for a residence permit.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Skilled workers with a job offer from an approved employer sponsor will also be able to begin a UK-based role. Under the new rules, your potential hire will need qualifications or certifications equivalent to A Levels and must be fluent in the English language. Salary requirements also apply for some roles. Businesses can find more information on the new immigration system on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-immigration-system-what-you-need-to-know#eu-citizens-who-were-living-in-the-uk-by-31-december-2020">UK Government&rsquo;s website</a>.
<h3>2. Make Cross-Departmental Collaboration the Norm</h3>
&nbsp;
With new immigration rules and a longer time to hire, hiring managers and recruitment agencies will need to work harder to attract European talent. The right to work, the Settlement Scheme and the updates to existing legislation that are expected to follow in 2021 and 2022 will require Compliance departments to take centre stage in the hiring process, and play a key role in supporting candidate screening and selection.
In 2021, Human Resources teams, department managers and Board Directors will collaborate to adopt a longer-term talent attraction strategy that both retains existing talent pools and plans for international recruitment needs in the coming decade. Tighter regulation will encourage companies to work much more closely with their recruitment agency suppliers to build a full workforce management solution.
<h3>3. Diversify and Add Innovation to Job Advertising</h3>
Whilst some European candidates may now be harder to reach, UK businesses have the chance to turn the challenge into an opportunity. Globalisation and the accelerated adoption of technology in the past year means that potential talent of all nationalities can be reached digitally, from anywhere in the world.
Innovative British businesses can stand out in the global market and reach candidates across the continent in a variety of ways:
<ul>
<li>Advertise on international job boards. Research around to find up and coming websites focused on hiring diverse talent and younger generations who will not yet have been approached by UK competitors</li>
<li>Reach out to candidates where they already congregate online, such as local industry publication websites, message boards that act as popular support networks in your sector, and social media channels that are popular in European countries like LinkedIn, Xing and Facebook</li>
<li>Enlist the help of your UK-based employees who are also EU nationals themselves. Tell their stories and their experiences, and use their video and written testimonials, to encourage other candidates with similar backgrounds to envisage themselves working for you and inspire them to apply</li>
<li>Some EU residents may be nervous around the UK&rsquo;s lockdown situation and unsure of the new immigration rules after Brexit. Host webinars to provide a more in-depth view of your company and what it&rsquo;s like to work there. Hold a Q&amp;A so that potential candidates can speak directly with and receive reassurance from the senior leadership team to encourage them to apply for your vacancies.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Retain and Promote Internally&nbsp;</h3>
With Brexit seeing a 95% decline in the number of EU workers travelling to the UK to live and work, retaining European nationals will be one of the main methods to taking a business forward with a workforce that includes international talent. However, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cipd.co.uk/news-views/brexit-hub/workforce-trends">34% of business leaders</a>&nbsp;reporting challenges in retaining staff from the EU, how can companies reassure their EU staff, protect job security and continually engage their European employees?
The most popular methods for increasing employee engagement across the board include:
<ul>
<li>Flexible working</li>
<li>Learning and development opportunities</li>
<li>Work-life balance</li>
<li>Benefits such as holiday incentives, childcare vouchers and gym memberships</li>
<li>Positive working culture and friendly, collaborative teams.</li>
</ul>
In addition to providing a positive overall working experience, employers can help reassure their European employees by communicating with them proactively and regularly to update them on sponsorship, visas and legal employment requirements. Sending out regular messages of support for international staff from senior leaders will facilitate an open and accepting culture across the business. Creating dedicated support groups will enable international staff members to connect with and support each other, and promoting helplines and useful resources will enable staff to navigate legal applications.
<h3>5. Partner with an International Recruitment Agency</h3>
Although many staffing partners can prove valuable by saving time and resources when looking for new hires, recruitment agencies with an international focus will have developed strong networks around the world that your company can access instantly. Recruiters with a long-standing global footprint will not only have a presence in and knowledge of the local market place, but can provide advice tailored specifically for your requirements and guide you on defining and identifying the ideal candidate for your organisation.
International staffing specialists will have first-hand experience and deep understanding of:
<ul>
<li>Visas and work permits</li>
<li>Legislation required for different types of employee, such as the IR35 requirements for UK contractors</li>
<li>Common problems or challenges that can be planned for to avoid risk</li>
<li>Acclimatisation and the support that new hires from overseas will most benefit from.</li>
</ul>
VHR are international inside and out: our teams are former technicians and Engineers, meaning we truly understand our market, and our teams originate from all over the world, collectively speaking 15 languages.
<h3>Recruit Skilled Engineers and Technicians for Your Business</h3>
Looking to grow your international business?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">Find out more about our award-winning recruitment services</a>.
Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-will-the-engineering-industry-change-in-2021">5 Ways the Engineering Industry will Change in 2021</a>.

How to Recruit Internationally After Brexit

In addition to the Covid-19 pandemic and rapid increase in demand for leisure and business flights over the past decade, the Aerospace &amp; Aviation sector is facing another critical issue: a lack of skills in the next generation of pilots, technicians and airline staff.
<a href="https://www.boeing.com/commercial/market/commercial-market-outlook/">Boeing&rsquo;s 2019-2038 Outlook</a>&nbsp;forecasts that the global demand for pilots will double in the next seven years alone &ndash; 800,000 new pilots will be required by 2037 &ndash; with 98,000 new business aircraft pilots also needed over the next 20 years.
The global Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) sector also faces dramatic a reduction in technicians. More than 2 in 5 (42%) of Aerospace &amp; Aviation leaders identify a labour shortage in the maintenance technician field as their most urgent business problem in the next few years.
With the sector forced to think creatively and innovate like never before, industry leaders are beginning to look to other technical and Engineering industries to access and build new talent. Here are five ways Aviation leaders are recruiting talent from other sectors.
<h2>5 Ways to Recruit Skills from Other Industries into Aerospace</h2>
<h3>1. Collaboration</h3>
Identifying transferable skills is usually an underrated but potentially revolutionary recruitment strategy. Those already trained in the following areas are well suited to a career in Aerospace:
<ul>
<li>
Automotive &ndash; Formula One pit crew and prototyping teams thrive in fast-paced environments where safety and performance must simultaneously be prioritised
</li>
<li>
Marine &ndash; Skills required for pilots and aircraft engineers are similar to those taught in the maritime industry
</li>
<li>
Engineering &ndash; From architecture and IT to quality assurance and supply chain operations, trained Engineers have a wealth of design and manufacturing skills
</li>
<li>
Energy &ndash; Building and maintaining wind turbines require similar abilities to the build and maintenance of aircraft, and the ability to think calmly under pressure and pinpoint focus in potentially hazardous situations well positions those working in Oil &amp; Gas and Nuclear Power for other vocations.
</li>
</ul>
The above sectors are all also facing their own skills shortages; instead of competing, the sectors can identify the types of talent they really need and work together to identify these early on and pass them to other sectors where they best fit. Collaborating with other industries with similar products, processes and environments means both parties will be facing many of the same challenges &ndash; such as automation, carbon efficiency targets and customer personalisation demand &ndash; enabling an understanding of the requirements of each business, and resulting in a mutually beneficial acquisition of skills for all involved.
<h3>2. Apprenticeships</h3>
Apprenticeships are not only a way to engage young people looking for their first role, but are also an innovative route into finding and securing talent from other industries. In today&rsquo;s economy with over 200 applicants on average for every job role, and particularly in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis, many individuals will be evaluating their lives and wanting to pursue their passion &ndash; without investing much-needed money into University degrees or lengthy courses. Skilled engineers, technicians and skilled staff from other industries can begin an Aviation apprenticeship which fully utilises their existing skillset and experience &ndash; giving them an advantage over younger Apprentices &ndash; whilst providing them with a starting salary and structured financial package.
Pilot apprenticeships have been increasing in popularity in recent years and proving particularly successful with applicants older than the usual teenage Apprentices, who have previous experience in demanding STEM career paths. Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, easyJet and TUI operate accessible training programmes for those at any age, either at entry level or requiring A Levels or equivalent. Qantas is investing $15million into a pilot school, and Emirates has already opened a $135million flight academy to train the next generation, evidencing the appetite for Aerospace Apprentices and their success so far in building talent.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. Innovative Marketing</h3>
The solution to the skills shortage lies in redefining the way that businesses recruit and attract potential talent. A lack of awareness in skilled individuals of all ages and backgrounds is preventing potential talent from truly understanding what an Aviation career path offers &ndash; but innovative marketing can change this.
The next decade looks set to be one of the most exciting in history for the sector. Business leaders and marketing departments can develop a recruitment campaign that focuses on the future-focused nature of the industry and the innovative projects that new hires would become involved with, such as:
<ul>
<li>Artificial Intelligence (AI) &ndash; Smart planes, autonomous and pilot-less carriers, robotics replacing human interactions and increasing safety</li>
<li>Environmental Advances &ndash; Biofuels, green planes, sustainable materials projects and transforming air traffic control</li>
<li>Collaboration &ndash; Partnering and communicating with organisations and industry bodies around the world to combat international challenges and drive creative solutions</li>
<li>Modernising Flying Experiences &ndash; Updating architecture and airport design to improve health and wellbeing, placing mindfulness and psychology at the heart of Aviation whilst facilitating social distancing to protect passengers in pandemics</li>
<li>Changing Flight Forever &ndash; Creating faster, more efficient and more effective planes that can fly around the world in only a few hours.</li>
</ul>
Directly involving individual prospective employees and positioning them at the heart of the success of the Aviation industry is the best way to attract, fully engage and inspire skilled talent.
Industry leaders can appeal directly to the motivations and career desires of skilled individuals in other sectors by promoting their recruitment campaigns across not only their websites and social media channels, but also in the places where passive candidates are: industry websites, blogs and publications relevant to their own sector, online discussion communities such as Reddit and LinkedIn and Facebook groups that correspond to their current job titles.
Tailoring your recruitment marketing to different groups can deliver a much more personalised candidate experience, attracting and engaging potential talent with a message that an Aviation career is well suited to their lifestyles and career goals and can deliver the rewards, experiences and benefits they most value. Whilst the current young demographic, Generation Z, value financial independence, travel, learning new skills and having new experiences, older generations who are already skilled workers in another industry will have different interests. Millennials are also a socially conscious generation that want a potential employer&rsquo;s values to match their own, which companies can tap into by promoting environmental investment and corporate social responsibility and charity programmes. Generation X are more interested in stable employment and financial and career growth, meaning promoting pension, bonus and reward schemes, in addition to career development, can attract talent in this demographic.
<h3>4. Schools</h3>
Recruiting from an early age enables the acquiring of talent from other industries before they have a chance to access the same talent pools. Those who work in Aviation know that the industry offers a vast variety of exciting career opportunities &ndash; but many of the next generation are completely unaware that these careers exist.
In a globally connected world where students are bombarded with choices and expected to make life-changing decisions from an early age, the technical industries need to shout louder to reach potential engineers and technicians before they are lost to the sector.
The Aerospace &amp; Aviation industry can plant the seeds of new career choices by visiting schools in person and developing partnerships with education bodies to benefit students, schools, colleges and businesses. By coming face-to-face with pilots, technicians, designers and airline crew, students can not only derive first-hand insight in an invaluable learning experience, but budding talent pools can also get the answers to questions about uncertainties which may have previously discouraged them from venturing further towards the sector.
Involvement in primary schools and youth groups can facilitate industry representatives in speaking about the benefits of their career, not only of working for airlines and MROs but in being part of the incredible things that they do and the amazing experiences they create. Industry leaders and new Aviation Academies can tackle the aviation skills shortage by promoting the importance of engineers and technicians to the history and future of our globalised and technologically advanced world.
Partnering with schools, colleges and universities to better market industry careers, communicating directly with young people themselves and using these insights to inform recruitment strategies are the beginning of the solution to the skills shortage.
&nbsp;
<h3>5. Inclusive Employer Brands</h3>
&nbsp;
The International Society of Women Airline Pilots reports that only 5% of pilots worldwide are female &ndash; meaning that female representation in the industry has grown by a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bishopjordan/2018/09/12/female-pilots-india/#eb43ec4469dc">shockingly low</a>&nbsp;1.5% since 1960. However, diversity is also incredibly low in other sectors where industry leaders may find transferable skills. Just 9% of the UK&rsquo;s engineering workforce is female, and despite encompassing over 14% of the UK&rsquo;s population, only 6% of UK engineers across the industrial sectors are from BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds. The lack of diverse representation in the technical industries suggests a less than positive experience for many diverse individuals working in these sectors &ndash; Aviation leaders can identify those skilled engineers unhappy in their jobs and engage them to transfer across to the sector.
Attracting and gaining the confidence of diverse talent can be as simple as adding your voice to the support of diverse communities or as broad-scale as creating your own global diverse networks. By sponsoring events centred around diversity in the technical sectors or adding the company logo to a Women in STEM website, industry leaders align their brand with the values of their diverse employee base to inspire and encourage minority groups looking to enter the field.
&nbsp;
Companies can also tap into their existing diverse employee base to find out how to build a truly inclusive and welcoming employer brand. Find out how the diverse engineers in your company really feel, and what they want and need from their employer. Speak to diverse groups across the sector at networking events and research studies online, to understand the policies and brand values that appeal to diverse engineers when job seeking.
Advertise in channels that you have not advertised in before but that attract and engage diverse audiences directly. For example, look at Facebook LinkedIn groups for BAME or LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) engineers, message boards and popular blogs and YouTube channels aimed at people with disabilities who work within your industry. Gaining referrals from diverse employees in your business (who will be able to recommend your business as a good employer who values diverse groups). Team up with a well-known union or network for diverse groups to advertise, speak to and engage with their thousands of diverse members.
<h3>Recruiting Technical Talent</h3>
Partnering with a recruitment company that specialises in Aerospace &amp; Aviation jobs can offer unique insight into the wants, needs and situations of potential talent, and help your business create a bespoke plan to reach new talent pools.
&nbsp;
Find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">VHR&rsquo;s Aviation recruitment services</a>.

Solving the Aerospace Skills Shortage by Recruiting from Other Industries

Following the coronavirus pandemic and during the changes resulting from Brexit, employers are faced with complex challenges that will impact hiring processes for the coming months and years.
Covid-19 saw over 8million workers furloughed, with a large proportion expecting to be made redundant when the Government&rsquo;s Job Retention Scheme finishes in October 2020, over 60,000 contractors have lost assignments or seen work cancelled in the past few months, and unemployment is predicted to soar to unprecedented levels in the year ahead.
Whilst an abundance of job applicants can be beneficial to companies looking to grow their employee base, a wider talent pool places further strain on leaders, HR and recruitment departments to accurately assess hundreds of applicants for each post &ndash; making an excellent interview process more important than ever before.
Here are five ways employers can improve the quality of interviewing processes to identify, engage and secure the best possible candidates.
&nbsp;
<h2>5 Ways to Upgrade Your Interview Process</h2>
<h3>1. Build Your Employer Brand</h3>
&nbsp;
Google, Microsoft and Nike were all featured high up on this year&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Award/Best-Places-to-Work-UK-LST_KQ0,22.htm">Best Places to Work</a>&nbsp;list compiled by Glassdoor from existing employee ratings. Whilst these companies are well-known throughout the world as exciting brands that create fun and innovative products, other companies with a much smaller global reach selling products that are traditionally much harder to market &ndash; such as pest-control provider Rentokil and tile retailer Topps Tiles &ndash; and companies in industries that traditionally struggle with diversity &ndash; such as construction company Mace and pensions provider Royal London &ndash; also made the top 25.
A positive employer brand is much more than popularity or perceived social and cultural capital. The best places to work received their titles, and attract and retain the best talent, by building a unique, welcoming and inclusive employer brand that engages applicants from their first interaction with the company.
A positive employer brand begins before the job application process, where active and passive candidates will see digital content from your brand and may have purchased or engaged with you offline previously, and carries on throughout the interview and offer process.&nbsp;&nbsp;active and passive candidates. Stand out amongst competitors by carefully crafting the image of the ideal place to work, by telling the story of how you brand came to be and the role of existing and new employees in your purpose and vision. Distribute this message across every touchpoint your applicants will come into contact with, including:
<ul>
<li>Social media channels &ndash; tailor content to the demographics of your applicant group; for example, do they use Instagram more than Twitter, and are they likely to prefer WhatsApp messaging over Facebook communication?</li>
<li>Website, blog and press releases</li>
<li>Employee review sites such as Glassdoor &ndash; encourage reviews and photos from existing employees to provide a personal insight for applicants who research your company</li>
<li>Job adverts &ndash; express the personality of your company and the benefits to its employees to stand out amongst the millions of job adverts circling on job boards.</li>
</ul>
Emphasise your employee benefits, Learning &amp; Development opportunities, company culture and the positive experiences and successes of your staff, and promote testimonials from individual employees across the business as unique recommendations.
By building up a positive image of your workplace, applicants will build their own relationship with your company and will develop trust and positive associations that will set the stage for a positive, informed and engaging interview experience. Continue this messaging in your interviews by training hiring managers on your employer brand and supplying interviewees with digital and print booklets that complement your digital content.
&nbsp;
<h3>2. Create a Candidate Persona</h3>
&nbsp;
In the same way that marketing professionals create buyer personas to target their ideal audience, HR and recruitment departments can create an image of the candidate that they are trying to attract. Personas build up a picture of the perfect candidate, not only in terms of skills, experience and knowledge, but also their background, interests, career goals and personal and professional challenges, in order to tailor every aspect of the hiring process to meet the needs of individuals in this group. Taking care to account for diversity and stay inclusive of all minority groups, interviewers can use their personas to inform the communication and structure of job adverts, employer brand content, recruitment campaigns and interview processes.
Hiring managers can build a persona by asking themselves the following questions:
<ul>
<li>Where is the candidate in their career and what are the next steps in their development? (e.g. professional training, mentoring, self-study, soft skills</li>
<li>Where are they in their life and how would their ideal career match their personal goals? (e.g. salaries and bonuses to help buy their first home, flexible hours to look after children or dependents, health and wellbeing benefits</li>
<li>What would they most value in an employer? (e.g. morality and ethics, well-known brand, international growth, transparency and efficiency internally</li>
<li>What type of interview process would the candidate most enjoy (for example, panel, group, individual face-to-face or remote) and what questions and forms of communication would get the best out of them?</li>
</ul>
Taking care to account for diversity and stay inclusive of all minority groups, interviewers can use their personas to inform the communication and structure of job adverts, employer brand content, recruitment campaigns and interview processes.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. Conduct Flexible Interviews</h3>
&nbsp;
Shortening interview processes can dramatically reduce time spent hiring each employee and will significantly improve the experience for interviewees. Candidates who undergo a lengthy interview process are not only more likely to find and accept another job offer during this time period, but are also likely to resent the amount of effort and time involved, damaging their relationship with their new employer if they do accept after a long interview process. Operate with a two-interview process &ndash; three at an absolute maximum &ndash; even for the most senior roles. Review your interview practices to ensure you fully utilise the time that you have with your candidates.
Take advantage of technology to ensure your interview process is as smooth, accessible and enjoyable as possible. During Covid-19, video interviews have often provided the only available form of candidate assessment, and the thousands of new starters currently undergoing virtual onboarding has assuaged any doubts. Even after the easing of lockdowns around the world, remote interviews are the preferred choice of millions of candidates. Video and phone interviews require applicants to take far less time away from work and/or travelling, allowing the interview process to work around the candidate&rsquo;s personal and professional life. Remote hiring processes also benefit employers by delivering interviews days or even weeks faster than would be possible with face-to-face interviews.
Technology also supports your employer brand as a company that values the work/life balance and diversity of its staff. Being more flexible around candidate&rsquo;s schedules, family and caring responsibilities, disabilities and health requirements can open up opportunities to a wider and more diverse pool of candidates than ever before. Flexible interviews accommodate diverse groups or demographics that your business may not have worked with before, such as people with a range of disabilities or single parents, and make it easier for them to apply to work with you.
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Personalise the Experience &amp; Get to Know Your Candidate</h3>
&nbsp;
Whilst most hiring managers will operate with a set list of requirements on which they will want to assess applicants, a personalised interview process will both make a candidate feel valued by their potential employer and provide HR and recruitment consultants with a full view of the candidate as a professional and as a person, revealing technical and soft skills as well as development potential.
Ask interview questions that tap into the passion of your candidate. As each applicant tailors their CV to the role they apply for, tailor your interview questions to the CV of and any previous conversations with each individual candidate. Pay attention to the personal and professional areas they emphasise in their application and when speaking with you, and work these into your interview conversation. Adapt your required interview questions to reinforce their strengths and captivate their specific interests, and respond to their questions around company culture and working responsibility by promoting aspects of the company and role that you know will be particularly interesting and important to the candidate.
For individual-based questions, get your candidate talking about their passions and excited about the role on offer by asking questions such as:
<ul>
<li>Who in your life most inspires you/who do you most admire?</li>
<li>What motivates you to succeed?</li>
<li>Can you give an example of something that you are focused on at the moment?</li>
<li>How have you helped others outside of work?</li>
<li>What projects and activities do you most enjoy out of work?</li>
<li>What are your greatest personal and professional achievements?</li>
</ul>
Interviewers and interviewees will learn far more about each other by utilising tailored questions and tapping into company and individual personalities. Informed, enthusiastic candidates who have built up a unique level of trust and rapport with their interviewers will be far more likely to continue in the hiring process and ultimately to accept a job offer.
&nbsp;
<h3>5. Ask for Candidate Feedback</h3>
&nbsp;
Whilst exist interviews often generate the most honest direct feedback for employers, feedback from unsuccessful applicants will provide the closest insight into the candidate experience. Ask applicants during a phone conversation or ask them to fill in an anonymous survey (taking no more than 2 minutes of their time) on questions such as:
<ul>
<li>What did you enjoy most about the interview experience?</li>
<li>Did you receive enough communication?</li>
<li>Was your experience consistent?</li>
<li>Did the interview process match your expectations?</li>
<li>What could the company have done to improve your experience?</li>
</ul>
A positive interview experience that is not matched by a positive employee experience will not retain new talent for long. Whilst HR teams and hiring managers will be keen to sell the company as much as possible to potential recruits, and will naturally highlight positive aspects of the business rather than any weaknesses, interviewees need to be aware of the full picture before joining the firm. Interviewers should hone in on any worries expressed by candidates and proactively discuss these, and actively welcome difficult questions, to ensure there are no unwelcome surprises when a new starter joins the organisation.
Existing employees are an excellent resource to tap into regarding their previous perceptions of their employers and how closely this matches their real-life working experience. Current workers can also provide an insight into what they most value in their employer and any improvements that could aid them in their day-to-day jobs, which could further improve the experiences of new starters joining the company in the near future. Request feedback from your current staff to ascertain the information gaps between interviewing and onboarding, and utilise this feedback to improve communication in the hiring process.
&nbsp;
Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-reduce-recruitment-costs">How to Reduce Recruitment Costs</a>&nbsp;or read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-maintain-employee-engagement-during-difficult-times">Improving Employee Engagement During Difficult Times</a>.
Find out more about our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">award-winning recruitment solutions</a>.

How to Improve Interview Quality and Find the Best Candidates

Whether in response to market demand, new competition, unprecedented crisis or technological advancement, changes in supply chain processes and relationships can have far-reaching effects for businesses for decades to come.
These are the supply chain advancements from Engineers and Manufacturers that revolutionised industries and economies around the world.
&nbsp;
<h3>5 Most Influential Supply Chain Transformations</h3>
<h3>3. Ford &ndash; Assembly Line Efficiencies</h3>
&nbsp;
First sold in 1908, the Ford Model T is renowned for being the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/model-t">earliest affordable car</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The mass appeal of the vehicle was due to the revolutionary manufacturing process created by Henry Ford.
Ford spent years crafting a more efficient assembly line. The world&rsquo;s first moving assembly line utilised conveyor belts that Ford attributed to inspiration from Chicago meatpacking factories. The car factory was divided into hundreds of sections, each assembling a single car part in an incremental building process.
Ford&rsquo;s innovations dramatically reduced manufacturing time &ndash; for the Model T motor alone, build time was cut almost in half from nine hours and fifty-four minutes to five hours and fifty-six minutes. The assembly line advancements also cemented the company&rsquo;s overall efficiencies and scalability, with the Model T becoming the first vehicle that used parts entirely built by Ford. In the next 14 years, Ford produced over 15million Model Ts.
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>2. Amazon &ndash; Strategic Insourcing and Outsourcing Inventory Management</h3>
&nbsp;
Global giant Amazon dominates retail and delivery markets thanks to its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-amazon-is-changing-supply-chain-management-4155324">outsourcing and insourcing strategies</a>.
The same-day shipping that fulfils instant customer demand are only possible through its own highly efficient logistics. Utilising its own delivery vehicles reduces the possibility for miscommunication and supply chain errors at this stage, and removes the risk of brand damage resulting from poor customer experience with a third party supplier. The brand&rsquo;s warehouses are strategically located around city centres and densely populated geographies to minimise transportation time, and its stringent forecast measures narrows down specific regions to accurately predict local demand. Its multi-tier inventory management goes further: warehouses are divided into five storage areas according to demand, quantity and type of product to maximise efficiencies.
Amazon&rsquo;s supply chain diversifies its approach between its own products and products from third-party sellers. Over 80% of Amazon&rsquo;s sales derive from third-party sellers, with these products sold using a pure pull strategy through an order-by-order fulfilment model. Products that are infrequently ordered are not stored in regular Amazon warehouses, but managed efficiently by storing in fulfilment centres. Exactly like Amazon&rsquo;s warehouses for its own proacts, fulfilment centres are located near local urban markets to minimise transportation time and maximise deliverability.
Tailored approaches to inventory and logistics have enabled Amazon to grow from a $7 billion revenue in 2004 to $233 billion in 2018. The brand became the fastest ever company to reach $100 billion in sales revenue, and since its inception has grown by around 20% every year. Subsequent innovations in warehouse robotics, e-commerce investment and customer experience advancements are aiming to help Amazon reach its target of $1 trillion revenue in the new decade.
<h3>3. Walmart and Procter &amp; Gamble &ndash; Sharing Information for Continuous Replenishment</h3>
&nbsp;
In the early 1990&rsquo;s, the relationship between the supermarket and the goods manufacturer was not strong, and the two were out of alignment: Procter &amp; Gamble focused on day-by-day selling with an aggressive push for short-term sales without long-term planning, and fragmented internal processes meant that each organisation operated in silos without shared knowledge. However, with the business relationship bringing in over $2billion at the time, a more unified approach was clearly identified as a worthwhile opportunity. As major players in their industries, the two brands decided to collaborate to develop a mutually beneficial channel partnership with the aim of increasing both short-term and long-term sales and generating efficiencies.
P&amp;G and Wal-Mart&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cornerstone-group.com/2018/08/09/how-pg-became-part-of-walmart/">developed a strategy</a>&nbsp;that would share data across teams of people and technology throughout their mutual supply chain. Several P&amp;G leaders were installed in Wal-Mart offices, P&amp;G was electronically linked into Wal-Mart&rsquo;s systems that tracked when each individual product left the supermarket, and continuous replenishment processes enabled P&amp;G to ship replenishments to Wal-Mart&rsquo;s distribution centres in perfect timing from dock to truck to shop, with the aim of reducing costs and increasing efficiencies. The two brands also shared data to better understand customers, thereby reducing the need for inventories and fulfilling more closely to customer demand, with the aim of driving category growth and increasing sales, revenue and profit.
With more co-ordinated channel activities, the partnership generated unprecedented efficiencies and&nbsp;<a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1a84/541d164cfdec6ed4d16a82548839d7026630.pdf">transformed its supply chain</a>&nbsp;to lead with a customer focus, that has benefited both parties significantly. In the past 15 years alone Procter &amp; Gamble grew from $56 million to $9.6 billion revenue, and ranked&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procter_%26_Gamble#Finances">No. 42</a>&nbsp;on the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest American companies by total revenue. Walmart grew from $25 million revenue in 2000 to $514 million in 2019, and after being listed&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walmart#Finance_and_governance">for the first time</a>&nbsp;as America's largest corporation on the Fortune 500 list, the brand has remained at the top every year except 2006, 2009, and 2012.
<h3>4. Toyota &ndash; Lean Manufacturing</h3>
&nbsp;
The famous&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Production_System">Toyota Production System</a>&nbsp;(TPS) gave birth to the principle of Lean Manufacturing that is responsible for the creation, growth and success of businesses across industries and around the world.
The car manufacturer spent decades developing an integrated system that organises manufacturing and logistics for the automobile manufacturer through communication with suppliers and customers. The aim of the process was to improve productivity and efficiency by &lsquo;r<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/1973-toyota-production-system-manual-chapter-1-pdf-available-mark/">educing</a>&nbsp;unnecessary, unreasonable and uneven activities, thus decreasing our production costs&rsquo;.
Toyota created a flexible just-in-time production that reduced waste in eight areas, including inventory, transport and working time of employees, by proactively identifying activities, spend and materials that do not add value for customers and then eliminating the areas without value. Toyota published a booklet and framework for their system, which they used to train employee across the organisation and educate suppliers.
In recent years, the company has extended its systems to help not-for-profit and charitable organisations to build a great volume and quality of homes in areas hit by natural disasters, feed millions more homeless and disadvantaged people and support schools and hospitals in making their budgets reach further. Toyota was the world's first Automotive manufacturer to produce over 10 million vehicles per year, and is now the&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota">tenth-largest&nbsp;</a>company in the world by revenue.
&nbsp;
<h3>5. Provenance &ndash; Transparency and Customer Involvement</h3>
&nbsp;
In 2013 Provenance developed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.provenance.org/technology">pioneering blockchain technology</a>&nbsp;to bring consumers into the heart of the supply chain.
72% of Britain&rsquo;s millennials are willing to spend more on products from companies that demonstrate positive social and environmental impact, and over 80% of consumers of all ages are concerned about the origin of their food products. Provenance aims to fulfil customer demand for information and transparency at all stages of the supply chain, across industries and markets, before they purchase.
The Ethereum blockchain provides products with digital &lsquo;passports&rsquo; that evidence individual origin, reassuring customers of authenticity and ethical processes. Products and raw materials can all be traced, creating an auditable record of the entire supply journey. In further upgrades to the technology, customers can access new experiences via smart phones through labelling from a product&rsquo;s QR codes and smart tags (NFC).
The groundbreaking technology has been increasingly adapted to evidence environmental and social ethics, as well as delivering a unique and personalised experience for customers from their chosen brands. The tech has already been implemented by over 200 food and drink retailers, including for meat and fish, in addition to sustainable clothing, home furnishings and e-commerce.
&nbsp;
Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-ways-manufacturing-engineering-businesses-have-diversified">5 Ways Manufacturing &amp; Engineering Businesses Have Diversified</a>.
Is your business returning to work? Find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/social-distancing-equipment">protecting your staff</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">recruiting new talent during the crisis</a>.

5 Best Supply Chain Innovations

During the unprecedented pandemic that has caused difficulties to individuals and businesses around the globe, Aviation businesses have been innovating, diversifying and continuing to work hard to prosper through the uncertainty &ndash; and many have received official recognition.
As Covid-19 devastated businesses, individuals and communities around the world, the Aviation sector was disproportionately affected as a global industry. Country-wide lockdowns and numerous flight bans on domestic and international travel saw around half of the planet&rsquo;s entire fleet grounded for several months.
Airlines such as Flybe endured total collapse, carriers such as Ryanair and easyJet lost a significant portion of their total business value, and plans for growth, expansion and projects were halted indefinitely. Even as lockdown measures ease in many parts of the globe, holidaymakers and businesses travellers remain concerned about the safety of flying, signalling a longer journey back to work for the Aerospace and Aviation industry.
However, despite the obstacles and unknown challenges facing the industry, airlines, MROs and OEMs alike have embraced the new reality and persevered to achieve success. Here are four Aviation companies that have received official recognition for their success in recent weeks.
4 Aerospace &amp; Aviation Providers Recently Recognised for Success
<ol>
<li>VietJet Air &ndash; Best Company to Work For</li>
</ol>
On 14th&nbsp;July 2020 HR Asia released the Best Companies to Work For in Asia list. The list interviewed employees from hundreds of companies across China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). International low-cost airline VietJet, which in 2019 enjoyed an increase of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1901300/how-vietjet-is-overcoming-the-pandemic?utm_campaign=enewsletter%20regular&amp;utm_source=enewsletter_alert&amp;utm_medium=Business">21.4% in revenue</a>&nbsp;and 29.3% in profit before tax year-on-year, was included as a top Asia employer.
These Awards specifically analysed and celebrated the employee engagement, internal communications and employee welfare programmes of companies across industries throughout the coronavirus pandemic. &lsquo;The recipients of this year's Awards have shown that not only are you the best companies to work for in Asia, but more importantly, you are able to show empathy and genuine care for you employees during their darkest moments of fear and uncertainty,&rsquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://stockhouse.com/news/press-releases/2020/07/14/hr-asia-announces-best-companies-to-work-for-in-asia-from-vietnam">commented William Ng</a>, editor-in-chief of HR Asia publisher Business Media International.
The 2020 accolade marks the second consecutive annual win for VietJet. The organisation, which has 6,000 employees, scored highly on internal transparency, support for professional growth and development and providing a respectful environment. Luu Duc Khanh, Managing Director, credits the organisation&rsquo;s success to &lsquo;experienced leaders, high-quality and professional human resources&rsquo; and &lsquo;the solid foundation for the company's strong and sustainable development in the future&rsquo;.
<img src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg?width=1920&amp;name=the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg?width=960&amp;name=the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg 960w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg?width=1920&amp;name=the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg 1920w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg?width=2880&amp;name=the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg 2880w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg?width=3840&amp;name=the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg 3840w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg?width=4800&amp;name=the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg 4800w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg?width=5760&amp;name=the-plane-at-the-airport-3240997_1920.jpg 5760w" alt="4 Award-Winning Aviation Companies &ndash; The Story of their Successes" width="1920">
<ol start="2">
<li>Republic of Singapore Air Force &ndash; Best Emergency Response</li>
</ol>
In June 2020, 143 Squadron was named the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/143-squadron-that-responded-to-sq423-bomb-threat-awarded-in-saf-best-unit-competition">Best Fighter Squadron</a>&nbsp;in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Best Unit Competition, chosen by the Ministry of Defence.
When a Singapore Airlines flight was faced with a bomb threat in March 2019, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) intercepted the flight mid-air and using two F-16s escorted it to Changi Airport. Major Norman Teo, 36, commanding officer of 143 Squadron, described the incident as the "biggest test" of operational readiness.
The 50-year-old competition recognises units which have excelled in the areas of combat readiness, operational proficiency and administrative excellence. The squadron&rsquo;s unrivalled preparedness, including a variety of intense training and preparation exercises, delivered them to their second achievement in the Awards following their 2017 win.
<ol start="3">
<li>Tauranga Airport &ndash; Best Passenger Experience</li>
</ol>
The New Zealand airport has been applauded for its focus on architecture that improves the experience of customer travellers. Although a smaller hub when considering the mammoth Aerospace providers across the globe, the site is the busiest airport in the surrounding Bay of Plenty region in both passenger traffic and aircraft movements.
In the second quarter of the year, the airport received the&nbsp;<a href="https://sunlive.co.nz/news/237068-tauranga-airport-soars-above-all-others.html">Canstar Blue 2020 Most Satisfied Customers Award</a>&nbsp;for domestic airports. A 2019 major redevelopment doubled terminal size to increase space for a larger lounge, check-in areas and cafes, and reducing walking time from gates to planes. The airport has received a five-star rating for overall satisfaction, waiting areas and communication, as well as four stars for facilities, parking and ease of check-in.
In a double win, the 2020 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards also recognised Tauranga&rsquo;s design upgrade. The architecture Awards celebrated the creation of &lsquo;<a href="https://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/winners-revealed-2020-waikato-bay-of-plenty-architecture-awards/">a strong new identity for the region&rsquo;s airline gateway</a>&rsquo; which provides &lsquo;greater clarity, openness and ease of use.&rsquo;
Tauranga&rsquo;s CEO, Ray Dumble commented, &lsquo;We take great pride in putting our customers first, and to win this award during a year of major construction is testament to the effort our staff put into minimising disruption to travellers. The focus was to create a space that both customers and staff enjoyed, and this award is proof we have achieved that.&rsquo;
<img src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg?width=500&amp;name=Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg 500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg?width=1500&amp;name=Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg 1500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg?width=2000&amp;name=Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg 2000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg?width=2500&amp;name=Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg 2500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg?width=3000&amp;name=Portrait%20of%20child%20with%20airplane%20traveling%20toy%20in%20double%20exposure-1.jpeg 3000w" alt="4 Best Aerospace &amp; Aviation Providers Recently Recognised for Success" width="1000">
<ol start="4">
<li>Singapore Airlines &ndash; Best International Airline</li>
</ol>
In July 2020, Singapore Airlines was named the world&rsquo;s favourite international carrier &ndash; for the 25th&nbsp;year in a row. Run by Travel + Leisure magazine, the World&rsquo;s Best Awards receive votes from 4.8 million readers on travel destinations, hotels, cruise lines, airports and airlines.
<a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/singapore-airlines-best-international-airline-25-years">Comments from Travel &amp; Leisure readers</a>&nbsp;include:
<ul>
<li>&lsquo;Excellent customer service that starts [at] the airport all the way to final destination. Definitely will be traveling with them in future.&rsquo;</li>
<li>&lsquo;Singapore wrote the book on excellence in flying.&rsquo;</li>
<li>&lsquo;There's a reason this is always at the top of the list. They just do it right.&rsquo;</li>
<li>&lsquo;What deluxe treatment! I hate to get off the plane.&rsquo;</li>
</ul>
The carrier&rsquo;s in-flight cuisine is famed for its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/urban-vertical-farm-newark-singapore-airlines">fresh, healthy and delicious meals</a>&nbsp;cultivated in sustainable, environmentally friendly farms. Comfort is also prioritised by the Singapore carrier, with luxurious suites complemented by top-of-the-range air conditioning, climate and humidity control and services such as inflight yoga.
The successes of airlines, airports, squadrons and Aerospace providers are testament to the industry&rsquo;s resilience in the face of a crisis, and signal an anticipated return to business as normal &ndash; or event, in many aspects, for the better &ndash; in the coming months.
Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-airlines-are-getting-back-to-business-after-covid-19">How Airlines are Getting Back to Business After Covid-19</a>.
Is your business recruiting essential staff? Find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">VHR&rsquo;s award-winning recruitment services</a>.

4 Award-Winning Aviation Companies – The Story of their Successes

As Covid-19 devastates individuals and industries across the globe, the Aerospace &amp; Aviation sector continues to suffer.
Flight bans in lockdown countries and cancelled trips from concerned customers in others have already impacted the world&rsquo;s airlines and will have a knock-on effect on MROs, OEMs and Aerospace suppliers. In the first few weeks of the pandemic, carriers Ryanair and easyJet and Ryanair lost around 30% and 22% of respective business value, and Flybe went into administration. More than half of commercial fleets around the world were grounded, leaving almost 20,000 airplanes on the tarmac or in hangars for months. The sector has been forced to discuss and implement pay cuts for pilots, crew, technicians and managers, announce fleet reductions and made mass redundancies.
However, the coronavirus pandemic is not the first major challenge that has faced the Aerospace and Aviation industry in recent years. The 9/11 terrorist attacks saw a plethora of security measures introduced around the world at an urgent speed, resulting increased security and positive change across the industry. The 2008 economic recession started the groundwork for mergers and acquisitions that saved companies and provided fresh competition for major players, and technological advancements have combined with globalisation to find new ways of addressing diminishing airport capacity and increased customer demand.
Here are five ways that the Aviation industry are getting planes back in the skies by protecting passengers, employees and business continuity.
<h3>1. Streamlining Services</h3>
&nbsp;
Customers will see streamlined services whilst on board and in airports. Whilst in the air, many carriers are limiting their food and drink services to a reduced menu or stopping food, drink and duty free services altogether to limit the risk of illness spreading between passengers and crew. Short-haul flights under a couple of hours could see toilet facilities out of action to further assist social distancing. Business class travellers could also see packages change to reduce access to lounges and instead focus more on points benefits or additional discounts on hotels.
Although these changes may seem to run in direct opposition to previously&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/global-aviation-challenges-market-predictions-report-2020">predicted trends for the Aviation industry</a>&nbsp;for the coming years, the restrictions could present a blessing in disguise. Cost reduction and flight route concentration enables carriers to focus only on products and services that passengers really want, and to invest in improving these areas for the benefit of businesses and customers. Streamlined Aviation services mean passengers are better supported with technology, providing a faster and more efficient service, and can rest assured that their safety is prioritised every time they fly.
<img src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg?width=500&amp;name=Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg 500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg?width=1000&amp;name=Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg?width=1500&amp;name=Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg 1500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg?width=2000&amp;name=Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg 2000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg?width=2500&amp;name=Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg 2500w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stock%20images/Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg?width=3000&amp;name=Active%20two%20kids%20jumping%20while%20the%20airplane%20landing%20in%20air.jpeg 3000w" alt="HOW AIRLINES ARE GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS AFTER CORONAVIRUS" width="1000">
<h3>2. Innovative Technology</h3>
&nbsp;
Every crisis provides an opportunity for innovation and discoveries of working in better ways for all involved. To fight against the spread of coronavirus, line maintenance organisation Luftavia have released&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-luftavia-are-supporting-aircraft-manufacturing-during-covid-19">electro-static technology equipment</a>&nbsp;that provides lightweight decontamination equipment for aircraft.
Following speedy research and significant investment, Luftavia&rsquo;s technology can decontaminate a wide-body aircraft cabin in under half an hour. The convenient hand-held battery-powered guns don&rsquo;t disrupt other ground-handling services, and are easy to transport and use across different aircraft and worksites, inside and outside of cabins, galleys and hangers. Since March 2020, the antiviral sanitisation tool has been approved and rolled to several US airlines and multiple ground handling cleaning organisations internationally.
Luftavia&rsquo;s new technology arrives at a welcome time for the industry. Hygiene and therefore decontamination have become urgent areas of concern for sector workers, crew, pilots and travellers. The US Government is under pressure to introduce disease prevention legislation after 300 pilots tested positive for the virus, and many airline employees internationally have been concerned around the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). American airline Delta&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollcall.com/2020/05/13/pilots-demand-recommended-covid-19-protocols-be-required/">recently confirmed</a>&nbsp;that most United States-based carriers have implemented a plethora of new cleaning and safety measures that &lsquo;not only meet but exceed CDC guidelines&rsquo;, including sanitising flights.
Luftavia&rsquo;s product development, and the fast-thinking and adaptability of many other Aerospace providers, presents the opportunity for increased collaboration and innovation across the industry. By harnessing the unprecedented situation to take a step back and assess rapidly changed market needs and problems, airlines, manufacturers and suppliers can utilise research and technology developments to work much more closely together for the protection and growth of the industry.
<h3>3. Reducing Flights &amp; Passenger Numbers</h3>
&nbsp;
Airlines around the world have begun to streamline their routes and journey offerings. Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines were recently asked by the NZ Government to manage international bookings to ensure quarantine facilities are not overwhelmed. For the next few months, and potentially longer pending the status of pandemics across the globe, air journeys will be restricted to control the increasing flow of people wanting to return home to escape the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Services may affect travellers across New Zealand, Australia, China, Hong Kong and America.
Megan Woods, the New Zealand Government&rsquo;s minister managing isolation and quarantine, said that anyone who had already bought a ticket to fly back to New Zealand in the next three weeks would still be able to fly. &lsquo;However, Kiwis who did not already have tickets would not be able to book flights in the next three weeks,&rsquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/122055339/air-nz-singapore-airlines-restrict-passenger-numbers-to-nz-as-more-kiwis-fly-home-to-escape-covid">Woods said</a>. &lsquo;We won&rsquo;t let our border facilities reach maximum capacity.&rsquo;
Whilst the quarantine measures are currently only temporary, few businesses across industries will escape permanent disruption to their services, and the Aerospace &amp; Aviation sector will be no different. The demise of carriers such as Flybe means reduced competition and a smaller number of choices of airline for passengers. Choice will be further restricted by destinations, routes, dates, times and types of service: surviving airlines will only be able to undertake flights that are financially profitable, meaning that the most popular routes and destinations will dominate.
In America alone, US carrier Delta is reducing international flights by 25% and domestic journeys by 15%, American Airlines will reduce its summer international flying by 10%, and&nbsp;<a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2020/03/12/airlines-will-bounce-back-from-the-covid-19-pandemic-how-long-that-will-take-is-up-in-the-air/">similar measures</a>&nbsp;were announced by United Airlines and JetBlue. Flight frequency will also be reduced to fill as many seats per plane as possible, which could see the end of the low-cost seats fliers have been able to enjoy for the past few years. &lsquo;Fewer seats flying means fewer cheap seats at the margin,&rsquo; comments Aviation specialist&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/01/business/airline-industry-outlook/index.html">Philip Baggaley</a>&nbsp;at S&amp;P Global.
<img src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg?width=5184&amp;name=gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 5184px) 100vw, 5184px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg?width=2592&amp;name=gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg 2592w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg?width=5184&amp;name=gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg 5184w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg?width=7776&amp;name=gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg 7776w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg?width=10368&amp;name=gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg 10368w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg?width=12960&amp;name=gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg 12960w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg?width=15552&amp;name=gray-plane-wing-62623.jpg 15552w" alt="Here are five ways that the Aviation industry are getting planes back in the skies by protecting passengers, employees and business continuity." width="5184">
<h3>4. Changing Passenger Behaviour</h3>
&nbsp;
Many carriers have already got back to business by implementing social distancing measures on board and before and after flights. Lufthansa is enforcing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52441652">empty middle seats</a>&nbsp;to facilitate social distancing between fliers, and other providers such as easyJet have committed to following suit. &nbsp;All major U.S. carriers require passengers to wear masks onboard to limit disease transmission. American Airlines<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/01/blocking-middle-seats-on-planes-is-a-pr-strategy-not-a-safety-strategy-united-says.html">&nbsp;states</a>, &lsquo;We have multiple layers of protection in place for those who fly with us, including required face coverings, enhanced cleaning procedures, and a pre-flight COVID-19 symptom checklist &mdash; and we&rsquo;re providing additional flexibility for customers to change their travel plans, as well.&rdquo;&rsquo;
As the UK&rsquo;s Manchester Airport reopens several of its terminals, business travellers and holidaymakers&nbsp;<a href="https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/manchester-airport-to-open-terminal-two-on-the-15th-july-as-flights-increase-and-airlines-resume-services/">will now be greeted</a>&nbsp;by Perspex screens, bookable security slots and temperature checks. The airport has strategically redesigned its checking in, lounge and onboarding environments so that customers can go directly to security points and gates, and the airport&rsquo;s new communication campaign helps passengers plan and prepare for their travel ahead of time.
All airlines around the world have begun to adapt their services to make flying safer for passengers, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2020/05/15/are-airlines-actually-doing-a-good-job-keeping-passengers-safe-during-the-pandemic/#27f652a0130f">recent measures</a>&nbsp;including:
<ul>
<li>Etihad Airways is testing passenger screening kiosks to help identify asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic travellers at the early phases of infection</li>
<li>Korean Air has implemented temperature checks for all passengers boarding aircraft at Seoul Incheon Airport</li>
<li>Cathay Pacific has provided hand sanitizing stations</li>
<li>United have rolled out more intensive cleaning of aircraft using electrostatic spraying, social distancing and touchless kiosks during the boarding process and the use of face masks</li>
<li>Emirates introduced personal protective equipment (PPE) as a type of new inflight uniform to protect pilots and crew, and is prohibiting large carry-on bags to reduce congestion in the aisles while boarding and departing</li>
<li>Xiamen Airlines is utilising an inflight separation zone for ill or potentially ill passengers</li>
<li>Southwest Airlines are planning the mandatory use of face masks and health screenings.</li>
</ul>
To evidence their support for the health and safety of passengers, airlines and airports are readily committing to flight bans or fines for any travellers who do not comply with the regulations.
As the wave of adaptations begin to change the Aerospace &amp; Aviation industry, passengers can be reassured that, despite inconveniences and potential disruption, their health and safety is of paramount importance to the sector. The enforced concentration and diversification could signal a new era for better collaboration and customer experience, for the benefit of business leaders, workers and travellers around the world.
Discover&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/5-positive-ways-the-workforce-will-change-after-coronavirus">the 5 Positive Ways the Workforce Will Change After Coronavirus</a>.
Is your employee base returning to work<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/social-distancing-equipment">? Find out how social distancing equipment keeps offices and worksites safe</a>.

How Airlines are Getting Back to Business After Covid-19

During the recent Covid-19 pandemic, many organisations not completing &lsquo;essential&rsquo; work have reduced trading volume by furloughing workers or allowing staff to work from home full-time.
Here are five ways that more flexibility and autonomy could change the professional world for the better, and five considerations business leaders must monitor to prevent negative impact.
<h2>5 Benefits of Remote Working</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<h3>Productivity</h3>
</li>
</ol>
Since the many lockdowns implemented across the world,&nbsp;<a href="https://landing.prism-digital.com/Remote-Working-Survey-Results/Prism%20Digital%20Remote%20Survey%20Results.pdf?utm_campaign=Remote/Home%20Working%20Survey%20Results&amp;utm_source=force24&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=textlink&amp;f24_pid=6d9f62bc-aef3-438a-9f9e-2d3e09f2ef5b">74% of those currently working report being more productive</a>&nbsp;than when they were working from the office. In contrast, 15% felt that they produced the same workload as normal, and only 11% were less productive. During the first two weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, employees in the UK and US were working 11-hour days on average.
In 2019, research reported that the productivity increase among remote workers is equivalent to an extra day per person per week. Staff members attribute the additional time to an increased ability to focus, start and end their days later due to a lack of commuting, and feeling less stressed and in need of relaxation at the end of the day. With more individuals than ever before now completing their tasks from their own houses and flats, employees across industries and levels of seniority have the chance to manage their own workloads and enable their productivity to skyrocket.
Creativity is also a benefit that drives efficiency and effectiveness. Fewer meetings and more opportunities for quiet thought and reflection provide the perfect environment for problem-solving and brainstorming. Creative ideas and new solutions to existing problems can motivate employees, enhance collaboration and improve product and service quality, that will ultimately lead to sustainable competitive advantage.
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h3>Employee Job Satisfaction &amp; Engagement</h3>
</li>
</ol>
This major shift in working patterns has, perhaps surprisingly, been welcomed by employees, who have found that newfound peace and quiet aids their concentration and improves both their efficiency and effectiveness. The enforced remote working project has been so successful that, when the strict regulations are lifted, the vast majority of professionals say they&rsquo;d like to work from home more often.
Since the many lockdowns implemented across the world, employees working remotely reported in&nbsp;<a href="https://landing.prism-digital.com/Remote-Working-Survey-Results/Prism%20Digital%20Remote%20Survey%20Results.pdf?utm_campaign=Remote/Home%20Working%20Survey%20Results&amp;utm_source=force24&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=textlink&amp;f24_pid=6d9f62bc-aef3-438a-9f9e-2d3e09f2ef5b">Prism&rsquo;s April 2020 survey</a>:
<ul>
<li>69% of those who answered the survey would like to work from home for more than half of their working hours</li>
<li>A staggering 31% &ndash; almost one in three respondents &ndash; want to work from home full-time following the pandemic.</li>
<li>Only 5% of people would rather not want to work from home for any part of the week</li>
</ul>
Reasons behind popularity in working from home included savings on transport and commuting costs as well as the ability to cook nutritious lunches rather than snacking at the nearest available convenience store or takeaway, reducing shopping spend and making for healthier meals. Professionals also cited greater work/life balance, fewer distractions, more peace and quiet and more time to devote to personal life rather than commuting.
High employee engagement not only aids retention, productivity and quality of work, but also drives business growth. Employees who think of their employers as a great place to work are much more likely to make recommendations and referrals to others in their network, helping HR departments to recruit top talent and reduce recruitment costs.
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h3>Diverse Talent Pools</h3>
</li>
</ol>
In 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eu-startups.com/2020/04/discover-the-top-female-ceos-of-the-ftse-100-index-sponsored/">only 5% of FTSE</a>&nbsp;(Financial Times Stock Exchange) 100 CEOs and just 2% of FTSE 250 leaders are female. Gender diversity is low across many levels: the combined number of women in executive and senior positions reached only 28.6%. A significant reason behind gender inequality is the lack of options for mothers returning to work after having children. Remote working enables female employees to better balance careers with childcare and share parenting duties with partners, as well as supporting staff members who act as carers to their elderly, ill or disabled relatives, who are overwhelmingly female. Companies that offer flexible working options can establish an employer brand that attracts and retains skilled and experienced female employees at all levels of their careers.
Diverse organisations also perform better financially. Inclusive companies that recognise and support their own employees better at understanding and serving their customer base, and both employees and consumers are more loyal to inclusive businesses. A recent McKinsey report reveals that diverse companies are 70% more likely than their competitors to capture new markets, and &nbsp;financially outperform their competitors by 15%.
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h3>Mental &amp; Physical Wellbeing</h3>
</li>
</ol>
The Harvard Business Review reports that 60% of people have&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-mental-health-impacts-employee-performance-retention">experienced symptoms of mental health issues</a>&nbsp;in the past year alone. Workers who are unhappy, stressed or anxious because of a mental illness will be demotivated at work, find it difficult to concentrate on complex tasks and will be less inclined to collaborate with colleagues.
Physical and mental illness are responsible for British firms&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-mental-health-impacts-employee-performance-retention">losing &pound;77 billion</a>&nbsp;through 15.4million working days lost every year. Flexible schedules including working from home can return hours of time previously used for commuting and instead enable employees to spend more time sleeping, exercising and being with friends and family, which are all proven mood-lifting activities. Presenteeism encourages workers to turn up to the office when ill and elongates both the illness and the recovery process; home working can dramatically reduce stress and ensure staff achieve a good work/life balance to support good health.
<ol start="5">
<li>
<h3>Significant Savings</h3>
</li>
</ol>
Home workers can free up space for a hotdesking initiative, enabling the business to grow its headcount and resources without additional rent fees. Fewer people in the office or at the worksite translates to lower cots for electricity, water and utilities, as well as smaller spend such as coffee, tea and social drinks, which soon add up.
Flexible and remote working options can also be offered as a benefit, rather than committing extra expenditure to more social events or employee discounts, and is just as effective at engaging and rewarding employees.
Even before the coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns struck,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/retain-employees-5-steps-increasing-employee-retention">employee turnover was at its highest in 10 years</a>. With the cost of replacing the average employee set at &pound;30,000, retention is a key way to reduce unnecessary costs and ensure your business has the skills and expertise to grow and succeed in the long-term.
&nbsp;
<h2>5 Drawbacks of Remote Working</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<h3>Cyber Security Issues</h3>
</li>
</ol>
In February and March 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-manage-remote-technical-teams">cyber threats to businesses increased by 380%.</a>&nbsp;CEOs are understandably concerned about security risks posed by staff who are spread across multiple locations and networks. Many of the technologies and tools available are fairly new to the market and have not yet proven their robustness, and employees are using equipment and programmes for which they have not received comprehensive training.
Some hackers have been taking advantage of the lockdown situation by accessing links and documents that are not password-protected, secretly joining private digital meetings and sending emails posing as business leaders or managers and requesting financial or company details.
However, with the right policies and procedures, remote working can be just as safe and secure as office working. Ensure your staff are aware of scams and assure them that management will never ask for financial details over email, instruct your employees not to open attachments from email addresses they do not recognise, and train staff to identify and report suspicious activity immediately.
Work with your IT support teams to remotely install security software directly onto employee computers, including anti-virus protection. When setting up new software or communication tools, set strong, complex passwords and encourage individuals to memorise these rather than writing these down.
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h3>Changes to Communication</h3>
</li>
</ol>
When teams and departments are physically separated, processes and projects can become confused amidst a lack of communication. Due to the fast-paced nature of many industries, out of sight can often mean out of mind &ndash; managers must ensure they and their teams stay visible by reporting regularly on progress and updating teams on activities and the success achieved.
Regular visibility of company progress against short-term and long-term goals encourages all staff, from interns to Board Directors, to feel proud of their contribution and part of a greater purpose. Executives need to make additional allowances for employees who are out of the office, by enabling staff to join company update meetings via video link and ensuring all staff can access virtual meeting rooms and project management tools.
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h3>Less Transparency</h3>
</li>
</ol>
Without the ability to see every movement of direct reports at their usual desks, managers and leaders may be tempted to micro-manage to keep on top of projects. However, this will have the opposite effect: employees who do not feel trusted will experience more stress and less job satisfaction, will not feel empowered to make necessary decisions or pursue creative ideas, and will be less efficient and produce work of poorer quality.
Instead of being tempted to install activity tracking devices on staff software &ndash; which risks demotivating and alienating workers &ndash; use the change in working practices to empower your employees with more trust and autonomy, and manage performance through output rather than hours worked. Involve employees in determining processes of reporting and communication, such as project management tools and online teamwork software, to ensure they are fully on board and understand requirements. Establish a routine that allows for communication as regularly as is necessary, and leave workers to reach maximum productivity outside established meeting hours.
&nbsp;
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h3>Not Suitable for all Roles</h3>
</li>
</ol>
Industries such as Motorsport and Marine require engineers and technicians to work onsite building and maintaining vehicles and boats alongside other skilled individuals. Remote working is also not possible for those who work with vulnerable people and animals, those who work in agriculture or environmental protection. Individuals with jobs involving a high percentage of training, coaching and supporting others may find face-to-face training more effective at engaging groups and achieving results.
If working arrangement vary greatly between staff members, communication could slip between these groups, leading those at home feeling siloed and excluded from decisions and projects. Resentment can easily build between employees who perceive others to have a superior working experience or as enjoying a benefit that they cannot access &ndash; managers can regularly promote the contributions of remote workers and the impact of their efforts on team and company performance.
<ol start="5">
<li>
<h3>Professional Relationships Could Suffer</h3>
</li>
</ol>
Office banter and friendships are a normal part of professional life, and can continue over digital communications, however morale is much harder to maintain long-distance. A positive work atmosphere is the second most popular employer quality favoured by potential jobseekers &ndash; 45% say that&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/top-5-workplace-trends-2020">a positive culture</a>, collaboration with teams, transparent processes and a comfortable office or worksite would make them more interested in applying for a job and more likely to remain with that employer. Businesses with poor internal culture could see remote employees become further detached from colleagues and company goals.
HR teams can easily adapt internal communications to facilitate employees across locations by providing regular email communications and digital invitations to meetings and social events. &nbsp;
Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-manage-remote-technical-teams">6 Steps to Managing Remote Teams</a>&nbsp;or find out&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-will-coronavirus-affect-the-aerospace-automotive-and-engineering-industries">The Long-Term Impacts of Covid-19 on Global Business</a>.
Looking for urgent recruitment services?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">Get in touch with our technical recruitment experts</a>.

Is Remote Working the Future? 10 Benefits & Drawbacks

<a href="https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/world-mental-health-day">World Mental Health Day is</a>&nbsp;a day to raise awareness of the importance of mental wellbeing. Recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the annual date aims to highlight the fact that one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives.
How does poor mental wellbeing impact employee performance &amp; retention?
<h3>1.&nbsp;Increased Sickness Absence</h3>
Mental illness is the leading cause of workplace sickness absence. In 2018,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.britsafe.org/publications/safety-management-magazine/safety-management-magazine/2018/154-million-days-lost-to-work-related-stress-in-201718/">15.4 million working days</a>&nbsp;were lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety, with an average of 25.8 days lost per employee with these conditions. In total, 57% of all UK workdays lost were due to stress and anxiety.
With such a high percentage of workers suffering annually, huge numbers of sickness absences are bound to affect business growth.
<h3>2.&nbsp;Reduced Productivity</h3>
In the age of presenteeism, many workers may try to work through a period of illness &ndash; but their productivity will suffer.
The Harvard Business Review&nbsp;<a href="https://hbr.org/2019/10/research-people-want-their-employers-to-talk-about-mental-health">reports</a>&nbsp;that 60% of people have experienced symptoms of mental health issues in the past year alone. Employees don&rsquo;t have to be clinically diagnosed with mental illness to be affected by it in their work and home life. Many people will not necessarily know that they are suffering from a specific disorder &ndash; they might believe they&rsquo;re just going through a &lsquo;rough patch&rsquo; or see chronic stress as a natural part of the job &ndash; so problems must be identified to prevent further damage to job performance.
Sick staff cost British firms &pound;77 billion annually in lost productivity. Presenteeism also adds to stress and anxiety experienced by individual workers, prolonging their mental illness and making recovery even more difficult.
<h3>3.&nbsp;Higher Employee Turnover</h3>
Half of millennial employees and 75% of Generation Z employees have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/half-of-millennials-left-jobs-for-mental-health-reasons-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T">left jobs</a>&nbsp;for mental health reasons. The youngest generations of workers report that financial problems caused by unaffordable living costs, overwhelming debt, healthcare costs and a lack of access to the housing market have a significant impact on their psychological wellbeing.
With depression amongst millennials rapidly increasing, business leaders and HR departments that prioritise mental wellbeing will reduce employee turnover and increase the engagement and happiness of their workforce.
<h3>4.&nbsp;Lack of Development &amp; Performance Improvement</h3>
Workers who are unhappy, stressed or anxious because of a mental illness will be demotivated at work, find it difficult to concentrate on complex tasks and will be less inclined to collaborate with colleagues. This will not only affect their current performance, but their future success in their job.
Stress, depression, anxiety and other disorders are by nature short-sighted: sufferers find it almost impossible to imagine a future without mental illness and cannot therefore create or engage with a learning and development plan. Concentration impedes the ability to learn new technical skills or problem-solve, halting or postponing vital development opportunities for promising workers.
<h3>5.&nbsp;Less Diverse Workforce</h3>
Minority groups are far more likely to suffer from mental illness.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i5320">One in five women</a>&nbsp;(compared to one in eight men) suffer from a mental illness, LGBT+ people are 1&frac12; times more likely to develop depression and anxiety, and people from black and minority ethnic groups are far more likely to be diagnosed with and admitted to hospital for mental health problems. Sexism, racism, homophobia, and other discrimination adds further stress to individuals in minority groups who are already suffering.
McKinsey reports that diverse businesses are 15-35% more likely to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/why-diversity-matters">financially outperform</a>&nbsp;their competitors. Businesses that don&rsquo;t support mental wellbeing initiatives or have a negative track record for supporting previous employees will find it even harder to attract, engage, retain and develop diverse employees.
<h3>How to Help Employees Identify and Overcome Mental Health Issues</h3>
Although every condition is different, and experiences vary from person to person,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968">symptoms of a mental health problem</a>&nbsp;can include:
&middot; Confused thinking / reduced concentration
&middot; Rapid heartbeat
&middot; Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
&middot; Trembling/shaking
&middot; Extreme mood changes
&middot; Withdrawal from friends and activities
&middot; Upset stomach
&middot; Dizziness or fainting
&middot; Chronic fatigue
Employers can make small steps to supporting employees by sending HR teams on training courses to become qualified Mental Health First Aiders and ensuring that private healthcare plans cover counselling, therapy and CBT sessions. Prominently displaying help numbers and information in communal areas can reassure employees that their employer cares about their wellbeing and ensuring that managers know how to spot mental health issues with help them support their teams.
&nbsp;
Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/retain-employees-5-steps-increasing-employee-retention">5 Steps to Increase Employee Retention</a>.
Find out more about our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/about-us/">award-winning recruiting services</a>

How Mental Health Impacts Employee Performance & Retention

Unfortunately, even today unconscious bias is still a part of the recruitment process. Good recruiters will go out of their way to unlearn biases, and good companies will provide training to further ensure that everyone gets an equal chance.
Because recruitment is such a human field, bias is often baked into the practices, language, and systems used in recruitment. Much research has gone into this, and efforts are being made at every level to combat these biases.
We know&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-diversity-makes-defence-stronger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diverse workforces perform better</a>. Recruitment needs to deliver the right talent for the job, and biases are directly hindering their ability to do that. Here's why, and what needs to change.&nbsp;
<h2>Why Bias Exists In Recruitment:</h2>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
<h3>The List Of Necessary And Preferred Qualities Is Biased</h3>
</li>
</ul>
The first step when drafting a job ab is usually creating a list of the qualities and applicant should have in order to be considered for the role.
Biases can creep in at this first stage, and from then on they&rsquo;re baked into the ad, and the recruitment process as a whole.
By being more objective about what a role requires, we can start to weed out words that have other connotations attached to them, and make our ad more friendly to others who might not
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Businesses Only Look For Similar People</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Many businesses will base their profile of the kind of person they&rsquo;d like for the role on whoever had the role last. This often leads to very similar people being hired again and again, creating a chain of similarity which can be hard to break free from.
In technical businesses, hiring managers tend to only look for people with the same qualification or level of experience.
But by expanding the type of person you&rsquo;re looking for, you can increase the number of background on a team, making it strong, more adaptable, with a range of ideas, opinions, and skillsets that you wouldn&rsquo;t have otherwise.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Language Isn&rsquo;t Examined</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Across all areas of life, the language we use is often loaded with potentially biased or discriminatory language, whether we intend to use it or not. This is even true in recruitment, where the language we use can send the wrong message to certain groups of people who might be interested in applying, only to be discouraged by a certain word or phrase used in the job ad.
<h1>How We Can fight Gender Bias In Recruitment:</h1>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Be Critical Of The Language Used In Job Ads</h3>
</li>
</ul>
It&rsquo;s more important than ever to apply a critical eye over communications before they go out. Job ads should be scrutinised by a team before being put up anywhere, to make sure there aren&rsquo;t any biases hiding within or between the lines.
Certain words have more masculine or feminine connotations, and while most words aren&rsquo;t specifically gendered, they can send strong signals that certain roles are only for certain people. Recruiters drafting ads should keep this at the front of their minds, making sure to use neutral terms that keep the job open to anyone.
Increasing levels of diversity can help businesses grow, increase workplace satisfaction, and promote a better, more complete worldview for both the company and the individuals working within it.
This is something all businesses should be striving for, and recruitment has a vital role to play in making our workplaces more diverse.
Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-ai-is-going-to-change-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gender bias being learned by AI</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-you-should-reply-to-linkedin-adverts-to-get-a-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how to reply to Linkedin adverts to get a job</a>

Fighting Gender Bias in Job Ads

There is a&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-to-address-the-engineering-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skills shortage</a>&nbsp;across the global engineering market.
The Middle East has a thriving engineering industry, but lacks talent on the necessary scale to expand as fast as it might. If the Middle East were to bring in additional workers from around the world, the industry would be even stronger.
In 2017, 65% of Middle Eastern business leaders believed there was a skills gap between what workers could do, and what businesses needed them to be able to do for continued growth. How did such a wide gap occur? And how can it be addressed?
<h2>Why Is There A Skills Gap In The Middle East?</h2>
Most skills gaps originate because the skills new roles require aren&rsquo;t taught in the education system. With new technology and business practices being created all the time, the needs of businesses are evolving faster than ever. Potential employees are struggling to keep up.
Skills such as analytics and critical thinking are more in demand than ever, which aren&rsquo;t always taught. These skills can be learned, leading some to believe that a wide-scale upskilling project could galvanize the existing workforce, making them more aligned to the needs of modern businesses.
But the problem goes beyond that: unemployment is one of the main barriers preventing the Middle East from further developing its engineering industry. More need to be done to help workers in the Middle East, while also ensuring the quality of work does not diminish.
<h1>How The Middle East Can Address The Skills Gap:</h1>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Understand What Talent Is Directly Available</h3>
</li>
</ul>
First, businesses should look at the talent available to them in their country, both in terms of the existing workforce and those who will be joining it in the next five years, as this will help with long-term planning. This must be an objective analysis of the talent that is within immediate reach &ndash; can the workforce provide the skills the business needs to grow? If not, can anything be done to improve the situation?
Understanding supply and demand will allow the business to allocate resources to bridge skills gaps, or implement solutions through a recruitment partner.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Utilise Global Recruitment Companies &nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ul>
These strategic partnerships allow businesses to access talent on a global level. This will allow them to develop and nurture reliable talent sources that can compensate for the diminished local workforce.
Specialist recruiters understand the needs of a business, why it struggles, and how best they can help.
Once talent is secured, it must be protected.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Retain Talent</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Talent attraction and assessment must be closely monitored, and improved wherever possible. This is done by utilising the expertise of staffing professionals who specialise in the business&rsquo; specific industry. It&rsquo;s important to retain as much talent as possible, otherwise your employees will be poached by competitors.
VHR can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/client-area/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recruit engineers from all over the world</a>, and has a track record of delivering sterling service in the Middle East, having worked in the region for over a decade.
Learn why your business needs&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/benefits-of-rpo-and-managed-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RPO</a>, or learn about the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-future-of-the-aviation-industry-in-the-middle-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">future of the aviation industry in the middle east</a>.

How Businesses In The Middle East Can Access The Global Skills Market

Data is having an impact on every industry, allowing for more in-depth and insightful analysis which in turn can make processes more efficient. We&rsquo;re generating data at a faster rate than at any point in history: 90% of the data in the world today was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/05/21/how-much-data-do-we-create-every-day-the-mind-blowing-stats-everyone-should-read/#5deb155d60ba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">created in the last two years</a>.
Recruitment is one such industry, one that has in the past only relied on intuition, and only really kept track of one metric: time to hire. This measures how fast a recruiter gets a candidate through the hiring process, but doesn&rsquo;t take into account other metrics which can have a big impact on a company&rsquo;s workforce.
We now have access to more data than ever, allowing recruiting to be based for real evidence-based decision making in recruitment. While data analysis can&rsquo;t necessarily decide who should get the job, it can help streamline the process by ranking candidates based on specific criteria.
<h1>How Recruitment Uses Data To Get You The Best Workforce:</h1>
<h3>It Can Make Your Pipeline More Efficient</h3>
At every stage of the recruitment process, people drop out of the pipeline. There are dozens of different reasons for this, many of them outside of the hiring manager or recruitment agency&rsquo;s control. However, data can enable you to understand why people leave, and from there you can start working on improving retention.
It also allows you to see how many applicants you need on average to get a single successful candidate. This ratio can then be improved upon, trimming down the initial number of applicants, saving time and money.
<h3>It Can Show You Who To Retain And Promote</h3>
Data allows you to track past successful candidates for any given role, and will enable you to determine what factors contributed to their success. Just how important was their previous experience? Were they university educated? Asking these kinds of questions can create a framework for future hiring.
Beyond that, over time data can paint a picture of who performs best, and who should be promoted.
<h3>It Can Prove The Value Of Recruitment</h3>
One of the major benefits of applying data to your hiring process is that you can accurately measure the cost and value of recruitment. Cost per hire is an important metric, and data can accurately track it over time.
According to research, talent acquisition teams are three times as likely to save money and work faster if they incorporate data into their recruitment strategy. It also allows recruiters to track which channels bring in the best talent. This is highly valuable information for recruiters and businesses.
It&rsquo;s clear that data has a big role to play in the future of recruitment. Data still can&rsquo;t tell why things happen, and it won&rsquo;t fix problems on its own. But it can help optimise existing processes, resulting in a stronger, more motivated workforce that can deliver a higher quality of work.

How Data Can Make Your Hiring Process More Efficient

The demand for good engineering candidates in the aerospace sector is growing every year. With the increasing number of orders and the current production rate it could take years for aerospace companies to fulfil the demand. The current backlog of commercial planes on order around the world is at around 14,000. Manufacturers are looking to increase production to keep up with demand, but can&rsquo;t find enough staff to fulfil their orders. Therefore, recruitment is one of the biggest challenges in the aerospace industry right now.
However, even with this demand, engineers looking for aerospace or aviation jobs may struggle to find employment on their own. Aerospace companies often have high standards, and so will hire recruitment agencies to handle their new hires. Utilising a specialist recruitment company can make your job search much easier, and open doors that might otherwise stay closed.
<h2>Recruitment Companies Are A Key Partner In The Aerospace Industry</h2>
Aerospace companies often believe that their HR infrastructure cannot cope with increasing demand for new workers. Companies who decide to hire more engineers themselves often face a lack of time, and are working under pressure without being adequately equipped. Most aerospace companies looking for a large amount of skilled technical workers turn to recruitment companies for help.
As the recruitment process needs to be a positive experience for both companies and candidates, the help of recruitment agencies is vital to make this process as easy and fast as possible. Recruiting the right people could take months if aerospace companies took care of it themselves, whereas recruitment companies already have extensive databases of potential candidates for any engineering job.
<h1>Why You Should Use A Recruitment Agency To Find Your Next Engineering Job:</h1>
As the need is growing in the industry, the pipeline of potential candidates needs to be as strong as possible. Recruitment agencies have experience sourcing only the best candidates, and can find new graduates with the most up-to-date knowledge and training, as well as more experienced professionals who may have worked in managerial roles.
Because of this, recruitment agencies can be the best option for both aerospace companies and aerospace engineers.
This cost-effective and efficient method is used for roles all around the world, and can provide a large amount of engineers in a short amount of time compared to in-house recruiting. Recruitment companies know how to attract and engage with the very best candidates, and specialists understand the needs of the job better than most HR managers.
For candidates, the main benefit is working with a partner who knows how what they&rsquo;re looking for, who will match them to roles they enjoy. Beyond that initial job, a good recruitment company will stay in touch and work with an engineer over the course of their career, sharing roles with them that will allow them to grow and develop, and move up the career ladder.
Read more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/3-ways-recruitment-companies-can-get-you-contract-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how recruitment can help you find engineering jobs</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/best-aerospace-companies-to-work-for-in-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the best aerospace companies to work for in 2019</a>.

Why Recruitment Is Vital For The Aerospace Industry

While many recruitment companies work around the world, few of them have a truly global presence. VHR is an international recruitment company that utilises the skills and languages of our employees to provide a quality service for our clients and candidates. We do more than just place our candidates in roles around the world: the business is international by design, made stronger thanks to the multilingual and cultural skills our employees have.
<h1>Why VHR Is Truly Global:</h1>
<h3>Our Employees Are From All Over The World</h3>
VHR is a growing company, with almost a hundred employees. Many of our employees are from other countries, bringing new experiences, skillsets, and cultural knowledge with them. This has allowed us to build a strong network of contacts, bridging the gap between different countries and forge stronger relationships. This simply wouldn&rsquo;t be possible without a diverse team, which is why VHR strives to create a team of skilled individuals from all around the world.
<h3>We Speak Multiple Languages</h3>
Across all our employees, VHR speaks 22 languages. This allows us to communicate with our international clients and candidates, and helps us better understand how they operate, and what they want to achieve. Having people who can speak different languages is always a bonus, and has allowed us to work across 45 different countries.
<h3>We Have Offices In Multiple Countries</h3>
VHR now has offices in London, Manchester, Valencia, Italy, the UAE, and Ireland. Over the next few years, the company is looking to expand, and move into new areas. This will allow us to network with new businesses, break into new markets, and continue to grow.
Our offices are strategically placed based on the industries we work in, our Valencia office is key for our Marine team, our UAE office is critical for our engineering consultants, and our London HQ is where all the teams come together.
<h3>International Partnerships and Clients</h3>
Most of VHR&rsquo;s core business comes from outside the UK. We&rsquo;ve successfully forged a long-term partnership with a leading UAE Airline, helped a European F1 Team build their team, and our first ever client was an Asian airline who still work with us today.
Last year we served over 200 clients across 5 continents, and our client list is growing all the time. &nbsp;
<h3>Our International Workforce Has Won Awards</h3>
Because our work takes place around the world, with a workforce of highly skilled people, our talents and dedication have been recognized by winning multiple&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/award-winning-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">awards</a>&nbsp;over the last year.
VHR has won the Queen&rsquo;s Award for International Trade, one of the most prestigious awards a business can receive. VHR was also named Best Company To Work For by The Recruitment and Employment Confederation.
VHR is striving to expand around the world while maintaining the focus on quality that we always have. This is made possible through our team.
We&rsquo;re always looking to expand our team, and gain employees with new talents. If you want to work for a growing business with a global mindset,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/work-at-vhr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apply to work for VHR today</a>.
Read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/7-reasons-to-work-at-vhr-in-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">why you should work at VHR</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-future-of-international-technical-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about the future of international technical recruitment</a>.

What Makes VHR An International Company?

RPO, or Recruitment Process Outsourcing, is a way of streamlining your business by eliminating unnecessary tasks. Recruitment can be a long process, and if its not a priority, the level of quality coming into a business can suffer. RPO removes this issue, ensuring high quality candidates that are supplied by someone who understands your needs.
The solution RPO can provide go behind staffing, and can cover optimisation, quality control, screening, risk assessment, new hire care, and exit interviews. All these services can be combined into one complete suite that can be managed by that service provider, helping your business run smoothly.
<h1>Why Businesses Should Consider RPO:</h1>
Businesses that rely on the technical skills of their engineers and technicians can&rsquo;t afford to settle for second best. Using an external service provider that specialises in your industry can relieve pressure on your team while delivering high quality candidates.
<h2>5 Benefits of Recruitment Process Outsourcing:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Increased Efficiency</h3>
</li>
</ul>
One of the main benefits of RPO is that it gives your HR team more time by eliminating one of their biggest tasks: recruitment. Using a single channel for all your recruitment frees up time for HR teams, and allows for a consistent pipeline of talent into your business.
RPO companies have databases with thousands of highly skilled candidates, allowing for high volume recruitment projects to be completed in months or even weeks.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Reduced Risk</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Utilising RPO means that all recruitment is done through one channel. This allows for complete control, and complete transparency from your RPO partner. You can be as active in the process as you need, or allow the RPO provider to handle things with only occasionally progress reports.
What&rsquo;s more, RPO provider&rsquo;s should have compliance teams on hand to ensure that all immigration, data, and employment laws are being followed, further reducing the risk and freeing up time.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>High Quality Recruitment Services</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Recruitment is the main service an RPO provides. But is also helps to streamline that process, saving time and money while finding qualified candidates. Through interviews and screening, candidates can be evaluated in detailed, and matched to the needs of the project or team.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Long-Term Solutions</h3>
</li>
</ul>
RPO doesn&rsquo;t just solve one problem, it sets up a longer contingency for future recruitment needs. A dedicated account manager will understand the needs of your business, and what your business will be looking for as it moves forward.
Large-scale projects suddenly mean teams can go from being at capacity to being dramatically understaffed, or under-qualified. This means you can plan your workforce over time, opening up new possibilities with new roles and bigger teams.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Expertise</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Many RPO providers specialise in a specific industry or area. They do this because it allows them to maintain a high level of quality thanks to their in-depth knowledge of their field, even when recruiting at high volume.
Using an RPO can be an efficient and cost-effective way to get qualified workers, and a host of other services that can help your business run smoothly.
Learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-recruitment-can-increase-staff-retention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how recruitment can increase your staff retention</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-formula-one-is-using-social-media-to-attract-new-fans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how to use social media to more effectively market your business</a>.

Benefits Of RPO And Managed Services

Values make up the foundation of any business. They determine how the business will grow, the decisions that will be made, and how it&rsquo;s viewed by the rest of the world. A strong core of values helps
<h1>Values A Good Recruiter Should Have:</h1>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Integrity</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Integrity is one of the most important values a business can be based around. It ensures that standards are kept high, that rules are followed, and that quality is at the heart of every decision.
VHR&rsquo;s Compliance team works hard to ensure all our practices and candidates are compliant with international data and employment laws. From the very start of our recruitment process, our Compliance team works to make sure every phone call, every message, every interaction complies with the law, to protect our candidate&rsquo;s information, and our client&rsquo;s interests. This is crucial to the integrity of the business, which is why we&rsquo;re trusted by everyone who uses our services.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Trust</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Trust makes the difference between a single contract and years of service. We don&rsquo;t take this for granted. Trust has to be earned, and then it has to be maintained. Our sales team knows this, and go the extra mile to ensure that clients understand exactly what they&rsquo;ll be getting when they work with us. Any work we do is monitored and analysed to determine the level of success. Our account managers provide our clients with an extended service that promotes a long-term partnership, and builds trust.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Honesty</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Both candidates and clients expect honesty from recruitment agencies they deal with. Candidates need to know the details of the job they&rsquo;re applying for, the level of security, and if there are any future prospects leading on from it. Likewise, clients need to know if targets are likely to be met on time.
Our delivery team maintains close and consistent communication with our candidates, and deliver reports back to the account managers so there everyone knows how projects are going. This helps&nbsp;<a href="https://www.recruitment-international.co.uk/blog/2019/02/24-percent-of-candidates-say-having-good-relationship-with-a-recruitment-company-is-vital-finds-vhr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">build relationships</a>, which is one of the most important elements of recruitment.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Respect</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Mutual respect helps people on both sides of the business be understood, and is a vital ingredient in a long-term working relationship. VHR&rsquo;s HR team strives to foster a culture of respect so that everyone can achieve their full potential. This extends to our candidates, without whom we wouldn&rsquo;t have a business.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Teamwork</h3>
</li>
</ul>
All businesses depend on teamwork to achieve their objectives and to grow. VHR is no different, with 9 departments all working on different projects that come together help the company. VHR&rsquo;s marketing team creates&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/tag/jobs-candidate-help" target="_blank" rel="noopener">content that helps our candidates</a>, guides and reports that may interest our clients, and uses social media to communicate that to the world.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Commitment</h3>
</li>
</ul>
All businesses must be committed to providing the best service to their customers. In recruitment, this is just as important for clients as for candidates, which is why our finance team is committed to providing support, advice, and payment to all our candidates around the world.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Quality</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Quality should be a value of any business. Having a focus on having the best product or service possible will keep you ahead of your competitors, and keep your customers happy. VHR&rsquo;s Data and Operations team helps the company maintain a high level of quality by providing a comprehensive analysis of how each team is performing. This gives us valuable insight into how to improve our services, maintaining our focus on quality.
VHR is dedicated to these values, and they guide us in every project, every meeting, every service we provide.
<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/work-at-vhr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about VHR</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/our-offices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get in touch to work with us</a>.

7 Values Your Recruitment Provider Must Have

The UAE&rsquo;s Ministry of Interior has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai/9-filipinas-rescued-from-dubai-job-scam" rel=" noopener">warned</a>&nbsp;companies and jobseekers against the rise of fake jobs. Fake jobs are a sophisticated and rapidly growing threat to employment all over the world, and the trend has skyrocketed in the UAE in recent years.
A fake jobs or fraudulent employment advertising scam involves a person claiming the identity of a legitimate company to lure candidates with the promise of a job and trick them into transferring money. Employment scams are becoming increasingly prevalent, with airline Emirates falling victim to a fake jobs scam in May this year evidencing that no company is immune to the threat of fraudulent employment advertising.
Fake jobs rob jobseekers of their money and risk identity theft by copying personal documentation, but a scam can also have significant impact upon the business it chooses to pose as. Fraudulently advertising as a company can cause permanent brand damage and result in sudden and sustained drops in staffing levels due to fewer candidate applications for real jobs.
&nbsp;
<h2>Here&rsquo;s how business leaders can protect their company and candidates from fake job scams:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Social Media Best Practice</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Ask candidates to apply for jobs via your website rather than LinkedIn. Social media channels can be a very effective method of increasing brand awareness and attracting skilled talent, but jobseekers who apply directly through LinkedIn can fall foul of fake LinkedIn profiles offering non-existent jobs. Use social channels to advertise jobs and direct applications to a dedicated area on your company website, which will instill confidence in candidates at all levels of seniority and will make it harder for scammers to use your brand for fake jobs.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Clear Communication</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Be specific on your website about what candidates should and should not expect from your business through the hiring process. Use your dedicated job application page to explain your company values and the treatment candidates should expect from any legitimate contact with your company.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Transparent Processes</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Review your recruitment process to ensure best practice recruitment across your business and all suppliers who recruit on your behalf. Recruiters and hiring managers should use business rather than personal email addresses to communicate with clients (providing reassurance of legitimacy) and should never ask candidates for payment or documentation up front.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Ethical Recruitment</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Partner with an&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/ethical-recruitment-company-identify-ethical-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ethical recruitment company</a>. Ethical recruitment practices are especially paramount for UAE businesses importing high volumes of migrant and expat workers, who may be unfamiliar with the recruitment process and more vulnerable to fake jobs. VHR are committed to ethical sourcing and on-boarding methods, and we work within the countries we recruit from, to personally assess candidate skills and provide the positive recruitment experiences that create happy, productive and well-performing workforces.
<div>&nbsp;</div>
Find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/what-rapid-technological-change-means-for-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how technology is changing recruitment</a>, or read about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-recruiters-should-treat-candidates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how recruiters should treat candidates</a>.&nbsp;

Fake Jobs: How to Protect Your Business and Future Employees

<h2>What are the advancements in recruitment technologies and how can recruiters adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments to help employ the best candidates?</h2>
<h3>1. Programmatic, targeted job advertising</h3>
Programmatic advertising allows recruiters to place highly targeted adverts and job opportunities in front of a segmented audience, at the right time; AI captures a number of resources such as a person&rsquo;s browsing history and online activity and uses it as data.
One development of AI in recruitment is that recruiters can now embrace the efficiency of online advertising that incorporates data and user activity targeting. Cookies are small pieces of data that follow a user, tracking their movement and acting as a unique ID; they already exist in some online technology. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/valleyvoices/2018/01/29/how-ai-is-changing-the-game-for-recruiting/#4f91ffce1aa2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI will plug the data of candidates that visit the career page</a>, looking at their browsing history, spot phrases that they have typed in to Google and other websites then judge what type of advertisements they will receive.
Recruiters can use AI as a great tool for scouting the best talent that&rsquo;s relevant to their job requirements. Additionally, AI can help grow the top of a recruiter&rsquo;s funnel with qualified and interested candidates from different regions.
&nbsp;
<h3>2. Profile Augmentation</h3>
Currently, social media and job sites offer technology that recommends job vacancies based on your current and past work experience; however, AI offers expansion to this tool, making it possible to learn about a candidate&rsquo;s interests and skills as well.
As a result, AI could have a positive effect on the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/autonomous-skills-shortage-urgent-need-for-software-engineers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skills shortage issues</a>&nbsp;that surround a lot of engineering sectors. For example, by learning that a candidate is interested in other sectors, or understanding that a candidate has been studying and educating themselves in a different engineering space, a recruiter will be able to offer a variety of job roles based on what they want to do; these jobs may branch across several industries and be useful for roles that are difficult to fill.
Nevertheless, humans take unique circumstances and judgement calls into account when making decisions -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.arrkgroup.com/thought-leadership/artificial-intelligence-the-advantages-and-disadvantages/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">something that artificial intelligence may never be able to do</a>&nbsp;which may cause serious problems.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. CV screening</h3>
Developments of AI in recruitment allow tools to screen CV&rsquo;s and filter qualified candidates. A common issue that recruiters face when screening CV&rsquo;s is the difficulty to translate what skills have been gained when having read an unknown word or term. AI can help recruiters with this issue &ndash; not only can AI screen CV&rsquo;s for keywords, but it can also translate and decode the meaning behind them, qualifying the candidate.
<a href="https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/future-of-recruiting/2018/9-ways-ai-will-reshape-recruiting-and-how-you-can-prepare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI&rsquo;s solutions can quickly and effectively compare prospective candidates</a>&nbsp;to those who have proven to be talented in the past; allowing an opportunity for recruiters to find those best suited for jobs. Additionally, AI can find patterns - it is able to predict who will be a successful candidate to put forward to a client based off of data gained by candidates who have previously been successful.
Nevertheless, recruitment is a professional service that offers a candidate expert advice from employees that conduct expert candidate sourcing. AI removes the personal feature of recruitment, and arguably a skilled employee is able to communicate more efficiently and gain more information from a candidate than a computer.
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Chatbots and AI-powered assistants</h3>
AI-powered assistants &ndash; also known as chatbots &ndash; can now perform employee services, employee development coaching as well as recruitment.
Many companies already use chatbots as an initial form of contact and engagement with visitors on their website and social media channels. Regarding recruitment, chatbots can help reduce the amount of time it takes to hire a candidate and complete the application process. Additionally, recruiters can use chatbots to follow up with candidates that aren&rsquo;t actively progressing with an application &ndash; again,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.knowmail.me/blog/pros-cons-chatbots/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reducing time spent on resources</a>.
Chatbots are becoming more ubiquitous - fulfilling multiple purposes. Certain tools can decode a candidate&rsquo;s response through Natural Language Processing, as well as ask questions to fill in gaps in a candidate&rsquo;s CV. However, chatbots can be costly, time consuming to set up and are often disliked by users due to their emotionless tone.
&nbsp;
<h3>5. Video facial and speech recognition</h3>
Developments of AI in recruitment are now focussing on interviews and video recruiting. AI-driven platforms are now specialising in technical hiring; from asking dynamic questions, to expert evaluation, recording interviews, video conferencing and face/voice recognition.
Video interviews are being conducted regularly in recruitment due to the efficiency and time saved. However, recruitment companies that choose to use AI machine learning to verify applicants will be able to detect the following: strange behaviour including candidates regularly looking away from the screen (could indicate looking at cue cards), tone of voice (could indicate that they&rsquo;re lying), stress level and body language.
&nbsp;
<h3>6. Eliminate bias</h3>
Another development of AI in recruitment is&nbsp;<a href="https://harver.com/blog/uses-ai-in-recruitment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">elimination of bias</a>&nbsp;from the recruitment process. Bias is a huge, ethical theme in the field of recruitment. Undeniably, everyone can be biased to some degree &ndash; but when it comes to recruiting the best possible candidate, it&rsquo;s important to ensure that judgement doesn&rsquo;t cloud the choice that&rsquo;s made.
Data and predictive analytics produced by AI can make predictions on an applicant&rsquo;s likelihood to succeed in the job they are applying for. Recruiting candidates will be based on criteria that is specific to the job and a company&rsquo;s cultural requirements; AI and algorithms will be able to calculate a matching score for every candidate, eliminating bias.
&nbsp;
Learn about <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/ethical-recruitment-company-identify-ethical-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ethical recruitment</a> and what your business can be doing to stay compliant.

6 Developments of AI in Recruitment

With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffboss/2018/02/26/employee-turnover-is-the-highest-its-been-in-10-years-heres-what-to-do-about-it/#3c10cd24478c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employee turnover at its highest levels in 10 years</a>, how can businesses keep hold of their skilled staff and increase employee retention?
Contractors are an invaluable resource to the global Aerospace &amp; Aviation, F1 &amp; Automotive, Engineering &amp; Defence industries, but many businesses are suffering from low retention rates of permanent hires and senior executives. The threats and opportunities brought by Brexit, globalisation, and advances in technology make increasing employee retention a priority for leading businesses and SMEs around the world.
&nbsp;
<h2>How To Keep Employees Engaged:</h2>
<h3>5. Give Both Constructive &amp; Positive Feedback</h3>
Whilst everyone likes being praised and recognised for their hard work and achievements, constructive criticism is equally important for employee development. Staff members can&rsquo;t perform well unless they know what is expected of them, and they can&rsquo;t improve if they don&rsquo;t know what they&rsquo;re doing wrong and how to fix it.
Your best employees will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thebalance.com/top-ways-to-retain-your-great-employees-1919038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">those who seek frequent opportunities to learn and grow</a>&nbsp;in their careers, knowledge and skill sets. Set and regularly review SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely), combined with a transparent career progression scheme to motivate employees and help them visualise and achieve the next steps in their career.
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Offer a Unique Benefits Scheme</h3>
The best companies don&rsquo;t always offer the highest salaries or day rates &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/google-asos-airbnb-20-best-perks-benefits-uk-employers-a6938716.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one third of employees count benefits packages amongst their op considerations</a>&nbsp;when job searching. An excellent benefits package can attract new hires, help existing employees to feel valued, engaged and involved, providing an additional motivation for greater loyalty and improving employee retention.
Many industries will operate with similar sets of values and ways of working, but benefits packages aren&rsquo;t dictated by outside forces and can instead be moulded to suit the needs of your employees, such as flexible working, home working, cycle to work schemes, volunteering opportunities and discounts.&nbsp;
Benefits of a recruitment career at VHR include:
<ul>
<li>
Annual Summer Trip Abroad
</li>
<li>
Private Healthcare
</li>
<li>
Early Finish Fridays
</li>
<li>
Monthly Social Events
</li>
<li>
Loyalty Holiday Incentive Scheme
</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/work-at-vhr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out more about working at VHR</a>.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. Communication</h3>
Transparency around company progress against short-term and long-term goals encourages all staff, from interns to Board Directors, to feel proud of their contribution and part of a greater purpose. Promoting awareness of positive company performance helps employees feel secure in their jobs (particularly the back office who often have limited access to sales figures) and regular communication from senior management will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/insight-2017-02-06-five-steps-to-increase-employee-retention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engender trust across the company</a>, increasing employee satisfaction and staff loyalty.
<h3>&nbsp;</h3>
<h3>2. Foster &amp; Promote a Positive Workplace Culture</h3>
Creating a positive environment can be as simple as taking small but powerful steps to ensure employees feel heard and appreciated. A positive workplace culture involves an inclusive environment that encourages collaborative working, trusts and empowers staff to make decisions and helps individual workers feel good about themselves and their role in their team and company.
With freedom from micro-managing and more autonomy, employees have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrgrapevine.com/content/article/insight-2017-02-06-five-steps-to-increase-employee-retention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the time and space to create and innovate new ideas</a>&nbsp;and new solutions to old problems. A change in company culture can have wide-reaching impacts to increasing employee retention and improving the bottom line.
&nbsp;
<h3>1. Hire the Right People &ndash; Right from the Start</h3>
With&nbsp;<a href="http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the average cost of replacing an employee over &pound;30,000</a>, business leaders can save valuable time, money and resources by making the right hires in the first place. An agile recruitment strategy that is continually reviewed and improved can ensure your business is appealing to the wants and needs of specific demographics like millennials, and compete with the recruitment process and employment packages offered by the biggest players in your industry.
Partnering with a specialist recruitment provider that supports your existing HR department will help to reduce staff turnover and increase employee retention by attracting the skills and experience to match the needs of your business.
&nbsp;
Looking for technical recruitment services?&nbsp;<a href="mailto:enquiries@v-hr.com">Get in touch with our technical recruitment experts</a>.
Find out why your business needs&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/benefits-of-rpo-and-managed-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RPO</a>, or learn&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-gen-z-candidates-drop-out-of-the-recruitment-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how to attract Gen Z employees</a>.&nbsp;

How to Retain Your Employees: 5 Steps to Increase Employee Retention

The best candidates want to be challenged in an interview; they&rsquo;re assessing the employer as much as the employer is assessing them.
&nbsp;
<h2>What are the best interview techniques to adopt in order to get the best from candidates in interviews?</h2>
<h3>5. Ask questions that tap in to their passion</h3>
Commitment from employees is essential to business success;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cumminsmellor.co.uk/news/2014/01/29/five-great-interview-questions-to-get-the-most-out-of-candidates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passion and enthusiasm are key to driving an organisation forward</a>.
During interviews, an employer can learn a great deal about the candidate&rsquo;s personality from the type of questions that are asked. It&rsquo;s crucial to assess whether or not the candidate will fit into the organisation, therefore asking them tailored questions that will trigger a passionate response is advisable.
Asking questions that are tailored to triggering enthusiastic responses are an indicative measure as to whether the individual is matched to the job role; it will highlight their strengths and aspirations. For example:
. If we were to hire you, what do you see yourself doing here in three years?
. How have you helped others outside of work?
. Can you give an example of something that you are focused on at the moment?
The answers to these questions are informative, and will communicate to the interviewer something about the candidate that they may have never discovered otherwise. These questions should be asked at the beginning of the interview, as they are a great way to gauge how passionate the interviewee is about the role or if they&rsquo;re simply just looking for any job.
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Ask challenging, critical-thinking questions</h3>
Challenging questions are meant to reveal a candidate&rsquo;s ability to identify and solve problems; however, critical thinking questions should only be asked if the intention is to uncover certain personality traits that will translate in to success in the role.
Critical-thinking questions highlight candidate skills that allow people to evaluate situations through reasoning, to reach logical decisions.&nbsp;<a href="https://recruiterbox.com/blog/5-creative-ways-assess-candidates-job-interviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Businesses benefit from employees who think critically</a>&nbsp;due to the individual&rsquo;s use of an independent mindset and advanced processes.
However, it&rsquo;s logical to keep challenging interview questions as job-related as possible. Sometimes it&rsquo;s not important to assess whether the answer is necessarily right or wrong; simply, challenging questions are an employer&rsquo;s opportunity to evaluate how candidates react outside their comfort zone.
Good examples of challenging interview questions:
. Describe a time when you had to convince your manager to try a different approach to solve a problem.
. Tell me about a time you had to make a decision with incomplete information. What did you do?
. What&rsquo;s the best sales approach: increase prices to achieve higher revenues or decrease prices to improve customer satisfaction?
Think: Did the candidate make assumptions? Did they answer at all? Did they give you an obvious answer or did they not ask any questions at all? All are questions to ask when assessing critical-thinking skills in interviews and when wanting to get the best out of candidates.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. Preparation</h3>
Preparation and organisation prior to commencing an interview with a candidate is fundamental in order to gain sufficient information from candidates.
. Review the candidate&rsquo;s CV before the date of the interview &ndash; by preparing interview questions based off of the candidate&rsquo;s CV, an employer is showing that they have taken the time to ensure a productive interview.
. Ensure great understanding of the job duties &ndash; firstly, give a brief description of the company, however do not talk too much and move straight on to the outline of the job.
. Write a list of questions that directly relate to the job&rsquo;s responsibilities &ndash; list the key responsibilities and questions that relate to them. Make sure there are no details missed!
. Access their online profiles &ndash; learn a bit about them for intel from any of the candidate&rsquo;s social media profiles. By doing this, it&rsquo;s possible to note hobbies, writings, professional recommendations etc.
If an employer has done their homework and prepared themselves as much as possible prior to the interview, then this allows more time to pay attention towards the interaction and details of what the candidate is saying.
&nbsp;
<h3>2. Be courteous and professional</h3>
Make a great first impression &ndash; extend professional courtesies and be on time!
As the candidate arrives for the interview, offer them a glass of water and make some polite, small chit-chat (it may be worthwhile giving them a tour around the office if appropriate).
Trust nonverbal signals and body language. An employer may be looking for eye contact just as much as a candidate is trying to read unspoken signals in return. Be sure to use the correct tone of voice, pay attention to manners and dress appropriately.
The more comfortable the interviewer feels, the better the interview will ultimately go. By matching the candidate in mood and energy level, the meeting reaches a unanimous tone.
An evenly matched conversation will put the candidate at ease and therefore will encourage the best from the candidate;&nbsp;<a href="https://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/interviewing-candidates/interview-tips-for-the-interviewerus.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mirroring a candidate&rsquo;s body language can subliminally signal that the interviewer is present in the conversation</a>.
Allowing pauses and time in-between the answers from the candidate can seem agonising (especially if an interviewer doesn&rsquo;t like silences) however, it&rsquo;s a polite method that works wonders in developing a rapport between two people.
&nbsp;
<h3>1. Give an assignment or task</h3>
Many organisations now challenge candidates to prepare either an assignment, task or test, to either present or complete when being interviewed; this method can be part of the recruitment process and used to access their potential.
Some interviewers will give candidates free reign to talk about anything they desire in a presentation: from current affairs to photography, for example. Others will create strict presentation briefs based on their current industry topics, which obviously require a lot more effort and reveal different qualities.
Regardless,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coburgbanks.co.uk/blog/assessing-applicants/interview-presentations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">presentations more often than not reveal copious amounts of information about the candidate</a>, including: transferable skills, industry knowledge, organisation/planning, research skills, passion, confidence, personal interaction and many more.
&nbsp;
Click here for more&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/top-10-popular-interview-questions-answer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">examples of interview questions</a>.
Not sure how to retain your employees?&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/retain-employees-5-steps-increasing-employee-retention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VHR discusses employee retention here</a>.&nbsp;

5 Interview Techniques To Get The Best from Candidates

Considering using a recruitment agency but want to learn more about the benefits first? VHR discusses 5 reasons why recruitment agencies are good for business.
<h2>How Using A Recruitment Company Can Help Your Business</h2>
&nbsp;
<h3>5. Extended Reach For The Best Talent</h3>
A recruitment agency will have access to the best talent available; this includes access to candidates that are actively seeking work, as well as talent that is currently employed elsewhere.
If you use a recruitment agency, you&rsquo;re statistically more likely to access the best job-seekers on the market; candidates who are actively looking for a new job position are more likely to register with a recruitment agency due to their efficiency. Most agencies will position job vacancy adverts on a range of job boards, understanding the logistics and marketing value behind using each one - invaluable knowledge that can only be accessed from working in the recruitment sector.
Finding the right candidates can sometimes be difficult, simply because they can be hard to find. If candidates don&rsquo;t position themselves as &lsquo;actively seeking a job&rsquo; then they are most likely to have a trusted, specialist recruiter who commits to job applications on their behalf &ndash; that&rsquo;s access to a &lsquo;talent pool&rsquo; that may be unreachable otherwise.
Recruitment agencies have many networks &ndash; each consultant has the potential to leverage their networks to help connect you to the right people.
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Saves Time</h3>
It&rsquo;s common knowledge that in business, time is money; however, if you use a recruitment agency, you are saving time.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coburgbanks.co.uk/blog/attracting-staff/why-use-recruitment-agencies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recruitment agencies save your business time</a>&nbsp;because they take care of the initial steps in the hiring process. No more sifting through applications and CV&rsquo;s, a recruitment agency will ensure that the time you spend in the application process is spent wisely on viewing those worth considering.
However, it doesn&rsquo;t end there; a recruitment agency will then schedule interviews and prepare the candidates with all the information they need &ndash; all you have to do is prepare and turn up!
Recruitment agencies deal with all of the administration issues such as: communications with successful candidates and unsuccessful applications, as well as verifying candidate information like qualifications and references.
If a business chooses to use a recruitment agency then they will reduce the time and in-house resources needed for recruitment dedication; this can lead to a quicker turnaround in filling vacancies and an increase in the efficiency of the organisation.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. Additional Services</h3>
Recruitment agencies conduct background checks on candidates, which is essential when considering potential employees; this can be really time consuming as it involves following up on references, conducting preliminary interviews and making sure the candidate matches what they promise on their CV. Another reason as to why you should use a recruitment agency is because a business can feel assured that any candidate you meet has already passed the provisional tests as part of the additional services.
It&rsquo;s important to consider the additional services provided by a recruitment agency when choosing which to go with, for example: psychometric tests, contract and permanent recruitment, executive search, project support and managed services are all beneficial facilities provided by the best recruitment agencies.
VHR offers online aviation training services for candidates,&nbsp;<a href="https://vhr.learnupon.com/store?page=1%20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">find out more here</a>.
If your business has a job position available with an uncertain salary, a recruitment agency is ideally placed to give you an accurate market rate using salary data and local market knowledge. Most recruitment agencies will use website&rsquo;s such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glassdoor</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indeed.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indeed</a>&nbsp;to benchmark salaries and expected candidate rates.
Find out about VHR&rsquo;s beneficial,&nbsp;<a href="http://v-hr.com/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">additional services here</a>.
&nbsp;
<h3>2. Expertise: Market Knowledge</h3>
Often, your candidate requirements may be specific and difficult to find; this is where a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reedglobal.com/blog/2017/06/why-use-a-recruitment-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recruiter&rsquo;s industry expertise and market knowledge proves to be priceless.</a>&nbsp;For example, if you are hiring a manager then you may need an expert opinion and knowledge of current recruitment legislation - the agency should know all the relevant requirements and legalities applicable.
Once you have developed a relationship with a recruitment agency that you trust, your future hiring&rsquo;s will be easier as the agency will be aware of the qualities that are needed to make the right fit within your business. The best recruitment agencies will act as partners and collaborators, and will be your eyes and ears in the market.
Recruiters are industry specialists in their markets, and can give the hiring team regular insight in to what is happening. These recruiters will know: how to reach out to the best available talent, salary rates, career expectations, current hiring complexities, available skill-sets and shortages. For example, if there is a struggle to find the same quality of candidates in other relevant businesses, then expert recruiters will be able to advise on alternative solutions.
&nbsp;
<h3>1. Short-term And Long-term Cost Savings</h3>
Recruitment agencies will have allocations on the all the top job boards, so you can ensure that your business&rsquo;s job advert is in the correct place - posting single one-off jobs with advertising agencies can be expensive.
The cost of sifting through CVs and conducting initial conversations adds up, however if business&rsquo;s use a recruitment agency then not only is that cost reduced, but there is also the ability for the recruiter to help negotiate the best salary (giving both guidance and advice on what is fair pay) resulting a greater chance in hiring the top candidate.
&nbsp;
Short term costs saved:
. Posting job adverts - cost removed
. In-house staff can perform their other duties
. Reduces potential overtime costs (temporary hire/overtime periods)
. Reduces the likelihood and cost of hiring a candidate unfit for the role
Long term costs saved:
. Reduces training costs (some recruitment agencies offer candidates the chance to learn field-specific regulations whilst searching for a job)
. Future hiring costs are reduced due to trustworthy relationship with recruitment agent
&nbsp;
Find out more about VHR&rsquo;s recruitment expertise and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/award-winning-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">award winning recruitment services,</a>&nbsp;or learn about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/ethical-recruitment-company-identify-ethical-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the importance of ethical recruitment.</a>

5 Reasons Why You Should Use a Recruitment Agency

<h2>How Do The Top 5 Global Airlines Drive Growth and Success?</h2>
In the fast-paced world of Aerospace &amp; Aviation, skilled talent and brilliant minds are forever competing in a crowded market full of national and international airlines. Even the smallest airlines are achieving phenomenal success, and with&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/changes-aviation-industry-tackling-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the commencement of exciting new projects in 2018</a>, the industry has never been so innovative. &nbsp;
The leaders topping the list of largest global airlines can offer key lessons in weathering recessions, launching unique initiatives and breaking world records. But what are the largest global airlines?
Business analysts at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2015/06/worlds-largest-airlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Economist&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2015/06/worlds-largest-airlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes</a>&nbsp;evaluate all international airlines across:
<ul>
<li>
Number of passengers carried globally
</li>
<li>
Turnover
</li>
<li>
Sales
</li>
<li>
Profit
</li>
<li>
Assets
</li>
<li>
Market value
</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/worlds-biggest-airlines-american-airlines-british-airways-easyjet-ryanair-a7766251.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Judging the &lsquo;size&rsquo; of an airline is an inexact science</a>, however the most successful airlines on the list of top 5 global airlines received the highest scores across these six metrics.
<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>Who Are The Top 5 Airlines, And What Makes Them So Successful?</h2>
<h3>5. International Airlines Group</h3>
Founded in 1974 in the United Kingdom,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/international-airlines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Consolidated Airline Group SA (IAG)</a>&nbsp;is the holding company for British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling. IAG provides passenger and freight air transportation services as well as international and domestic carriage services for passengers and cargo.
Aircraft maintenance services form a key part of the IAG business model.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tharawat-magazine.com/facts/10-largest-airlines/#gs.GwA39MM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Every year, IAG Group transports 97 million passengers to 255 locations on its fleet of 525 aircraft</a>. Strategic alliances and differentiated activities have strengthened the position of the former companies on the market, enabling IAG to further claim the fifth position amongst the top 5 global airlines.
In 2018 IAG is committed to an eco-friendly initiative: partnering with&nbsp; an experienced software industrial company&nbsp;<a href="http://phx.corporate-ir.net/external.file?t=2&amp;item=o8hHt16027g9XhJTr8+weNRYaV9bFc2rMd0Q/AXw4zu/2Frvc4ERX7ScKOM//xkxlge6RXfl2hr/Jyz6+cM9L0hcgc/Y0swUVm4NkEj2uA48szRxLpQduZ89HU5y7u1q3pdNS4G7l0au3stN4KEp1w==&amp;cb=636571413617578491" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to introduce innovative technology that will reduce carbon emissions</a>. The new software is being implemented across the entire International Airlines Group fleet to further optimise fuel use by analysing flight data and monitoring efficiency initiatives. Through the use of updated and forward-looking technologies, IAG are directly addressing the issue of climate change in Aerospace &amp; Aviation, appealing directly to customer concerns and improving corporate and social responsibility simultaneously.
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Southwest Airlines</h3>
<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/southwest-airlines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">With 53,000 employees and a market cap of $33.6 billion</a>, this American company provides scheduled air transportation services in the United States and nearby international markets. Southwest Airlines provide scheduled air transportation services and AirTran Airways operates a fleet of airline services using Boeing 717-200 aircraft and Boeing 737-700 aircraft throughout the United States and to select international locations.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reveals that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2015/06/worlds-largest-airlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southwest Airlines is second only to Delta Airlines in number of passengers transported</a>, with 129million people safely delivered. Southwest emerged from humble beginnings in 1967 to become the world&rsquo;s largest low-cost carrier today, with 709 planes and low-cost flights to over 100 destinations in the United States and 10 in additional countries.
Southwest Airlines is adept at establishing and continually building market share,&nbsp;<a href="http://investors.southwest.com/news-and-events/news-releases/2018/02-15-2018-160045228" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adding several new non-stop routes to its schedule in 2018</a>, whilst additionally meeting customer requirements including low-cost flights.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. United Airlines</h3>
United Airlines&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/united-continental-holdings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offers flights in the US, Canada, South America, and the Pacific and Atlantic geographic area</a>. Although internet access is now offered on long-haul flights across several providers, Unied Airlines were the pioneers of the new technology as the first airline to offer in-flight Wi-Fi.
Born in the year 1934, United Airlines merged with Continental Airlines in 2010 to create&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tharawat-magazine.com/facts/10-largest-airlines/#gs.E=dAJbU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&nbsp;the world&rsquo;s largest airline as measured by revenue passenger miles</a>. United Continental Holdings has won the Best Frequent Flyer Programme award for the past 13 consecutive years with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/mileageplus/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">its MiragePlus Program</a>me. Despite the introduction of several controversial changes in recent years, such as the reduction in bonus miles for elite members and the introduction of a revenue-based model in 2015, United Airlines held onto its title.
A loyalty programme allowing passengers to enjoy the most interesting benefits the more they travel has enabled United Airlines to build brand value and improve customer loyalty.
&nbsp;
<h3>2. American Airlines Group</h3>
With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/companies/american-airlines-group/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a market cap value of $21.1 billions</a>, American Airlines Group is currently the world&rsquo;s second biggest airline company. American Airlines provides air transportations for passengers and cargo; the global reach of the cargo division offers a wide range of freight and mail services, based on facilities and interline connections available across the globe. The company also presents a recent example of how a successful and well-planned strategic alliance can lead to top results: American Airlines Group is the result of a merge between&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5982378/ns/business-us_business/t/us-airways-files-bankruptcy/#.WrpSAUxFyUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Airways</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-airlines-files-for-bankruptcy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Airlines</a>&nbsp;in 2013, which had both filed for bankrupcty protection just a year earlier, and which in 2018 are now enjoying international success.
In February, American Airlines and Qantas filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation&nbsp;<a href="http://news.aa.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2018/American-and-Qantas-file-application-to-form-joint-business/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to form a joint business focused on better serving customers</a>&nbsp;flying between North America and Australia and New Zealand. The proposed joint business aims to significantly improve service, stimulate demand and unlock more than $300 million annually in consumer benefits that are not achievable through any other form of cooperation. American and Qantas will also have the opportunity to launch additional routes between the U.S. and Australia and New Zealand.
An expanded relationship will encourage significant improvements in the airline customer experience, which are estimated to increase demand for new travel in the coming years.
&nbsp;
<h3>1. Delta Airlines</h3>
The oldest airline company still operating in the United States is the world&rsquo;s largest airline. Delta Airlines is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2015/06/worlds-largest-airlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the world&rsquo;s largest airline in terms of scheduled passengers carried</a>, with 129,433,000 passengers transported every year.
Delat Airlines operates 13 hubs worldwide, with a fleet of 809 aircraft including Airbus, Boeing and McDonnell Douglass planes, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Delta_Airlines/information.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flies to about 335 destinations worldwide</a>&nbsp;throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
Delat Airlines provides scheduled flights both for passengers and cargo, whilst its Refinery branch consists of jet-fuel and non jet-fuel products. Delta Airlines has officially announced its involvement in an Exoskeleton Technical Advisory Group (X-TAG) concerned with&nbsp;<a href="https://news.delta.com/delta-explores-robotic-suits-augment-employee-safety-strength-front-lines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the best ways to bring full-body, powered industrial exoskeleton systems to the workforce</a>. Gil West, Delta's Chief Operating Officer, comments that &lsquo;This X-TAG is an innovative opportunity to think about how fitting our employees with wearable robotics can build on our strong personal safety culture and further protect our people from injury by giving them an additional layer of strength and protection.&rsquo;
Delta Airlines has a strong track record of finding new ways to improve customer and employee experiences through technology, and is helping to lead Aerospace &amp; Aviation innovation whilst maintaining its position as the largest airline in the world.
&nbsp;
<h3>What Makes a Top Global Airline?</h3>
The top 5 largest airlines listed above have very different origins and operate across different markets and geographies, however they share many characteristics:
<ul>
<li>
Tailor-made structures serve as powerful management tools to
</li>
<li>
Strategic alliances ensure reciprocal benefits and a steadier presence in the global market
</li>
<li>
planning and forecasting combined with effective marketing and branding inform identification of the market, target clients and the achievement of the desired results.
</li>
<li>
Technology increases convenience, reduces costs and delivers a competitive edge.
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
VHR works with world-leading airlines and MROs &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="http://v-hr.com/aerospace-aviation/" rel=" noopener">find out more about our specialist Aerospace &amp; Aviation recruitment services</a>.
How Will Brexit Affect Aerospace Production? &ndash;&nbsp;<a href="http://v-hr.com/news/blog/will-brexit-affect-aerospace-production/" rel=" noopener">Read our latest industry report.</a>

Top 5 Global Airlines – The Secrets to their Success

Engineering is typically thought of as a male-dominated field, but throughout history there have been women who have innovated, invented, and challenged the industry.
<h2>Five Women Who Changed Engineering</h2>
&nbsp;
<h3>Phoebe Omlie </h3>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6565" src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png?width=312&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png" sizes="(max-width: 312px) 100vw, 312px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png?width=156&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png 156w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png?width=312&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png 312w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png?width=468&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png 468w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png?width=624&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png 624w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png?width=780&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png 780w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png?width=936&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-11_52_17.png 936w" alt="Phoebe Omlie" width="312">
Eleanor Roosevelt <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_Omlie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once named Phoebe Omile</a>&nbsp;one of &lsquo;the eleven women whose achievements make it safe to say the world is progressing&rsquo;, and this is due to Phoebe&rsquo;s incredible aviation pioneering in the 1920&rsquo;s and 1930&rsquo;s.
Phoebe was an American aviation innovator, particularly noted for her accomplishments as an early female aviator (second to Amelia Earhart). However, what makes Phoebe a female first is her astounding achievement being the first female to receive an airplane mechanics license and be appointed to a federal position in the aviation field.
As one of the first female engineers in aviation history, Phoebe set several world records, including the first highest altitude parachute jump by a female and the first woman to cross the Rocky Mountains in an aircraft.Phoebe began her career in the early 1920s when aviation was unregulated and open to those daring enough to take it on, male or female; nevertheless,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wai.org/pioneers/2015/phoebe-omlie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoebe quickly became a celebrity in her own right</a>. After the death of her husband, in 1941 Phoebe met their tremendous need for pilots for service in World War 2. She established 66 flight schools across the USA and conducted an &lsquo;experimental&rsquo; program where women trained men as instructors. Her controversial belief that &ldquo;if women can teach men to walk, they can teach them to fly&rdquo; was paramount to the training of the Navy V-5 and the USAAF Women Airforce Service Pilots.
Looking for a career in Aviation?&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/engineering-jobs/tag/aerospace-aviation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit our vacancy page here</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Victoria Drummond</h3>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6566" src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/victoria.jpg?width=400&amp;name=victoria.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/victoria.jpg?width=200&amp;name=victoria.jpg 200w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/victoria.jpg?width=400&amp;name=victoria.jpg 400w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/victoria.jpg?width=600&amp;name=victoria.jpg 600w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/victoria.jpg?width=800&amp;name=victoria.jpg 800w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/victoria.jpg?width=1000&amp;name=victoria.jpg 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/victoria.jpg?width=1200&amp;name=victoria.jpg 1200w" alt="Victoria Drummond " width="400">
As one of the first female engineers, Victoria Drummond left her mark as a truly inspirational British woman. Her career began in 1915, where she followed her father&rsquo;s ambition to become a marine engineer. She began her apprenticeship in Perth, Scotland, which then kick-started the beginning of her career. Fast forward a decade where Victoria joined the Merchant Navy Ship and was named the first female marine engineer. Not only this, Victoria would later be the first female member of the Institute of Marine Engineers, as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.borntoengineer.com/ground-breaking-female-engineer-nominated-scotlands-hall-heroes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first female to be included in the Hall of Heroes</a>.&nbsp;During World War 2, Victoria served at sea as an engineering officer in the British Merchant Navy (despite having been initially rejected multiple times). She was to later receive awards for acts of bravery under enemy fire, as her leadership skills on this occasion were integral to those lives saved.
'Her conduct was an inspiration to the ship's company, and her devotion to duty prevented more serious damage to the&nbsp;vessel' -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nls.uk/learning-zone/science-and-technology/women-scientists/victoria-drummond" target="_blank" rel="noopener">('The Times', 10 July 1941).</a>
Post war, she was rejected over 37 times for a Board of Trade Certificate as a ship&rsquo;s engineer before she finally succeeded in becoming the first woman ever to be awarded one.
Find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/women-marine-tracy-edwards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amazing women in marine.</a>
&nbsp;
<h3>Mary Winston Jackson</h3>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-6567 size-full" src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/mary-jackson.jpg?width=400&amp;name=mary-jackson.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/mary-jackson.jpg?width=200&amp;name=mary-jackson.jpg 200w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/mary-jackson.jpg?width=400&amp;name=mary-jackson.jpg 400w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/mary-jackson.jpg?width=600&amp;name=mary-jackson.jpg 600w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/mary-jackson.jpg?width=800&amp;name=mary-jackson.jpg 800w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/mary-jackson.jpg?width=1000&amp;name=mary-jackson.jpg 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/mary-jackson.jpg?width=1200&amp;name=mary-jackson.jpg 1200w" alt="Mary Winston Jackson" width="400">
Recognizable from the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4846340/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit movie &lsquo;Hidden Figures&rsquo;</a>, Mary Winston Jackson was the first African-American female to work as an aeronautical engineer for NASA.&nbsp;Born in Virginia in 1921, Mary would eventually go on to earn her title as one of the most inspiring female engineers of all time.
She excelled academically in both math and science during school years, earning herself bachelor degrees in both mathematics and physical science.&nbsp;After a series of jobs, Mary found&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/content/mary-jackson-biography" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employment at NASA in Virginia</a>. During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Executive Order 8802 was issued; this prohibited discrimination within the defence industry, however Virginia state law still enforced segregation in the workplace, meaning Mary experienced a considerable amount of indignity.&nbsp;
Despite her urgency to resign from NASA due to unequal treatment, she was promoted from her position as a research mathematician to aeronautical engineer by her supervisor, who saw her potential. She became&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biography.com/people/mary-winston-jackson-120616">NASA&rsquo;s first African-American engineer</a>&nbsp;and developed expertise working with wind tunnels and analysing data on aircraft flight experiments.
After 34 years, Mary achieved the most senior title possible within the engineering department, however, she decided to take a demotion in order to serve as an administrator in the Equal Opportunity Specialist field where she worked to make changes to women and other minorities who were accomplished within the mathematical/engineering field.She continued to work as an influencer in the career paths of women in science, engineering, and mathematics in NASA until her retirement in 1985.&nbsp;Learn more about how&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/lack-diversity-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to encourage women in to engineering and STEM careers</a>. 
<h3>Valentina Tereshkova </h3>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6568" src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/valent-a.jpg?width=400&amp;name=valent-a.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/valent-a.jpg?width=200&amp;name=valent-a.jpg 200w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/valent-a.jpg?width=400&amp;name=valent-a.jpg 400w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/valent-a.jpg?width=600&amp;name=valent-a.jpg 600w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/valent-a.jpg?width=800&amp;name=valent-a.jpg 800w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/valent-a.jpg?width=1000&amp;name=valent-a.jpg 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/valent-a.jpg?width=1200&amp;name=valent-a.jpg 1200w" alt="Valentina Tereshkova" width="400">Beating 400 other applicants with no pilot experience,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.space.com/21571-valentina-tereshkova.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valentina Tereshkova nevertheless became the first woman to go in to space</a>, earning an exceptional prestige of being one of the first female engineers in aerospace.
Valentina volunteered for the Soviet space program in 1961. Although she did not have any experience as a pilot, she was accepted into the program because of her 126 parachute jumps. At the time, cosmonauts had to parachute from their capsules seconds before they hit the ground on returning to Earth. She has 18 months of training which included tests to determine how she would react to long period of time being alone, as well as enduring gravity and zero-gravity conditions.&nbsp;
Her first mission was a dual mission; however, Valentina would be flying solo in her own space capsule. This mission lead to her success as the first female in space; she orbited earth&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentina_Tereshkova" target="_blank" rel="noopener">48 times and logged 70 hours over 3 days</a>.&nbsp;Valentina &ndash; in order to join the Cosmonaut Corps &ndash; was inducted in to the Soviet Air Force, resulting in the first civilian to fly in space. Additionally, Valentina remains as the only woman ever to have been on a solo space mission. Although Valentina never flew in space again, she later became a test pilot and instructor and earned a doctorate in technical sciences. &nbsp;
<h3>Helene Rother </h3>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6569" src="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png?width=400&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" srcset="https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png?width=200&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png 200w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png?width=400&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png 400w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png?width=600&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png 600w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png?width=800&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png 800w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png?width=1000&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png 1000w, https://blog.v-hr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png?width=1200&amp;name=Screen-Shot-2018-03-22-at-12_02_52.png 1200w" alt="Helene Rother" width="400">Helene Rother was a refugee fleeing from Nazi occupied France, and also a single mother, but she joined the automotive industry as one of the first female engineers to successfully develop a career in design engineering.&nbsp;
In 1943, Helene joined the interior styling staff of General Motors (GM) in Detroit. Specialising in designs for automotive interiors, as well as furniture, Helene became USA&rsquo;s first automotive designer. It was said that, &ldquo;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Rother#cite_note-halloffame-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she was one of the few women to succeed in a man&rsquo;s job</a>&nbsp;during an era when the vast majority of women couldn&rsquo;t even see a glass ceiling &ndash; it was hidden behind steel doors.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Although GM tried to keep it quiet that Helene was earning US$600 a month (when the average male salary was $200) it was leaked and reported in The Detroit News, but downplayed because they feared that it would spark too much controversy by allowing a woman power in a male-dominated industry.&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Rother#cite_note-halloffame-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Helene was the first woman to address the Society of Automotive Engineers in Detroit</a>. One reporter wrote that &ldquo;500 listeners came to laugh, but stayed to cheer her logical conclusions&rdquo;, this was an incredible turn in her career as she became well respected as not only a woman, but also as an incredible artist and engineer.
Find out more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-ada-lovelace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revolutionary women in the engineering industry</a>&nbsp;here. &nbsp;
Want to become an engineer? Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/why-you-should-use-a-recruitment-agency-to-find-your-engineering-job" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how to get a career in engineering</a>.

5 of The First Female Engineers

The need to respond to climate change has never been so important. Changes in the Aviation industry are prevailing &ndash; there is seemingly no longer an aim to reach a new top-speed, or out-perform the most glamorous of jets. Instead, innovations in Civilian Aviation such as electric engines and autonomous systems, are targeting the desire for air transport to be less noisy, but most importantly less polluting.
<h1>How Is Air Travel Impacting The Environment?</h1>
We&rsquo;re no strangers to the effect climate change is having on our planet. When considering all contributing factors to global warming, aviation is in fact a small proportion of the problem; however, as more people chose to fly year on year resulting in the industry&rsquo;s growth, so do the concerns for Earth&rsquo;s ether.&nbsp;
The Aviation industry contributes&nbsp;<a href="http://www.eurocontrol.int/articles/environmental-issues-aviation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around 4% of man-made atmospheric emissions</a>&nbsp;to the atmosphere, nonetheless the damage caused by airplanes is comparatively more severe due to the emissions being discharged in the upper part of the sky, resulting in a direct effect on the atmosphere.Changes in the Aviation industry are occurring because of the environmental impact on the planet. Aircraft engines emit heat, noise, particulates and gases which all contribute towards climate change; carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, water vapour, hydrocarbons, lead and black carbon are a few gases to be named - the effect of climate change is proving to be catastrophic.&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>How Is The Aviation Industry Responding to Climate Change?&nbsp;</h2>
According to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aef.org.uk/issues/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aviation expert, David Southgate</a>, London Heathrow is responsible for more C02 emissions from international passenger flights than any other airport in the world; it&rsquo;s revelations like these that have encouraged significant changes in the aviation industry.
Historically, changes in the aviation industry advanced massively in the post-war period, with the introduction of the jet engine resulting in great economic value with major aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing emerging in 1958.
However, over recent years the impact of the aviation industry is considerably more concerning. It is predicted that without regulation of the aviation industry, global aviation emissions could triple by mid-century. From 1992 to 2005 passenger kilometres increased by 5.2% per year, but currently in 2018 about 8.3 million people (globally) fly every day &ndash; that&rsquo;s 3 billion occupied seats per year which is twice the total of 1999.Even though there have been significant improvements in fuel efficiency through aircraft technology and operational management, improvements are being continually masked by the increase in air traffic volume. Countries such as&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/aviation-innovations-future-aviation-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UAE and Germany are embracing the issue by producing revolutionary passenger aircrafts</a>&nbsp;capable of using less C02 and use more&nbsp;<a href="http://v-hr.com/news/blog/green-airplanes-new-face-aviation/">environmentally friendly engineering</a>.
<h2>3 Innovations in Aviation:</h2>
<h3>Volocopter</h3>
The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.volocopter.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volocopter</a>&nbsp;is a single-place, experimental, electric multirotor helicopter. The first manned, fully electric VTOL-capable aircraft in the world; their aim is to help modern cities resolve their increasing mobility issues.&nbsp;As well as being incredibly quiet (incorporating state-of-the-art components that optimize the acoustic signature) it is also electric, meaning no combustion engine, no fuel and no direct emissions &ndash; incredibly environmentally friendly.&nbsp;<a href="http://v-hr.com/news/blog/aviation-innovations-future-aviation-technology/">Read more about the Volocopter</a>&nbsp;and its debut in Dubai.
<h3>Graphene</h3>
Environmentally friendly materials are an investment worth placing. Graphene - carbon composed of a hexagonal lattice of atoms in a honeycomb structure &ndash; is&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/graphene-wonder-metal-unwanted-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rapidly becoming the engineering industries most sought after&nbsp;material</a>.
It&rsquo;s been argued that Graphene could not only influence positive changes in global warming, but also improve water purification technology in developing countries, which could provide more efficient desalination plants and deliver clean drinking water across the world.&nbsp;Exciting changes in the aviation industry involve adapting to more friendly materials. It could potentially cut fuel consumption, boost aerodynamics, and increase plane speed by giving the aircraft a lighter, yet stronger body.
<h3>Electric Planes and Flying Cars</h3>
Further noticeable changes in the aviation industry will allow our familiarly loud jet engines to be replaced with cleaner, quieter motors as a result of the innovation in electric planes.
Within a decade passengers could be flying on electric powered flights for distances similar to London to Amsterdam. A deal was signed between&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rolls-royce.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolls Royce</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.airbus.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Airbus</a>&nbsp;in order to combine the engineering genius of both electrical cars and aviation in the near future.&nbsp;An electric-powered flight is one of the most exciting changes in the aviation industry to come forward to date &ndash; but what about Flying Cars?
&ldquo;Mark my words: A combination airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile, but it will come," said Henry Ford in 1940, and he wasn&rsquo;t wrong. A flying car is said to be the ultimate symbol of personal transport freedom, however the question clearly remains, how will it work?&nbsp;Whilst some inventors are investing their money in to developing cycle-powered-crafts and jetpacks, one company which was recently bought by Volvo and Geely, Terrafugia, is developing prototypes of cars that can drive on the road as well as fly in the sky.&nbsp;The flying car will need dual controls, complex folding wings and propellers as well as have to be flown from air strips - not so practical. But they are theoretically possible, and we may see one in the near future.&nbsp;
Find out more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/rolls-royce-are-building-the-fastest-electric-plane-in-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">future of electric planes</a>.&nbsp;

Changes in the Aviation Industry: Tackling Climate Change

Once hailed as the &lsquo;Wonder Metal&rsquo;, Graphene is now polarising scientists and industry leaders: could it revolutionise engineering, or is it more trouble than its worth?
&nbsp;
<h2>What is Graphene?</h2>
Graphene is a form of carbon composed of a hexagonal lattice of atoms in a honeycomb structure, and is the world's first 2D material. Hailed as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/explore/what-can-graphene-do/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the &lsquo;wonder metal</a>&rsquo;, its many unique properties include:
<ul>
<li>200 times stronger than steel</li>
<li>Ultra-light and very flexible</li>
<li>Thinnest material possible &ndash; only one atom thick</li>
<li>One of few superconductors that can block helium</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2>Why is Graphene so Important?</h2>
The stronger material ever tested, it delivers more power and support in smaller volumes than any other metal. Scientists and industry leaders reveal the following ways that graphene has the potential to change the engineering industry for good:
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Skills Shortages&nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Last year&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/precision-engineering-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">22% of UK Manufacturing and Engineering businesses put skills shortages at the top of their agenda</a>, and UK businesses across industries will need to train 1.8 million people by 2025 to fulfil labour demands. If businesses and industries increase their reliance on &lsquo;wonder metals&rsquo; like graphene, the engineering industry will continually require broader ranges of skills. Currently untapped talent pools such as women and young people will be presented with opportunities to work on far-reaching projects and build successful and varied career paths in a fast-paced world, enhancing the attractiveness of the sector and helping to address the engineering skills shortage.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Innovation</h3>
</li>
</ul>
The strong metal could be vital to the development of highly evolved technologies. The next few years could see the creation and mass-market adoption of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/17ce4316-080b-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-capacity batteries, flexible screens and flexible, durable and semi-transparent mobile phones</a>. Graphene could also transform the design and manufacture of aircraft wings, lightweight planes and electric performance vehicles. The increase of graphene use could revolutionise the ways that industries work and the quality of products and services that businesses can offer their customers.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Global Health &amp; Wellbeing&nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Graphene could improve water purification technology in developing countries and provide more efficient desalination plants, delivering clean drinking water to millions of people globally. The technological advances brought about by graphene introduction could also see mass improvements to medical equipment, potentially saving and prolonging thousands of lives.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>The Future of Engineering&nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ul>
The introduction of graphene to mainstream engineering would open up the world to a variety of new experimental metals that could also be manufactured more cheaply and efficiently, enabling the industry to innovate and produce higher quality products at a higher volume for a reduced cost. It could also revolutionise space travel and our understanding of the universe, after its properties were tested in micro-gravity this week. Professor Andrea Ferrari, Science and Technology Officer and Chair of the Management Panel for the Graphene Flagship states, &lsquo;<a href="https://futurism.com/graphenes-properties-tested-micro-gravity-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One of graphene&rsquo;s potential uses is space applications</a>, and this is the first time that graphene has been tested in space-like applications.&rsquo;
Despite the potential benefits, industry leaders continue to worry that the metal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/17ce4316-080b-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">currently costs a lot more money to implement</a>&nbsp;than to continue to use other metals. However with the potential border restrictions and added taxes that Brexit may present to British industries, graphene could result in a dramatic cost reduction for many UK engineering businesses.
The engineering world is so far divided over graphene, and the next few months will prove pivotal to the use of the wonder metal and its short-term and long-term impact on the engineering industry.
&nbsp;
Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/the-next-generation-of-boat-building-buckypaper-graphene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">graphene</a>&nbsp;here.&nbsp;
Discover more of&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/tag/engineering-defence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the latest trends in the engineering industry</a>.

Graphene: Wonder Metal or Unwanted Cost?

This year&rsquo;s FormNext engineering &amp; manufacturing event&nbsp;in Frankfurt revealed mammoth strides in 3D Printing, along with a wealth of upcoming engineering innovations. Will the recent technological advances signal a new era of engineering?
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers reports that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/wanted-265-000-new-engineering-employees-a-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UK companies will need to hire 265,000 new engineers</a>&nbsp;every year for the next six years. Environmentally efficient vehicles such as&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-electric-vehicles-will-change-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">electric and autonomous cars</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/rolls-royce-are-building-the-fastest-electric-plane-in-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">green airplanes</a>&nbsp;are increasing in popularity, opening up new opportunities for growth across industries and transforming business requirements for skilled labourers.
With engineering companies facing the prospect of recruiting for constantly evolving skillsets and serving a rapidly growing market of consumers, will new technology result in an engineering skills shortage or a welcome new era of engineering? 
<h1>Strides in 3D Printing: A New Era of Engineering?</h1>
Technology has advanced more rapidly in the past 150 years than history ever predicted. The engineering industry is embracing new technologies and new methods and processes, with technology evolving to fit business, social and medical needs. Just this week a UCL laboratory is experimenting with printed children&rsquo;s medicines, 3D Printing offers customised prosthetics to reverse hearing loss, and &lsquo;living ink&rsquo; used in Switzerland sparks hope of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/964a2074-d8e6-11e7-9504-59efdb70e12f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creating 3D Printed human organs</a>&nbsp;to aid organ transplantation and save lives.
Traditional technology and engineering brands are also embracing new methods of engineering. Celebrating its 130th&nbsp;year of trading,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tctmagazine.com/3d-printing-news/kodak-3d-printing-indsutry-arrived/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kodak is developing a new 3D Printer</a>&nbsp;and will incorporate 3D Printing into is product range to offer the Kodak 3D Printing Filament.Whilst Brexit is negatively affecting some UK industries including Financial Services, many international engineering companies are investing in UK industry.&nbsp;<a data-insert="true">Autonomous vehicles are growing in popularity</a>, and last week&rsquo;s UK Autumn Budget awarded a &pound;2.3bn investment into research and development, positioning engineering as a close partner for the automotive and transport industries&nbsp;for the next two years. &nbsp;
<h2>Engineering Skills Shortage: Inspiring a New Generation</h2>
Earlier this year 22% of UK manufacturing and engineering businesses put <a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/precision-engineering-skills-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">engineering skills shortages at the top of their agenda</a>. As more seasoned workers enter retirement, engineering businesses are tasked with attracting, engaging and retaining a younger and more diverse talent pool of potential technical workers. How can UK engineering companies recruit the technical skills they need?
The UK engineering industry can look to business leaders in China for inspiration. Following the slow-down of growth in the Chinese economy, leaders are now looking to&nbsp;<a href="http://fortune.com/2017/12/05/china-tech-companies-design-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">incorporate design methodologies into traditional engineering</a>&nbsp;and MBA education programmes. The Chinese government and industry experts believe that by approaching engineering in a different way, the country can stimulate productivity and growth by combining two previously opposing ways of thinking to create unprecedented levels of innovation.
To attract new talent into the industry, engineering companies can embrace new technology or new ways of working, or embark upon research into what really interests potential technicians in the engineering industry. Businesses leaders not already investing in 3D Printing and other new technologies won&rsquo;t necessarily miss out on the top talent &ndash; recruiting the best engineers simply requires an effective recruitment strategy that appeals to the needs of potential candidates and offers opportunities to learn.

3D Printing vs Traditional Engineering: New Era of Engineering

What does an ethical recruitment company look like, and how can businesses work with recruitment agencies to ensure ethical practices throughout their supply chain?
Why You Should Work With An Ethical Recruitment Company:
Recruiting migrant workers can drive huge benefits for both individuals and businesses: companies enjoy more cost-effective labour with specific skill-sets, and workers have the chance to experience new cultures and build new lives for themselves and their families. However, several new trends are enabling&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/ethical-recruitment-an-urgent-priority-for-uk-businesses-in-the-uae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the unethical recruitment of migrant workers to reach epidemic levels in the UAE</a>.
<h2>What Makes An Ethical Recruitment Company:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>World-Class Standards</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Ethical recruitment companies will not charge fees to candidates. Many disreputable agencies in the UAE charge migrant workers the equivalent of a year&rsquo;s salary for the vague promise of an interview, jettisoning the worker into debt and immediately painting a negative brand image of the client company. Free recruitment from an agency in migrant-labour communities is becoming increasingly appealing to UAE-based businesses eager to make savings, however the real cost to the commercial productivity of the company &ndash; as well as the devastating personal cost to each individual worker in the migrant workforce &ndash; is not a price worth paying.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Forward-Thinking</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Like the most successful businesses, ethical recruitment companies understand that a small short-term sum paid by the client will generate far greater long-term results than forcing workers to foot the bill. In addition to truly caring about the candidates they work with and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dhaka-principles.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">committing to the moral code within which they operate</a>, ethical recruitment companies will be upfront about the fees they charge client businesses and will practice a strict code of conduct to protect workers.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Reputable</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Ethical recruitment companies are fully licensed and can present a variety of evidence to prove their authenticity.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/case-studies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Case studies</a>&nbsp;and testimonials from candidates and clients alike provide the first-hand feedback from real people who have engaged with the recruitment agency, proving that the agency has nothing to hide, and revealing to potential clients exactly how their services work.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Honest and Communicative</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Ethical recruitment agencies will operate transparent processes and allow visibility into everything they do.&nbsp;The best recruiters will practice close communication with you and their candidates, with everything consistent throughout the process, from worker contracts given in their home country matching those given by the client in the UAE to the quality of pay and conditions received as promised.
<h2>How To Ensure You Are Working With An Ethical Recruitment Company:</h2>
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Do Your Research</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Use the above as a guide to finding an ethical recruitment company: ask for recommendations from former colleagues or contemporaries whom you trust, and whose companies enjoy high levels of productivity and good talent attraction and retention, meaning that they look after their staff.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Start As You Mean To Go On</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Set a precedent from the first time you engage with your recruitment company: be clear in exactly what you want your recruitment company to do, what results you expect, how your workers should be treated.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Build A Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Build a CSR that is unique to your company and employee needs. Look to the World Employment Confederation and the International Labour Organisation for the best practice and legal advice to create a dedicated Ethical Recruitment document for your business.
<ul>
<li>
<h3>Survey Your Workers</h3>
</li>
</ul>
Distribute an anonymous survey to all your workers and ask them to answer questions on the conduct of your recruitment agency &ndash; does their current pay packet match what the recruitment agency promised, do they still retain control of their own passport, have they been mistreated/lied to during the recruitment process &ndash; to understand the way your recruitment agency truly operates.
Working with an ethical recruitment company will help you build trust with your contractors and permanent staff, which will result in a higher quality of work.&nbsp;
Get in touch with us today to being your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/our-offices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ethical recruitment</a> process

How To Find And Work With An Ethical Recruitment Company

Growth is imperative for any company. Improving your product line, growing your customer base, and expanding your workforce are all key factors for positive growth. However expanding your team also directly increases your chances of business growth thanks to improved productivity and manpower.
An influx of new workers can galvanise your team, giving it new life and direction. Here&rsquo;s how using a recruitment agency can help your company grow.
&nbsp;
<h2>How Using A Recruitment Agency Can Help Your Company Grow</h2>
<h3>1.&nbsp;Recruitment Agencies Have A Wide Reach</h3>
Recruitment agencies use many different resources to find a shortlist of potential candidates for your job role. Recruitment consultants may use LinkedIn and traditional job posting sites, but they&rsquo;ll also have their own contacts and insider knowledge into who might be the best fit for your business. You&rsquo;ll also have the benefit of exposure on their website and social media.
<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/client-area/" rel=" noopener">VHR</a>&nbsp;is an international recruitment company with contacts all over the world. The best person for the job may not always be close by, and if you don&rsquo;t use a recruitment company you run the risk of passing them by. Over three quarters of talented candidates aren&rsquo;t actively looking for work but are open to hearing about opportunities, and recruitment companies already have inroads with the best of them.
&nbsp;
<h3>2.&nbsp;A Recruitment Agency Can Save You Time</h3>
Second on the list of the ways using a recruitment agency can help your company grow is the vast amount of time saved by using a recruitment company. Rather than trawling through endless applicants or trying to get the best deal for hosting a job advert, a recruitment agency will handle everything for you.
Recruitment consultants will read through a large volume of CVs to build a thorough and comprehensive shortlist of people who fit the profile. Then they&rsquo;ll make first contact with the applicant, ensuring they meet your company&rsquo;s standards.
A recruitment company can save you time no matter how frequently you hire. If you only hire new starters once or twice a year, you should still use a recruitment company to find those people. If not, you&rsquo;re choosing to task someone on your team with more work that they may not be equipped or qualified for.
If you hire regularly, recruitment companies can screen all applicants so only the most relevant get through to interview. If you&rsquo;re hiring constantly, sacrificing part of your team to perform recruitment every single day will mean reduced capabilities. You want to be expanding in all areas, not struggling to maintain a cycle of endless recruitment.
No matter how often you recruit, an agency can save you time by allowing your team to focus on what they do best.
&nbsp;
<h3>3.&nbsp;A Recruitment Agency Can Save You Money</h3>
Another benefit of hiring a recruitment agency is financial. Dedicating an entire part of the company to full-time recruitment seems like a waste of resources when there are thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/casestudies/world-leading-airline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">specialist recruitment agencies</a>&nbsp;that can do this work for less than the salary of an entire team.
Agencies get paid to fill jobs, not get people to interview. Until you&rsquo;re happy with someone you want to hire, most agencies won&rsquo;t cost you anything. This can mean a massive reduction in cost when compared to a full-time salary or outsourcing to a freelancer.
&nbsp;
<h3>4.&nbsp;A Specialist Recruitment Agency Has Expertise in Your Industry</h3>
If you work in a technical field, you need someone qualified right from the start. No matter what field you work in, there will be recruitment companies working to fill positions within it.
A good recruitment agency will understand both the needs of the role and the needs of the company. Being a good fit means more than just qualifications and experience; it also means being the right sort of person, having the right soft skills, and integrating well within the company culture. This reduces the risk of the candidate being a bad hire.
A longstanding recruitment partner will come to learn all this about your business and will tailor candidates to suit your specific needs. The best recruitment consultants will effectively sell your company to potential candidates, knowing everything there is to know about you and why this person should work with you.
&nbsp;
<h3>5.&nbsp;Recruitment Agencies Will Deal With All The Admin</h3>
Last on the list of the ways using a recruitment agency can help your company grow is the sheer volume of admin you will save yourself and your team. Most recruitment companies take on all the additional admin and paperwork, so you don&rsquo;t have to worry. This means they&rsquo;ll be the primary point of contact for all candidates until they get beyond a certain stage. The best recruitment agencies not only find excellent candidates but leave you free to focus on getting things ready for your new hire when they arrive.
VHR handle work visas, flights and papers for our international candidates. We also provide a dedicated HR service, allowing both clients and candidates to use us as a touchpoint.
&nbsp;
Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.v-hr.com/blog/how-will-brexit-affect-recruitment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">how Brexit will impact recruitment</a>, or get in touch with us today for a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-hr.com/our-offices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recruitment consultation</a> to see how we can help your business.

How Using A Recruitment Agency Can Help Your Company Grow

With worker wellbeing rapidly advancing up the global agenda, UAE-based businesses are under pressure to recruit more ethically. Ethical recruitment protects companies and workers alike, but how can business put guidelines into practice?
In the United Arab Emirates, where outsourcing to other countries is commonplace,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wecglobal.org/fileadmin/templates/ciett/docs/ILO/Fair_recruitment_business_case/WEC_Business_Case.pdf">migrant workers are especially at risk.</a> Beaten only by Saudi Arabia, the UAE is still the number one destination for Filipino migrant workers around the world, followed by Qatar and Hong Kong. Last year, the deployment of overseas Filipino workers reached 2 million.
&ldquo;<a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/10/07/17/owwa-recruitment-agencies-need-to-step-up-game-to-protect-ofws" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People are recruited out of poverty</a>&nbsp;&ndash; not because of their skills, and not because they have been properly matched,&rdquo; Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration warned last week.
Recruiting migrant workers can drive huge benefits for both individuals and businesses: companies enjoy more cost-effective labour with specific skill-sets, and workers have the chance to experience new cultures and build new lives for themselves and their families. However, one trend is driving the unethical recruitment of migrant workers internationally &ndash; agencies are forcing workers to pay thousands for job opportunities that may not even exist.
<h3>Migrant Worker Careers: Expectation vs Reality</h3>
The majority of successful companies based in the Americas and Western Europe accept that higher fees are worth the return of engineers and technicians who produce high quality work. Expecting a candidate to expect to foot the bill of a company&rsquo;s hiring costs is unthinkable in many parts of the world. Standard recruitment practices are simple: candidates apply via the appropriate channels (websites, social media, submitting CVs online and offline), the company selects the most suitable candidate and pays the individual a salary when they start to work.
Free recruitment from an agency in a migrant-labour community is becoming an increasingly appealing solution to UAE-based businesses eager to make savings. However, the real cost to the commercial productivity of the company &ndash; as well as the devastating personal cost to each individual in the migrant workforce &ndash; is not a price worth paying.
&lsquo;Imagine you are a jobseeker in India, Nepal, Philippines, Pakistan, or any of the other global centres for migrant labour,&rsquo; says Adrian Mansfield,&nbsp;VHR's Divisional Director for the Middle East. &lsquo;Local work may be available but you have the skills to work internationally. You are told that your salary overseas will far exceed anything you can hope to earn locally. To millions of workers every year, this is the chance of a lifetime &ndash; but the dream soon turns into a nightmare.&rsquo;
Local agents promise technical workers better pay and more interesting work &ndash; with a catch.&nbsp;Before candidates can even apply,&nbsp;individual workers &ndash; not recruitment companies&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;must pay $5,000 to their local agent. For an extortionate fee, the agent will pass the candidate&rsquo;s details on to one of their international client companies, without any guarantee that the end client will decide to hire this worker.
<h2>Ethical Recruitment &ndash; The Role of Businesses</h2>
&nbsp;
Why is this exploitation still happening?&nbsp; To put it simply: to prevent the client company from paying an agency fee. $5,000 is well over the average annual salary in most worldwide locations from which migrant labour is sourced &ndash; migrant workers are spending the equivalent of a years&rsquo; salary on the mere promise of a job.
Worse still, if migrant workers don&rsquo;t have a large sum of cash to hand, the local agent will lend the money in return for a fixed deduction from the worker&rsquo;s contracted monthly salary: a salary that may end up far lower than expected upon arrival into the new country.
Charging candidates large fees is directly responsible for migrant workers suffering from debt, receiving lower pay than originally promised and being prevented from leaving the job to find better paid work or to simply return home. In our workplace reality, this rings alarm bells as clear exploitation, but in many parts of the world<a href="http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575479.pdf">&nbsp;unethical recruitment and modern slavery are common and acceptable practices.</a>
Unethical recruitment may serve financial benefits in the short-term, but worker exploitation damages companies as well as their workers. The long-term damage to all parties is severe:
<ul>
<li>
Workers are understandably demotivated and their productivity falls to abysmal levels, directly impacting upon company output and profit
</li>
<li>
Companies with unethical recruitment practices only ever have access to those desperate enough to pay for a job, and as a result are missing out on the full range of skills offered by the global markets. Businesses have the choice: the person with the skills required or the person willing to go to any lengths for any job
</li>
<li>
Demotivated staff rarely develop their skillsets. Low-skilled worker will remain low-skilled, forcing employers to hire in higher-priced staff rather than promote from within for supervisors and team leaders, wasting potential talent and damaging career development and business growth
</li>
<li>
With workers paying agency fees, unscrupulous agents can offer incentives to those charged with hiring large numbers of people. Opportunities for corruption are rife and can generate negative PR that becomes catastrophic for well-known brands.
</li>
</ul>
<h1>How to Establish Ethical Recruitment Practices</h1>
Adrian advises, &lsquo;As a recruitment consultant with 10 years&rsquo; global recruitment experience and a focus in the UAE, I have been asked this question many times.&rsquo;
&lsquo;The key to practising ethical recruitment is to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/news/international/21646199-how-reduce-bonded-labour-and-human-trafficking-everywhere-supply-chains">ensure transparency throughout your supply chain. </a>Ask questions, both of your candidates and your recruitment agency &ndash; do they charge fees to the candidate? What are your suppliers doing to protect workers against Modern Slavery? Identifying the problem is the most important step to solving it.&rsquo;
Check out Adrian&rsquo;s<a title="Top 10 Tips for Ethical Recruitment Practices" href="/blog/ethical-recruitment-an-urgent-priority-for-uk-businesses-in-the-uae">&nbsp;Top 10 Tips for Ethical Recruitment Practices.</a>

Identifying Unethical Recruitment in the UAE: How to Protect Migrant Workers

Whilst for the Americas and Western Europe ethical recruitment processes are common practice, the safety and treatment of migrant workers is becoming an urgent priority for British business leaders in the UAE.
As the UAE government cracks down on unethical recruitment and Modern Slavery climbs further up the global agenda &ndash; such that companies found guilty can be prosecuted at &ldquo;home&rdquo; as well as in the UAE &ndash; UK businesses discovered to be recruiting unethically in the UAE face multimillion pound fines, with business leaders risking prosecution back in the UK in addition to long-term brand damage.
<h1>What is Ethical Recruitment?</h1>
The World Employment Confederation define ethical recruitment practices as complying with all relevant legislation covering their activities and business, with businesses respecting legislation covering health and safety, non-discrimination, worker&rsquo;s rights, confidentiality, quality of service and fair competition.
Ethical recruitment involves ensuring that workers are provided with the accurate details of working conditions including pay and working hours, and means businesses must refrain from charging any fees or costs to workers for their services.
<h2>Why is Ethical Recruitment Important for UK Businesses in the UAE?</h2>
Whilst many companies are aware of and proactively investing into ethical recruitment, businesses and senior leaders new to the UAE or those who are now looking to take advantage of the previously untapped wealth of skills from Asia and Africa may be less familiar with the requirements, benefits, and potential risk factors of ethical recruitment legislation.
In addition to ensuring the best possible care of all workers, which has a proven impact on worker efficiency, quality and retention, businesses with unethical recruitment practices face &pound;multi-million fines and possible prosecution under UK and US anti-slavery and US laws. Even if UK businesses take all precautions with their own processes, if any practices of any part of their supply chain are unethical, UK businesses in the UAE will also face financial penalties and prosecution.
<h3>How to Conduct Ethical Recruitment Practices</h3>
With strict requirements and even stricter penalties, how can UK businesses and senior management in the UAE can insure their staff, protect themselves and their employees? &nbsp;&lsquo;We have worked with multiple large companies in the UAE who have made their recruitment processes more ethical&rsquo;, says Adrian Mansfield, Divisional Director at VHR. &lsquo;The necessary actions are quite simple to implement but are not common to companies used to recruiting in the UK or from Western Europe, where &lsquo;bounty&rsquo; payments have been outlawed for decades.
&lsquo;The first step in creating an ethical recruitment process is to look at your competitors and other UK businesses operating in the UAE and your specific sector, to identify the problems that they have encountered and how they have overcome them. By learning from industry leaders, businesses can operate open and transparent recruitment processes that benefit all workers and the business as a whole.&rsquo;
Here are Adrian&rsquo;s Top 10 Tips to work towards Ethical Recruitment:
<ul>
<li>Ask questions, both of your candidates and your recruitment agency &ndash; what fees do you charge the candidate?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Monitor and review as far down the supply chain as you can to ensure ethical practices are established by all organisations. Use social media and a variety of methods to tap into local markets in your target areas.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Review all contracts &ndash; contracts given to workers in their home country must match the contracts in the UAE.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Ensure that you see all signed offer letters as proof of worker interest and acceptance of all roles.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Speak to staff when they first arrive in the country, and again after 2-3 months in the job, to ensure that they have not paid a fee (they may not tell you immediately in arrival).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Use a reputable and licenced agency in the country you are sourcing from.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Review the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dhaka-principles.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dhaka Principles</a>,&nbsp;a set of human rights-based guidelines on the rights of migrant workers throughout overseas employment and safe return to their home countries, before you begin any recruitment process. There are multiple pieces of legislation on ethical recruitment, including the C181 Private Employment Agencies Convention of 1997, the International Labour Organisation&rsquo;s ILO4 to provide specific guidance on ethical recruitment practices.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Ensure that staff keep their passports. Some agencies take workers&rsquo; passports upon interview and hold them as a way of securing payment for a job, however transparency and individual autonomy is paramount for worker&rsquo;s wellbeing.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Visit any staff accommodation that is provided to your staff to ensure it meets your standards.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Be prepared to expect the worse and plan for it. A dedicated Ethical Recruitment document that sets out standards of processes and a full action plan upon discovery of unethical recruitment practices will empower your business to resolve issues as effectively and efficiently as possible.</li>
</ul>
VHR are proud to partner businesses all over the world, providing support and guidance on ethical recruitment practices, contract and permanent sourcing and end-to-end recruitment services.

Ethical Recruitment: An Urgent Priority for UK Businesses in the UAE

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Whilst technology continues to advance and&nbsp;<a href="/blog/aviation-skills-shortage-solution">demand for skilled aircraft maintenance technicians heightens,</a> salaries of maintenance staff have decreased over the last 5 years. With airlines and MROs facing the challenges of rapid aircraft innovation, could talent attraction lie in salary reviews?
<h1>Aerospace &amp; Aviation Salaries: A Global Challenge</h1>
Over the past few months global businesses have begun to review the salaries of Aerospace &amp; Aviation workers, with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2016-12-22/starting-salaries-rise-regional-airlines">U.S. regional airlines beginning to increase starting salaries&nbsp;</a>of pilots and the Nigerian Government forced to intervene as<a href="http://independent.ng/unions-threaten-ground-aviation-industry-salaries-arrears-others/">&nbsp;unions threaten the Lagos Aviation industry</a>&nbsp;over salaries arrears. However, salary increases are slower to translate to aircraft maintenance technicians and aviation engineers.
To match<a title="the demand for rapidly evolving aircraft and engineering technology" href="/blog/green-airplanes-new-face-aviation">&nbsp;the demand for rapidly evolving aircraft and engineering technology,</a> aircraft manufacturers and MROs will require new and improved skillsets from aviation engineers and aircraft maintenance technicians, with these additional requirements potentially resulting in demand for increased salaries. By proactively monitoring staff salaries at all levels and committing to ethical recruitment practices, airlines and MROs can gain competitive advantage as an employer of choice for aircraft maintenance workers.
Above all, candidates place the highest importance on the values of a prospective employer. Transparent company culture, a trustworthy brand and positive working environments are the most important factors in attracting new talent into any industry.
Find out more about&nbsp;<a title="Aerospace &amp; Aviation industry news and events" href="http://v-hr.com/aerospace-aviation/">Aerospace &amp; Aviation industry news and events.</a>
View and apply for<a title="&nbsp;Aerospace &amp; Aviation Jobs." href="/jobs#/aerospace-aviation">&nbsp;Aerospace &amp; Aviation Jobs.</a>
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Aviation Skills Shortage: Are Salaries the Solution?

For centuries, man has been developing machines to travel the ocean. At the height of the Industrial Revolution,&nbsp;Robert Fulton (1765 &ndash; 1825) would revolutionise the marine industry and lay the foundations for future developments.&nbsp;
<h1>Who Was Robert Fulton And how Did He Change the Marine Industry?</h1>
Fulton was an American inventor who, without any engineering or marine experience, introduced the steam engine into vessels and commercial navigation. A painter and jeweler from Philadelphia, Fulton became an engineer after arriving in England aged 23, and was especially fascinated by the &lsquo;canal mania&rsquo; influenced by the work of James Watt and Benjamin Franklin. Fulton&rsquo;s ideas soon led him to Paris to develop steamboat technologies.
<h3>The First Submarine</h3>
The war between the British and the French inspired Fulton to design the&nbsp;Nautilus, considered by many to be the first working submarine in history, and the first known torpedoes. The Nautilus was intended to creep under the hulls of British ships to place a powder charge for detonation at a later stage, and Fulton offered it to the French government for that purpose, before realising that the submarine was vulnerable under the effect of the winds and tides and therefore couldn&rsquo;t compete with the high speed of the British warships. In 1804 Fulton switched allegiance and offered his wartime inventions to the English government, with his attempts thwarted by Nelson&rsquo;s victory at Trafalgar.
Learn more about the&nbsp;<a title="submarine" href="/blog/the-history-of-the-submarine">history of the submarine.&nbsp;</a>
<h2>The Steamboat</h2>
Seemingly unabashed by his failure in painting, canal engineering and bellicose designs, Fulton remained confident of his talent and switched his attention to steamboats. A partnership with Robert R. Livingston, an American politician who obtained a 20-year monopoly for steamboat navigation in New York, finally provided Fulton with the resources to build his steamboat in 1802. Although the initial attempts to propel a ship using a steam engine had already begun in 1775 &ndash; until that point, vessels and sea vehicles relied on sailing power &ndash; Fulton broke through and<a href="https://www.livescience.com/44186-who-invented-the-steam-engine.html">&nbsp;converted steam engine technology into practical and commercial success.</a>
The partners constructed a first version of Fulton&rsquo;s steamboat in France and it successfully navigated the Seine at 3 mph. This was a 66 foot (20 meters) long boat with an eight-horse power engine design and paddle wheels. In 1806 Fulton constructed improved ship powered by a paddle wheel and using a powerful steam engine of the side-lever type created by his hero James Watt, and in the following year the brand new North River Steamboat took her maiden voyage from New York upriver to Albany, in the north end of the state. The 150-mile journey through the Hudson River took 32 hours at the speed of 5 miles per hour; a significant reduction of 64 hrs. The North River Steamboat became an instant sensation and Fulton launched many other ships after that.
In 1812 Fulton designed the World&rsquo;s first steam warship to defend New York from the English blockade in the war between England and the United States. The Demologos included new and exciting technical innovations such as two parallel hulls with the paddle wheel placed between them, with the engine in one hull and the boilers and stacks in the other. Measuring 156 feet (48 meters) in total the new vessel endured successful trials in 1814, although the war was over before it could be used in real battle, and was renamed&nbsp;The Fulton&nbsp;after the inventor&rsquo;s death.
The steam engine of the Industrial Revolution delivered an enormous leap in progress for marine engineering, and although efforts to navigate using the new technology began earlier, Fulton&rsquo;s marine inventions made the breakthrough possible: all voyages could now be made much more quickly with smaller engine spaces allowing bigger boats to transport people and goods in unprecedented quantities. Fulton&rsquo;s ideas changed the industry forever and his story of perseverance and innovation is a source of inspiration for modern marine engineering.
Find out more about<a title="the history of the boat" href="/blog/history-of-engineering-the-boat">&nbsp;the history of the boat,</a> or read about&nbsp;<a title="what's changing in the marine industry" href="/blog/new-marine-trends-to-watch-in-2019">what's changing in the marine industry.</a>

Industry Innovators: Marine Engineering

As the first people to invent, build and fly an airplane, the Wright Brothers are the most famous innovators in the Aerospace &amp; Aviation industry.
However, the Wright Brothers&rsquo; first airplane followed centuries of work and experimentation. To quote Sir Isaac Newton, &ldquo;If I have seen further, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants&rdquo; &ndash; the Wright Brothers owe their success in part to others who made great leaps in aerodynamics.
<h1>Why Leonardo Da Vinci Was So Important for Aviation:</h1>
The Middle Ages lacked advancement in aerodynamics until the genius of<a title="Leonardo da Vinci" href="/blog/historical-figures-in-engineering-leonardo-da-vinci">&nbsp;Leonardo da Vinci&nbsp;(</a>1452- 1519). The Wright Brothers and Da Vinci started their Aerospace &amp; Aviation journey in the same way: watching birds fly. Da Vinci had an ever-expanding curiosity for all things natural and was known for buying caged birds to set free immediately so he could observe the freedom of flight. In his&nbsp;<a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/codex/">Codex on the Flight of Birds, </a>Da Vinci revealed:
&ldquo;A bird is an instrument working according to mathematical law, which instrument it is within the capacity of man to reproduce with all its movements&hellip;We may therefore say that such an instrument constructed by man is lacking in nothing except the life of the bird, and this life must be supplied from man.&rdquo;
When others could only dream of flying, Leonardo Da Vinci had already identified the possibility of aircraft. Humans could achieve flight by understanding and replicating the motions and forces involved in the process of flying.
Da Vinci was the first to study and quantify aerodynamic phenomena and movements, and he also designed flying devices such as aircraft and parachutes. Leonardo&rsquo;s &ldquo;Ornithopter&rdquo;, was one of the first designs for a flying machine powered by lying on the stomach and flapping the wings, just like a bird. However, engineering pioneer&nbsp;<a title="Abbas Ibn Firnas" href="/blogs/historical-figures-in-engineering-abbas-ibn-firnas">Abbas Ibn Firnas&nbsp;</a>managed to fly hundreds of years before Da Vinci was even born.&nbsp;
Da Vinci&rsquo;s other innovations included establishing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.princeton.edu/~asmits/Bicycle_web/continuity.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Continuity Equation</a>&nbsp;by experimenting with the movement of water and air and noticing that the velocity of water increases in narrower parts of a river. The Continuity Equation led to the modern Venturis, a device used in Aerospace &amp; Aviation and adopted in Motorsports by&nbsp;<a title="Colin Chapman&rsquo;s revolutionary Lotus car design" href="/blogs/industry-innovators-formula-one-motorsport-pioneers">Colin Chapman&rsquo;s revolutionary Lotus car design.</a> Leonardo Da Vinci studied birds and fish to discover some of the basic forces of flight such as lift, thrust (propulsion) and drag (air resistance) and the importance of streamlined shapes &ndash; principles that are used today across the aerospace, aviation, automotive industries.
<h2>George Cayley and Aerodynamics:</h2>
Although Da Vinci was an industry innovator and pioneer of aerodynamics, his ideas were not published until the 19th&nbsp;and 20th&nbsp;Century, paving the way for&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Cayley">George Cayley&nbsp;</a>(1773 &ndash;1857) to become the most notable practical contributor to aircraft engineering. Labelled &ldquo;The English Leonardo&rdquo; and &ldquo;The Father of Aviation&rdquo;, Cayley was an outstanding English engineer who, without access to Da Vinci&rsquo;s work, reached some of the same ideas but pursued beyond previous limits. Cayley designed, built and flew his aircraft and published written works that explained his discoveries and influenced the future of aircraft construction and engineering.
Cayley&rsquo;s work used Da Vinci&rsquo;s inspiration to set the ground rules of modern aircraft engineering. Da Vinci&rsquo;s aircraft design included flapping wings to create both lift and thrust but Cayley separated the two, proposing fixed wings to generate lift and creating flappers to generate thrust. Cayley was also the first person to identify all four vector forces that affect a &ldquo;heavier than air&rdquo; flying machine: lift, drag, thrust and gravity (weight) and the first one to design an aircraft with functions for each force. This knowledge propelled Cayley into designing efficient cambered wings, which are essential to any modern airplane.
Predicting that an engine was needed to fly with proper thrust and lift, Cayley sketched the first diagrams showing the interaction of different aerodynamic forces during flight. He introduced wired or lightweight wheels common in bicycles, cars and airplanes today, designed the first flying model airplane (in 1804, almost a century before the Wright Brothers&rsquo; first flight in 1903) and built the first human-controlled glider.
Wright Brother Wilbur acknowledged George Cayley&rsquo;s importance to the advancement of aerodynamics and the science of flight before their time. The unprecedented advancements in Aerospace &amp; Aviation engineering over the 20th&nbsp;century would have never been possible without &ldquo;standing on the shoulders&rdquo; of such giants as Leonardo Da Vinci and George Cayley.
Read about<a title="how plane design is changing" href="/blogs/how-plane-design-is-changing">&nbsp;</a><a href="/blog/how-plane-design-is-changing">how plane design is changing,</a> or learn<a title="how to start a career in aviation" href="/blogs/how-to-start-a-career-in-aviation-engineering">&nbsp;</a><a href="/blog/how-to-start-a-career-in-aviation-engineering">how to start a career in aviation.&nbsp;</a>

Industry Innovators: Aerospace & Aviation Pioneers

Motorsport is one of the most cutting-edge areas of engineering, and has made massive strides in both speed and safety over the 20th Century.
<h1>How Lotus Changed Motorsport</h1>
Visionary Automotive engineer Colin Chapman (1928-1982) founded&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lotuscars.com/engineering/about-lotus-engineering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lotus Engineering Co., Ltd</a>. in 1952. A key influencer to the Motorsport industry, Chapman evidences that passion, creativity and sheer willpower can triumph over wealth and prestige.
In an industry then dominated by powerhouses like Ferrari and Maserati, Chapman spearheaded the designs that would become essential to the sport we know and love.
Innovation has always been at the heart of Formula One: what first present themselves as challenge&nbsp;<a title="can often prove the catalyst to driving Motorsport forward" href="/blog/waving-goodbye-diesel-new-era-formula-1">can often prove the catalyst to driving Motorsport forward.</a> Building his Automotive business and reputation right from the ground, Chapman&rsquo;s innovations and commitment to excellence finally achieved success.
He had a background in both the aviation and metal industries &ndash; he was<a href="http://www.grandprixhistory.org/chap_bio.htm">&nbsp;a flying officer with the RAF&nbsp;a</a>nd worked at the British Aluminum Company. This provided him invaluable insight into aerodynamic forces and chassis constitution for racing cars.
Chapman championed a minimalistic philosophy with the core belief that, "<a href="http://www.lotuscars.com/about-us/lotus-philosophy">Adding power makes you faster on the straights &ndash; Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."</a> Whilst the big names in Automotive, including Ferrari, were aiming for more powerful machines, Chapman focused on simplifying the car structure, removing unnecessary parts and maximising functionality.
Champan&rsquo;s Lotus was born through losing as much weight as possible, experimenting with light yet hard composite materials and using his aerodynamic expertise to decrease drag and air resistance, especially whilst cornering.
Chapman&rsquo;s aerodynamic inventions to generate downforce (and keep the car on the ground while turning) include front wings for the Lotus 49B and removing the radiators from the front of the car (while placing them on the sides) to decrease resistance and concentrate the overall weight of the machine on its centre.
Lotus applied&nbsp;<a href="https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/main-gallery/ground-effect-lotus-incredible-discovery-that-revolutionised-f1-43413/">&lsquo;the ground effect&rsquo;</a>, making use of venturis and sliding skirts to maintain high pressure over the car and low pressure underneath, increasing stability during turning. Chapman&rsquo;s ideas remain essentials of Motorsport engineering even today.
Chapman&rsquo;s &ldquo;Weight first, Power second&rdquo; philosophy introduced the monocoque chassis (a composite of fiberglass never previously used on racing cars) for the Lotus Elite and Lotus 25. The chassis evolved into an aluminum monocoque used for the Lotus 29 which competed at Indianapolis in 1962.
Chapman transformed Automotive techniques for producing car chassis and his method remains the standard procedure to this day (using carbon fiber instead of aluminum). Champan&rsquo;s genius can also be credited with Formula One advertising and sponsorship: Chapman first secured a tobacco sponsor for his car in 1968.
Champan&rsquo;s Lotus 7 best represents his engineering principles. The Lotus 7 was the starting point of Chapman&rsquo;s success in Motorsport and since 1957 has been reproduced several times by a variety of car manufacturers. Today, a model of the Lotus 7 is still produced by British manufacturer Caterham Cars. The<a href="http://uk.caterhamcars.com/cars">&nbsp;&lsquo;Caterham 7&rsquo; is a tribute to its creator:</a> a man who triumphed over titans to transform the Motorsport industry.
Read<a title="what it's like to be an F1 engineer" href="/blog/what-its-like-to-be-a-f1-engineer">&nbsp;what it's like to be an F1 engineer,</a> or learn the<a title="best motorsport companies to work for" href="/blogs/best-motorsport-companies-to-work-for">&nbsp;</a><a href="/blog/best-motorsport-companies-to-work-for">best motorsport companies to work for.&nbsp;</a>

Industry Innovators: Formula One and Motorsport Pioneers

Created in 2003 by technical engineers and experienced recruiters, VHR delivers a partner-orientated approach. We are passionate about the industries where we operate, the career-enhancing support we provide and the people with whom we work.Whether one permanent vacancy or a team of contract specialists, VHR strives to deliver the best possible global staffing solutions.

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Some Of The Aerospace &amp; Aviation Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides contract and permanent recruitment, with staffing solutions tailored to suit requirements, to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation industry internationally.

We work with global Airlines and world-leading Maintenance Repair Organisations (MROs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other Aviation-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world.Led by qualified aerospace engineers together with recruitment industry professionals, VHR’s Aerospace &amp; Aviation expertise guarantees the technical understanding, service excellence and on-time delivery required for business growth and success.

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VHR is an international technical recruitment organisation providing solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation, F1 &amp; Automotive, Engineering &amp; Manufacturing, Science &amp; Technology, Defence &amp; Security, Renewables &amp; Energy, Civils &amp; Infrastructure and Marine Industries around the world.To protect our candidates, VHR works within the countries where we recruit. Our employees personally visit each country to perform welfare checks, assess candidates and ensure a positive experience for our contractors.

VHR is a global technical recruitment organisation offering tailored solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation, F1 &amp; Automotive, Engineering &amp; Manufacturing, Defence &amp; Security, Renewables &amp; Energy, Civils &amp; Infrastructure, and Marine industries worldwide.
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To safeguard our candidates, VHR operates within the countries where we recruit. Our team personally conducts welfare checks, evaluates candidates, and ensures a positive experience for our contractors in each country. Additionally, in certain instances, VHR deploys dedicated Onsite Coordinators at client sites to provide ongoing support throughout the job.

Created in 2003 by former technical engineers and experienced recruitment consultants, VHR delivers a partner-orientated and consultative approach to technical recruitment.Our team is led by former industry practitioners, including a world champion sailor and British Airways Engineer. VHR's industry experts truly understand the markets we work within and the needs of businesses and candidates.

Created in 2003 by former technical engineers and experienced recruitment consultants, VHR delivers a partner-orientated and consultative approach to technical recruitment.&nbsp;
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VHR is a specialist international organisation providing recruitment and training solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation markets. We provide online training in collaboration with our EASA Part 147 Training Partner. We provide training in the following:

VHR is a specialist international organisation providing recruitment and training solutions to the Aerospace &amp; Aviation markets. We provide online training in collaboration with our EASA Part 147 Training Partner. We provide training in the following:
<ul>
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<li>EWIS</li>
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VHR's specialist technical divisions use industry experts to provide international technical recruitment across the following industries.

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Some Of The Civils &amp; Infrastructure Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides skilled technical staff in permanent, contract and temporary positions from entry to Executive level.

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At VHR, we're a multi-award-winning recruitment agency honoured with approval by the late Her Majesty The Queen. Our team comprises industry professionals, not just recruiters, ensuring a genuine technical understanding of our sectors.

Some Of The Energy &amp; Renewables Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR delivers bespoke recruitment solutions for the Renewables and Energy industries across the world.

As a fast-growing staffing agency with ethics and compliance at the heart of everything we do, we are proud to partner businesses around the world that are creating a more sustainable future.Our team of recruitment consultants include former technical specialists with first-hand experience across our sectors. We utilise our 21 years’ experience and in-depth technical knowledge to deliver the highest quality staff for every stage of new project implementation and renovations.

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Some Of The Engineering &amp; Manufacturing Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides tailored contract and permanent staffing solutions to the Engineering and Manufacturing industry internationally. 

Named the Best Engineering Recruitment Agency of 2019 (Recruiter Awards 2019) &amp;&nbsp;Best Technical, Construction &amp; Engineering Recruitment Company 2021 (Talint International Recruitment Awards 2021), VHR provides business-critical staff for large blue-chip organisations to start-up and SME businesses around the world.Our teams of former engineering professionals recruit specialists to support the entire engineering and manufacturing process, from design, procurement, quality, and R&amp;D through the supply chain to manufacturing and production. VHR’s direct industry experience and in-depth knowledge spans 21 years enabling us to deliver niche skills to short timescales and exacting requirements.

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Some Of The F1 &amp; Automotive Roles We Recruit For Include:&nbsp;

VHR provides contract and permanent recruitment, with staffing solutions tailored to suit requirements, to the F1, Motorsport &amp; Automotive industries internationally.

VHR work with global Formula One and Motorsport teams, world-leading OEMs, Tier 1 and 2 suppliers and other Automotive-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world. With an industry-leading fill rate, VHR’s F1 &amp; Automotive division is growing as rapidly as the amazing vehicles we help design and build. Led by specialist Automotive recruitment consultants with over 30 years’ experience, VHR’s F1 &amp; Automotive recruitment team supply expertise from prototype to final build.

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Please note – The concept of IR35 status for tax and national insurance is not changing, but how the IR35 status determination decision is made and how the rules applicable to that status are then applied is changing. IR35 was due to come into practice last year in April 2020 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic this was extended until April 2021. Video's may mention older dates but information remains the same.

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VHR’s Marine Recruitment division provides a range of recruitment and logistic services across the race boat, performance yacht and superyacht industries. 

VHR work with luxury superyacht and performance yacht manufacturers, mainstream motor and sail craft providers and other Marine-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world. Led by former Marine engineers together with recruitment industry professionals, VHR’s global superyacht shipyard network combined with our 30 years of international experience firmly positions us a leader in bespoke Marine recruitment and service management.

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VHR provides contract and permanent recruitment, with staffing solutions tailored to suit requirements, to the F1, Motorsport &amp; Automotive industry internationally.

We work with global Formula One and Motorsport teams, world-leading OEMs, Tier 1 and 2 suppliers and other Automotive-related organisations to source and deliver engineering and technical staff across the world. With an industry-leading fill rate, VHR&rsquo;s F1 &amp; Automotive division is growing as rapidly as the amazing vehicles we help design and build. Led by specialist Automotive recruitment consultants with over 30 years&rsquo; experience, VHR&rsquo;s F1 &amp; Automotive recruitment team supply expertise from prototype to final build.

For two decades, VHR has been a leading provider of Executive Search solutions for the Aviation and MRO industries on a global scale. Our services span across 57 countries worldwide, and our specialist technical recruitment consultants can communicate in up to 22 different languages from our 11 global offices.
At VHR Executive, we pride ourselves on delivering a partner-orientated and consultative approach to your executive searches for talent.

Want to know more about our award-winning Executive Search?

At VHR Executive, we pride ourselves on delivering a partner-orientated and consultative approach to your executive searches for talent.

Find specialised premium talent through our global tailored searchs

Build a Successful and Rewarding Career – Become a Trainee Recruitment Consultant with VHR's Academy.VHR recruit 8 individuals into our revolutionary 13-week Academy Training Programme. The VHR Academy will give you the skills and guidance to become highly successful in your recruitment career, with the ability to earn commission from Day One of your Training.

Unlock Your Potential in International Recruitment

Headquartered in London, UK, VHR boasts a network of nine additional offices spanning Manchester, Birmingham, Abu Dhabi, Greensboro, Nicosia, Prague, Dublin, Leipzig, and Bologna. Interested in working with us? Download our brochure to learn more.&nbsp;

VHR is an ambitious, fast-growing recruitment agency, and we are looking for dynamic, driven individuals to work at VHR and join our company. We keep our values at the heart of our business which is why we are looking for people that demonstrate these.
<ul>
<li>Doing recruitment right</li>
<li>Teamwork &amp; honesty</li>
<li>Industry specialists</li>
</ul>

VHR is continually seeking out top talent.

Investing in people: fostering talent, nurturing growth, and shaping fulfilling careers.

Tailored to your every need, our Managed Services Programme includes:

Bespoke Managed Service Programmes to seamlessly deliver your recruitment needs globally.

<h3>Whether you want more control over your recruitment supply chain, are looking for cost reduction and increased time efficiency, or are going through a period of rapid growth, VHR Workforce Solutions can tailor the right solution for your business’ needs.</h3>