Move of the week: A surprisingly busy end to summer

Regular readers will know that August is traditionally the quietest month of the year for recruitment, but this year has proved an exception; at Anthony Gregg Partnership we saw a record number of August enquiries.

We’ve also seen some notable moves in the wider industry.

Those that caught my eye include the appointment of former Booths chief executive Chris Gee to head up Harrods’ food and home business; Debenhams’ hiring of Domino’s Pizza chief financial officer Rachel Osborne to take on the same role at a critical time for the embattled retailer; and the news this week that Tesco is recruiting renowned dealmaker and former Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs executive Melissa Bethell as a non-executive director.

There are several reasons why I feel this August has bucked the trend. It’s no secret that the retail sector is undergoing a seismic shift driven by technological and societal changes that have in turn raised consumer expectations of the customer experience to unprecedented levels.

Some businesses have stayed ahead of the curve and are prospering as a result; but others, like Debenhams and House of Fraser, are desperately trying to remain relevant in a changing landscape.

No time to rest

There is no breathing space in the industry at the moment; no chance for a summer siesta or an August lull. While uncertainty over Brexit may be putting a pause on recruitment in some sectors, retailers simply don’t have that luxury.

When you build the search process and notice periods into recruitment timetables, businesses that are looking to shake up their leadership team know there is no time to delay if they want to have fresh faces in place for the start of the new financial year in April.

“In the current climate, retailers can’t afford to make the wrong hiring decision”

We are also seeing high demand for interim appointments where the priority is for businesses to bring someone in who is available, experienced and can hold the fort ahead of a bigger restructure or strategic shift in 2019 or beyond.

In the current climate, retailers can’t afford to make the wrong hiring decision, therefore the recruitment process has become more rigorous than ever with psychometric and aptitude testing now as standard.

Businesses are also looking to develop the talent they have. We are soon to launch a new leadership division in response to growing demand for support with boardroom design and development, as well as mentoring and executive referencing.

If September stays true to form then things are set to get even busier in the weeks ahead. So enjoy the remaining days of sun and the remnants of your tan; we as an industry have much work to do this autumn.