Overcoming higher education recruitment challenges

Finding and keeping the right people is crucial in higher education recruitment, but it’s not always easy. Universities and colleges rely on their faculty and staff to drive teaching, research, and community engagement excellence. However, as the job market changes and society evolves, higher education institutions face unique challenges in attracting and retaining talented staff despite the prospects of a meaningful career. 

In this guide, we will discuss the current challenges of higher education recruitment, focusing on the most prominent issues the sector faces when recruiting and retaining staff. We will examine key challenges and provide strategies to combat them.

What recruitment challenges are facing the education sector?

Higher education recruitment is critical to society, contributing significantly to economic growth, innovation, and community development. Universities and colleges are hubs of knowledge, research, and cultural diversity. The economic output of the UK higher education sector is estimated to be at least £116bn, demonstrating its significant impact. 

Higher education institutions are continually developing to meet the needs of students, employers, and society. Despite the positives, higher education faces several recruitment challenges. 

Let's discuss the top challenges currently facing recruitment in the higher education sector below. 

Competition for talent

Right now, there's fierce competition for talent in higher education. Universities and colleges are always looking for top professionals, whether experts in STEM fields or those playing crucial roles in student support and administration. As universities expand their programs and adopt new technologies, there's a growing demand for specialised skills across various areas.

Finding people to fill administrative and staff roles has become more complicated at most campuses, with most institutions finding it difficult to balance the need for skilled talent with compensation and funding troubles. Competing against other sectors for a limited talent pool highlights the need for higher education institutions to enhance their attractiveness to potential candidates.

Ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in recruitment practices

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are increasingly important in higher education recruitment. While some progress has been made, our staff still doesn't fully reflect the communities we serve. With 76% of gen z and millennial job seekers prioritising diversity, industry recruitment strategies must evolve to meet these expectations.

Although the number of female professors has risen to 31%, significant gaps remain, particularly minority groups in academic roles. 

A lack of diversity initiatives can discourage talented educators from seeking employment in higher education. Addressing these issues is about fairness and enriching the educational environment with diverse perspectives and experiences.

Adapting to changing work dynamics

Since the pandemic, flexible and hybrid working has been a highly debated topic in the sector, with more institutions shifting to accommodate this. This shift reflects the changing attitudes towards work within higher education. 

Many people in the sector now expect flexible working options, and institutions embrace this trend. However, supporting these changes with the right infrastructure and dedicated regulations remains challenging. 

Balancing growing roles, tight budgets, and faculty well-being

Despite the rewards of working in higher education, post-pandemic demands have made recruitment challenging. Faculty often juggle teaching, research, and service, risking burnout if not managed well.

Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show a rise in teaching-only academic staff, especially in AI. The UCU report highlights growing dissatisfaction, with many considering leaving due to pay and role-related concerns. Balancing staff needs with tight budgets remains an industry wide challenge.

Lengthy recruitment processes

Another significant challenge is attracting candidates promptly. Lengthy higher education recruitment processes can deter top talent from applying for or accepting offers. While thoroughness is essential to ensure quality hires, protracted timelines can lead to candidates accepting offers from other institutions or industries that move more quickly. 

Three-quarters of jobseekers would drop out of lengthy recruitment processes, emphasising the urgency for higher education institutions to refine their hiring practices. 

Top solutions to manage these present and upcoming sector challenges

Despite the challenges, higher education institutions can employ several strategies to attract and retain talented staff. Universities and colleges can create a more attractive and supportive work environment by focusing on critical areas and implementing targeted solutions.

1. Enhance employer branding

Talent competition is fierce, especially against industries offering higher salaries and better benefits. According to HEPI’s 2023/24 study on higher education academic staff, the top two key drivers for sector resignation include offers of better pay and the promise of increased job satisfaction. 

Additionally, up to one in five academic staff members work up to an extra 16 hours (two days) per week, highlighting the need for better work-life balance solutions to attract and retain more professionals in the sector. 

The sector is actively improving its appeal to potential employees by leveraging unique strengths, but there is more to do. Education institutions can still attract top talent by enhancing their employer brand and focusing on unique strengths.

This is what your institution can do:

• Highlight unique strengths: Showcase your institution's research excellence, campus culture, and community impact to appeal to candidates seeking meaningful work environments.
• Develop a strong online presence: Use social media and professional networks to promote your institution's strengths and share faculty and staff success stories.
• Alumni engagement: Leverage alumni networks to build a strong brand and attract top talent.

Consider offering competitive salaries where possible and focus on creating a robust Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that includes benefits beyond compensation, such as flexible working hours and professional development opportunities.

These steps matter because they help differentiate your institution from others, making it more appealing to high-quality candidates who might otherwise choose a different sector or institution.

2. Promote inclusive hiring practices

Ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within faculty ranks is about fairness and enriching the educational environment with diverse perspectives and experiences. A diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity and decision-making and better represents the community. 

Higher education institutions are committed to ensuring diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments. Promoting inclusive hiring practices is crucial for achieving this.

This is what your institution can do:

• Unconscious bias training: Provide training for recruitment panels and decision-makers to eliminate biases.
• Diverse interview panels: Ensure multiple perspectives in candidate evaluation.
• Mentorship programs: Create opportunities for underrepresented groups to receive support and guidance.
• Transparent reporting: Expand reporting frameworks to include non-academic staff and ensure inclusivity in data collection.

These actions contribute to a workforce that reflects the community's diversity, enhances the institution's reputation, and creates a more prosperous educational environment.

3. Embrace flexible work arrangements and remote work culture

Adapting to the new norm of hybrid working is essential, as modern employees expect flexible work arrangements. 

Many institutions are enthusiastically adopting flexible work models to meet the expectations of today’s workforce and support higher education recruitment. However, institutions face the challenge of ensuring that their systems can effectively support remote work and that staff have the necessary resources to succeed.

This is what your institution can do:

• Implement flexible work policies: Where possible, offer options for flexible work hours, remote work, and hybrid work arrangements to accommodate diverse employee needs.
• Invest in technology infrastructure: Upgrade digital tools and communication platforms to support remote collaboration and ensure seamless connectivity.
• Prioritise employee well-being: Provide resources for mental health support and promote work-life balance initiatives.
• Continuous training: Offer training programs to help staff adapt to new technologies and remote work tools.
• Conduct ongoing surveys: Regularly survey staff to understand their attitudes towards hybrid working, what they like, what could be improved, and overall satisfaction.

These initiatives matter because they help attract and retain staff who value flexibility and modern work environments, ensuring institutions remain competitive in the job market.

4. Streamline recruitment processes

Efficient recruitment processes are essential to attract and secure top talent. Lengthy recruitment processes can deter top talent from applying or accepting offers. 

While thoroughness is important to ensure quality hires, protracted timelines can lead to candidates accepting offers from other institutions or industries that move more quickly. Institutions are adopting new strategies to stay competitive, recognising the need to streamline recruitment processes.

Here’s what your institution can implement to streamline the process and attract more professionals to higher education jobs:

• Implement technology solutions: Use applicant tracking systems to streamline application processing and candidate communication.
• Set clear timelines: Establish and adhere to clear timelines for each stage of the recruitment process.
• Improve communication: Maintain consistent and transparent communication with candidates throughout the hiring process.
• Optimise interview procedures: Reduce the number of interview rounds and ensure timely feedback to candidates.

These actions matter because they ensure a smooth and efficient recruitment process, helping institutions secure top talent before they accept offers elsewhere.

5. Partner with an education consultancy

Partnering with an education consultancy can provide valuable insights and support in navigating recruitment challenges. These firms specialise in finding qualified candidates and can offer expertise in attracting top talent in higher education. Education consultancies possess in-depth sector knowledge and can provide tailored advice on attracting and retaining talent.

Here’s how an experienced education recruitment consultancy can help your institution's hiring process:

• Access to a larger talent pool: Consultancies have extensive networks and databases of potential candidates, making it easier to find qualified professionals.
• Specialised knowledge: Benefit from the consultancy’s deep understanding of recruitment trends and best practices in higher education.
• Streamlined recruitment process: Allow the consultancy to handle the recruitment process from start to finish, reducing the administrative burden on institutions.
• Market insights: Gain insights into market trends and salary benchmarks to stay competitive.
• Enhanced employer branding: Work with the consultancy to develop a strong employer brand that resonates with potential candidates.

Outsourcing to a specialist higher education recruiter can help your institution access a wider and more diverse talent pool, attract high-calibre candidates, and leverage their insights to adapt to changing candidate expectations.

Navigating higher education recruitment challenges: Final remarks

Addressing higher education recruitment challenges requires targeted strategies. Institutions can attract and retain talented staff by enhancing employer branding, promoting inclusive hiring practices, adapting flexible work arrangements, streamlining recruitment processes, and partnering with education consultancies. 

These approaches make higher education jobs more appealing and ensure universities and colleges thrive as knowledge, innovation, and community engagement hubs.

Finding exceptional talent for higher education jobs

At TPP, we have delivered leading recruitment services for clients and candidates since 1996. Whether you need an entry-level administrator or an experienced professional for your higher education positions, we support your recruitment needs. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can enhance your institution’s recruitment efforts.