Member Article

We need to act now to ensure talented Sheffielders stay in the city

There are two things you can say about Sheffielders – firstly, they are a very talented bunch of people. Secondly, they love their city with fierce passion and pride.

Why then, are so many 30 to 40-year-olds leaving the city in droves? So many are quitting in fact, it’s prompted city leaders to highlight this as a real cause for concern.

According to a report from the Sheffield First Partnership, which was discussed at a workshop in the city last week, career-minded people are leaving because they cannot find enough high level jobs.

The annual State of Sheffield 2014 report found the city’s population is increasing but there’s a worrying decline in the age 30-39 age group and the city has lost a lot of 30-somethings in the last decade. Graduates stay in the city for their first job but leave for their second job.

As director for one of Sheffield’s leading recruitment firms, Benchmark, it’s a stark issue that I’m only too aware of and it’s something we need to act on now to ensure even more home-grown talent doesn’t relocate.

How have we got into this situation? Sheffielders are brilliant, creative entrepreneurs but the challenge is providing enough senior roles in a city which is made up of predominantly small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The report says: “The economic performance and Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region remains a mixed story. Sheffield has long term challenges to its economy and the city does not have the number of businesses relative to the size of its businesses that it should have. This is particularly significant in regard to high value businesses.”

There are benefits to the variety of small businesses that make up the Sheffield business community, but the organisational structure of a smaller set-up doesn’t always allow for the rapid growth and career progression or title that many workers are after.

I know from talking to our clients that people can feel stunted in their jobs and frustrated when they reach the top of the ladder in their current workplace.

There are less opportunities in the city for people wanting to move into senior roles so when people get to a certain level, they find they have to stick at it. It does mean that people have to commute, or relocate, to find the senior positions they are looking for.

The Sheffield City Region Growth Plan has acknowledged this and has the ambition of creating 6,000 additional businesses and 70,000 additional jobs in the next 10 years and says new jobs will need to be created by the private sector.

Whilst this is encouraging, I think the business owners themselves have to step up and make it happen. Two things can be done to improve the prospects for Sheffield employment – firstly, be prepared to invest in people with the right attitude but not the experience; teach them the skills and give someone a break.

Secondly, grow your business to create the more senior level roles to give staff a reason to stay and a role to grow into. We need to ensure Sheffield talent which has been nurtured in the city, can continue to flourish here.

Louisa Harrison-Walker, d****irector of Benchmark

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Benchmark .