Larger companies hold advantages over smaller companies in recruiting, relocating and onboarding new employees. That's because they put in more money, structure and organizational support behind these efforts, according to the 2012 Allied Workforce Mobility Survey by Allied Van Lines.
Despite this, smaller companies do have advantages as well as opportunities to compete head-on with larger employers, the survey finds. Smaller companies equally perform as well as larger companies when percentage of new employees. Flexible work arrangements and work environment are also advantages small companies are competitive with over large companies.
For respondents at larger companies, 46 percent say their recruitment programs are highly successful. Twenty-eight percent of respondents at smaller companies rate their recruitment programs as highly successful when they leverage the best practices and significant resources.
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"This data set on expertise is one of several that should reassure HR professionals at smaller companies," explained Jeff Knapton, vice president at Allied Van Lines. "One of the survey's main implications is that HR professionals at all sized companies can find opportunities to sharpen their competitive edge, and in some cases, this edge can make up for differences in spending."
During recruiting, larger companies are more likely to look at candidates outside of the United States or regional areas. Twenty-five percent of mega companies recruit internationally while 57 percent recruit nationally. At small companies, only 6 percent recruit internationally, and 38 percent recruit nationally. Among mid-size companies, 10 percent recruit internationally, and 46 percent recruit nationally.
The survey also finds that widening the recruiting field does not have much of an impact on costs. In fact, recruiting spending is at $12,423 for small companies, $7,311 for mid-size companies, $7,518 for large companies and $15,359 for mega companies.
The biggest differences between costs and company sizes regards relocation as spending across small, midsize and large companies is between $9,606 and $14,007, but mega-sized companies spend three times as much at an average of $41,052.
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