Recruiter - November 2017

Business intelligence for recruitment and resourcing professionals

November 2017

INCORPORATING Recruitment Matters

www.recruiter.co.uk

Social enterprise Cordant Group challenges industry

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LOOKING DIFFERENT

11/10/2017 11:02

THE 7Cs OF DIGITAL MARKETING Unleash your marketing power.

What is it? And why do I care?

According to a recent report by Oxford Economics 1 (full disclosure, we sponsored it), digital capabilities contribute £123bn a year to the UK economy.

The 7Cs explained C U S TO M ER Understand who they are, what drives them and what they actually think about you.

CONTENT

This super-size potential is an opportunity for all of us – whatever our relative size and whatever it is we do. The Lloyds Bank UK Digital Index of 2015 2 found that digitally ambitious businesses are 30% more likely to grow.

The content you share creates your story – words, pictures, videos and more.

But deciding how to market yourself digitally – especially with a modest budget and limited resources – can be difficult. Daunting even.

Turn the people who come to your website into paying customers.

And that’s why we’d like to share our theories for making the most of digital. We call it ‘The 7Cs of Digital Marketing’. And we hope you’ll find a few things that’ll help you Voom.

What keeps your audience up at night? How can you engage more directly with them.

CONVERSION

CONTEXT

COMMUNITY

Want to find out more about making the 7Cs work for your business?

You’ll find our webinar and lots of advice at virginmediabusiness.co.uk/7Csofdigital Or, for our latest ultrafast broadband offers, call 0808 231 7013.

Encourage your customers to become your number 1 fans – they’ll then tell others about you.

CONVENIENCE Be simple to do business with.

Your customers expect you to make things easier.

COHESION Having a holistic approach prevents poor performance in delivering a customer experience.

1 Digital Opportunity Report, Oxford Economics, 2015 2 Lloyds Bank UK Business Digital Index, 2015

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C R ONT ENT S 44

20

INCORPORATING Recruitment Matters

COVER P H OTO G RA P H Y | PA L H A N SEN

A

NEWS

05 Recruiters seize the day The recruitment sector is thriving with two-thirds either hitting or exceeding their targets 06 Clients backing Cordant Group paradigm shift The recruitment group’s decision to become a social enterprise is gaining admirers

07 Sugar not so sweet on universities Lord Sugar explains why he’s not a fan of degrees

08 Investing in Talent Recruiter’s 4th annual people practices awards 10 This was the month that was...

12 Contracts & Deals

B

TRENDS

14 Insight Key technology platforms to watch

17

Tech & Tools How to put the human element back into technology

C

D

FEATURES

2O THE BIG STORY Looking different

Aspiration and vision in recruitment are viewed on a grander scale at Cordant

32 Age of consent

Next May’s General Data Protection Regulation is creeping closer.

17

E COMMUNITY 37 Social Network 38 Community Careers: The Workplace 39 Community Careers: Andrew Mountney 40 Business Advice 42 Employability 44 My brilliant recruitment career: Madelene Wright, Ascension Global Recruitment 46 Recruitment Advertising 48 Movers & Shakers 49 Recruiter Contacts 50 The Last Word: Gregory Allen, Lloyd’s Register

50

INTERACTION

18 Viewpoint Alex Rawlings, Raw Recruitment 19 Soundbites

I M AG E S | S H UT T ER STO C K / ISTO C K / P ETER SEAR LE

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UPDATE

Recruiters seize the day

WE LCO M E

LEADER

T

he impact of social media upon recruitment has been intense and profound – no doubt about it. While

BY COLIN COTTELL

much of that impact has been on how recruitment is done, a critical mass has been felt in how recruiters

communicate with each other. In the pre-social media days, online forums were present on individual websites, providing a conversation café of limited scope for commentary, debate and rumour airing and abetting. Now, those forums have split into countless individual

“Today’s online communities rely on no one source of truth, or camaraderie, or opportunity to socialise”

segments, with recruiter-focused communities of every shape, size, philosophy and point of view. There’s a ‘Join my club, rule the world’ opportunity wherever you look.

Attend an event in person and have a canapé – or login to your social media of

choice for morsels of a different kind.

While not earth-shattering ‘stop the press’

▲

news, this realisation strikes me daily, that

RECRUITERS ARE MAKING HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES, while conscious that their business’s future prospects may not be as bright, according to the latest Recruitment Sector Barometer, run by Alex Arnot in association with Recruiter.

“The recruitment sector continues to thrive with a record 65% of firms hitting or exceeding their targets last quarter, says Arnot, a non-executive director to 35 recruitment companies.

But the good news doesn’t stop there, with 63% of recruitment company director respondents saying they expect their net profit for the coming 12 months to be higher than for the last 12 months. With only 30% falling short of their revenue targets, more than half of respondents (51%) say they expect to grow their headcount over the next quarter.

Candidate shortages provide further reasons for recruiters to be cheerful, allowing a net of 10% of firms to hike their average fee rate.

An additional boost is that, although still rising, the lead-time from initial briefing of candidates to candidates being appointed is increasing at its lowest rate since the Barometer began in October 2016. This suggests that employers are recognising the need to commit to roles and are prepared to accelerate the recruitment process in order to get the best talent.

While the Barometer reveals recruitment companies to be in rude health, it also indicates that recruitment business directors themselves are less certain about their companies’ prospects in the coming year. While a net 44% believe their prospects for the next 12 months are better now than they were 12 months ago, this represents a significant fall from the 55.9% figure recorded in the Barometer for Q4 of 2016, and the lowest net positive figure

today’s online communities rely on no one source of truth, or camaraderie, or opportunity to socialise. I’m also reminded that like in the office kitchen, where it seems the same one or two people are always there throughout the day, social media has its denizens who are omnipresent in the ‘club room’.

Creating recruiters’ clubs has never seemed so important. But are we really connecting?

DeeDee Doke, Editor IM AGE | SHUT T ERSTOCK

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UPDATE



36,061 FOLLOWERS AS OF 12 OCTOBER 2017

▲

recruitment business owners to be bold: since the Barometer started. That said, the picture “No recruitment “Recruitment company owners should is by no means uniform, with respondents in company owner be focusing on taking advantage of the the temp and contingent markets markedly less can predict or very positive market we have at the optimistic than those in executive search. change the impact moment to grow.

While the Barometer is unable to provide a of Brexit so focus on “No recruitment company owner can definitive explanation as to why recruiters are existing plans, targets predict or change the impact of Brexit less optimistic about their future prospects, a and management so focus on existing plans, targets and clue may come from their responses to another structures as normal.” management structures as normal.” question.

But rather than going for growth at all Asked for their top three business challenges, costs, plans and targets should be renewed every three to six the percentage who highlighted economic uncertainty jumped months in the light of economic developments, he says.

14 percentage points to 61%. This compares with 68% who said Business owners should also be constantly looking to dethe availability of candidates was their top concern and 38% risk the business, advises Arnot. who cited availability of consultants.

Examples include training staff, diversifying into Arnot says he has no doubts that Brexit is the root cause: new markets, building a recurring revenue stream (ie.

“A renewed focus on Brexit at the time of the barometer was temp/contract/interim desk) and/or strengthening their bound to increase [economic] uncertainty.” management team. ● Despite the heightened uncertainty, Arnot urges

I MAGE | PA L H A NS E N

Social enterprise move finds favour with clients

BY COLIN COTTELL

CORDANT GROUP’S DECISION TO BECOME A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE is already finding favour among its clients, according to its group CEO. The multi-sector recruiter, managed workforce solutions and facilities services provider, whose sales are running at £840m a year, launched as a social enterprise in September with the aim of using some of its profits for good causes and for the benefit of wider society.

The company has identified healthcare, employment and education as three areas where it believes this can make a difference.

Chris Kenneally told Recruiter that the “paradigm shift”

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NOVEMBER 2017

in the company’s mission had already been received positively by clients.

He said that two clients in particular were so impressed that “in the last week we have had them say to us ‘I am going to change our tendering process so that if you are not a social enterprise you can’t bid in the future’.”

Kenneally did not disclose the names of the two organisations concerned, but said one was “a huge regulatory body” in London, while the other was “a leading supplier of logistics”. ● For more on Cordant Group’s journey, see p20.

Find more daily news stories at recruiter.co.uk/news 12/10/2017 16:26

N E WS

THOUGHTS FROM…

UPDATE

PHILLIP ULLMANN CHIEF ENERGISER , CORDANT GROUP

“If they haven’t got that mindset of giving back, they can find a job somewhere else”

University a waste of time, says Lord Sugar

BY DEE DEE DOKE

MARK LAVERY MANAGING DIREC TOR , SUGARMAN GROUP

“A lot of young people who come for interview here want a lot more than ‘sit at a desk and sell’...”

I MAG E | PA L H A NS E N / PA

PETE WARD OPER ATIONS MANAGER , LEADERSHIP THROU GH SPORT & BUSINES S

“When it comes to apprenticeships, why are we measuring starts? If someone says they’ve started 24 marathons, that’s different to someone who has completed 24 marathons.”

LORD SUGAR, STAR OF TV REALITY SHOW THE APPRENTICE, believes most university courses are “a perfect waste of time”, and voiced his support for apprenticeships to a London audience.

Participating in a question-and-answer session at a fifth anniversary celebration for Apprentice winner Ricky Martin’s Hyper Recruitment Solutions, Lord Sugar said apprenticeships not only offered a chance to “earn and learn”, but allowed those learning a skill or craft to “stand next to masters” as they acquired knowledge.

University, on the other hand, offered “an excuse to pad out three years of your life” in “so-called courses for economics and media studies”, Lord Sugar said. “I think they’re a perfect waste of time.” However, he identified a few exceptions: “I’m not a real believer in university unless it’s for true science (such as biology, chemistry, etc].”

Martin, a biochemistry graduate, opined: “I think there’s a stigma around apprenticeships. A rebranding [of apprenticeships] needs to be done.”

The 5 October event, which Recruiter attended along with about 100 other guests, was held at the Royal Society of Chemistry. ●

STA RT-UP OF THE MONTH RECRUITMENT APP PROVIDER LUCKYLINK HAS LAUNCHED EVA (EMPLOYMENT VIRTUAL ASSISTANT) – A RECRUITER BOT HARDWIRED WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WHICH HAS THE KNOWLEDGE OF A RECRUITMENT EXECUTIVE WITH TWO YEARS’ EXPERIENCE. Officially launched in October, EVA can source and present five suitable candidates in less than five days following a 10-minute brief from an employer.

But LUCKYLINK founder Ben Kaminsky told Recruiter

EVA doesn’t spell the end for companies using human recruitment consultants. “The idea is to make the consultant role truly relationship driven, to reward behaviours that build and develop deeper connections with candidates and clients.

“The scalability and cost effectiveness of this platform mean it will very quickly challenge in-house teams for both total cost to hire and longevity of placement. Our algorithms get better the more you use us resulting in higher success rate

of placements with clients as the relationship matures.

“It costs the same to recruit a permanent hourly paid worker through us as it does to hire an agency temp for two-and-a-half weeks for the same role.”

EVA has already gained 15 customers to date, however Kaminsky said the aim is to expand its use across the whole recruitment lifecycle.

“There are huge opportunities for automating the day-to-day tasks carried out by recruiters,” he added.

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INVESTING IN

TALENT

AWARDS 2017

AN AFTERNOON

OF TALENT Introducing Recruiter’s Investing in Talent Awards winners CJUK and Eames Consulting Group were among the recruitment companies who were first-time winners in Recruiter’s Investing in Talent Awards, presented at prestigious London venue The Brewery on 4 October. The afternoon event, representing the fourth year for the Investing in Talent honours, featured a keynote speech by business leader, author and coach Robbie Steinhouse.

Recruiter editor DeeDee Doke hosted the presentation of awards in 21 categories.

Goodman

Masson

Your Worl d

Amoria

Bond

IMAG ES | C AR MEN VALIN O

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The 2017 Investing in Talent Award winners:

MOST EFFECTIVE TEAM MOTIVATION EVENT Winner: Pertemps Network Group

BEST BANKING/FINANCIAL RECRUITMENT SERVICES COMPANY TO WORK FOR

layers Major P

Winner: Eames Consulting Group

BEST EMERGING TALENT EMPLOYER IN RECRUITMENT Winner: The Asoria Group

BEST HEALTHCARE RECRUITMENT COMPANY TO WORK FOR Winner: Your World Recruitment Group

BEST CONTRACTOR CARE

BEST CREATIVE/DIGITAL/ MEDIA/MARKETING RECRUITMENT COMPANY TO WORK FOR Winner: Major Players

Winner: JDR Energy

MOST INNOVATIVE BENEFIT BEST TEMPORARY WORKFORCE CARE

Winner: Goodman Masson

Winner: CJUK

BEST IT & TELECOMS RECRUITMENT COMPANY TO WORK FOR

BEST PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RECRUITMENT COMPANY TO WORK FOR Winner: RedLaw

Winner: Eurostaff

MOST EFFECTIVE PAY & BENEFITS STRATEGY

MOST EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Winner: Goodman Masson

Winner: Amoria Bond

BEST TEMPORARY RECRUITMENT COMPANY TO WORK FOR

BEST EMPLOYABILITY/ RECRUITMENT INITIATIVE FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

Winner: Amoria Bond

Winner: LoveLocalJobs.com

MOST EFFECTIVE FLEXIBLE WORKING STRATEGY

MOST INSPIRING RECRUITMENT LEADER Winner: Suki Sandhu – Audeliss Highly Commended: Saffa Ayub – Bramwith Consulting

MOST INSPIRING SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL Winner: Glenn Southam – Eurostaff Highly Commended: Sarah Chapman – Goodman Masson

MOST INSPIRING DIRECTOR/SENIOR MANAGER Winner: Simon Hill - National Locums

MOST INSPIRING NEWCOMER Winner: Hannah Jarvis – Eurostaff

Winner: PageGroup

BEST RECRUITMENT WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT Winner: Goodman Masson

MOST INSPIRING TEAM LEADER/ MANAGER Winner: Warren Barry – TXM Recruit

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RedLaw

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NE WS

THIS WAS THE MONTH THAT WAS… Here is a round-up of some of the most popular news stories we have brought you on recruiter.co.uk since the October issue of Recruiter was published S E P T E M B E R •‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒→

TUE, 26 SEPTEMBER 2017

STARK WARNING TO RECRUITERS FOR CHANGES TO FINANCES ACT

FRI, 22 SEPTEMBER 2017

HEDGEHOGS DINE OUT AFTER RECRUITER WINS TV SHOW A generous recruitment consultant, who emerged victorious on Channel 4’s Come Dine With Me, has donated his £1k winnings to Hedgehog Emergency Rescue Bingley Yorkshire (HERBY).

Peter Benefer, an executive manager at Eden Brown Built Environment, came out on top on the show that sees strangers attend each other’s houses for dinner parties over the course of a week in the hope of winning a £1k cash prize.

Here’s Benefer’s winning menu: • Starter: crispy poached egg on creamed spiced lentils with crispy pancetta • Main course: creamy chicken and chorizo pie – complete with a pastryshaped bee (he also keeps bees) – and cumin-spiced sweet potato mash • Dessert: White chocolate,, vanilla and honey panna cotta with h a raspberry coulis.

Benefer told Recruiterr the competitive streak, tenacity and commitment mmitment needed to excel in recruitmentt certainly helped him land the top prize,, but the pressure of winning for non-profit organisation HERBY played a part with his nerves.

“I’d already committed ted to give the money to HERBY RBY but it made the pressure worse!” rse!”

Recruiters need to get to grips with new rules under the Criminal Finances Act 2017, effective from Saturday 30 September, or run the risk of criminal convictions, unlimited fines and irreparable reputational damage.

Recruitment law expert Lawspeed has issued a warning to recruiters ahead of the introduction of new corporate offences for failing to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion, both in the UK and abroad under the Criminal Finances Act 2017, which comes into effect this Saturday.

Lawspeed explains provisions, contained within sections 44-52 of the Act, which apply to all companies and partnerships, whatever their size, now impose criminal liability on companies simply for failing to take action to prevent tax evasion offences. It warns that recruiters may think the rules have nothing to do with them, but if they operate a payroll or use a payroll provider they are at risk of committing a criminal offence.

Employment lawyers Recruiter has spoken to back up Lawspeed’s assessment and explain how agencies p g falling foul of the rules run the risk of criminal convictions and unlimited fines.

More: http://bit. ly/2xtZLlu

TUE, 26 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE APPRENTICE IS BACK CK – WITH YET ANOTHER RECRUITER HOPEFUL! A Birmingham-based IT recruiter ter will otsteps of be seeking to follow in the footsteps e winners previous recruiter Apprentice een.

Ricky Martin and Lee McQueen. est batch of The BBC unveiled the latest e in weekly hopefuls, who will compete tasks in a bid to land the title of The Appre Apprentice winner 2017 and go into b millionaire business with multi-millionaire tycoo tycoon Lord Sugar.

As per usual the recruitment ruitment sector has a representative tative for us all tto cheer on. His name is Jam ector at James White, a director Birmin ter Birmingham-based IT recruit recruiter Right Time Recruitment. ment.

Let e can Let’s hope White follow the successes es of 2012 w tin and winner Martin mana tor of managing director Hyper Recruitment ent Solutions and 2 ner McQueen, the 2008 winner found w Talent Academy. founder of Raw

More: http://bit.ly/2y623cq 23cq More: http://bit.ly/2fT5Q5d

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IM AGES | ISTOCK | BBC | SHUTTE RSTO C K / H RS IMAGES

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TUE, 1 OCTOBER 2017

TWO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES GET (PRINCESS) ROYAL APPROVAL Two recruitment agencies have been commended by Princess Anne as part of the Princess Royal Training Awards for their commitment to training and skills development. London-based Gravitas Recruitment Group and Warrington-based Evolution Recruitment Solutions were among 40 organisations announced by the City & Guilds Group in late August. Awards will be handed out in a ceremony at St James Palace in November.

More: http://bit.ly/2xPbHm0

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DAYS

←‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒• O C T O B E R

TUE, 3 OCTOBER 2017

FRI, 6 OCTOBER 2017

BONUS PAY COULD HIGHLIGHT GENDER GAP IN RECRUITMENT

LORD SUGAR BUYS IN TO WHAT HE KNOWS WHEN INVESTING IN HIS APPRENTICE

Recruiters run the risk of disclosing huge gender bonus pay gaps between male and female consultants due to new rules not taking account of part-time working.

The BBC reports six months on from government ordering charities, private and public sector employers with 250 or more employees to disclose their gender pay gaps, just 85 of 9,000 companies required to publish their pay data have done so.

But employment lawyers have told Recruiter the rules also require firms to publish the gender pay bonus gap, which could reveal a huge disparity between the sexes if an agency employs a large number of female consultants in parttime roles.

Christopher Tutton, partner at law firm Constantine Law, told Recruiter: “The GPG Regulations require employers to report bonus payments to staff. Unlike the reporting obligations relating to pay, the bonus reporting rules are such that there is no reflection of part-time status when calculating the bonus gap. Part-time employees are predominantly female.

This will mean that the gender bonus gap is likely to look more significant than the gender p pay gap at most recruiters.”

More: http://bit.ly/2xuWiIr p://bit.ly/2xuW

W E D, 4 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7

DO MORE TO TACKLE NURSING SHORTAGES RECRUITERS TELL HUNT Recruiters have called on health secretary Jeremy Hunt to do more to tackle the UK shortage of entry-level nurses.

At the Conservative Party Conference, Hunt delivered a speech committing to additional funding for more placements of student nurses and nursing associates through the promise of 5,000 extra trainee nursing places. He also committed to use NHS land to build more affordable homes for nurses.

In the wake of Hunt’s speech, Danny Mortimer, CEO of NHS Employers and deputy CEO of the NHS Confederation, said in a statement that more affordable homes would support recruitment and retention of NHS workers, adding Hunt’s commitment for more nursing places is “good news” for the NHS when the supply of nursing staff from overseas is proving such a challenge to employers.

However, Greg Wood, director at di Your World Recruitment, told Recruiter the government needed to distinguish between nursing associates and nurses: associa “The majority of these nursing places n are actually nursing a associates, not nurses as such. I thin think it’s important for government to recog recognise that nursing are separate and nursing associates asso professions and give ection of the number a true refle of nurses tthey are hoping to recruit…”

When selecting a person and their business on the BBC’s The Apprentice, the programme’s star, Lord Alan Sugar, chooses one that can be made to work with an investment pot of just £250k, he told a London audience in October.

Lord Sugar was in the hot seat as he took part in an hour-long question-andanswer session at a fifth anniversary celebration for Hyper Recruitment Solutions, the life sciences and technology recruitment firm launched in 2012 by Apprentice winner Ricky Martin. Martin also shared the platform with Lord Sugar, responding to questions at the event.

“Anything that can work [with £250k] is something I like to concentrate on,” the millionaire businessman said. Giving an example of a dating website he could have invested in, he said such a project would have required an injection of “hundreds of millions… £250k gets you nowhere”.

“I think it’s [also] a case of, ‘stick to what you know’,” he added. For instance, he said: “I don’t know anything about biochemistry; I wouldn’t invest in it, I don’t know anything about it.”

• For more from Lord Sugar, see News section.

More: http://bit.ly/2yc5FvB

More: http://bit.ly/2g8cWG8 p

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NE WS

CONTRACTS

CONTRACTS & DEALS

TaskRabbit Furniture retailer IKEA has acquired on-demand workforce company TaskRabbit. TaskRabbit currently operates in the US and London, and will continue to function as an independent company.

Asked whether the acquisition would result in TaskRabbit ‘tasker’ contractors becoming employees, or if any other terms of employment would change following the deal, an IKEA spokesperson told Recruiter that taskers are independent contractors and as such do not have an employment relation with TaskRabbit or IKEA Group.

Triple Seven Group Triple Seven Group, a private equity provider for recruitment agencies, has partnered with startup Surgify to launch a mentorship programme aimed at helping more young people take their first steps in entrepreneurship.

Kallidus Provider of learning and talent management solutions Kallidus has acquired recruitment software provider Advorto. The merging of the two companies creates a single provider of a SaaS (Software as a Service) end-to-end solution for learning, performance, 360 recruitment, and talent management dedicated to helping organisations manage the entire employee development life cycle more effectively.

Adecco Recruitment giant Adecco has acquired New Yorkbased career transition firm Mullin International. Mullin, a provider of individual career transition solutions, redeployment solutions and executive coaching, will be integrated into the Adecco Group’s subsidiary Lee Hecht Harrison. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

greenbean by NRG Darlington Building Society has appointed recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) specialist greenbean by NRG as its recruitment partner. In partnership, greenbean by NRG will manage recruitment activities across all business areas for the building society including: mortgages, customer excellence, digital, risk and marketing.

Macdonald & Company Global professional and technical recruiter Prime People’s Hong Kong subsidiary Macdonald & Company has acquired 60% of the equity of Hong Kong-based recruiter Command Recruitment Group for HK$9.9m (£1m).

Heidrick & Struggles Executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles has entered into an agreement to buy executive search and leadership consulting firm Amrop in Denmark.

It is anticipated the acquisition, expected to close at the end of the year, will see all five Amrop Denmark partners join Heidrick & Struggles’ Copenhagen office as partners.

DEAL OF THE MONTH

MC Vanguard MC Vanguard Corporate Finance (MCV) has been appointed to search for acquisition targets as part of South African Workforce Holdings’ acquisition strategy into new markets,

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particularly the UK. The acquisition drive by the temporary employment services and human capital solutions provider follows the group’s purchase of six companies since October 2015.

These include Oxyon Human

Capital Solutions, a technical & artisanal recruitment business, and KBC Holdings, which provides safety training and contractor management, primarily in the mining and minerals industries across South Africa.

The firm said the UK fits into its acquisition strategy due to the common language and cultures.

MC Vanguard revealed it will be targeting companies across the human capital and recruitment sectors.

More contract news at recruiter.co.uk/news 12/10/2017 12:58

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10/10/2017 16:48

TRE NDS

INSIGHT

AUTOMATION AND THE RECRUITMENT INDUSTRY As recruitment comes to rely more and more on technology to automate the hiring processes, we highlight some of the key technology platforms to watch out for

BY SUZI SMITH

T

he use of automation to find and retain the right talent not only saves time and money, but it creates efficiency for organisations.

And if designed and implemented strategically, automation can pave the way for a more streamlined and personalised experience for the candidate.

Sourcing teams are already using an array of automated, data-driven programs to match candidate skills with job descriptions, and these solutions get increasingly intelligent and self-sustaining.

An excellent example is matching engines – these solutions can take candidate information (usually from a CV, but they do draw from other sources as well), analyse the data, and run advanced analysis of elements like skills, education and experience from the data gathered to provide a best-fit score for a particular role.

This goes way beyond traditional keyword-based ‘search and match’ to help with talent rediscovery and highly refined shortlisting of applicants for hiring manager review. These platforms are designed to support high speed/scale, making it much easier for recruitment teams to prioritise best-fit candidates. The whole process becomes much more efficient and helps to uncover hidden gems that could potentially have fallen through the cracks of older, inferior systems.

These technology platforms are most commonly used for direct hiring. Their use is only going to increase in the future, particularly

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T R E N DS

INSIGHT

“This goes way beyond traditional keyword-based ‘search and match’ to help with talent rediscovery” The first step in launching an organisation’s automation journey is to assess the technological maturity of their talent acquisition function, asking questions such as: ● What are the core problems or inefficiencies of the business? ● How can automation help to correct these problems or inefficiencies?

We’re witnessing a growing trend towards technologies that don’t require recruiter intervention at the individual candidate level but that still offer an opportunity for personalisation at scale.

Essentially, that means leveraging information that an organisation already knows about a candidate to offer them an experience tailored to their preferences in an automated fashion.

The next steps would be to take the data collected from these various sources to further refine the recruitment process. This allows recruiters to spend more time on high-value ‘humans only’ activities, such as building relationships with potential candidates. ●

POWERPOINTS

1

To begin an organisation’s automation journey, consider the technological maturity of your talent acquisition function. Questions would include what are the core problems or inefficiencies of the business and how can automation help to correct these problems or inefficiencies?

2

Examples of technology platforms simplifying the search for talent include churn predication solutions, automated assessment engines, tools for automated outreach and bot creation platforms.

↗

in contingent programs that want to ensure access to the highest quality talent as quickly as possible. There are currently two core uses: candidate-tojob matching for talent community members and new applicants, and talent re-discovery for newly opened roles.

Other examples of technology platforms simplifying the search for talent include: ● churn predication solutions that leverage internal or external markers to assess the likelihood that a candidate is interested in a job opportunity ● automated assessment engines that can leverage employee benchmarks to predict job performance ● tools for automated outreach, assessing skills and quickly gauging candidate interest ● bot creation platforms allow firms to create their own built-for-purpose bot. This has been successful for retail companies who have set up bots integrated into Facebook, where consumers can shop and interact without navigating a traditional website. The same approach can be applied to candidates evaluating jobs, learning about a company etc.

Obviously, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to introducing technology platforms. Each company has its own requirements depending on the location, culture and size, as well as the roles they are recruiting for. All these factors will determine which technology platform is implemented.

SUZI SMITH

is executive director – UK at Pontoon

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10/10/2017 16:49

T R E N DS

TECH & TOOLS

Emotional AI Putting the human element into technology SUE WEEKES

Recruiters have become used to artificial intelligence (AI) beavering away in the background on tasks such as searchand-match and CV sifting, but two new products show it is only just starting to demonstrate its true potential.

Artificial emotional intelligence specialist Human (formerly City Sail) has officially launched its subliminal facial expression detection software that claims to be able to decipher deep personality traits and detect if someone is lying in a live interview (see Recruiter July 2017, pp26-29).

Meanwhile, automated candidate referencing company Xref, based in Australia, has developed the Sentiment Engine, which gives the recruiter a ‘sentiment’ rating for a candidate reference. “It is all about helping recruiters make a datadriven decisions,” says Tim Griffiths, Xref co-founder and chief technology officer.

AM I GOING TO BE REPLACED BY A ROBOT? AI and automation are affecting a wide range of business processes, and recruitment is no different.

Such technologies aren’t seeking to replace recruiters but rather free them up to spend less time on routine work and more time adding value to their service offering to clients and candidates.

“AI systems can often undertake recruitment activities more efficiently and effectively than humans, for example, by substantially reducing the amount of human bias involved in the process,” says Jon Ingham, HR consultant and founder of Strategic Dynamics Consultancy Services.

“They are going to play

an increasing role in recruitment activities, particularly in roles/levels which can be described and measured in fairly objective ways.”

ADDRESSING A SPECIFIC NEED No one could accuse the new breed of intelligent recruitment tools as ‘technology for technology’s sake’ as they stem from a specific need. Minimising bias and discrimination was Human’s aim, says CEO and founder Yi Xu. She says interviewers judge people on their own benchmark, which differs not just person-to-person, but daily. “We want to help clients make better hiring decisions and help them ensure they don’t miss a good candidate or hire a wrong one.”

Griffiths explains that clients who used its automated candidate referencing platform often fed back they would like to be able to hear the ‘tone of voice’ of the referee. “They wanted to know how the referee talks about candidates,” he says. “What we’ve done is build an engine that allows you to take a set of words and, within a reasonable percentage, look at the positivity and negativity of answers to specific questions.” Xref works with the client to build the set of questions a prospective employer wants the referee to answer.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE WHAT AI IS DOING FOR YOU The speed and level of functionality of systems

J AR G ON B USTER Artificial intelligence: the ability of a computer to carry out tasks that would normally require human intelligence.

Machine learning: where a computer is able to automatically learn from its experience rather than being programmed to do something.

Algorithm: an instruction or set of rules that tells a computer to carry out an action.

I M AG E | I STO C K

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powered by technologies such as AI and machine learning belie the hard work, knowledge and information that have gone into their development. Human draws from a team with expertise in data science, micro expression coding, as well as psychology, and it acquired further knowledge for its product by interviewing a large number of HR and recruitment professionals. Xref had amassed statistics, research and a huge number of questions to and answers from referees who formed the starting point for its engine. “We crunched hundreds of thousands of Q&As from hundreds and thousands of people and trained the system to pull out a score that says ‘if a question is read like this, it is 97% positive and 3% negative’,” says Griffiths, explaining that AI, neuro-linguistic programming and other deep data tools were applied to the system. “The system was tested on humans and as new data is fed into the platform from users,

the system continues to learn and ever evolves.”

HOW CAN YOU EVALUATE INTELLIGENT TOOLS? While it isn’t necessary to understand precisely how the technology behind such systems works, it is important to quiz providers about their products, as well as existing customers. Ingham advises recruitment teams to ask about the algorithms that the system uses and the way that these have “learnt”. “Ask what safeguards have been used to ensure diversity in the system’s lists of recommended candidates. They should also want to see the results of previous validation studies showing that the systems do identify people who could be seen as high performers against particular attributes or competencies,” he says.

“Ideally recruiters should also be looking to validate the systems within their own organisations, and suppliers should be keen to support this activity, too.”

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12/10/2017 10:34

C

INTE R AC TIO N

VIEWPOINT

Management threat Why you are the biggest single threat to your business

BY ALEX RAWLINGS

ave you heard of the phrase, leaders are born not made? Ever wondered why the easier question to answer is, what makes a bad manager and the hardest is what makes a good one? What has this got to do with recruitment? Everything! Businesses are built on the managers/leaders they appoint. If they are not up to scratch, then your recruiters won’t be either.

One thing has always been clear to me: the quality of management in the recruitment industry is diabolical.

Being a part of The Recruiters Arms collective has further demonstrated this. The stories of KPI-bashing, threatening jobs, ‘my manager didn’t turn up today’, non-existent training and just overall low standards are truly shocking.

The state of a company’s management team is usually defined by the capabilities, willingness to learn and skills of its senior leadership team. If they are not up to scratch, your company’s managers will be even worse.

H

So why do we promote them?

Here’s a few favourites as to why people are promoted: ● Demonstrated one good year of billings ● Have been here 10 years ● Handed in their notice ● Had some sort of relationship with senior management.

But it is never the manager’s fault –“it was the consultants”, “they are just rubbish, lazy, unmotivated” etc. However, no longer and never should it be that a phone, computer and a

“So when are we going to train the trainer?” promise of a £100k earnings in your first year are enough to get results. So when are we going to train the trainer?

Time to train It is likely that you either have no management training or development scheme in your business, or most of the managers take a day off to avoid it.

Then there’s the rare occasion you actually have a decent training programme, but the management team operates more like the team from TV’s The Office. With useless managers, the following will be a tough question for them to answer: When was the last time as a manager you added value to your team?

The usual answer? “Well, I gave him a split on my fee last month; what more does he/she want?” Or were these gems the ‘value’ they contributed:

● Just put more in ● Hit your KPIs and you will be fine ● Work later and harder and smarter and more and just get on the phone ● Do as I say, not as I do (this is usually not said, just done) ● Oh, and just get on the phone.

ALEX RAWLINGS is director at Raw Recruitment, and a founding member of The Recruiters Arms

Are the comments above typical for you or your managers? Then you are in the bad manager camp. Don’t get me wrong, good leadership and management are very subjective. But I hope we can all agree: as an industry we can all do better.

I believe that if you have a problem, always offer a solution. And you may already be thinking, how do I improve to improve my team and business? However, if you think any of what I’ve said applies to you and are furious at the thought you are not the best thing since sliced bread… There is no solution.

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IMAG E | ISTOCK

+

NOVEMBER 2017

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12/10/2017 14:14

I N T E R AC T I O N

SOUNDBITES

WEB CH AT

HMRC DOESN’T HOLD THE FACTS – WE DO Our survey, which you wrote about in ‘HMRC refutes findings from ContractorCalculator survey’ (recruiter. co.uk, 28 September), made some claims based on objective facts that HMRC is passing 45% of contractors purely on substitution alone without considering other factors – we know this because we ask our 100+ questions for each of the contractors, which tells us what the Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) result told them (HMRC).

The CEST tool does not examine other factors if substitution exists – that’s how it actually works. We also know from an FOI [Freedom of Information] request we made in June this year that HMRC does not hold the results of any tests and cannot therefore conduct detailed analysis to refute our claims.

Therefore, without them having any data on which to draw we find it impossible for them to claim in this instance that ‘the assertions made are totally inaccurate’.

They admit themselves they do not hold the data required on which to base such a claim.

DAVE CHAPLIN, CONTRACTORCALCULATOR

YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT I was a little disappointed to see the ‘Recruitment consultant jailed for assault in Singapore’ (recruiter.co.uk, 27 September) story had nothing to do with recruitment-related activities.

I’ve come to rely on Recruiter for industry-related stories, and this seemed a little more like ‘click-bait’ headlines. His profession had nothing to do with his arrest. His bad behaviour as an individual did, and unless it has knock-on impact for the industry, in my opinion is not newsworthy for an industry publication.

Just my opinion but thought I would air it…

TOM O’LOUGHLIN, DIRECTOR, SUMMIT RECRUITMENT

What’s your best example of a consultant demonstrating loyalty to your business?

REBECCA COATES D IREC TOR – MEN TA L H EA LT H , AT H ON A R E C RU I T M E N T

“I am very proud of the mental health team and the fact we have some of the longeststanding individuals within the business. These colleagues are instrumental and at the core of what we as a team represent. They created this division, putting their own passion and values into everything that it is today. Their ethos of providing an honest and professional service has been the main motivating factor for their long service. The division’s success has been achieved as the team is their own, built on ideals driven by them.”

RICHARD PALIN MA N AG IN G D I REC TOR , ON L I N E P EOP L E

“The best example here is a consultant who is regularly being approached to move, yet is happy to discuss this without it being loaded with the expectation of salary hikes. Loyalty is a two-way street, and demonstrating trust along with support in my experience has contributed to consultant loyalty and retention. Always make sure you create the right environment with clear pathways for the consultant to develop, while creating an enjoyable workplace. Good billing consultants in a good work environment tend to be happy consultants.”

SHARON LEONARD D IREC TOR , OX YG EN RECRUIT MEN T

“Loyalty in a consultant, for me, is honesty, integrity and commitment – it’s often not one occasion but many together that show loyalty.

One of my best consultants suffered from SAD [seasonal affective disorder], so winter months weren’t great but she loved her job, arrived every day and switched her light box on. In return I gave her flexibility and support… and a desk by the window! In my opinion you will receive loyalty in your consultants if you treat them well and look after them – not always with money and incentives but a pat on the back and a thank you for their hard work.”

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12/10/2017 14:15

T H E BI G STO RY CORDANT GROUP

Opposite: Standing out from the crowd – Phillip Ullmann and Chris Kenneally

LOOKING DIFFEREN PHOTOGRAPHY: PAL HANSEN

Cordant Group’s vision of a social enterprise certainly makes it stand apart from the usual recruitment company offering. Colin Cottell looks beneath the paradigm shift EVERY RECRUITMENT COMPANY likes to think it stands out from the crowd, that it does things differently. In the ultracompetitive recruitment industry, differentiating yourself is key, and being a ‘me too’ company is tantamount to invisibility.

No one in their right minds could accuse Cordant Group of being a me-too company. Spend time with chief energiser Phillip Ullmann and Cordant Group CEO Chris Kenneally and the talk is not about rebranding, company culture and DNA, but something far more fundamental and potentially far reaching.

Meeting the two men at Cordant Group’s modest and unprepossessing headquarters near the Shard, it’s clear that the aspiration and the vision are altogether on a broader, more all-encompassing and grander scale. Nor are they afraid to challenge many of the sacred cows, not only of the recruitment industry, but capitalism itself.

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“What we are talking about is a paradigm shift – a completely different way of looking at everything,” says Ullmann. What Ullmann is referring to is Cordant’s decision in September to launch itself as a social enterprise focused not on maximising profits for its shareholders but using those profits to meet wider needs across society.

“The problem with [the concept of] the company is it is focused on one stakeholder – the shareholder – rather than all the other stakeholders, the employees, suppliers and society in general. Why should the vehicle be designed to protect the interest of only one stakeholder?” says Ullmann.

With a current run rate of about £840m in sales a year, and its 10 operating companies providing recruitment, managed workforce solutions as well as outsourced security and other services across multiple sectors, and clients that include Tesco, Amazon and the NHS, Cordant clearly has the scope to make a difference on its own. However, Ullmann is keen to point out that other influential people are expressing similar concerns.

A better way “We are not alone by the way,” Ullmann continues. “A lot of people are questioning whether the company is fit for purpose.” Recently, he says, these have included Harvard Professors, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ullmann says the realisation there was a better way “was a kind of a Eureka moment”. “Neither of us had heard about social enterprise until Deloitte drew it to our attention 18 months ago. And it changed our approach to business, and we thought ‘crikey, that sorts out most of the problems society is facing’.”

NOVEMBER 2017

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NT

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TH E B IG STO RY SAMANTHA R AMSAY T H E BI G STO RY CORDANT GROUP

Kenneally agrees that even capitalism itself, with its trend in recent years “for shareholders to get richer at the expense of everybody else, is definitely a big problem”.

“You can’t blame the management ▶ 2014 to present: CEO Cordant Group of listed companies [for maximising ▶ Previously worked for Rentokil Initial, Euro profits for their shareholders] because FM, FACEO and GSH Group that is the way the law currently works.

We are questioning the system – it is a systemic fault,” adds Ullmann.

Ullmann says the key to unlocking the gate to Cordant becoming a social enterprise was getting agreement from the other members of the Ullmann family, who together have a controlling interest in Cordant to cap the amount paid to shareholders. In a YouTube video broadcasted to coincide with September’s launch, Kenneally explains that the cap has been set to £1m per shareholder group. “We have all been brought up in a capitalistic world so persuading them to change their approach has not been easy,” says Ullmann.

Ullmann says that the amount that could go back to society could be considerable. After honouring commitments to existing staff over the next three years, he says assuming profits of £20m, 25% or £5m could go to shareholders, while £15m could go to good causes. “That’s a conservative figure. We believe it will become a very big number.”

Asked whether tax advantages played any part in the decision to become a social enterprise, Ullmann said: “No. There were no tax advantages at all.” But he added: “There should be in the future because the government needs to attract people to do it [become social enterprises]. I was at the Conservative Party conference, and I was asked that very question. But the answer is no.”

An expert on venture capital tax relief told Recruiter that although various tax inventive schemes exist, these provide tax relief to investors in social enterprises rather than to the social enterprise itself. He said the only benefit to social enterprises was that it encouraged outside investment in them, “giving them access to funds that they wouldn’t otherwise have had”.

S P OTLI G H T

Chris Kenneally

Profound change Ullmann says becoming a social enterprise is a profound change for a company that only 12 months ago was bent on maximising profits for shareholders.

“Fundamentally, it is about people not money – it is about relationships. What we have to ensure is that the people within our responsibility lead meaningful lives – and that is a hell of a lot – currently 53,000 employees, which at the moment, because of the way society has evolved and because a lot of our workers are on the minimum wage, is difficult.”

Ullmann says he has identified three main areas where redirected profits can make a difference. First is the workplace, where Ullmann says the idea is to work with and influence Cordant’s clients “so that the job spec benefits workers”. “It’s has always been the other way around in recruitment, where you have the vacancy and you fill the vacancy. Now you have a person that you want to lead a meaningful life, and it is a complete paradigm shift.”

22 RECRUITER

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T H E BI G STO RY CORDANT GROUP

C O M PANY

Cordant Group ▶ Founded 1959 originally to provide security services ▶ 2005 entered the recruitment industry by acquiring Pro Vista Recruitment ▶ 5,800 clients ▶ 1,000 client sites ▶ 70+ branches Year to June 2016 Year to June 2015 Sales £777m £648m EBITDA £2.2m £10.8m (Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) ▶ Subsidiary companies include: PMP recruitment, Grays Executive Search, Sugarman, Prime Time Recruitment, Premiere People, Abacus Recruitment, Grosvenor Boston, Judy Fisher Associates, Cordant Technical & Education, Staffgroup, Cordant People, Eurostaff.

The group also provides security, cleaning and technical (building services) through various subsidiary companies.

Ullmann sees no contradiction between Cordant’s social mission to delight people and help them lead meaningful lives, and making a profit. “There is no ambiguity, you are making money to change the lives of patients, workers and people, and you need to generate profit but our mission is not to make more money for shareholders.”

Indeed, perhaps counter-intuitively to some, Ullmann believes that making profits as a means to a greater end rather than an end in itself will actually increase profits. “We genuinely believe this is will grow exponentially,” he says.

Making it happen Kenneally who says he is “the nuts and bolts man” of the duo, while Ullmann is more the visionary, says Cordant is already working with external consultants Bates Wells Braithwaite on a framework to measure social impact – how content people are with their role and the organisation they work for, explains Ullmann. A beneficial side effect of this transparency is “it will help good clients to attract good people”, adds Kenneally.

Asked how a job picking and packing can be made more meaningful, Kenneally says it very much depends on the employer. “I could take you into one and you would go ‘this is how I imagine a sweatshop to be’ and I could take you somewhere else and you would think ‘this is fantastic I would like to work here’.”

24 RECRUITER

Kenneally says there has been a mixed response from staff across the Cordant Group to the news.

“Those who understand what a social enterprise is get the messaging quite quickly and are quite positive, but others are sceptical, perhaps because they don’t understand what it means for them.”

With 53,000 workers currently on its books increasing to 125,000 in the lead up to Christmas, “there hasn’t been time to talk to everyone yet,” says Kenneally.

One of the biggest talking points to come out of Cordant’s launch as a social enterprise in September was its stated aspiration that no member of staff should be paid more than 20 times that of the lowest paid employee, currently £20k. Kenneally accepts this will put off some people coming to work for Cordant. However, he brushes off any concerns. “Bear in mind 20 times that number is still a big number and very few would achieve those earnings anyway.” He accepts “it may turn off some of the capitalistic sort of leaders who are only in it for themselves, but these are not the sort of people we want in this organisation anyway”.

Education is another area that Ullmann believes Cordant can make a difference in. It has been working with education guru Richard Gerver to help build an education system based on treating pupils as individuals.

Healthcare is another sector of keen interest to Ullmann, where Cordant is working with outside experts on a technology platform called OpenEHR that will help integrate social care and healthcare, and ultimately allow individuals to manage their own healthcare.

NOVEMBER 2017

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C9 Moonphase

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T H E BI G STORY S A M A N T H A R A M S AY T H E B IG STO RY CO R DA N T G RO U P

Work is also under way to develop technology to provide a direct link between the requirements of the NHS for staff and those healthcare professionals that are available. At the moment, Ullmann says the system isn’t working in the interests of society, as “there are occasions when professionals are held back and not offered [to the NHS] because it makes more money for both the worker and the agency”.

Ullmann says eliminating the number of tiers between the NHS and health professionals will reduce bureaucracy and cost. “My staff become matchmakers, their role changes, they become people that understand the needs of people, whether its the needs of the nurse or those of the patient. The role becomes less process-driven and more people-driven,” he explains.

Beneficial altruism While altruism is at the heart of Ullmann’s vison, that is not to say that Cordant as a business won’t benefit from its new status. According to Mark Lavery, group managing director of medical education and social care recruiter Sugarman, a Cordant Group subsidiary, the idea of putting some of their profits back into the NHS is already starting to resonate with clients from some of whom both he and several of his recruiters have received “good feedback”. “First it was raised eyebrows, then it was almost like a light bulb coming on,” he says of their reaction.

Other business benefits are already starting to come through too, says Ullmann, who points to how Cordant’s commitment to making a difference in wider society is resonating with candidates for roles in its IT department. “In the past we struggled to recruit; now we have people queueing up,” he says.

“The competition for colleagues is fiercer than ever before, and people have a choice based on corporate standards and beliefs, and doing the right thing,” adds Jamie Reynolds, MD of PMP SP OTLI G H T Recruitment, the high-volume recruitment arm of the group. “The morals of a social enterprise will strike a chord with people of the highest calibre and might just give us a ▶ 1996 to present: Director and competitive edge.” executive chairman, now chief Ullmann says he wants Cordant energiser, Cordant Group Group to be a role model for other ▶ Previous roles included in the recruiters. While he predicts that other family manufacturing business, recruitment companies will follow KPMG and J Sainsbury. suit, he says it won’t be easy. “There are systemic problems that prevent listed companies from doing this kind of thing,” he says. This would require changes to Section 172 of the Companies Act, says Ullmann, something he says “is not currently on the agenda”. This refers to directors’ duty in law to increase the long-term value of the company. However, Kenneally says: “The great thing about recruitment is there are an awful lot of entrepreneurial characters who started companies that aren’t listed, and for them this journey will be a lot easier to commence. If they are like minded they can do it,” he says.

It may be some time, however, before we can say for sure whether Ullmann turns out to be a dreamy idealist or a pioneering trend setter, who stole a march on the rest of the industry by being ahead of his time.

Phillip Ullmann

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12/10/2017 14:26

WE’VE GOT THE EYE OF THE TIGER, A FIGHTER

DANCING THROUGH THE FIRE ’CAUSE WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

AND YOU’RE GONNA HEAR US...

ENTER!

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11/10/2017 10:50

2018 CATEGORIES INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

17/ BEST NEW AGENCY

1/

AGENCY RECRUITMENT LEADER OF THE YEAR

2/

IN-HOUSE RECRUITMENT LEADER OF THE YEAR

18/ BEST PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RECRUITMENT AGENCY

3/

RECRUITMENT INDUSTRY ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

19/ BEST PUBLIC/THIRD SECTOR RECRUITMENT AGENCY 20/ BEST TEMPORARY RECRUITMENT AGENCY

IN-HOUSE AWARDS

21/ MOST EFFECTIVE BACK OFFICE OPERATION

4/

BEST CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE

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BEST GRADUATE RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

22/ RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR – MICRO (UP TO 10 EMPLOYEES)

6/

BEST APPRENTICE/ SCHOOL LEAVER RECRUITMENT STRATEGY

23/ RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR – SMALL (11-49 EMPLOYEES)

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IN-HOUSE INNOVATION IN RECRUITMENT

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MOST EFFECTIVE EMPLOYER BRAND DEVELOPMENT

24/ RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM (50-249 EMPLOYEES)

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AGENCY AWARDS 10/ BEST RECRUITMENT AGENCY MARKETING TEAM 11/ BEST CANDIDATE CARE

25/ RECRUITMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR – LARGE (250 + EMPLOYEES) 26/ MOST EFFECTIVE COMPLIANCE OPERATION 27/ OUTSTANDING OUTSOURCED RECRUITMENT ORGANISATION SUPPLIER AWARDS

12/ BEST CLIENT SERVICE

28/ RECRUITMENT TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

13/ BEST BANKING/FINANCIAL SERVICES RECRUITMENT AGENCY

29/ RECRUITMENT INDUSTRY SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

14/ BEST ENGINEERING RECRUITMENT AGENCY

30/ MOST EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT MARKETING CAMPAIGN

15/ BEST INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT AGENCY 16/ BEST IT/ TECHNOLOGY RECRUITMENT AGENCY

ENTRIES OPEN | Entry deadline 19 January 2018 recruiterawards.co.uk

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@RecruiterAwards #recruiterawards

11/10/2017 10:50

Driving your success

by Microdec

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Issue 55 November 2017

RECRUITMENT MATTERS The View and The Intelligence Future of jobs

Big Talking Point

Legal Update

2017 IRP Awards

Immigration

Right to work checks p6-7

Shortlist

p4

p2-3

p8

DATA MUST INFORM IMMIGRATION DEBATE IN LEAD UP TO BREXIT The government must minimise uncertainty about immigration in the lead up to the UK leaving the European Union, says REC chief executive Kevin Green.

The REC led a robust and informed debate at October’s Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.

Green was joined at the conference by a panel of leading voices on immigration, including MP Stephen Crabb, economist Vicky Price, Bright Blue’s Rachael Johnson, columnist Liam Halligan and Financial Times journalist Frances Coppola.

Green says data has been lacking in immigration decisions so far. “This idea that it will be easy to find people in the UK to fill lowskill jobs is not based on numbers,” he told the panel.

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“Employers need certainty and time to plan for the future, so we welcome plans for a transitional deal post-Brexit, but clarity remains critical.”

Economist Price said that the evidence about the positive effects of EU

immigration was abundant.

“Why do we need another review of the contribution migrant workers make to the UK economy when the evidence is already there?” she asked.

“EU migrants are the only

group who add more to the exchequer than take away.”

MP Crabb, who sits on the committee for exiting the EU, told the panel the UK needs workers “across a full range of sectors”.

“I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to continue to have an open and liberal immigration system,” he said.

The panel discussion comes on the back of the REC’s latest report ‘Ready, willing and able? Can the UK labour force meet demand after Brexit?’ It sets out a number of recommendations for government to ensure UK businesses have access to the talent they need once the UK leaves the EU. Recruitment Matters takes a look at the report on pages 4-5.

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Leading the Industry

THE VIEW

Party conference season gives recruitment a lot to think about, says Tom Hadley, REC director of policy and professional services

The future means recruitment upping its game, says Kevin Green, REC chief executive

Attending the World Employment Confederation (WEC) global conference in Paris at the end of September, along with our work as part of the REC’s ‘Future of Jobs’ commission, has got me reflecting. My conclusion is that unprecedented change in the jobs market just over the horizon means that the recruitment industry needs to up its game, not just here in the UK but globally.

The labour market change is being driven by artificial intelligence, algorithms, robotics and the internet of things. Let’s not forget that nearly one million jobs in the UK could be at risk from self-driving vehicles! These innovations will create great value for us as consumers but will destroy jobs, and for the first time not just low-level roles but mid-skilled office roles too. It’s also true that new roles will be created – jobs which we can’t even imagine today, but which we know will be thinking, professional roles.

As well as the risk of increasing unemployment, the ability to progress in the jobs market will become much harder as intermediate jobs disappear. The minicab driver is unlikely to get the data analyst job, so job polarisation will increase inequality and in-work poverty. Many people will have two or three jobs just to make

BRIGHTON ROCKS

ends meet, while others will be able to control who they work for, when and where.

Deep chasms in labour markets around the world will heighten calls for fairness, equality, and work with purpose and meaning.

Dissatisfaction with the work available could lead to political upheavals and governments responding with protectionism and regulation.

No politicians at present are facing up to this impending phenomenon. So for the next few years, the REC and the WEC will both be calling for radical change to the education system to prepare our young people for the jobs market of tomorrow.

We also need to fund lifelong learning and provide advice, guidance and opportunities for education/ training for those who want to progress and find better paid, more rewarding work. The recruitment industry has the skills, capacity and capability to be part of the solution.

Look out for the REC’s ‘Future of jobs’ report and let’s start holding up the mirror and leading.

I am travelling around the UK between now and Christmas for member events, so I hope to talk you all directly. If you can’t make it, follow me on twitter: @kevingreenrec

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We’ve been in amongst it at party conferences, picking up on the latest vibes from our political elite. Perhaps the most challenging encounter was our speaking slot alongside the Shadow business secretary and trade union leaders at the Labour conference in Brighton – but I’m pleased to report that we came away with consensus on some key policy messages.

That particular fringe event was hosted in the still-quite-new i360 installation on the seafront – the world’s tallest moving observation tower with a view onto the crumbling West Pier.

Still, it was standing room only as New Statesman special correspondent Stephen Bush launched us into a high energy debate on modern working practices off the back of the Matthew Taylor review.

There were plenty of areas we disagreed on but also some common ground – including just how important work is to people’s lives and wellbeing. Our own data shows that 77% of people see choosing the right job as the most important life decision they will ever have to make – and our £35bn recruitment industry is here to help. Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey talked up the need to be a ‘progression nation’, which underlines the role our industry should play in finding people jobs, then helping them throughout their career journey.

Intrinsically linked to the progression debate is the need to ensure access to training, irrespective of what type of contract they are on. This is at the heart of our campaign to make the Apprenticeship Levy into a more flexible training levy that agencies can use for the workers on their books. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady argued for “a regulatory framework that reflects the changing world of work” and Steve Turner, assistant general secretary of Unite, made the point that “effective government enforcement is in the interests of compliant employers as well as workers”. We agree with the need for a level playing field and underlined the positive role of compliant agencies.

A number of these issues have been covered by our ‘Future of jobs’ commission and we will continue to explore common ground where we can. Taking forward some joint messages on what we want a future jobs market to look like would be our own example of ‘good work’.

You can follow Tom on Twitter nt @hadleyscomment

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50,000

THE INTELLIGENCE WITH REC SENIOR RESEARCHER, THALIA IOANNIDOU On 28 September 2017, the REC published the third report in its Brexit research series: ‘Ready, willing and able? Can the UK labour force meet demand after Brexit?’. This builds on our previous research into post-Brexit immigration and provides further insights into sectors that employ a high proportion of EU workers in low-skill roles.

We spoke to recruiters, employers, UK workers and EU workers from industries such as warehousing, hospitality and food production to get a fuller picture of how these sectors are currently operating and how a reduction in the availability of EU labour would affect them. We also conducted an online research forum with current UK jobseekers to get their perspective on low-skill roles in these sectors.

Unsurprisingly, better pay and job opportunities in the

SURGE IN NUMBER OF CLIENTS BILLED IN Q1 & Q2 2017 The latest information from the RIBIndex, sponsored by Bluestones Group, highlights a significant uptick in the number of clients invoiced by the median RIB recruiter in Q1 & Q2 2017, when compared to the same periods in 2016.

Following five quarters of YoY decline in the average monthly number of clients billed, a surge in activity in the new year resulted in the

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UK compared to their home countries were key factors in attracting and retaining EU workers in low-skill roles in the UK, though a familiar language and a welcoming national and working culture were also valued. However, post-referendum uncertainty, hostility from some British people and the falling value of the pound have made the UK a less attractive option, particularly with the economies of EU8 and EU2 countries in Eastern Europe improving year-on-year. Latest ONS figures show that net EU migration is down over 50,000 compared to the previous year, with most of this fall being driven by fewer EU8 migrants immigrating and significantly greater numbers emigrating.

Recruiters and employers in these sectors were all too aware of these trends and were facing challenges filling low-skill roles before the referendum was even announced. There was scepticism regarding some commentators’ suggestions

LATEST ONS FIGURES SHOW THAT NET EU MIGRATION IS DOWN OVER 50,000 COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR WITH MOST OF THIS FALL BEING DRIVEN BY FEWER EU8 MIGRANTS IMMIGRATING AND SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER NUMBERS EMIGRATING.

that UK workers or automation could fill any post-Brexit labour gap. Many had already had disappointing results with UK worker recruitment drives and there were often specific challenges to further automation in their business or sector, especially for SMEs who couldn’t afford the substantial upfront costs to fully automate.

UK nationals currently employed in low-skill roles in these sectors also recognised the reluctance of many other British people to take on these jobs and the importance of EU labour to their workplaces.

The findings from our online forum with UK jobseekers mirrored the reasons UK workers thought other Brits weren’t taking on these roles.

Whilst low pay was an

The number of clients billed versus last year (%) for the median recruiter 15% 13.8%

10%

11.0%

5% -2.0%

0% -0.8%

-6.9%

-5%

-4.8%

-4.6%

-10% Q3 2015

Q4

Q1 2016

median recruiter invoicing 11% more clients in Q1 and 13.8% more in Q2. With significant numbers of contractors self-opting to cease working in the public sector, as a consequence of

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1 2017

Q2

the change in the sector’s IR35 protocols in April 2017, recruiters had many newly available candidates to place.

As such, it appears likely that the median RIB recruiter was able to rekindle legacy

THE REPORT SETS OUT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT TO AVOID A POST-BREXIT LABOUR SHORTAGE, AS WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECRUITERS AND EMPLOYERS ON HOW TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN WORKERS IN LOW-SKILL ROLES IN AN INCREASINGLY TIGHT SECTION OF THE LABOUR MARKET.

obstacle for some, others were more concerned that they wouldn’t be able to meet the physical demands of many of these roles or felt they were overqualified to do elementary work.

The report sets out our recommendations for government to avoid a postBrexit labour shortage, as well as recommendations for recruiters and employers on how to attract and retain workers in low-skill roles in an increasingly tight section of the labour market.

To access the full report and our other Brexit research reports, visit www.rec. uk.com/brexit relationships and build new ones as a consequence.

In times of flux, RIBIndex contributors are able to benchmark how they are faring against market trends.

Belinda Johnson runs employment research consultancy Worklab, and is associate knowledge & insight director of Recruitment Industry Benchmarking (RIB) – part of the Bluestones Group. The RIB Index provides bespoke confidential reports on industry benchmarks and trends. See www.ribindex. com; info@ribindex.com: 020 8544 9807. The RIB is a strategic partner of the REC.

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The Big Talking Point

IMMIGRATION Immigration touches every corner of the British economy, and migrant workers provide a valuable contribution across the country. However, with the UK set to leave the European Union in less than two years’ time, there is the potential for significant change in who the United Kingdom allows into the country to work and how long they are permitted to remain for.

Recruitment Matters looks at the REC’s latest immigration report

READY, WILLING AND ABLE? There is insufficient volume of UK nationals willing and able to fill the low-skill roles currently done by EU nationals, and changing recruitment strategies and automation won’t be able

to compensate for this, says the REC’s new report ‘Ready, willing and able? Can the UK labour force meet demand after Brexit?’.

Although EU nationals make up 7% of the UK labour

market, overall they account for 15% of workers in lowskilled roles (elementary occupations). EU nationals are also concentrated in certain sectors, with 33% in food manufacturing, 18% in

“THERE IS A PERCEPTION THAT WORKING IN A FACTORY IS JUST DIRTY, HORRIBLE, NASTY, DICKENSIAN-TYPE WORK. OBVIOUSLY THAT COULDN’T BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH IN MOST CASES. THEY WOULDN’T THINK THAT ABOUT GOING TO WORK IN A COFFEE SHOP” BRIAN STAHELIN, FOUNDER AND MD, STAFFLEX LTD 4 RECRUITMENT MATTERS NOVEMBER 2017

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warehousing and logistics and 14% in hospitality.

“Low-skilled work is too often talked about as if it’s not vital to our economy, but we need people to pick fruit and veg, sort and pack deliveries to supermarkets, and to cook and serve food once it reaches hotels, school canteens, and restaurants,” says REC chief executive Kevin Green.

With record high employment already, recruiters warn that it will be impossible to

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RECOMMENDATIONS “I THINK BREXIT WILL REALLY AFFECT THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE MOST OF THE FOREIGNERS DO JOBS THEY DON’T LIKE – CLEANING WAREHOUSES, AND STUFF. YOU’LL NEVER SEE BRITISH PEOPLE DOING THAT” NAZIR, WAREHOUSE WORKER, SOUTH EAST BELGIAN

‘Ready, willing and able?’ makes a number of recommendations for both recruitment agencies and the government

Recommendations for recruiters and employers 1. Focus on the candidate experience for applicants who are less confident in applying for roles.

2. Re-assess what level of prior experience is essential or desirable for a given role.

3. Consider whether different working patterns are suitable for the roles being advertised.

4. Make clear in job adverts any realistic routes for progression within roles.

5. Work as an individual company, in collaboration with other companies, and through trade associations and industry organisations to myth-bust about your industry.

6. Allow those who have re-entered the labour market after a lengthy period of unemployment or economic inactivity more time to bed in and adapt to the demands of their role.

7. Take guidance from recruiters and not-for-profit organisations on realistic expectations and suitable roles for new employees from excluded groups.

8. Take measures to better improve workplace culture and working relations between UK, EU, and non-EU workers in mixed workplaces.

Recommendations for government

“ENTRY-LEVEL WORKERS FORM THE BACKBONE OF THE UK’S ECONOMY. WITHOUT THEM, WE DON’T HAVE THE LABOUR RESOURCES TO MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTE ANYTHING WE REQUIRE FOR EVERYDAY LIVING”

PETE TAYLOR, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, ENCORE PERSONNEL replace EU workers with British substitutes. Some British jobseekers will be overqualified to perform low-skill roles, while others will be unable to do physically demanding roles because of pre-existing conditions.

“Employers in these sectors are already talking about downscaling, closing or moving operations overseas if they can’t get people to fill jobs post-Brexit,” says Green.

“The government needs to engage with business and ensure that any new immigration system is agile, pragmatic and based on a

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proper understanding of labour market data.”

Employers also warn against over-estimating the extent to which automation is a solution to reduced access to EU labour. Some tasks are still too complex to be automated and even for jobs where it might be possible, full automation will be too expensive an investment for SMEs.

For more information Ready, willing and able? is available to read now at www. rec.uk.com/readywillingable

1. The government should minimise the uncertainty that is already negatively impacting the jobs market. This uncertainty is deterring EU nationals from working in the UK and making EU workers feel unwelcome.

The government should: a. ensure the right to remain to all EU citizens in work with a National Insurance number b. give clarity to EU workers on any processes or procedures they need to follow to ensure their right to remain c. continue to condemn instances of xenophobia against EU nationals.

2. Local government should engage with local employers to ensure changes to transport infrastructure do not reduce access to jobs.

3. The use of Apprenticeship Levy funds should be widened to provide progression routes for workers in low-skill roles.

4. Post-Brexit, the government must not overestimate the potential for automation or UK nationals to fill a labour gap caused by any reduction in net immigration.

When worker shortages arise, the immigration system should have mechanisms in place which allow employers to recruit from the EU for roles that cannot be filled domestically.

5. There should be no blanket salary threshold for EU migrants wishing to work in the UK after the UK leaves the EU. 6. Provisions for temporary workers and seasonal workers must be included in any new immigration system to ensure temporary and seasonal labour is still available to the UK businesses that rely on it. The government should: a. Introduce a seasonal workers scheme. b. Ensure a future immigration system is not built on the assumption of EU workers taking full-time, permanent roles in the UK.

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Legal update

VISAS

RIGHT TO WORK CHECKS

By Bunmi Adefuye, solicitor and commercial advisor at the REC Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, (‘the Act’) it is illegal to employ someone that does not have the right to work in the UK. The Immigration Act 2016 introduces new sanctions so where an employer employs someone they know or have reasonable cause to believe is working illegally, depending on the circumstance, the employer could face a custodial sentence of up to five years or an unlimited fine.

Right to work checks are a frequent question on the REC legal helpline. The answer depends on whether you are acting as an employment agency or an employment business. Under the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, if an employment agency introduces a work-seeker to a client, the

client will be responsible for carrying out right to work checks except where the work-seeker will be working with vulnerable people, then the employment agency must ensure the worker-seeker has the authorisations required by law to work in that position.

It is also advisable for the employment agency to review the contract with the client to ascertain whether they have a contractual obligation to carry out right to work checks to avoid a breach of contract claim. An employment business supplying work-seekers to clients will be deemed to be the ‘employer’ for the purposes of the Act and will be responsible for checking the work-seeker’s eligibility to work in the UK. The Home Office sets out a three-step process for checking documents which

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can be relied upon as your statutory excuse: • Obtain the work-seekers’ original documents and they must provide either one document from List A or any of the documents or a combination from List B. Only accept the original but not electronic scans or photocopies. List A documents confirm that the work-seeker has no restriction on their right to work so no further checks will be required. A document from List B shows a limited right to work in the UK, which may expire so another check will be required later on. The document must be consistent with the appearance of the workseeker presenting the document so you should check the original document when the individual is

present. The Home office has confirmed this can be done face to face or via a live video link.

• Check that the document is valid and not forged. You must be satisfied that the work-seeker is the person named in the document and ensure that the document allows the work-seeker to work in that position.

• Copy the relevant pages of the document in a format that cannot be altered and record the date of the check.

Finally, to avoid breaching the Equality Act 2010, where you are required to carry out right to work checks, there must be a consistent approach across the board and do not rely on race, ethnicity, appearance or accent to determine whether you should check a work-seeker’s right to work in the UK.

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Inspiration

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE INSTITUTE OF RECRUITMENT PROFESSIONALS

The View

Chloe Callery y nt is a recruitment consultant at Stafffinders

Cherry Swayne e ialist is head of specialist markets at DP Connect

CERT RP GRADUATE WHAT I KNOW How did you get into recruitment?

I’ve been working in recruitment for two and a half years now with award-winning agency Stafffinders, but I’ve always been around the industry as my gran owned her own recruitment business. My gran also worked with Stafffinders in the 1970s in her earlier career, so there is a very sentimental feeling working for the company she had worked for too.

Why did you take the Level 3 CertRP? I completed the CertRP as I’ve always been keen to learn as much as I can. I’ve always been inspired by my gran and I’m keen to climb the ladder within my recruitment career. I wanted to put my practical recruitment knowledge to the test, consolidate my learning and development, and grow as a recruiter.

What aspect of the qualification did you enjoy most?

I thoroughly enjoyed the sales section of the CertRP course, primarily as this is my strength and where my career began.

It focuses on the sales cycle in recruitment, different selling techniques and identifying various types of buyers. These are all elements you can put into practice straight away.

Legal and Ethical considerations is another area of interest for me as this is a fundamental part of recruitment – in fact, that’s where most of the marks are allocated within the CertRP exam. It ensures you are fully compliant with current legislation and I regularly find myself referring to the book.

Would you recommend the CertRP? Without a doubt. The CertRP is such a great tool to have when you’re working within the industry. Recruitment isn’t static and the qualification keeps you up to date on everything.

The support doesn’t stop once the exam is over and you can continue to access advice and support from the REC and through your study coach.

It is crucial to use candidates and clients as a source of knowledge DP Connect specialises in recruiting for Data Science, Cyber Security, Payments and eCommerce/Digital sectors. The easiest and most obvious way to ensure you stay ahead of the game is through communicating with both clients and candidates. Our clients are always telling us what they look for in their new hires and our candidates tell us what technology they’re researching and learning about. That gives us a good steer on where the market is moving.

Finding talent remains key Talent shortages are one of the big challenges across all of our sectors. Take the payments sector, for example; there are so many new start-ups appearing and so much investments going into the sector that nearly every company is looking to grow. The candidate pool is limited as it is, so competition is becoming increasingly fierce. Additional there is new technology emerging such as the prevalence of Open APIs in the banking sector and the growth of blockchain technology that people don’t necessarily already have skills in, so we are having to find people with transferable skills from different markets.

There will always be a place for agencies Recruitment businesses will always be around, even though internal recruitment is growing. Internal teams are unable to actively approach the employees of their competitors – but that’s something an agency can easily do. Internal teams also only see the market through the lens of their own employer, whereas we have a good bird’s eye view on what drives and motivates candidates across the industry. Also, given our advanced sales and recruitment training we are often better able to “seduce” a prospective candidate than a line manager can.

To keep up to date with everything the Institute of Recruitment Professionals is doing, please visit www.rec-irp.uk.com

www.rec.uk.com

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Personal data

2017 IRP AWARDS SHORTLIST We’re excited to announce the shortlist for the 2017 IRP Awards!

Congratulations to all those who have made this far – it’s an incredible achievement.

Don’t forget to book your table for the ceremony on 6 December at www.irpawards.com Recruitment Apprentice of the Year • Callum Bostock, Advanced Resource Managers • Aiden Howgill, Advanced Resource Managers • Dan Shields, Advanced Resource Managers • Natalie Winterton, BPS World

• Victoria Howard, Search Consultancy • Katherine Loader, Search Consultancy • Kristy Moore, Acorn Group • Lucy Oliver, Pertemps Network Group

Temporary Consultant of the Year Best Newcomer of the Year • Ollie Cottrill, ninesharp • Molly Fielding, Evolve Hospitality Recruitment • Sean Greenfield, Red Berry Recruitment • James Jeffs, Search Consultancy • Lottie Nash, Give-A-Grad-A-Go • Jordana Renshaw, Castle Employment Agency • Georgia St John-Smith, Hyper Recruitment Solutions • George Tatnell, Pro Tax Recruitment • Ellis Thorne, Class People • Ryan Williamson, Carrington West

Jobs transform lives: Best Candidate Experience Award • Polly Adgey, Kennedy Recruitment • Claire Ashberry, Opus IT Consulting • Jaspreet Bhogal, The Oyster Partnership • Lizzie Coltman, EC Resourcing • Mark Liston, Cavendish Professionals • Lisa Murray, Braundton Consulting • Jodie Rafferty, Rafferty Resourcing • Adam Razzell, Advanced Resource Managers

Permanent Consultant of the Year • Lucy Cameron, Bucks & Berks Recruitment • Elizabeth Coltman, EC Resourcing • Matthew Covell, Search Consultancy • Claire Donaldson, Give-A-Grad-A-Go • Jessica Harmer, Red Berry Recruitment

• Blayne Cahill, Carrington West • Stacie Domanski, CJUK • Portia Elliott, Alexander Associates • John Hawker, Edward Carter Solutions • Sohan Modi, The Oyster Partnership • Loretta Moore, Red Berry Recruitment • Adam Razzell, Advanced Resource Managers • Dale Robinson, Kennedy Recruitment • Andreea Roman, Human One • Jennifer Taylor, Search Consultancy

Business Manager of the Year • Adam Bonner, Forces Recruitment Services • Gus Brimson, ID Medical • Richard Brown, Advanced Resource Managers • Graham Duvergie, Search Consultancy • Richard Jeffrey, BPS World • Alison Keogh, Pro Tax Recruitment • Natalie McCluskey, Search Consultancy • Rasmus Sorensen, Admiral Recruitment Group • Ian Ward, People First (Recruitment)

• Leon Howgill, Advanced Resource Managers • Pat Keogh, Pro Tax Recruitment • Scott Liddle, Acorn Group • Paula Rogers, Admiral Recruitment Group • Ed Vokes, Evolve Hospitality Recruitment • Michelle White, Pertemps Network Group

• CJUK • ICARE24 • Class People • Network Scientific • People First (Recruitment) • Talk Staff Recruitment

Best Company to Work For (up to 50 employees)

• Acorn Recruitment • Alexander Associates • HR GO Plc • Pertemps Network Group • Phaidon International • Star Medical • The Best Connection Group

• 24-7 Staffing • Carrington West • Cathcart Associates • Consilium Group • DP Connect • Evolve Hospitality Recruitment • Give-A-Grad-A-Go • Granite Search & Selection • Kennedy Recruitment • The Oyster Partnership

Best People Development Business Award

Best Company to Work For (up to 150 employees)

• Admiral Recruitment Group • BPS World • Gattaca Plc • Gi Group • ID Medical • The Best Connection Group

• Amoria Bond • Bespoke Career Management • BPS World • Crimson • Energize Recruitment Solutions • TFS Healthcare • Tradewind Recruitment

Best Back-Office Support Team

Best Recruitment Campaign • Gi Group • The ReThink Group

Best Company to Work For (up to 250 employees)

Best Corporate and Social Responsibility Award

• Encore Personnel Services Ltd • The ReThink Group • Driver Hire Group Services

• Amoria Bond • Aspire People • Granite Search & Selection • One Step Recruitment

Business Leader of the Year

Best Company to Work For (up to 20 employees)

• Saffa Ayub, Bramwith Consulting • Tony Goodwin, Antal International • Amy Hambleton, RedLaw Recruitment

• Alexander Associates • Allen Associates • Autotech Recruit • Cityscape Recruitment

Best Company to Work For (more than 250 employees) • Frank Recruitment Group Services • Hales Group • Nurse Plus (UK) • Pertemps Network Group • Phaidon International • Search Consultancy • Serocor Group

RECRUITMENT MATTERS

Membership Department: Membership: 020 7009 2100, Customer Services: 020 7009 2100 Publishers: Redactive Publishing Ltd, 78 Chamber Street E1 8BL. Tel: 020 7880 6200. www.redactive.co.uk Editorial: Editor Michael Oliver michael.oliver@redactive.co.uk. Production Editor: Vanessa Townsend Production: Production Executive: Rachel Young rachel.young@redactive.co.uk Tel: 020 7880 6209 Printing: Printed by Precision Colour Printing

The official magazine of The Recruitment & Employment Confederation Dorset House, 1st Floor, 27-45 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NT Tel: 020 7009 2100 www.rec.uk.com

© 2017 Recruitment Matters. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, neither REC, Redactive Publishing Ltd nor the authors can accept liability for errors or omissions. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the REC or Redactive Publishing Ltd. No responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts or transparencies. No reproduction in whole or part without written permission.

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NOVEMBER 2017

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G D PR & PAY RO L L

Next May’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) may be causing recruiters, umbrella companies and payroll providers a headache now, but ignoring it will bring about a full-on migraine, as Colin Cottell discovers THE GDPR (GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION) that comes into force next May is one of the hottest issues in recruitment at the moment.

While recruiters are understandably concerned about the time, effort and cost of preparing for such a change, not forgetting the massive fines for getting it wrong, concerns are rising about whether the sector will be up to speed in time.

Recruiters and payroll providers One of the key areas of concern is how the GDPR will affect the relationship between recruiters and payroll and umbrella providers with whom they share sensitive personal data on millions of contractors and temps.

This includes names, addresses, contact information and sometimes bank details – all of which are needed if payments are to be processed accurately and on time.

Matt Fryer, compliance director on umbrella and accountancy services provider Brookson’s operational board, says the lack of detailed guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) “has resulted in many businesses still not understanding the practical implications”. This has led to companies either not taking any action or having to incur “potentially significant cost by engaging with external advisers”.

Faced with such a challenge, recruiters might be inclined to bury their head in the sand, and pray that things will somehow turn out all right on the night. However, with potential fines of up to 4% of annual global turnover or €20m (currently £17.75m), whichever is the higher, as well as the potential reputational damage of being seen not to take data protection seriously, far from ignoring it, responsible and reputable companies

across the sector are working hard to eliminate those risks.

According to Fryer, the biggest “dayto-day challenge” facing recruiters as they prepare for the GDPR is around the issue of candidate or contractor consent. Rob Gillman, commercial manager at back office services provider Tifo, agrees consent is agencies’ “biggest headache”.

Whereas under the Data Protection Act, agencies could rely on implied consent that personal data about temps and contractors could be shared with payroll service companies, under the GDPR that is no longer the case.

The GDPR represents a sea change, says Dr Sybille Steiner, a partner at law firm Irwin Mitchell. “Consent must be specific and informed so that the data subject would need to be aware of the purpose of the processing of his or her personal data, and where there are multiple purposes consent would need to be obtained for all such purposes.

Bundled consent or wording that is too general is not enough,” she advises.

Giving consent

INS AND OUTS OF CONSENT Many agencies may rely on the consent of an individual temp or contractor as providing them with “the lawful purpose” to process their data and to transfer it to a payroll provider. However, according to Dr Sybille Steiner at Irwin Mitchell, this could add a complication. “The GDPR makes it expressly clear that individuals have the right to withdraw their consent at any time and that they must be made aware of this right before giving consent.

“Agencies may therefore want to consider whether they could and should rely on a different lawful purpose, such as ‘the legitimate interests’ category [whereby an organisation needs to process information for the purposes of its legitimate interests] or ‘necessity for the purpose of a contract’.”

Shaun Critchley of umbrella provider Advance says he is hearing a lot at the moment about these alternatives, “both of these may turn out to be relevant to our sector”. However, he adds: “In reality, what we will probably end up with is a scenario whereby different agencies adopt a different interpretation of GDPR and therefore end up with different policies and approaches.”

Louise Rayner, CEO at finance, business and compliance consultants NumberMill, says it is vital recruiters build obtaining explicit consent into their candidate registration process.

“They need to tell the contractor that they will be passing on information such as their bank account details to the payroll partner and ask them, are they happy with that – ‘yes’ or ‘no’,” says Rayner.

In addition to being able to provide evidence that consent was given, the agency will also need to have an audit trail to prove they informed candidates “of the information to be held on them, where it will be held and what WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 33

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G DPR & PAYRO LL

“For us, GDPR is an opportunity to strengthen existing agency relationships and develop new ones” it will be used for”, adds Rayner. She says although there is less of a flow of contractors’ personal information back from the payroll company to the agency, some agencies do ask to see payslips, particularly when conducting an audit, so the same principles around consent must be applied to the service provider.

Rayner suggests an extra safeguard is to record all telephone conversations with contractors, something that her company has been doing for four years. GDPR experts say that being able to provide evidence that you took steps to comply with the legislation and monitored that compliance is both an obligation under Article 28 of the GDPR, and is also likely to be a mitigating factor should there be an investigation by the ICO following, say, a breach of data security.

Compliant chain Kim Bradford, director of consultancy Sphere Data Protection, says another important issue recruiters must address is ensuring that all organisations in the supply chain, including payroll providers with whom they share personal data of temps or contractors, are GDPRcompliant.

This is a requirement under the GDPR, and one which according to Bradford, applies regardless of whether an agency insists contractors use a particular payroll provider, offers them a choice of, say, three from a preferred suppliers list (PSL), or even allows them complete freedom of choice. “It’s the whole supply chain, and [in all these scenarios] they still have to make sure those companies are compliant,” says Bradford.

34 RECRUITER

p40-43 Feature 2.indd 42

Fryer says the emphasis on the whole supply chain, with shared liability for non-compliance such as loss of data, makes it imperative that recruiters and payroll providers work closely together.

“This does require that customers, and service providers talk to each other so that one is not exposed by the failings of another, and so that existing commercial arrangements are not frustrated by the restrictions put in place by the new legislation,” he says.

Matthew Brown, managing director of umbrella and managed service provider giant, says this aspect of the legislation “makes it inevitable that the whole supply chain will work much more closely together, ensuring systems work seamlessly providing an audit trail, and of course safeguarding workers’ rights under the legislation”.

One implication, Brown says, is that agencies will need to review their PSL of payroll service providers, or put one in place if they haven’t already got one. “Unfortunately, this is an ongoing burden on agencies, but it is essential to manage their GDPR risk,” says Brown.

Taking steps already Bradford says a good starting point indicating whether a payroll company is taking the GDPR seriously is whether it has issued a privacy notice. “This lists some of the basics, such as this is the data we will collect, this is why, this is what we will do with it,” explains Bradford. It should also include information on the data protection officer (DPO), and how contractors can request access to their personal information and have it deleted. “One of the key principles of the GDPR is transparency, so it they haven’t got this it is highly unlikely they will

be GDPR-compliant,” says Bradford.

However, service providers say they are already taking steps to ensure they are compliant in good time.

Shaun Critchley, MD of umbrella provider Advance, says his company is looking to ensure all its processes are GDPR-compliant by Christmas. The company is working with a specialist consultant who is “reviewing how we obtain and store contractors’ personal information”.

Amanda Hobson, MD of finance and back office services provider Easypay Services, says her company has already completed a full mapping exercise of all the data stored and who has access to it as well as a risk assessment. The company has also appointed a DPO, whose job is “to inform, advise and educate across the organisation as to our obligations under the new rules”.

Hobson says among the challenges the company faces is around the transfer and encryption of data. Critchley says a likely factor driving payroll service providers towards GDPR compliance is that it is “now starting to come up in PSL applications, as well as in conversations with recruitment agencies”.

DON’T FORGET THE PAYROLL SOFTWARE An important aspect of ensuring that a payroll services provider is compliant will be to check that its software has been adapted and is up to date with the GDPR legislation.

“For anyone that has a system in place, you will need to have a conversation with your provider on what updates/upgrades are going to be available in response to the GDPR legislation,” advises Rav Cheema, MD of recruitment software provider Zeel Solutions. “If there is an update, how long will it take for the update to be implemented?”

NOVEMBER 2017

12/10/2017 10:42

Here today – and tomorrow Critchley says that while attaining GDPR compliance by May 2018 is important, this in itself won’t be enough. Advance recognises that GDPR compliance is an ongoing requirement, he says, one that will continue long after 25 May when the GDPR becomes law – something that he says the company will monitor through regular audits.

“This is a long-term, evolving business requirement,” agrees Brookson’s Fryer. “While you may have compliant processes and staff today, a move away from those processes or a slip in standards might mean you are non-compliant tomorrow.”

Despite the inevitable short-term disruption involved in getting ready for the GDPR, Critchley argues the new legislation represents an opportunity for providers. “For us, GDPR is an opportunity to strengthen existing agency relationships and develop new ones. I don’t see it as threat,” he says.

Critchley is similarly optimistic that the GDPR will raise standards across the wider recruitment sector. “Like the Criminal Finances Act, it will drive the right behaviour in our sector and will help to raise standards,” he says.

However, Rayner is less optimistic that it will have a positive effect on raising the bar, or lead to a rush to quality payroll service providers.

“Those companies that want to work with quality providers will continue as now to work with those providers, but lots of others don’t really care – they are just looking for a cheap deal,” she says.

With data sharing between recruitment agencies and payroll providers such a feature of the recruitment industry, whether Rayner or Critchley turns out to be right will go a long way in defining whether the GDPR turns out to be just another legislative hurdle successfully overcome or a persistent and ongoing concern set to haunt the sector for years. ●

p40-43 Feature 2.indd 43

12/10/2017 10:42

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*FSB Business Essentials Membership starts from £142.50 per annum with a £30 registration fee in the first year. This rate is applicable to businesses with no employees. Rates increase depending on your number of employees. Please see the website for full details of subscription rate bands. †Calls are normally free of charge from UK landlines but charges may apply from mobile phones. Lines open 8am-6pm weekdays, closed Bank Holidays. Registered Office: National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses Limited, Sir Frank Whittle Way, Blackpool Business Park, Blackpool, FY4 2FE. Registered in England No. 1263540.

REC.11.17.044.indd 44

10/10/2017 17:01

CO M M U N I T Y

SOCIAL NETWORK WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? GET IN TOUCH!

E

Whether you’re showing the youngsters how it’s done, or taking on double the challenge, we’ve got some pretty tough rec recruiters in the industry!

PRICKLY THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE FOR RECRUITERS VIA 

L- Adrian Parkin L-r: an and Peter Benefer of Eden Brown Bu Built Environment

HERBY Y

Having completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in under 10 hours in September, Peter ‘winner of Come Dine With Me’ Benefer and fellow Eden Brown Built Environment recruiter Adrian Parkin thought they’d do it all over again – but twice round this time! Their drive for contemplating this madness was to raise money for a cause close to Peter’s heart, the Hedgehog Emergency Rescue, Bingley Yorkshire charity, also known as HERBY. The Yorkshire Three Peaks route is 24-miles long, and includes the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, which form part of the Pennine range. Unfortunately, the weather was none too kind to the heroic pair, who managed it in just over 27 hours, but at least they came across a hedgehog or two along the way!

BENEFITS FROM M BENEFER’S CHALLENGE ITS (Plymouth) director Matt Clark playing in the Over 45s Masters tournament

ATA GET DOWN AND DIRTY FOR SPECIAL FRIENDS VIA 

Matt Clark (front right, in white) in action with his hockey stick

MATT STICKS TO HIS SKILLS AT THE EURO HOCKEY MASTERS VIA  Director of construction staffing specialist ITS (Plymouth) Matt Clark flew the recruitment flag at the European Masters Hockey Championships in the Netherlands. Matt played in the Over 45s England Masters Hockey team at the hockey tournament in Tilburg, Holland. The team beat France, Wales, Ireland, Germany and Spain on the way, eventually losing to Holland in the final. Congratulations Matt, and here’s to many more medals!

As part of fundraising efforts for its charity partner Special Friends, staff at ATA Recruitment took part in the X Runner Wild Runner obstacle race in Derby to raise £550. ATA business development manager Chris James, account manager Rachel Skelton and Chris’s brother Mark (who stepped in for a colleague who was ill) braved the muddy conditions across 5km.

However, as nearly double the total had been raised by the time they took part (£1,055), they decided to go round the course twice! So they ran a total of 10km and battled 60 obstacles including deep mud, water, slides and a fire pit.

Let’s hope there was a nice hot shower at the end of the race!

I NSTAGR A M Amy Magee

@islrecruitmentbristol Fabulous evening at the @recruitermagazine Investing in Talent Awards! We were up for Best Workplace Environment! Photos to follow! #investingintalent #investingintalentawards #london  @RecruiterMag  instagram.com/recruitermagazine/  recruitermagazine.tumblr.com/

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 37

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12/10/2017 14:46

E CAREERS CO M M UNITY

The Workplace

BY GUY HAYWARD

38 RECRUITER

p46_recruiter_careers.indd 46

would have loved some help. I stumbled from one month to the next, something I want to help my people avoid.

There are countless examples of businesses approaching their employees’ health and physical wellbeing but few where financial wellbeing is taken seriously. This is where Darwin Recruitment stands out, offering its people independent financial advice through oneto-one confidential meetings.

So what can we do? We can follow Darwin’s approach or remove the traditional payslip in favour of a more sophisticated breakdown of current and future earnings.

We have found that by offering monthly salary deductions in exchange for direct transfers into an ISA, it has encouraged 20% of our people to now have monthly savings, whilst also being used to cut credit card debt.

Our Mortgage Fund has seen five people buy a house in the last year, with 42 others on the scheme – a project that I would encourage us all to follow. London house prices are 13.5 times the average salary after all.

Of course it’s great that recruitment companies are creating workspaces that are fun and inspiring, however after a few games of pool or table tennis, reality soon returns, with your mind wandering back to the monthly

“Yet what I see every week is the subject of financial health being ignored” financial pressures. Why not offer your people interest-free loans so they can counteract this month’s worry about money? It means they know they can come to you and they’re much less likely to fall down the rabbit hole of payday loans.

We don’t have to look to Silicon Valley for innovation, from Facebook’s baby grants to Google’s spousal support, we, ourselves, are creative enough an industry to think of new ideas. In fact, travel ticket loans have become the most common benefits for London residents… so why not extend this to other areas? Our financial support

↗

FOR MANY, THE DISTRACTION of debt or the unimaginable ability to save is a real problem. In fact, the ‘many’ is actually 90% of those aged under 30, according to a recent FCA research paper.

Broadly speaking that’s also the age profile of those who work for us.

Yet what I see every week is the subject of financial health being ignored, maybe unintentionally but nonetheless ignored. Not just in recruitment businesses, but companies full stop.

Imagine the people who work for you not sleeping how they should, or waiting to be paid a week after the last pay day. It can’t be a good equation for performance and productivity, and it’s certainly not good for those individuals who have this anxiety over money.

These are exactly the reasons we should acknowledge debt and its subsequent unspoken pressures and do something about it. The option of suffering in silence should be no more. Not least because it is causing a rise in absenteeism, with the same FCA report calculating that there are examples of staff failing to turn up at all.

I turned up to work but in the early part of my career I was certainly in that camp... no one helped me when I

GUY HAYWARD – redefining the modern workplace CEO, Goodman Masson

to first time parents is invaluable, we have been told.

What is interesting is that although a large majority of companies don’t offer any financial assistance, it’s not for a lack of caring. It’s for a lack of understanding what to do. Maybe as an industry we can change this. ●

NOVEMBER 2017

12/10/2017 10:45

CO M M U N I T Y

CAREERS

The summer of multiple offers

E

Find your next move in recruitment on jobs.recruiter. co.uk

BY ANDREW MOUNTNEY

↗ ANDREW MOUNTNEY is founding partner at in-house recruitment specialist Aspen InHouse

I M AG E | I STO C K

p47_recruiter_careers.indd 47

HAVING HIRED IN-HOUSE RECRUITING roles for over a decade, one of the things that has always stood out is: however much people talk about the talent agenda or the critical value of the in-house recruiting function, hiring in-house teams has typically always been a reactive hire.

My background was in rec-to-rec [recruitment-torecruitment] so I know what a candidate market looks like; it’s no friend of the hiring company, and can drive some crazy offers. In the last decade I’ve never seen one for inhouse recruiters.

The late summer changed that. A glimpse rather than a full change but it made for some intriguing anecdotal insights.

“After a turbulent year it’s possible the next few months will offer greater opportunity for career stretch” The rules did not apply to all; we still had a backdrop of redundancies and contractors being let go, with hiring organisations maintaining a high hiring bar. But for those lucky few, here’s what we saw. ● Multiple offers at a time.

For much of the last few years, most in-house recruiters get an offer, and that’s it. Stay or leave, take it or stay on the market.

Not for this brief period – typically three offers and the decision to withdraw from multiple other processes to take their pick ● You are probably already thinking it and rubbing your hands with glee based on the multiple offers.

It’s finally time for that long-awaited salary kicker.

Again not for all there are still plenty of flat moves happening – but again, typically for this brief period (that has not been sustained) an offer coming

in at £10k-15k above current salary has been common, often above the candidate’s expectations ● There was also a rise in bonus schemes relating directly to performance, often bounty per hire in style offering a more significant total compensation than typically seen ● Opportunity. Well, obvious I guess but not as you might think. That extra money was not for the perfect hire for many companies; it was hiring a more junior profile into the existing specification. Making the HIPO [high potential] hire became the vogue call.

As ever there are caveats: it remains extremely difficult to secure a leadership role without current management experience, and the HIPO rarely translates to hiring from agency to in-house for the first time.

In the main, though, hiring organisations remained in control. This was a blip but offered a useful insight as employment rates rise and the value of an in-house function stretches further into the SME world.

After a turbulent year it’s just possible the next few months will offer greater opportunity for career stretch – and higher earnings for in-house professionals than for some time. ●

WWW.RECRUITER.CO.UK 39

12/10/2017 14:22

E BUSINESS ADVICE CO M M UNITY

ASK THE EXPERT Q: I think most clearly about my business while on holiday. How can I achieve that clarity all year round?

Clarity comes from having the time to step back and think, which is hard to do while you are in the thick of it. You are not alone – most recruitment companies would perform better if directors spent more time reflecting and planning. When I was helping run a recruitment business and increased my think time the impact was transformational.

Alex Arnot The SME Coach

Thinking is the best thing you can do decision making. Few people think with clarity in an office where they get interrupted frequently.

I would expect a CEO/managing director to block out at least two one-hour sessions per week.

Your resources are finite and using them as efficiently as possible is your responsibility. Over a relatively short period efficiency makes a huge difference as the table below demonstrates. % expected yearly growth Resources at start of year 1 Resources at end of year 1 Resources at

5%

10%

20%

30%

40%

£100,000

£100,000

£100,000

£100,000

£100,000

£105k

£110k

£120k

£130k

£140k

£110k

£121k

£144k

£169k

£196k

£115,763

£133,100

£172,800

£219,700

£274,400

33%

73%

120%

174%

end of year 2 Resources at end of year 3 Total growth over 3 years

16%

To achieve 30%+ growth requires a considered and consistent vision for the company, structured planning and efficient day-to-day execution. The more snap decisions you make, the more likely you are to be at the lower end of the growth scale and the more reactive you are likely to become.

Making Thinking Time

40 RECRUITER

p48_recruiter_careers.indd 40

A minimum two hours a week spent thinking may sound a lot. However, it is a minimum when you factor in everything you need to consider: ● High-level strategic thinking including weighing up specific challenges and opportunities (consider it at least quarterly) – if you don’t get the overall business direction or ad hoc big decisions right, the impact on the business’ potential will be significant. ● Progress against your plans and targets – this should be reviewed monthly at a high level with a deep dive into the performance of a different area of the business each fortnight. ● Operational efficiency of the business, including yourself – use the deep dives to work out behaviours and practices to replicate and reinforce, as well as areas of the business that need improvement. ● Prioritising your own workload – it is easy to get caught up by who shouts loudest. Take time to identify what is most important and ensure that it gets done.

↗

Making Thinking Time requires iron discipline.

Schedule Thinking Time blocks to lock yourself away with nothing but a pen and paper. These should only moved if there is a replacement space the same week. You are the driving force of the company and your primary responsibility is good

Things to think about

ALEX ARNOT is currently non-executive adviser to 35 recruitment companies.

NOVEMBER 2017

12/10/2017 14:22

Advertising Feature

The Great Migration Voyager Software talks to Chris Drake, Managing Director of Platinum 5HVRXUFHV DERXW KLV GHFLVLRQ WR PLJUDWH WR 9R\DJHU ,QÃ&#x20AC;QLW\

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Platinum Resources originally signed up to Voyagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy product, Professional in 2007 and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a valued customer ever since.

A decade on, Managing Director Chris Drake felt the need for a more advanced CRM system which would further EHQHÃ&#x20AC;W KLV EXVLQHVV DQG UHFUXLWPHQW SURFHVVHV $V D UHVXOW &KULV FKRVH ,QÃ&#x20AC;QLW\ 9R\DJHU·V QHZHU LQQRYDWLYH and more technologically advanced system. :H FDXJKW XS ZLWK &KULV DIWHU WKH ,QÃ&#x20AC;QLW\ PLJUDWLRQ WR Ã&#x20AC;QG out more.

Tell us about Platinum Resources Established in 2007, Platinum Resources is a specialist mid-to-senior level Accountancy & Financial Recruitment Consultancy servicing niche sectors through 5 core Practices; Construction, Energy, Infrastructure, Transport and Property.

We recruit throughout the UK and on an international basis for both Contract and Permanent appointments.

In recent years, how important has technology become to your business?

Very important indeed. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used Voyager Professional since our inception and with great success. However, we UHFHQWO\ LGHQWLÃ&#x20AC;HG WKH QHHG WR DGRSW D OHDGLQJ FXWWLQJ HGJH 5HFUXLWPHQW V\VWHP WR IXOO\ EHQHÃ&#x20AC;W IURP WKH UHFHQW technological advances within the sector, in order to improve our resourcing and matching capabilities and to speed up the processes required of an ethical, compliant recruitment business.

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REC.11.17.049.indd 49

â&#x20AC;¢ The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect from 25 May 2018 and it was important to us to Ã&#x20AC;QG D VXSSOLHU WKDW WDNHV WKHVH UXOHV VHULRXVO\ DQG ZLOO KHOS us become fully compliant with these new regulations.

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We have always experienced a very high level of Support from Voyager over the last decade. High quality and responsive support will enable us to maintain the very highest levels of service that we deliver to our Candidates and Clients.

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Chris Drake, Managing Director Platinum Resources Specialists in Accountancy & Financial Recruitment platinumresources.co.uk

0800 008 6262 sales@voyagersoftware.com voyagersoftware.com 7R Ã&#x20AC;QG RXW KRZ ,QÃ&#x20AC;QLW\ FDQ PDNH D UHDO GLIIHUHQFH WR \RXU EXVLQHVV contact Voyager Software today for a demo.

10/10/2017 17:02

E EMPLOYABILITY CO M M UNITY

POSITIVE ON AGE

BY COLIN COTTELL

T

he managing partner of an executive search firm launched earlier this year is on a mission that he believes addresses a serious injustice that both blights the lives of many candidates and results in employers missing out on valuable talent.

“What we are campaigning for is that age bias should be seen in the same way as race or gender bias. At the moment it is not at all,” says Duncan Keil, who launched Age Positive Executive Search, in partnership with CNA International Executive Search (part of the Pertemps Group Network) by buying a master franchise in March. “There needs to be a better understanding of the value of experience, and that someone in their 50s is not an old fuddy duddy, who doesn’t understand IT, can’t switch on their computer and is going to be wandering around the workplace not knowing what they are doing. It is absolute rubbish.”

Neither employers nor indeed recruitment companies come out well, according to Keil, with HR departments coming in for particular criticism.

“There is still a stigma attached to being older,” says Keil, with HR departments “typically classing people in their mid-50s and upwards as over the hill, and having a limited shelf life”.

“A lot of the HR sifting is a box-ticking exercise,” Keil continues, “and one of the boxes they don’t want to tick is somebody being over the age of 55.”

He contrasts the views of HR departments with those at board level, whose members “are quite happy in principle to take people that age”, although he adds “a lot of that is because they are of that age themselves”.

“What we are campaigning for is that age bias should be seen in the same way as race or gender bias” 42 RECRUITER

The government has recognised the problem; its Business Champion for Older Workers, Aviva UK Life CEO Andy Briggs, is calling for business to employ one million more older people (aged 50-69) by 2022, a 12% rise. Not only will this support older people who want to work, it will also be necessary to fill the expected skills gap of 7.5m between the number of jobs created and the number of younger workers expected to enter the UK workforce, he argues.

While some of the disparity between the employment rate of 63.6% for those aged 55-64 and 83.1% for those aged 25-54 is undoubtedly due to some older workers retiring, Keil says it accurately reflects the reality. He says the situation is particularly bad in industries such as IT, which he says “is seen as a young person’s industry”.

Missing out on talent While all might seem doom and gloom for this older generation, Keil is determined to push the message that by passing over this group, employers are missing out on a tremendous pool of talent. “We are not saying ‘Please employ these poor old people’, we are saying ‘these are serious quality people with fantastic experience and skills that will enhance your company’.” Keil cites his own father as a great example. After retiring from running a PR company in his early 60s, Keil says he took advantage of an opportunity to buy back the business with a former colleague, going on to sell it “for considerably more than they bought it”.

“He had an amazing life again in PR because he was able to bring his network, his maturity and his experience to bear on the industry,” says Keil. “We think people in their 50s and upwards have tremendous advantages,” he says, including “probably 30 years’ experience not just in business, but in common sense and problem solving”.

Keil says that as well as dangling the carrot of untapped talent in front of employers as a way of meeting their needs, the government needs to introduce an element of the stick. He points out: “There are guidelines in place that companies should reflect age diversity in their staff, but there is nothing to police that and there are no penalties if you don’t.”

NOVEMBER 2017

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12/10/2017 12:36

CO M M U N I T Y

EMPLOYABILITY

E

Optimism: Age Positive Executive Search believes more employers will look to widen their search for more experienced talent in the future

Reasons to be cheerful Although the picture looks bad for those over the age of 50, Keil strikes an optimistic note.

He believes the existing skills shortage will encourage employers to widen their search for talent beyond the usual groups. Brexit is only adding to this, says Keil, with construction, IT and life sciences especially badly affected.

Banking, with its constantly shifting regulation, is another area that could benefit from an influx of experienced talent.

Although CNA International Age Positive Executive Search focuses on people over the age of 50, Keil says all candidates are put forward on merit regardless of age. “We don’t go to companies and say ‘we will only present you with people who are over the age of 50 or over 55’. What we say is ‘we will find you the best people, but we have a large resource of people in this age group, and if we think one of them is the best person we will suggest that person’. The last thing we can afford to be is to be age-discriminatory, given that is what we are trying to fight against,” adds Keil.

When it comes to helping candidates over the age of 50, Keil says the company takes “a holistic approach. “It’s about trying to coach them that they need to organise themselves, and to realise this is going to take a certain amount of time, and that they need to build themselves up to do this.

“It’s not about sitting in front of a computer screen all day desperately looking for and applying for positions, but getting some exercise, networking and doing all the normal things to look after their health and happiness, because some of our candidates get terribly down about this.”

Keil recommends meditation and physical exercise as being particularly beneficial in helping candidates be “as positive and active as they can be” in both mind and body, something he says the eight staff working with Keil at Age Positive Executive Search are keen to promote. ●

I M AG E | SUP E R STO C K

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E CAREERS CO M M UNITY

“When I interviewed here I said I needed a team environment and it’s very much like that here. That’s why I love it” MY BRILLIANT RECRUITMENT CAREER What was your earliest dream job?

↗

A professional footballer.

What was your first job in recruitment and how did you come into it?

MADELENE WRIGHT, Tottenham Hotspur footballer and media/exhibitions resourcer at Ascension Global Recruitment

I did a business admin apprenticeship. There’s lot of sectors you can go into with business admin – recruitment was one of them. I went for an interview with Vision Recruit, really liked what I heard and have stayed in recruitment since then.

Madelene Wright

Who is your role model – in life or in recruitment?

In recruitment, it’s my manager Naomi Lane – just because of the way she is. She built up a very successful desk by herself. The relationship she has with her clients and candidates is very, very different to anything I’ve ever seen in recruitment before. In football – Toni Duggan. She plays for England.

What do you love most about your current role?

The people I work with. It feels like a family. When I interviewed here I said I needed a team environment.

I think that’s because when I play football, I’ve always had that team spirit inside of me and it’s 44 RECRUITER

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very much like that here. That’s why I love it.

What would you consider to be the most brilliant moment of your career?

I haven’t been in recruitment too long but it would be my first deal in events.

The offer I got for my first deal was within four weeks of working and I’m really, really good friends with the guy I placed. In football, I would say the day I signed for West Ham six years ago, because that’s when it all started becoming real for me.

What’s your top job to fill at the moment?

A head of marketing role for an events organiser.

What is your signature dish?

Red velvet cake.

Laugh or cry, what did your most memorable candidate make you want to do and why?

and after he heard about my football, he’s convinced he’s my agent now. He’s come up with a lot of questions he wants me to answer, he’s come up with branding and he’s come up with a profile for me. That makes me laugh a lot anytime I speak to him about it.

What’s the best or worst interview question you’ve ever heard?

“Who is your favourite philosopher and why?” It’s not necessarily a bad question. It’s a good question but it very much left my candidate on the spot. They were not expecting it at all.

What would you regard as your theme tune?

We have a song where every time we make a deal we get to play our own song in the office. Mine is called All About Me from The Bratz Movie.

I’ve got a current candidate IMAG ES IMAGE S | IISTO STO CK C K / SHUT T ERSTOCK / ALAM Y

12/10/2017 10:47

IN-HOUSE RECRUITMENT EXPO 2018 27–28 FEBRUARY OLYMPIA, LONDON

Don’t miss out.

Register for free entry at inhouserecruitment expo.com

THE NATIONAL EXHIBITION FOR IN-HOUSE RECRUITMENT PROFESSIONALS Kick start 2018 by visiting the In-House Recruitment Expo 2018 Visit In-House Recruitment Expo to: Network with your peers Understand best practice Learn about the latest trends and new developments Make new partnerships See live product demonstrations

Speakers sessions include: Seminars: 30 Minute sessions. Best practice sessions, be prepared to engage!

Masterclasses: 20 Minute sessions. Open to everyone.

No need to book, just arrive 5 minutes before the session begins.

For exhibiting or sponsorship contact: sales@inhouserecruitmentexpo.com

Seminar sessions have limited seating capacity to guarantee entry visit: inhouserecruitmentexpo.com

Supported by

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Media Partners

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

10/10/2017 17:05

E RECRUITMENT WWW. RE CRUITE R .CO.UK

View the latest jobs at jobs.recruiter.co.uk To place your advertisement E: kristiina.kruusma@redactive.co.uk or T: 020 7880 7621

Recruiter Jobs helping you to attract the best candidates for your vacancies.

Kristiina Kruusma kristiina.kruusma@redactive.co.uk +44 (0)20 7880 7621

Recruiter Jobs is the online recruitment site for Recruiter magazine, the principal magazine for recruiting and resourcing professionals. You can search through a wide range of roles; from recruitment consultants to in-house recruitment, based in both the UK and International markets.

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View the latest jobs at jobs.recruiter.co.uk To place your advertisement E: kristiina.kruusma@redactive.co.uk or T: 020 7880 7621

W WW. R E C RU I T E R .CO.U K

RECRUITMENT

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E CAREERS CO M M UNITY

Business process outsourcing and professional services company Capita has appointed Jonathan Lewis as its new CEO. Lewis’ most recent role was CEO of British multinational consultancy, engineering and project management firm Amec Foster Wheeler until its acquisition by John Wood Group.

Group finance director Nick Greatorex continues in his role at the business outsourcing provider as interim CEO until the end of November, ahead of Lewis taking up his position on 1 December. Greatorex took the interim CEO position following Andy Parker’s exit from the business on 15 September.

BOYDEN:

A1 RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS: The London and Bristol-based rec-to-rec and international healthcare specialist welcomes Suhail Mirza as chairman.

The global talent and leadership advisory firm welcomes Claire Lauder as partner in Boyden UK Interim Management and Francesca d’Arcangeli as management partner in Boyden UK.

CHERRY PROFESSIONAL: The East Midlands-based recruiter has promoted internal training manager Danielle Coleman to associate director.

COOPLE: The flexible jobs platform provider welcomes Christopher Bradford as chief technology officer.

EQUAL APPROACH: Tim Vye has joined the hospitality recruiter as chief operating officer.

The recruiter, diversity consultancy and training provider has appointed Sarah Sanders as inclusive talent manager.

AUDELISS:

FRANKLIN FITCH:

Jonathan Swain joins the executive search firm as managing director.

The IT infrastructure specialist recruitment consultancy has welcomed Alex Garst as a principal consultant in its Frankfurt team in Germany.

ADMIRAL RECRUITMENT:

BERRY RECRUITMENT: Stacey Bullock has been appointed as manager to lead Berry’s four-strong team in its Cardiff branch.

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welcomes Charles Evans as partner.

GCS: The technology staffing specialist has promoted David Bloxham from MD to CEO.

HARVEY NASH: The technology, finance, HR, interim and digital staffing specialist welcomes Simon Drake as MD of leadership services in the UK.

HOLMES NOBLE: Donna Chapman joins the executive search and interim firm as CEO.

EZEK:

INVESTIGO:

The executive search firm

Nick Baxter has been

appointed CEO of the multi-sector recruiter.

Baxter succeeds Gary Watson, who becomes deputy chairman.

JC METALWORKS: The precision metal manufacturer welcomes Nicola Taylor as HR manager.

JXT: The cloud-based recruitment marketing solutions provider promotes Jorge Albinagorta to COO from director of innovation and strategy.

Christina Knock also joins as digital marketing and

Email people moves for use online and in print, including a short 12/10/2017 14:47

communications manager.

MCGREGOR BOYALL: Kate Sweeney has joined the global recruiter’s Edinburgh team to head up its contract IT and change desk.

NORMAN BROADBENT: The talent acquisition and advisory services provider has appointed William Gerrand as chief financial officer.

THE CURVE GROUP: Miles McLeod joins the recruitment outsourcing and HR services company as head of client solutions.

Redactive Publishing Ltd 78 Chamber Street, London E1 8BL 020 7880 6200

CONTACTS

THE FREELANCER & CONTRACTOR SERVICES ASSOCIATION (FCSA): The independent trade body whose members provide professional support services to freelancers and contractors, has appointed Paul Gough as its new chairman. Gough succeeds David Mount, who has served as chair for the last 18 months..

EDITORIAL +44 (0)20 7880 7606 Editor DeeDee Doke deedee.doke@recruiter.co.uk

Reporters Colin Cottell, Graham Simons

kristiina.kruusma@redactive.co.uk

colin.cottell@recruiter.co.uk graham.simons@recruiter.co.uk

PRODUCTION +44 (0)20 7880 6209 Production executive Rachel Young

Contributing writer Sue Weekes Production editor Vanessa Townsend vanessa.townsend@recruiter.co.uk

ZRG PARTNERS:

PEDERSEN & PARTNERS: Keith Labbett has joined the international executive search firm’s Toronto team as country manager for Canada.

Dr Gabriele Ghini joins the USheadquartered search firm as a member of its industrial and life sciences practice in its new offices in Milan, Italy. Vaughan Marecki joins as MD and member of the firm’s global insurance practice.

A selection of vacancies from recruiter.co.uk

The supply teacher agency welcomes Romilly Wakeling as operations director.

RK GROUP: Gavin Dixon joins the accountancy and finance staffing specialist recruiter as manager of its Yorkshire and North-East operation.

Recruiter Republic Freelance Creative Desk London £30k-£40k + comm + bens Leisure People Freelance Recruiters London £50% of everything you bill Strongfield Aviation Senior Recruitment Consultant Engineering/Manufacturing London, Wembley £Negotiable basic with capped commission

THE BARTON PARTNERSHIP: The specialist executive recruitment firm has appointed Victoria Montagu as vice president in New York

ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7880 6213 Senior sales account manager Matthew Brading matthew.brading@redactive.co.uk

+44 (0)20 7324 2762 Senior sales executive Will Hunter

PUBLISHING +44 (0)20 7880 8547 Publishing director Aaron Nicholls aaron.nicholls@redactive.co.uk

RECRUITER AWARDS/ INVESTING IN TALENT AWARDS +44 (0)20 7324 2771 Events eventsteam@redactive.co.uk

CIRCULATION and SUBSCRIPTIONS Recruiter is the leading magazine for recruitment and resourcing professionals. To ensure each issue of Recruiter magazine is delivered to your desk or door, subscribe now at https://subs. recruiter.co.uk/subscribe. Annual subscription rate for 12 issues: £35 UK; £45 Europe and £50 Rest of the world • Recruiter is also available to people who meet our terms of control: http://bit. ly/RecruiterCC • To purchase reprints or multiple copies, or any other enquiries, please contact mysidekick@recruiter.co.uk or +44 (0)20 8950 9117 CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions are invited, but when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Articles should be emailed. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during delivery, transmission or in the editor’s hands. © 2017 Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. This publication (and any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format (including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet) or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of Redactive Media Group.

Redactive Media Group accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. The publishers cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non-publication of any advertisement for any reason whatsoever. ISSN 1475-7478

Total average net circulation between 1 July 2014 & 30 June 2015 – 18,667. is also sent to all REC members

For more jobs, people moves and career advice go to ● recruiter.co.uk/jobs ● inhouserecruiterjobs.co.uk ● internationalrecruiterjobs.com

biography, to recruiter.editorial@redactive.co.uk P56-57 Movers and shakersxxxx.indd 57

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PK EDUCATION:

RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING +44 (0)20 7880 7621 Recruitment sales executive Kristiina Kruusma

Scan here to get your own copy of

12/10/2017 14:47

E THE LAST WORD CO M M UNITY

Gregory Allen Sharing my experiences to develop future talent

It’s quite rare that I get to speak to a cold-calling recruiter; however, I do like to take a call every now and then. It keeps me connected to the talent in our community, servicing the global recruiters of tomorrow.

I have often danced on a call with someone who knows nothing about who my company is and what my company, Lloyd’s Register, does: there are myriad Lloyd’s and Lloydses – Lloyds Bank, Lloyd’s of London, LloydsPharmacy – all very different companies.

We had an enthusiastic consultant once put great effort in to a presentation he wanted to walk through – every page adorned with a black horse and featuring discussions about the financial market and banking.

In the days when I was on the agency side, we had filing cabinets full of company brochures. So when searching for new business on a cold call, it was acceptable to get some details wrong.

Unlike today there were no computers, no career websites, no Glassdoor or social media with which to gain real understanding of

who you would be talking to and what that company did.

So why are today’s cold calls so blind? Especially when tools, such as LinkedIn, can give you great personal and commercial insights.

Recently, though, an amazing thing happened. I received a call from a person who knew who I was, who I was connected with and how, what my company did – and said it with such enthusiasm and energy, I spent some time on the call talking to this person, one Ashley Andrews.

As leaders in our recruitment community, we need to observe and review talent coming up through the ranks to become the future of talent acquisition and, ultimately, to take our places.

Most of my best in-house recruiters started agency side; some of my best consultants blossomed in good agencies.

As recruitment leaders, we should be seeding, developing and encouraging people to

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see a long-term career in the industry – either agency side or in-house. Recently some of my peers in other companies, including Sage’s Isabelle Hung and I, worked together on how we might mentor talent within our industry.

We understood a considerable amount of what we do must be learnt on the job, so we need to start sharing what we know to encourage this succession. For instance, it was opening offices in Korea, China and India that gave me insight and experience of different cultures and legislation. Now I share my lessons learnt with people interested in developing their own knowledge.

With this in mind, I asked

We need to observe and review talent coming up through the ranks

GREGORY ALLEN is global head of resourcing at Lloyd’s Register

Ashley to come and see me.

In one hour I knew this keen, motivated and excited recruiter was very much what this industry is about. He has gaps in his learning and knowledge, which he openly admitted. So I am going to spend a few hours a quarter with him. I will update you on the progress in his development and experiences as a recruiter, me as a mentor and I hope in two years we can write up what Ashley is doing next. First step: right to work and employment law, just so he can demonstrate the benefits of his services to both managers and HR. Excited about this journey. ●

12/10/2017 10:47

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10/10/2017 17:08

SNARE MORE TALENT WITH MONSTER’S NEW TRAP. SORRY, APP.

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10/10/2017 17:10