Recruitment Matters - July 2016

Issue 39 JULY 2016

RECRUITMENT MATTERS The View and The Intelligence

Member of the Month

Ciett World Employment Conference p2-3

f1 Recruitment

p4

Legal update and the IRP

Events and Training

Dress code and business partner

Qualifications and 2016 IRP Awards

p6-7

FLEXIBILITY KEY FOR AGENCY TEACHERS SAYS REC SURVEY Flexibility is the biggest reason teachers work with recruitment agencies, according to an REC survey.

A survey of 68 REC Education member agencies found 90% of teachers on their books choose to work with agencies because they enjoy flexibility.

The results also show three-quarters of agencies say supply teachers choose agency work because of family commitments, in line with a survey produced by the National Union of Teachers last year.

REC head of policy Kate Shoesmith says the results show recruitment agencies play a vital role within schools.

“The education sector is

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facing huge staffing challenges due to a shortage of teachers.

Supply teachers play a vital role in helping schools meet their obligations, and the recruiters that help schools find the staff they need are also providing a valuable service,” she says.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure that schools understand exactly what they should expect from a good quality, compliant agency – for instance, early in 2014 we published a free guide for all schools called ‘Putting Pupils First’. The REC and its members stand ready to work with schools, supply teachers, unions and other stakeholders to ensure that supply teachers’ rights are

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recommends that only accredited umbrella organisations are used – such as those who are members of the FCSA. If a supply teacher has any concerns about the use of umbrella companies by an REC member, they can report that agency to the REC and it will investigate.

More information about the survey can be found by visiting http://4ui.us/ RECEduSurvey

understood and that teachers are treated fairly.”

Three quarters of REC Education members said they pay supply teachers through an umbrella company. But in talking to members, Shoesmith says it is because supply teachers gain assignments through multiple agencies and they have a preferred umbrella which they request to use.

She says the REC

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Leading the Industry

THE VIEW

Global talent was on the menu in New Delhi, says Tom Hadley, REC director of policy and professional services

Let’s keep talking ourselves up, says Kevin Green, REC chief executive

As I travel around the UK talking to recruiters, I sense that how we think and talk about our profession is at last changing. We are starting to talk up our industry and the value we create for UK Plc, businesses and individuals instead of always highlighting our weaknesses in public.

This is great news. No longer will we see recruitment leaders talking about the industry being full of cowboys and rouges. The reason this is such good news is that the perception is not just confined to those poor recruiters – it influences how clients, candidates and government think about us all.

Recruitment’s reputation was at risk if we continued to talk down the great industry that provides us all with a good living.

We still have a few bad apples, but the REC is driving them out of membership and making it harder for them to survive.

The REC is educating employers with the support of other business bodies with our Good Recruitment Campaign.

We now have more than 110 large organisations signed up. These companies employ more than 1.1m people. But to get this to the next level, we need your help by promoting it to your clients. You just need to tell us how we can help you.

We want to attract 25,000

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TALKING PERCEPTIONS AT THE TAJ PALACE HOTEL new people into our industry in the next few years to help us cope with market growth of 22.1%. This means we also need your help in getting into schools, colleges and universities to provide practical advice to young people, but at the same time advertising how good a career in recruitment can be.

Here is a link to the youth employment charter – rec. uk.com/youthcharter. Just sign up and we will put you in touch with local education establishments. We also need more of you to take on an apprentice and train young people to REC standards.

To find out more about this exciting programme, go to this link – rec-irp.uk.com/ apprenticeships.

If we talk up our industry, educate clients more effectively and promote recruitment as a career of choice, then we will be creating a market that’s good for us all.

If there is anything the REC can do to help your business, just let me know at kevin. green@rec.uk.com and don’t forget to follow me on twitter @kevingreenrec If you want to keep abreast of all that’s new about employment and recruitment why not follow me on twitter at @kevingreenrec

Which emerging markets will go into overdrive over the coming years and how might seismic changes to the world of work impact recruitment professionals? These were just some of the hot topics at last month’s 2016 Ciett World Employment Conference as industry leaders from over 35 countries came together to discuss new dawns in New Delhi.

Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) data shows that the global staffing market grew 5% in 2015. But there are significant regulatory challenges in countries such as South Africa, Japan and Germany, and some markets (Canada, for example) have been hit by falling oil prices. At the same time, there are huge growth opportunities in emerging markets, with national federations starting to make a real difference in Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, India and Thailand.

So what does the new dawn look like? One priority is to continue challenging negative perceptions. Ciett data shows that the global industry provided 71.9m workers with access to the labour market. That’s worth shouting about! The industry also provides development opportunities, with 4.9m agency workers receiving training last year. Using data and positive stories will help to demonstrate the benefits of a dynamic recruitment market. It was encouraging to hear representatives from the Indian Ministry of Labour recognise that “to create more jobs, we need more flexible contracts”, and Ashok Reddy, co-founder of Teamlease, underlined the key point that in emerging markets like India, “the debate should not be about temporary versus permanent jobs, but about declared versus undeclared work”.

Growth and perception change will also depend on our ability to attract and develop great people. 1.6m people are currently working in the industry worldwide and national federations have a key role to play by ramping up qualifications and training. Indian Staffing Federation president Rituparna Chakraborty issued the following rallying call: “We want to take jobs to every nook and cranny of this country.”

This aspiration resonates across the whole of our industry. The message from New Delhi is that we want to take jobs to every nook and cranny of this planet.

You can follow Tom on Twitterr @hadleyscomment ment

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THE INTELLIGENCE DIANA BEECH, REC SENIOR RESEARCHER, ALLAYS FEARS AND EXPLAINS WHY IT’S TIME FOR RECRUITERS TO INVEST IN TRAINING As the exam season swiftly draws to a close, it won’t be long before that ‘back to school’ feeling hits again.

Without wanting to wish the summer away though, it’s wise you use the time between now and September to consider whether you have everything you need to be the best in the UK recruitment industry.

Recruitment is a performancerelated career. This means the more experience you have and the more qualified you are, the higher the rewards you can reap. REC research

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into the basic salaries of recruiters (ie. before tax and National Insurance, and excluding commission) reveals close links between industry pay levels and performance.

Last year, the average basic salary of a recruiter working in the industry for five years or less was £22.9k. Yet for a recruiter who has worked in the industry for 6-15 years, the average basic salary was £33.96k – that’s 48% higher!

What’s more, the average basic salary for those who have been in the industry for 16 years or more was £41.14k, representing a further 21% increase. The incentives to remain in recruitment are clear for all to see.

To make it in the industry, however, you can’t afford to become complacent. It is essential to stay ‘on top of your game’ and continually develop your sales and recruitment knowledge. The REC prides

48% LAST YEAR, THE AVERAGE BASIC SALARY OF A RECRUITER WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY FOR 5 YEARS OR LESS WAS £22.9K. YET, FOR A RECRUITER WHO HAS WORKED IN THE INDUSTRY FOR 6-15 YEARS THE AVERAGE BASIC SALARY WAS £33.96K – THAT’S 48% HIGHER!

itself on offering some of the most respected and widely recognised recruitmentspecific qualifications through the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP). Attending our courses and gaining a professional qualification is a sure-fire way to help you progress and unlock the rewards of a fulfilling career in recruitment.

Striving for career progression is human nature.

A SURVEY OF UK JOBSEEKERS CONDUCTED

BY CAREERBUILDER IN 2015 REVEALED THAT

58%

OF RESPONDENTS WERE LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB TO GET A HIGHER BASE SALARY,

28%

WERE LOOKING FOR BETTER ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

A survey of UK jobseekers conducted by Careerbuilder in 2015 revealed that 58% of respondents were looking for a new job to get a higher base salary, 28% were looking for better advancement opportunities, and 26% were seeking better skills growth potential. IRP training can help you get all of these things, by providing practical and authoritative learning that will add value, not just to the service you provide to your clients and candidates, but also to your own career trajectory and basic salary level.

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Member of the Month

F1 RECRUITMENT Amanda Fone is the founder and CEO of f1 Recruitment, which specialises in marketing, communications and sponsorship. She tells Recruitment Matters why diversity forms a cornerstone of her business

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Recruitment Matters: How did you get your start in recruitment?

Amanda Fone: I started running a temp desk at 18 for Angela Mortimer – I was the youngest person in the office by about 10 years. Working with temps taught me the importance of speed, accuracy and getting things over the line.

RM: What spurred you to start your own business?

AF: When I was at Angela Mortimer, I set up a little business called Mediad and was given a chance to run a P&L at 21 and became a director by 25. That entrepreneurial spirit has always been there. I don’t think I make a good employee; I kick the tyres all the time. I come from a very entrepreneurial family – none of my siblings are employed, we all run our own businesses.

Setting up on my own wasn’t daunting because I’ve always been hands on and I’ve always been in front of

clients and candidates. The day you stop doing that, you lose touch with the market.

RM: So you’re always leading from the front?

AF: Absolutely. I’ve always interviewed between six and seven people a week, so my networking is enormous now.

Being independent was the natural step. I’ve always known that I could go out there and place people – I’m very good at what I do and I love helping people and businesses grow.

That’s the essence of what we do at f1. We’re solution finders.

RM: How important is flexibility to f1’s success?

AF: I don’t believe people need to be in the office every day of the week to do a good job. Our top fee earner is based in Torquay and I only ever come into London three days a week. My consultants have been able to work from anywhere in the world for the past 12 years. We’re working with clients from New Zealand and that wouldn’t work if our consultant wasn’t able to work from home, given the 11 hour time difference. You have to be able to communicate outside of office hours.

RM: That sounds like a real commitment to service.

AF: I’ve always trained my staff from an early age that in life you need people who can help you. You need a lawyer friend, a finance friend, a good doctor and someone who can help you with your career, so when you go for that salary

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review or appraisal you’ve got someone who knows the market and can give you friendly advice. The result of that is very strong candidate and client retention.

RM: Can you tell me about f1’s diversity push?

AF: The challenge we have is that you find yourself fishing in the same pool of talent.

Rather than saying diversity isn’t our problem, we say “It bloody well is our problem”.

I’m about to set up an initiative called #BAME2020, where we want 20% of candidates coming from a Black, Asian, Minority or Ethnic background by 2020. We’re also doing a lot of work in helping women who’ve been out of work for five or more years break back into work – I recently spoke at the House of Commons Select Group about the pay gap for women over 40. I like getting dirty and under the skin of talent, because we know diverse teams are better teams.

RM: What expectations do you have for your consultants?

AF: You have to be industry experts. We can teach you to be great at recruitment, but you really need to get into the belly of the marketing and communications sector. HR reps and CEOs want you to have an opinion – and f1 has an opinion. People don’t come to us if they didn’t want to be challenged in a face-to-face interview. A client wouldn’t come to us if we didn’t challenge and advise them.

RM: How do you see yourself?

AF: Recruitment is such a cluttered marketplace, but we’re good at what we do and we understand the talent market. We think about things differently. To be honest, we have never been in such demand – not just from clients but from in-house recruiters too. They’re not as connected to the market as we are, so we form part of the in-house pipeline and strategy.

It’s about having a mature relationship with everyone and understanding that while the economy will change and be disturbed, relationships can stay constant.

RM: Where does the future lie for f1?

AF: We’re working hard to stay relevant to the under 30s age group. They consume information in different ways and they’re used to being approached. With that in mind, we’re setting up something called f1 Connect. It’s about connecting with that group in a smarter, more progressive and more bite-sized way. We plan to get a group of them in and ask what they want from their careers. They’re a group that’s always on the go, and what I’m desperate to avoid is boo-booing stickability.

RM: What do you mean by that?

AF: The truth is that businesses who employ full-time people still like to see sticky CVs. Loyalty to employers has not changed, it’s still expected and it’s very difficult to get someone onto a short list if they’ve jumped around. That’s something I’d like to impress upon that group.

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Legal update

DRESS CODES – DO I LOOK GOOD IN THIS?

By Lewina Farrell, solicitor and head of professional services at the REC ‘Heelgate’, the story about a worker who was sent home from assignment because she refused to wear high heels, was one of the more interesting employment law discussions in May. It started a very public discussion about what is and is not acceptable in a dress code.

Many businesses want to portray a particular corporate image, which can mean imposing restrictions or requirements on what workers wear. Specific requirements may also be imposed for health & safety reasons (and these will be given more weight than corporate image).

Dress codes will include both clothing and footwear, but can also extend to jewellery, hair length or style, beards, tattoos and body piercings.

A business has wide discretion about the dress code it imposes. But it should

ensure that its dress code does not directly or indirectly discriminate against any worker on the grounds of one of the nine protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010. Attention should be paid to sex, gender reassignment, religious, race and disability issues. EHRC has published a Statutory Code of Practice on Employment – which includes a section on dress codes – to assist employers.

Rules about appearance will not be discriminatory simply because they impose different restrictions or requirements on men and women, provided they are of a common standard of smartness or conventionality, with neither gender treated unfavourably.

What is conventional will vary across time as fashions change, but will also vary according to the sector worked in.

The key question is what are the business reasons for imposing the particular restriction or requirement?

Can the business’s aims be achieved irrespective of its dress code or by alternative means? Should the restriction or requirement apply to all workers or can it apply only to customer-facing roles?

Will the requirement create a health & safety issue?

Certainly wearing high heels can cause a number of health issues, and so a business requiring them could find the requirement exacerbates an existing health problem or leads to a new one over time.

Recruitment businesses should be aware of a client’s dress code – they will not want a temp’s assignment to be terminated because s/he doesn’t comply with it. Nor will they want a talented candidate to be rejected because s/he does not conform to the

client’s preferred image.

But recruitment businesses are in a unique position to help their clients find the best person for the job and to help diversify workforces. That could include challenging a client’s specific dress code. If a client cannot demonstrate that its dress code reflects legitimate business needs or health & safety requirement, then it could be found to discriminate if it refuses to engage someone with braids or who wishes to wear a piece of jewellery which demonstrates their religious faith.

Even if there is no discrimination claim, the business will wish to avoid its reputation being discussed on social media. An employment business will not wish to be dragged into either of these scenarios.

So, ask questions, push back if necessary but always put forward the best candidate.

BUSINESS PARTNER: DEBENHAMS OTTAWAY Summer temp workers: are your contracts in order?

It is that busy time of year again where there is often an influx of temporary workers over the summer months.

Now is the ideal time to check that your contracts are in order to avoid the temptation to rush them.

The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (the Regulations) govern the conduct of employment agencies and businesses, and

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unless you have opted out of them, you will need to ensure that your contracts comply with them.

If you have not opted out of the Regulations (or you are not permitted to), you should think about whether you need to re-work your template contracts in accordance with Regulations 18 and 21 in particular, to ensure that they have not been overlooked.

Regulation 18 refers to the ‘information required to be obtained from a hirer’; you must have obtained the following information from

your client before selecting a suitable temporary worker • Identity and nature of their business • Fate and duration of the work • Position available, including type of work, location, hours, health and safety risks known and steps they have taken to prevent/ control such risks • Necessary experience, training, qualifications and authorisation required • Expenses payable • Minimum rate of remuneration offered,

intervals of payment and length of notice they will give to and receive from the temporary worker.

One approach to ensure you have all the required information from your client would be to flag it up at the front of your contracts Debenhams Ottaway is an REC legal business partner.

We advise recruitment agencies of all shapes and sizes across the UK. For more information or advice please contact: Michael Kerrigan, Lawyer Debenhams Ottaway

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Inspiration

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE INSTITUTE OF RECRUITMENT PROFESSIONALS

The View

Andy Brack is a director at Evolution ution Recruitment

Kate Allen is the managing director off Allen Associates

WHAT I KNOW

Q&A

A great year so far Evolution Recruitment Solutions was the first company in the world to be accredited Investors in People Platinum, which is a great achievement as you set the standard globally for IIP. We also won Best IT Recruitment Agency at this year’s Recruiter Awards. On top of that we had a record Q1, and even though Q2 has been flat for permanent placements, it’s still been a good 2016 for us.

The market is still buoyant, but thoughts of Europe are there I’ve worked in recruitment for more than 20 years and the last two years have been as good as I can remember. Permanent jobs may have flattened off but things are still exceptionally busy. We’re seeing a lot of candidate mobility from Southern and Eastern Europe into the UK and it will be interesting to see how the Brexit referendum effects this.

Two essential tools There are only two tools any individual needs to be successful: attitude and aptitude. If you have the right attitude and work hard, your skills will improve and so will your results. If you believe you can do it you will, if you don’t you won’t. It’s not rocket science.

Expertise is vital It’s important you specialise and have an opinion about the sector you work in. Fundamentally, clients and candidates work with recruiters for expert advice. Being an expert differentiates great recruiters from good recruiters. Changing jobs is one of the most important things a person does and when you place a candidate in the right job it makes their career and can transform their life. I think the service we provide makes a big difference.

What areas of recruitment do you work in?

We specialise in permanent, contract, temporary and interim roles at all levels in marketing, PA, administration, human resources and finance within Oxfordshire. Allen Associates launched an Executive Division in April 2016 dedicated to board level and senior management roles.

How has 2016 been for you so far?

We have had a phenomenal start to the year. Permanent sales are particularly strong and are exceeding the ambitious targets we set at the beginning of the year. We have also seen a sharp rise in temp to perm placements in the last two quarters.

What are you noticing about the market?

Oxfordshire has a very buoyant employment market with two universities, strong bio, pharma and technology clusters and huge government investment into infrastructure projects. We also have a thriving community of SMEs, many of which are university spin-outs. Although there is some nervousness around the EU referendum, this is not reflected in our figures, which show exceptionally strong perm sales at a time when these have flattened in other parts of the UK (according to the latest REC Report on Jobs). Our temp figures remain steady.

What is the most important tool in a recruiter’s toolkit?

The best CRM system you can afford.

What is one thing all recruiters should know?

I’m increasingly interested in the use of technology and social media to improve candidate engagement. We have made a massive investment in both these areas over the past 18 months. I feel that this sets us apart from many of our competitors and enables us to engage with our clients and candidates in a way which wasn’t possible previously.

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

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Events and training

QUALIFICATIONS

TOP STUDENT TALKS CERTIFICATE IN RECRUITMENT PRACTICE Jordan O’Neill is a permanent consultant at Rullion Engineering and was the top student in a recent Level 3 Certificate in Recruitment Practice examination. He tells Recruitment Matters about the course Recruitment Matters: How did you get into recruitment?

Jordan O’Neill: I had been looking to start a career and a friend recommended I use the soft skills I have in engineering to look into a career in recruitment. I started the move into permanent recruitment at Rullion in 2014.

RM: Why did you enrol for the Certificate of Recruitment Practice?

JON: The certificate is something Rullion is really big on. July marks my third year in recruitment and the certificate was the next logical step. When you take the certificate you uncover more of the technical aspect of the job, from different modes for assessing candidate to legal and compliance issues. The certificate gives you the option to look at the market as a wider whole.

ENTRIES OPEN FOR THE 2016 IRP AWARDS

RM: Are you using the skills you picked up from the course in your day-to-day work?

JON: Yeah, I am, particularly when assessing candidates. There are things the certificate has helped sharpen up, like sales techniques and face-toface meetings. It’s also been really useful for advising clients about legal and management issues. Having that kind of knowledge definitely brings something extra to the table.

RM: Would you recommend the course?

JON: I certainly would. It gives recruiters insight into areas they wouldn’t think about and gives you that grounding you need to take your career forward.

The REC’s Institute of Recruitment Professionals Awards (IRP Awards) see the recruitment industry come together for one prestigious night to celebrate professional excellence, best practice and the inspirational work carried out by the brightest and best stars.

An IRP Award is the highest accolade an individual or company can receive in the recruitment industry, and is unique in raising awareness of the positive role models whose exceptional work, and candidate and client care, sets the bar for all recruitment professionals and businesses to aspire to.

The IRP Awards are the only recruitment sector awards hosted and awarded by the REC to recognise the very best individuals and companies within our industry. Recognising achievement across all levels and different disciplines, the awards are a true reflection of the UK’s recruitment talent.

Download your free entry pack now at www.irpawards.co.uk

RECRUITMENT MATTERS

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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

© 2016 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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