High productivity is a key trait of all great recruiters. In the last few months, a report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggested the UK would need to significantly lower its estimate for the productivity of UK workers. The UK has the lowest productivity among G7 nations, and most recently data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) suggests we have shifted to less productive work.
Recent reports from the ONS are more positive stating that the UK has seen the strongest two quarters of productivity growth since the recession of 2008. There was also a better than expected rise in wages. Excluding bonuses, earnings rose by 2.5% year-on-year.
The recruitment sector in the UK is one of the most sophisticated, mature and competitive markets in the world. All recruitment life is here: executive search, interim appointments, advertised selection, contingency appointments, general and professional staffing, assessment centres, RPOs, MSPs - and of course, the in-house resourcing functions. As a result, the market is not immune to the economy’s ‘productivity challenge’.
As companies and the government invest in better technology and skills, each worker could produce more goods or services per hour, bringing in more revenue to their employers - and as a result, each worker could be paid more per hour. We spoke to Peter Livingstone, Director at Redline Group about Redline’s understanding of how people work together and what impact that has on the company’s operational performance and ‘productiveness’.
“Many of Redline’s leaders and managers were technology recruiters throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s” says Greg. “In the 1980’s, there were no computerised CRM systems, email, mobile phones or LinkedIn. Ironically, manual systems meant that it was easier to know and remember candidates. All phone contact was on landlines, which necessitated speaking to candidates at lunchtimes, during the evenings and often at weekends. Work-flow was generally high and staff worked long hours as they were busy and it was very rewarding.”
“However, the recruitment industry is not renowned for its ability to accommodate and encourage a work - life balance. If anything, most of the time, recruitment has the reputation of being exactly the opposite.”
“Recruiting the best staff is always top priority for us as an employer. Growing by more than 60% in the last two years, Redline moved from its HQ from the former town-centre location to The Village Butterfield, a high-quality campus-style office space development to meet ever-growing client and candidate demands. The open office of over 60 staff, combining consultants, managers and directors working on one floor really promotes productivity.”
Redline’s message is simple: in order to improve productivity and the company’s strategy to grow from its existing 60 employees to 85+ by 2020, we continue to explore new ways of working, which not only holds true to our team-based work environment, but also achieves high levels of employee engagement.
“We understand more about the mind of our consultants now more than ever before – how it works, what motivates them, what make them happy, and what them to achieve. The changes we have seen in the workplace as a result of this valuable knowledge are key. We have a diverse work force. We don’t just employ people from different backgrounds, we also create an environment which is inclusive where everyone feels welcome and is able to contribute their best.”
Peter continues, “Our six-monthly Sales Conference invites the top performing Consultants and Managers from Redline’s 60-strong team to step back from the hustle of managing multiple recruitment projects , to review and analyse the last 6 months’ performance, and seek new ways to identify, attract and deliver the best technology talent to the high-tech and engineering sectors. The goal is to share experiences, feedback, ideas, challenges and new concepts, all aimed at further improving individuals and their team’s quality and service to both Clients and Candidates.”
“We have many events to positively engage staff. Our monthly Breakfast Club organised by Graham Cross has been great in getting all our staff together. We have been go karting, played football, had rounder’s matches and much more. These bonding experiences have improved employee morale, which has led to our employees being more engaged and productive.”
Redline has undertaken research into candidate offer to acceptance rations for many years. For a copy of our most recent research on the Offer Vs Declination Analysis, please click here.
For more information regarding how we can help your business, please contact Redline Group on 01582 450054 or email info@RedlineGroup.com
For more information on joining Redline, please visit Work for us here.