Category Archives: HR Consulting

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Hays Reveals Research Into Why Small Businesses Lose Talented Employees

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Hays, a leading recruitment expert, has announced that, according to its latest survey, small businesses may be losing out on the most talented employees due to concerns among jobseekers around pay and benefits.

The results show that almost half (49 per cent) of those surveyed believe salaries are not as competitive within small companies as they are at larger organisations, and over half (55 per cent) believe smaller businesses are not able to offer as many benefits.

Despite almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of people reporting a positive experience of working in smaller businesses, the survey found that a quarter (25 per cent) would prefer to work for a larger organisation. Over half (52 per cent) expressed concerns about the stability of smaller organisations.

However, respondents felt that job satisfaction and interesting work can be found in any sized organisation. In addition, a number of positive factors about working for smaller businesses were also identified, such as the idea that they offer a more hands-on approach (88 per cent), greater responsibility (83 per cent) and a greater understanding of the business as a whole (83 per cent). The chance to work more closely with senior staff (88 per cent) was also seen as a benefit of small businesses. Respondents also identified recognition from senior managers as another potential draw.

Charles Logan, director at Hays, commented: “In the current turbulent job market it’s no surprise that workers are looking for job security. But we also know that career development is very important to most professionals and this plays a key part in their decision to leave an organisation and accept a new role. To attract the skilled and talented individuals that are needed to remain competitive, small businesses need to combat some of the stereotypes and ensure professionals are aware of the advantages they can offer workers looking to move their careers on.

“If they cannot compete with larger salaries or more expensive benefit schemes, they can often provide more interesting and varied work and the chance for people to work with senior people. It is these benefits that they need to sell to professionals.”

Logan continued: “Benefits need to be finely tuned to the needs of workers in smaller businesses. To counter worries about stability, smaller employers need to clearly communicate to potential recruits where their business is heading and the opportunities for future growth.”

Via EPR Network
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Edenred Announce Christmas Selection 2011

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Employee benefits company Edenred has recently announced its new and improved line of Christmas reward products for 2011, which are guaranteed to be a hit with employers and employees alike.

Choosing the right gift for staff at Christmas can often prove to be a daunting task, as there are so many different options to choose from and so many people to choose a gift for. So this year, Edenred has tried to help its clients by framing its Christmas Reward options in a simple selection box. Now, customers can discover the options that are available, make their selection and enjoy their reward.

Edenred has included many of its most popular gift choices in the Christmas Reward selection, such as capital bonds, compliments cards, store gift vouchers, experience cards, total reward statements, wine and dine vouchers and Christmas hampers.

Andy Philpott, Marketing Director of Edenred said: “At Edenred we understand that, sometimes, the difficulty in selecting the right reward can be down to having too much choice. To tackle that, we’ve launched our great new reward platform, called Compliments Select, which will allow our customers to let their employees and clients choose their own Christmas gift.

“We’re really excited about Compliments Select and we’re confident that it will let our customers give their employees exactly what they want. It can allow you to issue almost any kind of reward to any recipient in any location instantly, so Compliments Select lets you give a reward to all your employees, channel partners and customers using a single online platform, all at the click of a button.”

Employees will be able to go online and redeem their reward by browsing the many options available to them and selecting exactly what they want. Compliments Select will deliver ease and convenience to Edenred customers and choice and value for employees, as well as improved performance and ROI for organisations, making it the ultimate reward.

If current or prospective customers of Edenred do face any difficulties in choosing the ideal gift, Edenred has a trained team of advisors available to help customers decide between the different options available. And, having chosen a reward product, customers will also be able to take advantage of the support that Edenred can offer when implementing incentives and rewards and employee benefits to ensure they deliver maximum ROI, whichever option is selected.

Via EPR Network
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Nicoll Curtin Recruitment Grows Its European Division

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Nicoll Curtin, the IT recruitment agency, has grown its European Division in response to strong demand for skilled professionals to fill a range of IT jobs for clients throughout the region, in particular its core market, Switzerland.

Since the company incorporated in Switzerland and received its Cantonal and Federal licences, Nicoll Curtin’s European Division has focused on growing both new and existing business channels. Traditionally strong in the IT contract jobs arena, the company is now expanding into recruiting for permanent roles in its core investment banking and financial services sectors, predominantly for IT jobs in Zurich and Geneva.

The company has also brought on board a number of new clients in the Commercial sector, with a focus on the pharmaceutical industry; new clients include Novartis, Tecan and Swisscom.

To ensure the team is able to fully service the requirements of these new clients, Nicoll Curtin has taken on two additional bilingual recruiters. Fahad Ansari, Head of the European Division, said:-

‘Despite the economic situation, our experience is that demand is still strong in Europe, and particularly in Switzerland, for skilled technologists across banking, financial services and other private sector industries. We are working on a wide range of roles across the IT spectrum, including development jobs, business analyst jobs, infrastructure jobs and project management roles at all levels. This is the first phase in our growth strategy, and we will be making further additions to the team as we continue to grow both our permanent and Commercial offerings.’

Established in 1999, Nicoll Curtin recruitment specialises in sourcing high calibre candidates for IT contract jobs and permanent IT roles in the banking, financial services and commercial sectors. The company’s clients include a range of market leading global organisations in the UK, Europe and Singapore.

The European Division operates in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Via EPR Network
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Agility UK Opens New Office In Sheffield

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Agility UK, the health and safety and employment law specialists, have opened a new office and training venue on Broad Street, Sheffield.

The new office will serve as a health and safety training and employment law training venue for businesses in and around the local area. It will be staffed by specialists in the field who will aim to provide comprehensive advice, support and training courses to clients in and around Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region.

The opening of a Sheffield branch affords Agility UK further scope to expand its existing client database and signals the launch of a new campaign to establish further offices in locations across the UK.

Keith Townsend, Managing Director of Agility UK, commented on the company’s plans for expansion, both in Sheffield and in further potential regions across the UK: “Our extensive market research has shown that businesses like to be supported by firms who operate in and around their local area. However, we have also found that those same businesses are reluctant to use sole traders, and this is often because those sole traders aren’t support by the same back up and indemnities as a larger, national corporation.”

Townsend added: “To help combat this potential conflict of interests, Agility UK is offering the services of an established nationwide business, specialising in the delivery of comprehensive health and safety and employment law solutions, but with an interest in operating on a regional basis. This gives our clients the benefit of a personalised, local presence while also offering the back up and infrastructure of a truly national organisation.”

As part of a wider group of companies offering a variety of tailored solutions for businesses, Agility UK will be sharing its new premises with partner company, Windmill Leasing. Together, the companies will offer comprehensive service solutions around health and safety and employment law advice and training courses, as well as specialist business car leasing and fleet management.

Agility UK is active in implementing a strategic plan to become a truly national provider of tailored solutions with a local presence. As such, there are plans to explore the potential opening of a new regional office in the south of England later in 2011.

Via EPR Network
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Edenred Plans Two Major Launches For Employee Benefits Live

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Edenred will expand its range of online solutions by launching a major new employee incentives and rewards option and a state-of–the-art benefits platform for employees to visitors to Employee Benefits Live 2011.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn how Compliments Select, an exciting new addition to Edenred’s highly successful Compliments range of incentive, reward and recognition vouchers, cards and e-cards, will provide the ultimate in employee choice in the run up to Christmas and beyond.

Edenred’s new Employee Savings portal will be the most user-friendly platform on the market. Extensive user-journey analysis and testing have ensured that employees can easily access and select the savings they want. This approach helps to maximise usage and savings and so helps employees to extend their spending power and the employer to maximise ROI.

Andy Philpott, Sales & Marketing Director of Edenred commented: “Online delivery is driving major change in the reward and benefits markets. While we already have superb online solutions such as Webcentiv, Total Reward Statements and our Flexible Benefits platform, these innovations will be further major assets to employers motivating and rewarding their staff pre- and post- Christmas and next year.”

Find out more about these innovations at stand 113 at Employee Benefits Live, or contact Veeraj Lutchman tel 0843 453 4406; or email sales@edenred.com.

Via EPR Network
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Edenred – The Only Employee Benefits Provider In The UK To Achieve Hat Trick Of International Accreditations

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Edenred (Employee Benefits) is the first provider of employee benefits products and services to earn three top ISO accreditations. These are the ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO27001 certifications. It was recently awarded the ISO/IEC 27001:2005, the international best practice framework, and is one of only 477 companies in the UK and 7346 worldwide to achieve this The certificate covers areas including; security policy, risk assessment, communications and operations management, access control, information systems acquisition, development and maintenance, business continuity management and compliance.

Andrew Watson, Information Security Manager at Edenred, commented:

“The security of our client information is critical to our future success and the ISO 27001 certification will play a crucial role in enhancing the trust and confidence in our services, people, processes and technology and deliver value to our customers and business partners.”

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Hays Suggests Oil And Gas Employers Must Consider Other Skilled Workers To Fill Staff Shortfall

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Hays has reported that employers should start considering employing people from other energy and engineering sectors if they are to successfully fill the increasing number of jobs being generated in the oil and gas industry in Scotland.

The comments come as the sector continues a steady recovery, generating a number of new technical and engineering posts. However, there is currently a shortage of people with the necessary skills and experience to fill the posts, caused partly by the lure of better paid positions overseas, combined with a lack of new engineering graduates.

According to Graeme Fyfe, director of Hays’ Oil and Gas division in Scotland, employers will need to compromise on non-essential aspects, take a much broader view of their skills requirements and also ensure they have a long-term strategy to address the issue with an investment in training and development.

“The good news is that energy projects that were previously on hold are now being reinstated and offshore fields which reduced production are coming back online,” said Fyfe. “But there is currently a serious shortage of people with the rights skills and experience to fill the posts that are being generated. This applies across the board, but the pinch point is in mechanical and project management roles. Almost without exception, our clients are looking for skilled project engineers who tend to be at the heart of any manufacturing process – but they simply aren’t available.

“There isn’t time to train them or wait for the next influx of graduates, so in the meantime employers should take a more strategic approach and consider if people from other industry sectors could fulfil these jobs, albeit with some additional learning. For example, we have recently placed a project manager from construction into a manufacturing role in subsea systems and equipment. Another candidate with experience in a heavy forged products environment has relocated to Aberdeen and is now working for a company that manufactures offshore equipment.”

According to Fyfe, people who work in construction, defence, automotive and other large complex engineering industries are often already working to the high standards that are required in the oil and gas sector. They therefore have many transferable technical and project management skills. This is more cost-effective in the longer term, he believes, than opting to offer higher salaries or delaying projects.

“There needs to be a balance between encouraging more people into science and engineering and employers being much more strategic in their forward planning. Not only is there a shortage of new talent but a ‘brain drain’ is causing many of our skilled engineers to relocate overseas at a critical time when we need the right people in place to grow the industry.”

For further information and to access jobs visit www.hays.co.uk/oil-and-gas.

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UK May Move Further Out Of Line With Most European Countries On Encouraging Workers To Eat At Lunch Time By Removing Tax Relief

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The Government may take the UK further out of line with virtually all major European countries by removing tax allowances to employers that can encourage workers to eat a proper lunch.

Employers can currently claim 15p (0.18 Euros) on luncheon vouchers they provide to staff. In Germany employers receive €3.10 per employee per day: the French Government allows € 5.21 Euros; in Italy the allowance is €5.29; in Switzerland€5.80; in Belgium it is €5.91 Euros and in Spain the allowance is a remarkable €9.00 per employee per day.

Country and Euro per day allowance
Austria = 4.40
Belgium = 5.91
Bulgaria = 1.46
Czech Republic = 2.00
France = 5.21
Germany = 3.10
Greece = 6.00
Hungary = 2.60
Italy = 5.29
Luxembourg = 5.60
Poland = 2.37
Portugal = 7.26
Romania = 2.00
Slovakia = 2.70
Spain = 9.00
Switzerland = 5.80
Turkey = 5.39
United Kingdom = 0.18

Following a Budget announcement by the Government in the Spring, there is at present a consultation period before UK tax relief is due to be reduced to zero in the 2012 Finance bill.

This is despite Dame Carol Black, the Government’s national director for health and work, backing a recent YMCA report which criticised Britain’s ‘no lunch break’ culture and found that one in three people skip eating at work.

According to research by Bupa published earlier this year, UK companies are losing close to £50million a day in lost productivity as workers fail to take a lunch break. Bupa Clinical Director of Occupational Health, Dr. Jenny Leeser, also recently said: “In challenging economic times, the UK work force is in overdrive and the lunch break is falling by the wayside. Instead of taking a break to refuel, workers are using props including chocolates and sweets and caffeinated drinks to get them through the day.”

Andrew Adams of leading employee benefits and flexible benefits provider Edenred commented: “It is widely accepted that eating a proper lunch and taking a break are important for staff to be productive at work. Yet the Government is planning to go in the opposite direction to most European countries by removing the minimal level of tax relief it currently grants.

“Surely if the Government is truly committed to encouraging workers to eating properly at lunchtime and to supporting employers trying to maximise productivity in this tough economic climate, it should be increasing rather than removing tax relief on luncheon schemes?

Via EPR Network
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Hays And CBI Release Digital Report On Workplace Flexibility And Communication

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Hays and CBI have called on the Government to fundamentally rethink its approach to employment law in order to bolster workplace flexibility and foster better employment relations.

Launching its first ever digital report Thinking Positive: the 21st century employment relationship, produced in collaboration with Hays, the CBI explores how the employment relationship has changed, becoming even more flexible.

The report includes video interviews with employees and staff on the benefits of good communication and flexibility, and looks at how this helped minimise private sector job losses during and post-recession.

Now the CBI says the Government should build on the success of workplace relations forged during the recession by embedding this flexible approach into future employment law and in its Employment Law Review. Rather than automatically opting for legislation, in most cases the Government should specify what it is trying to achieve and set out suggested processes in more flexible guidance or codes of practice. With much of the UK’s employment law coming from Europe, this approach should also be applied to EU directives.

So far, the Government has given some welcome signals on reducing regulation and is looking at ways of improving the tribunals system. But it has also introduced policies that have reduced flexibility, including abolishing the Default Retirement Age without addressing the need for employers to have protected conversations about retirement plans and failing to review the Agency Workers Directive, which has been gold plated to include extra process costs for employers, not required under European law.

John Cridland, CBI director-general, said: “Traditionally when making employment law governments have tried to specify every last detail of what should go on in the workplace.

“With a strong base of employment rights already in place, we simply don’t need the state telling us how to manage every aspect of basic human relations.

“The Government should adopt a simpler approach to future employment law, one which maximises choice for employers and staff and plays up the strengths of our flexible labour market.

“Good communication helped companies and employees work together to make difficult changes to working patterns to get through the recession. These lessons are particularly important now the public sector is facing similar challenges as a result of measures to cut the deficit.”

Commenting on the benefits of greater workplace flexibility for staff, Alistair Cox, chief executive of Hays plc, added: “Flexibility is a key ingredient in driving future economic growth in the UK. It is also a key aspect that more and more professionals look for in their lives and careers, particularly at a time when we want to encourage employers to invest and create more jobs, despite today’s economic uncertainty.”

Via EPR Network
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Agility UK Launches New Website

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Agility UK has launched a new website to promote its health and safety and employment law training and advisory services to businesses across the UK.

Indicating significant progress for the organisation, the launch of the new website better promotes the company’s range of cost-effective, flexible and solution-focused health and safety and employment law services.

In a triangulated initiative between a web development team, a leading digital agency, and a design agency, the new website offers refreshed branding, improved usability and more comprehensive information regarding each key area of service provision.

The website is also built upon strong SEO foundations and as such will enable further exposure for the business through more prominent positioning on the main search engines for targeted keywords.

Managing Director of Agility UK, Keith Townsend, commented on the launch of the new website: “The new website provides a better platform for Agility UK to showcase its range of services to prospective customers and to advertise a wide range of employment law and health and safety training courses across the UK. It is more attractive and user friendly than our previous website and provides a wealth of additional information to the reader.

“Across the Agility UK Group we have made a significant investment in online marketing of late in terms of time and money and we expect to receive a return on investment through better exposure on Google and an increase in conversion rates. Pleasingly, we have already seen some fantastic results with health and safety courses and seminar bookings in particular.”

Through the website users will be able to browse interactive training course calendars, offering clients easy access to when and where health and safety and employment law training courses are taking place nationwide. Courses can be booked online using a simple form or via the contact details displayed throughout the website.

Coinciding with the launch of the new website are the launches of the new Agility UK Facebook and Twitter pages, as the company’s marketing expands into the social web, and the launch of the new Windmill Leasing website – the company’s business car leasing division.

Agility UK now has a viable platform to syndicate news, blogs and key services within the online arena.

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MBA & Company Rides The Wave Of New Business Trends As MBA Employment Diversifies

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Business specialist MBA & Company has stayed a step ahead of the industry with its approach to the changing nature of the MBA jobs market.

After the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 and the expected shortfall of MBA job opportunities in traditionally large employers – such as Citigroup – many economists and industry experts suggested that the role of the business post-graduate, a staple of the financial booms in the 1980s and 1990s, was becoming irrelevant.

However, MBA & Company proved it was ahead of the trends by predicting the market’s response: the demand for MBA jobs may have diminished in the archetypal financial skyscrapers; however, a host of new employers, in new sectors, and new ways of working have arisen.

Amazon.co.uk, for instance, is now a huge employer of MBAs. As more and more companies go online; and as business strategy becomes crucial to all public services and commercial ventures in the recession, the role of the MBA has transformed to encompass freelancing, off-shore and consultancy opportunities in a wide range of sectors including retail, education, security and politics.

MBA & Company, established during the downturn and challenged to find a solution to the inevitable cut-backs in the multinationals, predicted this very trend. By responding to the diversity of employers’ requirements, and understanding how MBA knowledge can support their work, MBA & Company has developed reliable recruitment solutions for an unpredictable world.

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New Staff Development Program Takes a Different Approach with Startling Results

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93% of study participants reported an improved sense of wellbeing at work after completing Life Code Matrix, a new program that takes a fresh approach to staff development.

Dr Kathryn Owler who conducted independent research on Life Code Matrix, found the program differed from other wellness programs in that it appeared to create intrinsic motivation and the potential for sustainable change.

“People came out of the program with a clearer sense of identity and were able to align themselves more positively with their work” she said.

“They experienced their work more creatively with a sense of discovery. They were being fully ‘there’ at work.”

Unique aspects of Life Code Matrix that Dr Owler identified were that the process did not require mental effort; rather participants once they had identified who they were through the process were able to effortlessly be that person.

It was also efficient in that the process did not require constant repetition or reinforcement to create sustainable changes in behavior and attitude.

Life Code Matrix was initially developed by experienced business and life coach Cilla Sturt as a result of identity issues she experienced growing up in a different culture. Limitations she observed professionally with traditional coaching and staff development models led to the programs unique approach.

For more information go to http://www.lifecodematrix.com/research-results/.

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Hays and The Times Name Louisa James as PA of the Year 2011

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Hays and The Times have announced that Louisa James, of Wandsworth, London, has triumphed in the Hays and The Times PA of the Year Award 2011, being named the country’s top PA. Her energy and enthusiasm have seen her expand her role, embracing significant project management and organisational leadership such as being actively involved in the ‘Jamie’s 30-minute meals’ award-winning app, helping her secure the top spot.

PA to the managing director at Jamie Oliver Ltd, Louisa was announced as the winner at an awards ceremony held by Hays, the leading recruiting expert, at Flemings Hotel, Mayfair, London on the 19th of May. Louisa has won a five night break for two in Prague, courtesy of Portman Travel. She will also receive a place on The PA Retreat, an intensive residential training programme for management PAs, courtesy of Castalia Coaching & Training.

Louisa said: “I feel so honoured to be chosen as the PA of the Year. I give my job my all, and to be recognised like this is a wonderful feeling. People often don’t realise the huge impact PAs can have in an organisation, so it’s wonderful to be acknowledged like this.”

Second place was awarded to Christopher Juliff, diary, visits and events manager to the NHS chief executive. The judges praised Christopher’s passion for his career and his expertise, along with his outstanding attention to detail in a high pressured environment. They also noted his strong personal commitment to the diversity agenda.

Third place went to Zara Dyer, PA to the managing director at Liverpool Football Club. The judges were impressed by her passion for developing a PA network in the North and skill in being able to support her boss in a way that maximises her time and effectiveness.

As well as the three finalists, the three runners up were: Jennifer Batty, executive assistant to associate and executive directors of Russell Reynolds Associates; Lisa Partridge, PA to Michael Caines MBE and Sharon Walsh, executive assistant to the HR director at Channel 4

The awards were presented by Michelle Mone founder and co-owner of MJM International and creator of Ultimo, the UK’s leading designer lingerie brand.

Michelle declared: “Congratulations to Louisa, who has fought off some stiff competition to claim this year’s Award. She and all the finalists have shown just how valued the roles of PAs and executive assistants really are. People in this role make a considerable contribution to businesses across the country, so it’s great to be putting the spotlight on them.”

This year’s judging panel consisted of: Susie Barron-Stubley, managing director of Castalia, the coaching and training company; Gareth Osborne, director general of the Association for Personal Assistants (APA); Laura Richardson, last year’s winner; and Geoff Sims, managing director of Hays PA & Secretarial.

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US Recruiters Launch Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment

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Claude Penland and Sally Ezra, two global leaders in the international actuarial recruiting industry, today as partners announce the launch of their company, Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment (“Ezra Penland”) in Chicago, Illinois.

Joining Sally and Claude at Ezra Penland are five outstanding employees. They include Debbie Charbonneau, Kevin Elliott, Dana Kelly, Yvonne McArdle and Emily Moss. To read more about their top quality staff, see EzraPenland.com/recruiters.

Initially, the Group of Seven will be focused on the North American actuarial recruitment market, and then rapidly expand into the global market. It is Ezra Penland’s plan to be the market leader in their niche, as Sally Ezra has spent nearly two decades recruiting actuaries, has developed strong professional relationships and a vast network of clientele. They value her commitment, resourcefulness, her personal attention and, above all, her high level of professional ethics.

Claude Penland is an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He has over twenty years of experience as a casualty actuary and as a web strategist for actuarial recruitment organizations.

Ezra Penland additionally announces the timely publishing of their 2011 industry standard United States actuarial salary surveys at EzraPenland.com/salary. These 11 salary surveys include unprecedented detail on compensation for Property and Casualty, Life, Pension and Health actuaries. The details further break salaries down by consulting, reinsurance and insurance/all other employers of actuaries. An Adobe Acrobat file of all surveys is immediately available to be downloaded, printed and shared.

Ezra Penland is becoming known as the publisher of C-level insurance and reinsurance US salary surveys at EzraPenland.com/c-level. These CEO / CFO / CRO / etc. studies can also be found at LifeSalarySurvey.com, HealthSalarySurvey.com,  CasualtySalarySurvey.com and ReinsuranceSalarySurvey.com.

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Major UK Retailers Added To Employee Savings Programme

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Four more major UK retailers have been added to Edenred’s extensive employee savings platform, enabling businesses to offer their staff even more opportunities to save money.

The latest retailers to offer discounts on their lifestyle products are award-winning hairdressers Toni&Guy; beauty retailer Crabtree & Evelyn; online wine retailer Naked Wines and Virgin Experience Days which offer gifts from fine-dining restaurants, spa breaks, theatre trips and holidays.

These companies boost the existing portfolio of discounted vouchers and reloadable cards to more than 50 major retail names, while at the same time helping employers to motivate staff with incentives and flexible benefits.

Each employee registers on a dedicated website and can tailor their requirements to ensure they receive discounts that fit their lifestyle and interest. These special offers can also be passed on to family, ensuring that the benefit is spread further.

Wayne Harrington, product manager at Edenred, comments: “We’re pleased to be working with these major UK retailers to add a wide range of discounts to our employee savings platform which in turn provides businesses with a valuable tool in their motivation and engagement strategy.

“In the current economic climate and with VAT increases and tax changes in full force, there is pressure on disposable incomes. Employers who join employee savings schemes can effectively give their staff a pay rise of almost £1000 a year pre tax, at minimal cost to the business.”

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Hays Survey Reveals Public Sector Job Cuts Will Damage Frontline Service Delivery

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According to new research published by Hays, the leading recruiting expert, the public sector is facing a critical loss of employees, with almost half (45%) of staff in the sector facing redundancy or actively seeking work in the private sector.

Although the public sector is faced with the need to make cuts, pay, career development and job security are all seen to be better in the private sector, resulting in a severe skills loss, which will impact on its ability to deliver frontline services effectively.

The Hays Public Sector Survey 2011 finds that some public sector employers are struggling to recruit staff with the right skills to manage frontline services. Since the Comprehensive Spending Review 18% of employers say it is harder to attract skilled job candidates. Over 80% of employers say uncertainty around job security is the primary factor stopping people looking for work in the sector, followed by changes to benefits (51%) and scrutiny over pay (39%).

Furthermore, headcount reduction schemes and cuts may be draining the public sector of its most vauable employees. 60% of employers and the same level of workers believe voluntary redundancy and early retirement schemes are resulting in the loss of the best talent. Over 60% of staff say they fear the sector will be unable to attract the staff needed to manage the transformation and change ahead.

Andy Robling, public services director of Hays, said: “With such a widespread exodus of staff, it is highly likely that frontline services will be affected. Employers have to make cuts and drive cost savings, but they are also faced with increased demand for many frontline services, such as healthcare and education. The combination of pay scrutiny, fears around job security and critical media headlines means a stigma has started to develop around public sector careers. Many public sector workers are feeling demotivated, devalued and stuck in less challenging careers. The public sector needs to act now to address this before it is too late.”

Asked what areas they would improve to help attract professional staff to the public sector, employers and employees both reported pay and career development as the top two factors. Almost 70% of employers agree they need to review what they have to offer jobseekers so they are perceived more positively, with over a third (38%) saying this is an urgent priority.

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Hays and LCCI Reveal The Private Sector Needs Government Support

Hays, the leading recruiting expert, and The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) have partnered to produce a report called “The Challenges of transition: from public to private”.

As the government’s cost cutting measures continue to impact on workers, more needs to be done to support workers through the transition to the private sector, according to the new report.

Around 330,000 people are expected to lose their public sector jobs over the next four years. While both sectors have many similarities, the perceptions the sectors have about each other could limit the ability of ex-public sector employees to quickly return to the labour market thereby risking longer term joblessness.

Through this report, which surveyed the views of public sector employees and private sector employers, the LCCI and Hays have identified six critical steps to ensure the successful transition of the workforce from the public to the private sector: encourage better understanding; incentivise the private sector; identify regional skills gaps; review onboarding procedures; enhance existing support programmes; and promote self-reliance and resourcefulness.

Mark Staniland, director at Hays said: “As the government cuts begin to take effect there is a growing pressure on the private sector to create new jobs. There is no doubt that public sector employees have many skills in need right across the private sector. However, it is unreasonable to believe that transferring a large proportion of the workforce will not need specialist help to progress smoothly. The government must act now and put provisions in place to support the workers and both sectors need to work together to make sure the skills available are used to their full advantage.”

Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of the LCCI added: “We hope this report will make a meaningful contribution to this important debate, which in turn will help get people in to new jobs while giving a shot in the arm to the London and UK economies. In the months to come there will be many talented individuals from the public sector coming on to the job market which is a great opportunity for employers looking to bring in new skills and ideas to their business.”

Via EPR Network
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Hays Plc Calls For G20 Action On Global Jobs Creation

Hays plc, the global specialist recruiting firm, has called on governments and industries across the world to take joined-up action to tackle the looming threat of increased global unemployment as the world’s working population is set to increase dramatically. With many countries already at record levels of unemployment, co-ordinated action needs to be taken now to avert future labour crises as significantly more people are set to join the global labour force. To this end Hays has developed a Five Point Plan.

Hays, which placed more than 230,000 people in work across 30 countries in 2010, has published a seminal report; Creating Jobs in a Global Economy, compiled in partnership with economic forecaster, Oxford Economics, illustrating the challenges ahead for employers, employees and governments across the world.

The report forecasts the dramatic movements of workforce, power and wealth across the globe over the next 20 years. The world’s working-age population is expected to increase by over a billion people in this timeframe. However, all of this growth will be developing economies. The developed world will see its workforce shrink and age.

Governments and industries must start to plan now how they will deal with this imbalance, both to harness the economic potential that this larger workforce can provide as well as creating the skills that will otherwise become in increasingly short supply in many areas. Developing markets will face a period of rapid industrialisation and infrastructure construction which will require access to skilled and experienced workers currently unavailable in sufficient numbers domestically. Similarly, the developed markets will need to find ways of maintaining their competitive edge in key industries by investing in the future skills required, albeit against a backdrop of a smaller and older pool of workers.

Alistair Cox, CEO, Hays, said: “Our report illustrates the profound and stark challenges our world will face in the future both to create employment opportunities for a billion more people and balance the mismatch we are already seeing between supply and demand of key skills. Only by thinking globally can governments and companies put in place the environment to solve these conflicting challenges and create the basis for full employment and a sound global economy.”

The report demonstrates the need for employment policy to be discussed at the G20 in Mexico and at the WEF next year. Cox added: “Everyone is talking about the growth in the Chinese population. The fact is that China’s working age population is set to plateau and then decline in our generation, just like many countries in the West. No one is yet talking about how industries will employ the extra billion people who will soon be looking for work in India, Africa and South America. That is a huge opportunity if governments and businesses get it right, but a big social problem if we get it wrong.”

‘Creating Jobs in a Global Economy 2011-2030’ follows the publication last year of ‘Action on Skills and Jobs: The Hays Manifesto for Employment’ which outlined the actions needed to create a healthy employment market in the UK.

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A Strong CV Is Key To Avoiding Graduate Under-Unemployment

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Following the news that more than half of all graduates are either out of work or stuck in menial jobs some six months after leaving university, Guardian Jobs are today stressing the importance in preparing a good CV to give you the best chance of success in the jobs market.

A study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that 52% of last year’s university-leavers, that’s 15,655, were unemployed or under-employed six months after graduating.

20%, that’s 59,000 graduates, had no job this year, the highest amount in a decade and double when the recession began in 2008. Worse still, it’s estimated that some 55% of 2011 graduates will be unemployed or under-employed six months after leaving university.

A spokesperson for Guardian Jobs said today “These findings and predictions by the CEBR do make for rather grim reading. It really highlights the importance graduates must make in making themselves appear employable on their CV, which is after all, the first form of contact employers will have.”

To help graduates get the right job, Guardian Jobs have partnered up with The Fuller CV to offer a free CV checking service that promotes the message ‘just say no to bad CV advice’ and highlights the importance of getting your CV checked over by an expert.

To browse Guardian Jobs extensive selection of graduate jobs, and for advice on how to best prepare your CV for the jobs search, visit the Guardian Jobs website.

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Job Search Tips for Holiday Season Beat Conventional Wisdom

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People really do get hired between Thanksgiving and the middle of January! Don’t buy into the myth that it can’t happen for you. The holiday time actually provides great opportunities for job seekers. If you’ve found yourself mumbling, “I need help with my resume,” then a professional resume writing service may be the best gift you can give this time of year. What are some other worthwhile career improvement endeavors?

Job Search Tips for Holiday Season Beat Conventional Wisdom

Network While Celebrating

• Take advantage of the business socializing opportunities during the holiday season. At events, casually let friends and extended family know you are job hunting. Briefly discuss your career while connecting with people. Follow up later with each person. Attend other parties and networking events: open houses, association meetings, school events and friend’s work parties.

• Hire an executive resume writer adept at guiding you in the complete job search process.

• Send appropriate greeting cards to people with whom you have interviewed recently and to any of your friends who are well-connected. Enclose your business card.

Businesses Don’t Grind to a Halt during the Holidays

• If a job is available, employers still search from late November through December. Keep checking classifieds and online job boards. Check company websites of employers for whom you’d like to work and professional association websites for advertised positions.

• Many job seekers suspend their search during the holidays. This can mean that employers needing to hire full-time employees for the coming year receive fewer applications during that time. That can help your application stand out.

• Many hiring managers are not so busy during the holidays, because employees are taking vacation time. This gives the managers more time to interview candidates.

• Hiring managers experience urgency about staffing toward the end of the year. They don’t want to begin the new year with their team not fully staffed. Interviews for anyone who starts working early in the year must have been in November or December. Companies that have budgeted for first-quarter hiring have to be starting the process now.

• Temporary agencies receive increased employer requests as companies work to meet annual goals and employees use vacation time. Keep in mind that seasonal work during the holidays can open doors to full-time jobs.

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