Tag Archives: Employment

Careers, Employment, Human Resources, Leadership, Recruitment

Lynx Systems Appoints Lori Spale And Alex Tschudy, Intuit MRI Specialist

Lynx Systems is pleased to announce that we have added two senior Intuit MRI specialists to the Lynx team. Lori Spale and Alex Tschudy are very talented, knowledgeable, professional and personable and a valuable addition to our Professional Services Group.

Lori Spale and Alexander Tschudy come highly recommended by clients and co-workers and we know that our clients will enjoy working with them. Lori Spale joins us after nine years with MRI and Intuit as an implementer and “gold level” hotline support representative specializing in the Commercial applications of MRI.

Another key addition to our team is Alexandra Tschudy. Alex has worked with the Intuit MRI product for over eight years. For the past several years, she was a Client Manager for Intuit Real Estate Solutions and has worked with over 250 MRI clients to address their concerns on system, implementation and support issues.

Although Alex and Lori will be working with our current clients, they will also be assisting us to launch several new Lynx products that will complement any existing Intuit MRI or Yardi System. We have developed three new products:

EasyMerge – “click-retrieve” – connects the Microsoft Word Mail Merge process with Intuit MRI, ideal for blocks of text such as leases and letters.

Central Address Book – provides easy access to your portfolio and contacts; tracks relationships, activities, & documents; interfaces to MRI modules, & Microsoft Outlook calendar, e-mail, & tasks.

Corporate Information Treasure – stores & interrelates the many types of corporate information that must be maintained such as: treasury, legal, controllership, finance, accounting and insurance. Allows you to create schemas to store all your information.

These applications have been developed on the Microsoft .Net platform and are fully integrated to the Intuit MRI system. These products are designed to improve productivity and minimize some of the disruption and cost of upgrading to the .Net version of the MRI system. Please contact us to learn more.

The team at Lynx Systems is pleased to advise its many clients in Canada, the United States and Bermuda that we are expanding our extensive range of consulting and support services for the Intuit MRI user. Our company is a specialist in supporting the Intuit MRI software and for more than eight years, was either an implementation partner or a distributor for the MRI system. In fact, the consultants at Lynx have been supporting the MRI system since 1994, and we continue to offer to the MRI user a full range of consulting services including system selection, hotline support, toolkit customization, report development, technical support, application training, data conversion, process enhancement, project management, system assessment, implementation support and out-sourced IT management.

As a firm of professional accountants, software specialists and business professionals, and, in our role as an independent consultant, we are able to provide our clients with unbiased advice about their software requirements – whether that means upgrading to a new version, tweaking the old system or looking at other software providers. In addition, we can identify various alternatives available for consideration including both short and long term options, as well as give feedback on the general costs, and pros and cons of the various alternatives.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, Employment Outsourcing, HR, HR Consulting, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruitment

Continued Demand For Specialist Contact Management Skills Reports Hays

Hays Recruitment has reported that the current economic environment is likely to fuel further demand for senior contact centre jobs with the trend set to continue throughout 2009.

“As we see further company restructures, organisations will increasingly focus on process improvements and management of costs. Employers are looking for individuals who can demonstrate significant business re-engineering and change management experience,” said Lorna Shakespeare, senior manager at Hays Contact Centres.

Employers are looking to bolster recruitment within their support functions, where the demand for resource planning and forecasting jobs for senior managers remains steady. Other areas of focus for call centre employers include performance management, workforce management, dialler management and MI management, which is reflected in the demand for experienced professionals.

“These specialist skill sets are harder to source and all play a key role in improving efficiencies and reducing costs. Salaries for these support roles have remained pretty competitive,” continued Lorna Shakespeare.

Although jobseekers for senior roles will typically have five years’ experience, coupled with a strong technical knowledge of industry systems such as Total View, Blue Pumpkin and Avaya, organisations are also placing great emphasis on people management skills.

The public sector is creating opportunities for more traditional call centre jobs, particularly for senior customer service manager and operational manager roles. Jobseekers with previous private sector experience are a major plus for many organisations. “Skills are very transferable and the public sector welcomes applications from those with private sector backgrounds, particularly given that many of them will already have experience driving cost and efficiency savings. Salary and benefits packages are also enticing,” explained Lorna Shakespeare.

Applicants do, however, need to apply additional effort to make sure that their CVs are tailored to specific job requirements. Providing a detailed picture of their experience is imperative to emphasise suitability for the role.

However, as long as jobseekers maintain a positive and realistic outlook, applicants with the right set of technical and personal skills, particularly in the change and people management fields, can excel in the current marketplace as evidenced by the steady demand for interim and permanent contact centre jobs in both the public and private sectors.

Hays Contact Centres is part of Hays plc and specialises in contact centre jobs including customer service jobs and collections jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As on 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2008, the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million. The Group also placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments. The temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruitment

Oil And Gas Sector Remains Attractive Option For Engineers Says Hays

Hays, specialist recruitment company, survey shows demand for qualified engineers in the oil and gas sector remains resilient despite the downturn and this is reflected by the competitive salary and benefits packages on offer in the industry.

The 2009 survey, which was conducted in partnership with the Energy Institute, analysed trends in the oil and gas jobs sector, showed pensions were top the list of desirable benefits for almost 80% of workers, followed by annual leave entitlement (71%), health insurance (66%), and bonuses (58%).

“Nine day fortnights are also fairly typical of the oil and gas sector, enabling workers to take a supplementary day off every other week. We are also seeing car allowances at all levels, including for more junior roles,” commented Eliot Davies, National Operations Director for Hays Oil & Gas.

Many companies also sponsor career development, offering to pay for further training – this is borne out by the number of workers who hold a postgraduate qualification (43%). The survey also revealed that over half of oil and gas workers saw their incomes boosted by bonuses (58%), which can climb as high as 20% of base salary. Indeed, almost half of oil and gas professionals (45%) are expecting to receive a bonus this year. The opportunity to work on projects globally is also attracting jobseekers to the oil and gas industry, demonstrated by the survey findings, which reveal that two thirds of respondents deemed this to be either important or very important.

“Although Aberdeen is still seen as a centre for engineering excellence, many head offices located in the city will offer opportunities for secondment abroad,” stated Eliot.

The commercial experience of principal and contracts engineers is also highly sought after, along with C&I, structural and mechanical engineers. While some employers require specialist oil and gas experience, others are considering taking on construction sector professionals such as quantity surveyors where skills can be easily transferred across industries.

“We are experiencing particularly strong demand for intermediate and senior level reservoir engineers, geoscientists, geophysicists and people with FEED experience,” Eliot commented.

Salary bands for oil and gas engineers in the sector vary from £28-36k at the junior level (for individuals with one to three years’ experience), £35-50k at the intermediate level (three to six years’ experience), £48-70k at the senior level (seven to 10 years’ experience) and £60-120k at the management level (10 years’ plus experience).

About Hays Oil & Gas:
Hays Oil & Gas is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group, specialising in a range of oil and gas jobs from piping and drilling jobs to field engineer jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruitment

Hays Reports Interim Learning And Development Professionals Still In Demand

Leave a comment

According to Hays, the leading specialist recruitment company, while the current market may have impacted the recruitment of permanent learning and development jobs there continues to be fixed term contracts available for senior interim professionals.

“We envisage that employers will be using interims more regularly to identify organisational requirements on an ad-hoc basis to deal with specific requirements,” observed Heidi Waddington, Managing Director for Hays Human Resources.

Organisations are looking for practitioners with a strong commercial background and a track record in the management and development of staff. The emphasis has shifted from core training delivery, to a more strategic requirement to identify and implement bespoke programmes that are linked in to an organisation’s overall talent management programme. Investing in leadership programmes and competencies remains an important aspect of organisations’ HR strategies, as the importance of succession planning becomes ever more important, particularly during difficult economic times.

“There is a greater focus on talent-management and identifying key players in an organisation. Some of the larger organisations typically will forge associations with leading business schools to develop in-house programmes”, Heidi continued.

While organisations continue to review their cost efficiencies and examine ways in which they can streamline their HR operations, learning and development jobs remain
a central point of the HR function, despite the fact that resources are being stretched and that these skills have to be picked up by HR managers.

“Although companies remain keenly focused on the management and development of their people, line managers are having to upskill and add to their remits, particularly within small and medium sized organisations that are increasingly relying on in-house recruitment expertise rather than external training providers. Of course, in certain regulatory fields, there is always a requirement for training delivery,” Heidi explained.

Typically learning and development jobs do not follow a standard HR career path, in contrast to that of the HR generalist. An individual specialising in learning and development will have usually started life outside HR before making the transition to learning and development, albeit they would have had some involvement with training and development within a commercial environment. Skills can be easily transferred across from other disciplines, as long as they have previous training and development experience.

Learning and development remains closely linked to organisational development, particularly during difficult times when the need to invest in staff becomes greater and the reduced staff numbers need to acquire and make up for any ‘lost’ skills. Organisations will rely on interims to design programmes and to use their change management expertise in order to shape overall company structure and ultimately lay the foundations to provide challenging and rewarding careers for staff. The role of the learning and development manager spans across the whole talent agenda, looking closely at development needs and at staff retention.

About Hays Human Resources:
Hays Human Resources is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group, and specialises in a range of HR jobs from diversity and equality jobs to training jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruitment

Hays Highlights Office Managers Bringing Added Value To Business

Hays, specialist recruiter, has announced that although the market for senior office managers has slowed during the last quarter, opportunities still exist for suitably qualified applicants, particularly in the professional and public services sectors.

Competition for office manager jobs may have intensified in the current marketplace as the number of applicants per role has increased. “Market conditions are dictating salary levels and job volumes at present but demand still exists for the most highly skilled and experienced office managers,” said Geoff Collings, Regional Director at Hays Office Support.

Applicants need to be flexible, in terms of salary, location and industry sector. Employers are looking at their costs carefully but jobseekers can improve their chances of securing a role by looking outside their immediate industry sector. Geoff continued, “It is definitely worth considering smaller and medium sized enterprises, which may still be growing”.

Senior office managers with the broadest range of skills are best positioned to succeed in the current market, as employers can benefit f r o m the commercial experience that they can bring. “Those candidates who can demonstrate quantifiable examples of the value they bring to a business are sought after. Examples include procurement, tenders and contract negotiations, which can help save costs, drive efficiencies and impact profitability,” explained Geoff.

As firms look to restructure and merge roles, there is a requirement for individuals who have experience across a range of areas and office managers can fit the bill perfectly. Facilities management, procurement and contract management, secretarial management and first line IT support can all fall under the remit of the senior office manager.

Versatility is a major plus but employers are also looking for first class people management skills, people that can stay calm under pressure and are natural problem solvers. “Office managers need to think on their feet and be approachable, have excellent prioritisation skills and liaise with internal and external stakeholders alike,” Geoff emphasised.

While recruitment activity for senior office managers has slowed across the UK, there are some excellent opportunities for the right jobseekers. Continuing professional development and enhancing skills by taking on a range of responsibilities are important factors in the current climate. “We would urge all applicants to update their CVs and make sure they list all their relevant experience, as employers are being more selective in their hiring,” concluded Geoff.

About Hays Office Support

Hays Office Support is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in a wide range of admin jobs including customer service jobs and data entry jobs. Hays is the market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating f r o m 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

For the year ended 30 June 2008:

– the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million; – the Group placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments; – the temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Employment, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment, Staffing Services

Tonawanda Firm Recruits American Nurses For King Edward VII Hospital In Hamilton, Bermuda

Worldwide Travel Staffing, Ltd. (WTS), a Tonawanda based healthcare recruitment firm, has been engaged by the King Edward VII Hospital in Bermuda to assist in their recruitment of American healthcare professionals.


WTS CEO, Leo Blatz, RN, MSN, and Todd Cleckley, Vice President of Business Development, recently met with hospital officials in Hamilton, Bermuda to finalize contract negotiations and toured the state of the art facility. Bermuda is experiencing a shortage of nurses, physicians, and allied healthcare professionals. This need prompted King Edward VII Hospital to look beyond their borders for healthcare staff. WTS specializes in the recruitment of nurses and other healthcare professionals for short and long term assignments (3 months to 3 years) throughout the United States and around the world.

WTS will have its first American nurse on Bermuda in April 2009, with others to follow in the coming months. WTS is the only US firm that is currently recruiting on behalf of King Edward VII Hospital and the Bermuda Hospital Board.

Worldwide Travel Staffing (WTS) was founded in 1993 to assist hospitals with their staffing needs by providing contract healthcare staff. WTS CEO, Leo Blatz, R.N., M.S.N. has lead the company’s expansion from being solely focused on domestic contracts to expanding their services internationally to include recruiting contracts in Bermuda, Guam, Ireland, U.K, and U.S. Virgin Islands among others. WTS has been listed by Inc. magazine as one of America’s fastest growing private companies for two years in 2007 and 2008.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Employment, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruiting & Retention

Hays Reports Field Sales Experience Sought By Employers To Ride Out Recession

Leave a comment

Hays, leading specialist recruitment company, has reported that the need for employers to fine-tune their sales teams is becoming ever greater during the current downturn. An experienced sales team that can hit targets and deliver much needed income streams will help organisations counter the adverse recessionary forces prevalent in the
marketplace.

“There is a demand for field sales operatives at the moment across industry sectors for all levels of experience, particularly junior and middle range roles. Demand for senior appointments has been more affected by the downturn but there are still good opportunities for the right calibre of individual,” said Kevin Dunbar, National Business Development Manager at Hays Sales, “Having a strong sales force in place, underpinned by an effective strategy, remains one of the best ways for organisations to trade out of this recession.”

One area where the demand for sales experience has become apparent is in the public sector, with a particular focus on IT field sales. Continued investment by government in the upgrade of its IT development infrastructure has led to an increase in demand for experienced professionals.

Kevin continued, “Professionals with public sector account management experience, for example in the health and central government sectors, are in demand”.

A track record of success is very important in an industry where achievements are highly visible and dependent on targets being met. The rewards for the right people also remain competitive and individuals can expect a company car, laptop, mobile, as well as other standard benefits, such as pensions and private healthcare.

“Uncapped commission is still being offered by some companies and this remains one of the key benefits offered,” Kevin added.

One of the main issues facing employers is attracting a suitable calibre of applicant, as the sales discipline suffers from high levels of staff turnover. Ensuring that the recruitment process runs smoothly is imperative. Kevin explained,”Employers can sometimes recruit the wrong person for the role in the first place and this leads to increased attrition rates. This can be reduced by preparing detailed job and person specifications, carefully highlighting the competencies required, and establishing a thorough interview process.”

Despite the difficulties faced by certain sectors of the economy, the demand for field sales remains resilient. “The individuals that are most in demand are those that are not simply managing existing clients but also achieve business development with new clients,” Kevin concluded.

About Hays:
Hays Sales is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in a wide range of sales jobs from fundraising jobs to telesales jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

For the year ended 30 June 2008:
– the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million;
– the Group placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments;
– the temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter

Senior Insurance Professionals In Demand Reports Hays

Hays, specialist recruitment company, reports the demand for senior professionals across the UK is buoyant across all disciplines of the insurance sector, including commercial broking, underwriting, claims and actuarial. Despite the general market uncertainty, there have been a steady number of senior insurance appointments, both in the London and UK regional markets.

“We are experiencing a steady flow of recruitment activity for a range of senior insurance roles, from commercial account executives to senior underwriters, claims and pricing managers. While employers are keen to take on individuals with very specific skill sets, some professionals are wary about changing jobs in the current climate,” said David Carr, Regional Director for Hays Insurance. The demand for project managers is also growing, as many organisations focus on saving money and improving specific areas of their businesses in order to drive efficiencies, manage finances and make a tangible impact on the bottom line.

Compliance requirements for blue-chip insurance organisations to adhere to the industry regulations implemented by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the European Commission have fuelled demand for experienced regulatory and compliance managers. “These individuals can provide support and guidance on all aspects of business compliance. An understanding of the Solvency 2 Framework (to be implemented in 2012) and individual capital assessment are also advantageous,” added David.

The growing importance of risk management across a business has also brought about a requirement for experienced actuaries and recruitment levels for suitably qualified professionals have not slowed. Senior actuaries are important decision-makers – commercial acumen, communication skills and the ability to explain complex concepts to a non-technical audience are all key competencies sought by employers. “Increasingly complex capital models need to be formulated to adhere to the regulatory changes. Business development, risk management and risk re-pricing are all prized skills,” commented David.

While the demand for underwriting managers and directors remains steady, there is a particular emphasis on niche products and specialist underwriting roles, in areas such as commercial property and liability. But there is also demand for senior claims roles and partner level opportunities within the larger broking houses. There are also senior director positions available for reinsurance professionals in the City, as primary insurers are hedging their risk positions to ensure their liquidity ratios meet obligations.

“There has been an increase in reinsurance given the climate of loss minimisation and this is further helping to support the insurance sector during the difficult economic climate,” David concluded.

About Hays Insurance
Hays Insurance is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in insurance jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

For the year ended 30 June 2008:

– the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million;
– the Group placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments;
– the temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Corporate Culture, Employment, Human Resources, Leadership, Team Building, Workplace

Lighterlife Has Achieved ‘First Class Star Status’ With The Best Companies Accreditation 2009 Project, After Demonstrating Healthy Work Practices And High Levels Of Employee Care

LighterLife, Harlow based weight-loss company, has achieved ‘First Class Star Status’ with the Best Companies Accreditation 2009 project, after demonstrating healthy work practices and high levels of employee care.

Best Companies Accreditation has been established to acknowledge excellence in the workplace and the great leadership skills, strong company values and positive impact a company has on the local community. These areas were highlighted as areas of excellence for LighterLife.

Staff comments included, “My organisation makes a positive difference to the world we live in”, “I am excited about where this organisation is going” and “This organisation is run on strong values/principles”.

Based on staff feedback the Michelin style elite accreditation system rates organisations on leadership, management, personal growth, wellbeing, the extent to which employees feel their organisation has a positive impact on society, employee’s feelings towards their immediate colleagues, levels of engagement and pay and benefits.

Already exceeding all criteria of the Investors In People Standard, LighterLife entered the Best Companies Accreditation project to be benchmarked against other businesses and it is considered exceptional for a first time entrant to be awarded star status. LighterLife will also be featured in the Best Companies Guide, an annual reference guide that provides independent and unbiased information on some of the UK’s best workplaces.

LighterLife aims to help people with weight loss to get them out of the obesity danger zone and reach a healthy weight, whilst at the same time working towards creating a healthy attitude, healthy work practices and a healthy company.

Commenting on the accreditation, Octavia Morley, Chief Executive Officer, said “There is no better way of testing the health of your company than by providing your staff a confidential opportunity to tell it how it is. It provides staff with an opportunity to appraise the company they work for and offers us real and usable insight into the areas which we need to develop further. We have always thought LighterLife is a great company to work for, but it is fantastic to have this validated”.

About LighterLife
LighterLife is a weight-loss and weight-management programme for people who are one stone or more overweight and with a BMI of 25 or above. Over 100,000 people have successfully lost weight with LighterLife since 1996. The unique LighterLife approach offers specific overweight and clinically obese weight loss programmes in the form of diets using nutritionally complete soups, shakes and bars combined with specialised counselling using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and transactional analysis (TA) techniques. Clients benefit not only from rapid, safe weight loss but they also learn the behavioural changes needed to sustain it. Founded in 1996, the LighterLife Programme was developed by three of its directors – Jackie Cox, Bar Hewlett and Rebecca Hunter.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment, Staffing Services

Joblux.Us, Unique Online Recruitment Services For The US Market, Dedicated To The Luxury Sector

Joblux Limited is delighted to announce the launch of joblux.us, unique online recruitment services for the US market, dedicated to the luxury sector. Joblux unique services to the luxury professionals, employers, recruiters and jobseekers alike, cover any job category within the luxury industry worldwide.

Why joblux.us?

After joblux.co.uk, Joblux unique concept successfully entered the French market with Joblux.fr. Entering today the US market, Joblux Limited intends to make available to US employers, recruiters and jobseekers alike its luxury-centric dedicated services and information. Made by top end human resources professionals from the luxury sectors, it aims at uniting luxury market professional jobs around a focused, high quality, careers and recruitment website.

Joblux Limited

Joblux Limited is a unique and original concept in Jobs and Recruitment online services for the luxury industry’s professionals. Joblux’s recruitment websites offer a great resource for employment sectors, covering the following domains at a high level: Fashion, Jewellery, Creative & Design, High end Hospitality, Lifestyle, Beauty, Fine Food, Media, PR, etc.

Apart from keeping the control on their recruitment process and having the guaranty of reaching a targeted jobseekers audience of quality, employers will make massive savings on their recruitment costs by using our premier online recruitment services such as our Premium Ads, CV Bank service, Banners system and branding.

Recruitment/placement agencies operating within the luxury market will find with us an efficient recruitment website to get a targeted & quality jobseekers traffic to fill their vacancies all the year long. Please get in touch to know more about our bespoke media packages for recruitment professionals.

Luxury industry professionals from all sectors find with Joblux an exquisite careers website to help them find the job they have in mind. Fashion career opportunities, Jewellery jobs, Creative openings, High end Hospitality and Lifestyle roles, Fine Food positions, Beauty careers & more broadly all luxury jobs are with joblux.us. Registering a CV with Joblux.us gives access to a unique application management system and this totally free of charge. High end professionals may as well search job advertisements such as “Store Manager Prestigious Jewellery Brand” or “Directing all aspects of brand development and marketing” or “We are looking for a Fashion Merchandiser to join …”

Do not hesitate to contact Alex Mason 646. 808. 30. 47 http://www.joblux.us

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Corporate Culture, Employment, HR, Human Resources, Team Building, Workplace

42% Of Workers Say They Could Be More Productive Out Of The Office

BT Business and Nortel have revealed new independent research* statistics showing that less than one in ten (8%) of the UK’s businesses trust their employees to work out of the office – despite the 42% of workers who are confident that they could do a better job remotely.

The data shows managers are reluctant to move their people away from their outdated, desk-based working models. This is regardless of their employees, who say they could be more productive on the road, working with a customer or from home if they were given the technology to manage and support them.

John Wright, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said “This boils down to a matter of trust. In the current climate, small firms need to be operating at full stretch. Last week’s bad weather demonstrated the need for British businesses to enable their employees to be productive, wherever they are.”

Despite dramatic changes in the UK workforce since the 1970s, the research points to outdated working practices – such as ‘presenteeism’ where it is thought that if employees are not at their desks, they are not working . The new research suggests that businesses can put such practices to bed by unifying their communications.

Unified communications integrates voice, data, fixed and wireless business channels, allowing teams to work together, answer calls and customer queries whether in or out of the office. Managers can check productivity – down to even the number of calls and emails that are made and answered. Costs and duplicate work are reduced because all customer, supplier and partner contact is reduced to a single communications system.

John Dovey, IT services director at BT Business said: “BT’s 70,000 flexible workers have saved us £500m in building costs and 100,000 tonnes of CO2. We can effectively manage our employees and have seen a 30% rise in productivity. By unifying communications systems our business customers can be more responsive to new opportunities and customer enquiries wherever they are. Faster reaction and fulfilment times are a positive way to increase customer satisfaction, increase loyalty and encourage growth. These technologies can also help to attract and retain staff through flexible working.”

Barry Bonnett, president, Enterprise Solutions, EMEA, Nortel, said “As lifestyles change, so must management’s attitudes towards employees. Unified communications can help managers, but ultimately change depends on trust.”

BT Business understands the challenges that businesses face in the current climate, and supports cost control, improved productivity and winning business through product collections including business broadband & internet, domains & web hosting, data & voice networks, IT solutions and mobile services.

* All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 3473 workers in organisations with less than 500 employees and employed for at least 3 months. Fieldwork was undertaken between 2nd – 8th December 2008. The survey was carried out online. The figures have not been weighted.

About BT
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR, Human Resources, Jobs

1,000 Londoners A Week Look For Jobs In Scotland Reveals Talentscotland

TalentScotland, the website offering advice, support and vacancy information for people looking to relocate to Scotland, has revealed that 1,000 Londoners log on to its website every week in search of jobs in Scotland.

With almost 60,000 visits to the website from around the world in the last 12 weeks, TalentScotland remains buoyant in attracting interest from people wanting to come to live and work in Scotland.

With a particular focus on filling high value positions within the investment and fund management sectors in financial services, Hazel Sinclair, Head of TalentScotland said: “Scotland is an attractive place to live and work with high value jobs and great opportunities for career progression. The current climate in financial services around the world continues to raise many challenges however the diversity of Scotlands financial services sector, also offers many opportunities for people looking to relocate.”

Scotland has some of the world’s biggest household names including Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan and Barclay’s Wealth, as well as hundreds of smaller boutique operations that have all offered positions for key workers in fund management in the recent past.

Hazel continued, “TalentScotland is leading the way in providing comprehensive support for those wishing to secure short and long term career moves and it is great to see such interest from people currently living and working in London. We would encourage all those with an interest in relocating to Scotland to log on to talentscotland.com.”

Scotland currently has the second largest UK concentration of financial services expertise next to London with over 86,000 people employed in the sector. With seven of the top 20 companies in Scotland are financial services companies and the industry accounts for around £7 billion or 7% of Scotland’s GDP, it seems that Scotland will remain the ideal place for Londoners looking to relocate.

About TalentScotland
TalentScotland.com, with the backing of the Scottish Government and industry partners, aims to bring highly skilled professionals to choose Scotland as a location to live and work. The website provides information about Scottish careers, lifestyle as well as practical information on making a move. It acts as a gateway to a large number of vacancies in Scotland’s key industries including life sciences, electronic technologies, financial services and energy. TalentScotland produces a regular e-newsletter for registered users as well as emails listing current vacancies.

Case studies on successful appointments in Scotland are available on request.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR Consulting, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment

Communication Roles Rise In Public Sector Says Hays

Hays, the leading specialist recruitment consultancy, has revealed that marketing professionals are benefiting from the steady flow of jobs being created by the public sector and certain skill sets, such as communication roles, are experiencing an increase in demand. These roles are coming into their own during the current downturn, given the need for employers to bolster levels of employee engagement, drive productivity and push the efficiency agenda during these economically challenging times.

As the interest in public sector marketing opportunities grows, the added job security and range of flexible benefits offered are luring communications professionals away from the private sector. The majority of marketing jobs in the public sector are communications related with an internal or external focus: “There are opportunities for suitably qualified communications professionals right across the public sector, from entry level Communications Assistant through to the more senior roles, including Head of Internal Communications or Communications Director,” informed Matt Anderson, Managing Director at Hays Marketing.

Skills can be easily transferred from the private sector, although previous experience is an advantage and jobseekers need to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the systems and processes that are used by public sector organisations.

“Given the intense competition for roles at the moment, jobseekers need to show a strong degree of commercial awareness and be able to communicate with internal and external stakeholders alike,” continued Matt Anderson.

A stronger desire to work in the public sector was one of the key findings of a recentHays survey, which revealed a marked rise in the number of professionals looking to cross over from the private to the public sector in 2009, as compared with a year ago. Almost three in four respondents cited a greater level of job security as the main reason for considering a switch of sectors (73%), followed by an improved work-life balance (59%) and the enhanced benefits on offer in the public sector (37%).

“Some applicants are considering a reduction in salary as a trade off for the enhanced job security of the public sector but there are still some very interesting opportunities for professionals to develop their careers,” noted Matt Anderson.

Although recruitment activity in the public sector remains more buoyant than the private sector, opportunities still exist for experienced communication professionals, particularly within some of the larger commercial organisations.

About Hays
Hays Marketing is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group, specialising in a broad range of marketing jobs from pr jobs to digital marketing jobs. Hays is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As at 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2008:

– the Group had revenues of £2.5 billion, net fees of £786.8 million and operating profit before exceptional items of £253.8 million;
– the Group placed around 80,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 300,000 people into temporary assignments;
– the temporary placement business represented 49% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 51% of net fees.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment

Working as an in-house lawyer can amplify legal career horizons

According to the leading specialist recruitment consultancy, Hays, although recruitment activity has been affected by the downturn and slowed in the legal market as a whole, there are still opportunities for high calibre in-house lawyers. The market for interim roles, for example, is relatively buoyant and this route offers an excellent way to gain relevant experience as an in-house lawyer.

Lawyers need to be prepared and focused given the tougher market conditions. Strong technical skills and a track record of advising clients, either through prior permanent in-house or secondment experience, is a definite plus. Given the current climate, jobseekers can stand out by updating their skills in certain areas of legislation. “It is definitely worth brushing up on areas such as employment law, restructuring and insolvency work, and we would advise jobseekers to do so as these areas will be experiencing an upsurge in activity over the next 12 months,” noted Nick Creed, Business Director at Hays Legal.

He continued, “The downturn is throwing up some good interim opportunities to cover absences, such as maternity leave”.

Jobseekers must make sure that they are well prepared as competition for roles is intense and they must be very clear about the reasons why they are applying for a particular role. There should be a strong focus directed on the interview process, as thorough preparation will set applicants apart and ensure a better chance of securing a role. Keeping an open mind and not having preconceptions about a particular industry sector is also important.

“It’s as much about the people you are going to be working with as the actual industry itself,” explained Nick, “so keep your options open and explore available opportunities in sectors you may not have otherwise considered.”

Moving to an in-house role from private practice is another viable option and one where transferable skills, such as customer relationship management, will prove beneficial and facilitate the transition. In-house lawyers are involved in many different aspects of strategy, which not only requires a solid understanding of the business but also the communication skills to strip down often complex legalese.

While prior experience is an advantage, any previous in-house exposure will be advantageous. Asking for a secondment to a client, if working for a law firm, is one way of gaining experience. “This can be an invaluable stepping stone, even if it is just for three months, as you are cementing your understanding of what an in-house lawyer actually does on a daily basis. The key is to keep your private practice experience as broad as you can.” Advised Nick.

About Hays

Hays Legal is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in legal jobs including legal secretary jobs and paralegal jobs. Hays is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. On 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, Government Agencies, HR, HR Consulting, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment

The public sector is increasingly becoming an employer of choice for PAs

Hays, specialist recruiter, reports that although recruitment in some areas of the commercial market has slowed, the demand for PAs in the public sector is holding firm. A number of opportunities are being created, particularly temporary positions, in the health, central government and education sectors.

The public sector is increasingly becoming an employer of choice for PAs, primarily as a result of added job security, pensions, and work-life benefits. For example, some Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are currently embarking on a programme of recruiting permanent staff.

“As well as a buoyant demand for temporary positions in the public sector, we are experiencing growth for permanent PA roles, especially within the education sector, which is evident in the roles we have recently recruited to. This trend is also reflected in those being advertised in the press,” commented Bethan Robbins, Regional Manager for Hays Secretarial.

Despite the economic backdrop, there are good opportunities for PAs with a commercial background to enhance their careers and gain new experiences by moving into the public sector. While prior experience is sometimes seen as an advantage and is preferred in some cases, skills can be transferred from one sector to the other. This has been borne out by recruitment volumes.

Bethan Robbins explained: “We have seen an increase in the number of candidates with commercial or banking experience, applying for advertised jobs online, and subsequently registering with Hays Secretarial. It is, however, important that PA jobseekers have a solid grasp of the challenges and demands of the public sector and understand how the various organisations operate.”

The health sector is one such sector where there remains a strong demand for temporary staff. However, the demand for experienced medical secretaries working on temporary placements can fluctuate depending on the time of year and is a trend that Hays has been seeing throughout the whole of Greater London.

A previous Hays survey revealed that the interest generated in public sector jobs has increased significantly: almost three in four respondents are now more likely to consider a move to the public sector than at the same point last year. The majority are also prepared to take some form of pay cut in exchange for improved job security within the public sector. “Many of these candidates will consider a reduction in salary as the trade-off for job security in the current job market,” confirmed Bethan Robbins.

About Hays

Hays Secretarial is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group and specialises in PA and secretarial jobs including senior, medical and legal secretary jobs. Hays is the market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. At the end of June 2008, the Group employed 8,872 staff operating from 393 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms.

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR, Human Resources, Leadership, Management

Bigmouthmedia has announced the appointment of Lastminute.com CEO, Ian McCaig, to the company’s board in a non-executive role

Bigmouthmedia has announced the appointment of Ian McCaig to the company’s board. Joining bigmouthmedia, Europe’s largest independent digital marketing agency, in a non-executive role, the lastminute.com CEO brings a wealth of client side international business experience to the position.

“Digital marketing plays an increasingly important role in the success of online commerce and it is a particularly exciting time for this growth sector,” said McCaig. “The industry is set to take an even more prominent place on the global stage and, as a leading-edge brand with a great history and pan-European footprint, bigmouthmedia is perfectly positioned to remain at the forefront of this fast evolving industry.”

McCaig, who will remain in his lastminute.com post, has a history of involvement in companies poised to make a major impact on the international markets. He was appointed COO of lastminute.com in 2003 and has been responsible for the group’s operations throughout Europe. Since joining he has worked on the growth and development of lastminute.com and has successfully led the integration with Travelocity since its acquisition in July.

Aged 41, Ian was previously Vice President of 3G operations at Nokia and spent seven years overall in the telecommunications industry.

“We are particularly excited by the addition of Ian to our board”, commented Steve Leach, CEO of bigmouthmedia. “While his extensive experience in the online and technology sectors will deliver obvious benefits, his mastery of the mergers, acquisitions and integration process will be of great value as we enter the next phase in bigmouthmedia’s development.”

Bigmouthmedia GmbH was formed in 2006 with the merger of bigmouthmedia limited and Global Media GmbH to form the largest privately held digital marketing agency in Europe through the backing of The Carlyle Group. Nazo Moosa, a director at Carlyle who sits on the board of bigmouthmedia, said: “We believe these challenging markets provide an opportunity for the leaders in each industry to consolidate their position. We are committed to supporting bigmouthmedia in its aim to lead the fragmented digital marketing sector in Europe, and are confident Ian will play a key role in achieving this.”

About bigmouthmedia

Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia is Europe’s largest independent digital marketing agency. With a team of over 200 staff across 13 offices in 10 countries on 3 continents, the company maximises exposure for major brands online through a variety of fully integrated digital marketing channels: Search engine optimisation, PPC, Online Media Planning, Affiliate Marketing, Social Networking, Brand Monitoring, Online PR and Web Analytics. Bigmouthmedia also provides up to date daily digital marketing news to ensure clients are fully informed and aware of all industry developments.

Leading the digital marketing strategies of a third of the UK’s most trusted brands, bigmouthmedia services over 300 big-brand customers globally including: Adidas, Hilton, British Airways, Tesco, Aer Lingus, BP, Barclays, Castrol, Conrad International, Dorling Kindersley, Early Learning Centre, , Fasthosts, Jumeirah, Canon, Samsung, Starbucks, Top Man, Debenhams, Which?, Lacoste, Euler Hermes and Wall Street Institute.

 

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Corporate Culture, Employment, Headhunting, HR, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruitment

Joslin Rowe Have Revealed That Product Control Will Become An Ever More Important Function Leading To Changing Product Control Job Specs

Joslin Rowe, one of the leading UK financial services recruitment firms, have released research that suggests the type of candidate most likely to be hired into a temporary product control job is going to change, following a warning from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) that firms need to maintain their valuation and product controls more stringently.

Tom Forrest, associate director of Joslin Rowe’s temporary accountancy & finance recruitment division, clarifies: “The UK Financial Services Authority has issued a ‘Dear CEO’ letter, cautioning banks and investment firms with trading operations that they will be visiting in the first half of 2009 to focus on valuation control processes. For many firms, this will be the impetus to change the type of person they look for in both temporary and permanent product control hires.”

According to Joslin Rowe research, product control departments have evolved enormously in the last 5 years and because of that, the parameters of product control careers have changed.

“Over the years, the number crunching of profit and loss figures have all been offshored,” explains Forrest. “Today, the typical temporary product control job in the UK market is a very analytical and risk orientated position. Product control job specs are asking for a totally different class of person for what’s essentially seen as a new breed of role.”

The current climate of concern over risk exposure and writedowns will also add fuel to the demand for strong product controllers.

“Confidence can only return to the market when product valuations and controls are watertight,” believes Forrest. “The product control function will be vital in achieving this. Candidates need to demonstrate, at interview, that they can build robust relationships with the trading floor and can control the big personalities that often dominate.”

Forrest predicts that the market will see a real shift in the type of temporary product control jobs being recruited for over the remainder of the year.

“Obviously, there’s a massive amount of market caution, so hiring the right staff to support a more rigid infrastructure, whether that’s on a temporary or permanent basis, will be the main focus” states Forrest. “Anyone with product control experience typically gained within overseas banks or securities firms, who’s risk aware with a strong attitude, will find themselves in demand for any temporary product control jobs on offer. It’s worth noting good candidates are still securing multiple job offers even in this difficult market. Rates aren’t dipping either, at up to £500 a day for a temporary product control job.”

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, Headhunting, HR Services, HR Solutions, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruitment

SAPCAreers.com—SAP employment portal service

Specialists always produce better quality service and have a wider range. That’s the approach of the leading SAP employment portal service SAPCAreers.com when tackling the big players in the employment industry.

Focusing solely on work in the SAP sector, SAPCareers.com provides an excellent set of tools to help facilitate the perfect match between employer and job seeker.

One tool allows SAP job seekers to upload their resumes which then become searchable via parameters such as category and location. SAP professionals also list their skill set & experience which all combine to produce a detailed profile which potential employers and recruitment agencies can run through.

Christian Wade of SAPCareers.com is confident that by providing job seekers with the option to advertise their skills makes it an easy task for employers and recruiters looking for a suitable candidate.

“I would encourage job seekers to spend a good amount of time polishing up the resume and making sure that all relevant skills & experience are clearly listed. We have a lot of recruiters who work specifically in finding SAP clients so they really do know what they’re looking for.” said Wade, stating that the website currently has a database of over 2000SAP resumes online and near 7000 registered SAP job seekers.

Wade also added that there were benefits also for recruitment agencies. “There are general job websites where the audience isn’t very focused into a specific sector. In my experience, the real professionals in each industry avoid the general websites and are more likely to use an industry specific website. I feel that they have more confidence in a website that’s dedicated to their industry. When you post a job on SAPCareers.com you know for sure that anyone that visits the site is a SAP candidate.”

He further said that recruitment agencies are always trying to get the best candidates for each role, to keep their relationship with the employer at a high level. “As a recruitment agency, if you’re sending A grade candidates to the employers for positions then you’re going to keep getting jobs to fill”.

SAP is experiencing tremendous growth, and there appears to be a shortage of qualified SAP staff with good experience. Wade says he hopes to increase the number of registered job seekers heading into 2009. “We’re looking at adding plenty of resources for the SAP community in the new year. We see a great opportunity to continue our work as one of the leading websites for SAP jobs and candidates.”

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, Executive Search, HR, HR Consulting, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter

Exec-Appointments, one of the most successful online recruitment sites for executive jobs, has been shortlisted for the 2008 Recruiter Awards for Excellence

Exec-Appointments has been nominated in the Best Job Board category at the 2008 Recruiter Awards for Excellence. Exec-Appointments, which was acquired by the Financial Times in November 2007, recently achieved 200,000 registered executives on its website. It also has over 10,000 MBAs who are members of MBA-Direct.com. Exec-Appointments has a strong brand, recognised internationally by both clients and candidates alike.

Exec-Appointments which focuses on high-earning executive jobs, has a major presence in online recruitment. It has a successful core product – which focuses on senior management jobs and boasts the highest proportion of C-suite, director and senior manager visitors and highest average income visitors to any UK online job site – and two specialist products targeting MBAs and Non-Executive Directors.

Betty Thayer, Chief Executive of Exec-Appointments said, “I am delighted that Exec-Appointments has been short listed for these awards, recognition of a highly successful year for the company.”

The nomination comes less than six months after the company was bought by the Financial Times. The change in ownership has increased the exposure of Exec-Appointments vacancies, with the job board gaining direct access to the FT.com network where jobs are listed next to articles and analysis on the Financial Times website.

About Exec Appointments
Exec-appointments.com is owned by the Financial Times company and is the leading, award winning online site for executive jobs, including permanent, interim, contract, non-executive and senior voluntary positions in the UK and abroad. Launched in response to demand for a high quality, online recruitment advertising service, exec-appointments.com has formed a number of important associations and conducted research on the role and attitudes of non-executive directors. Exec Appointments established The Non Executive Director, the major Europe-wide source of information and comment on non-executive directors, which is produced in association with Ernst & Young. It also runs MBA-Direct, a global leader for MBA jobs, providing a professional online service for MBA students, alumni, executive recruiters and the world’s leading business schools. The company was founded by Betty Thayer (CEO), an advocate for Women in Business and former Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Think London. The company headquarters are situated in Bath, a World Heritage Site in Somerset.


Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases

Careers, Employment, HR, HR Services, Human Resources, Jobs, Recruiter, Recruitment, Staffing Services

Graduates looking for a job in banking could benefit from a recruitment drive operating across the square mile and Docklands, reports financial services recruitment agency Joslin Rowe

Worried graduates still looking for a job in banking could benefit from a little known recruitment drive operating across the square mile and Docklands, reports financial services recruitment agency Joslin Rowe.

Some of the biggest names in the financial services sector are recruiting for so called “graduate bootcamps” via recruitment consultancies. The bootcamp scheme aims to plug the extreme skills shortage currently affecting the banking sector by offering graduate jobs in banking (http://www.joslinrowe.com/graduate) on a temporary rather than permanent basis, where each recruit is intensively trained into a very specific junior role as an interim measure.

Alex Niarchos, manager of Joslin Rowe Temporaries, recruits graduates for many of London’s investment banks including the boot camp initiative. He says, “Essentially, the scheme gives banks the flexibility to hire someone straight away on an ongoing contract for as long as they need in a certain area which is particularly short staffed. Although this isn’t a permanent role it can often lead to one and however long or short the assignment, it does mean that graduates temping on the scheme will have considerable experience at the end of it and be eminently more employable.”

Applicants most likely to secure a graduate job in investment banking via the scheme are those with a 2:1 numerate or financially focused degree (or equivalent), who can demonstrate strong excel skills, an analytical mind and a real interest in financial services. Evidence of an internship in the City or work experience in a similarly fast paced, pressurised environment is particularly key. Typical roles available under the scheme encompass derivative operations, dividends, collateral management, equity trade support & settlements and even some middle office positions.

“There are a few core differences between the official graduate schemes and boot camp contracts,” advises Alex. “Obviously the prestige and security of securing a graduate banking job via the official graduate programme is immense and graduates, understandably, are often keen to join at the same time as a group of peers on a structured programme with plenty of hand holding. It is also true that the official scheme offers more varied rotations throughout the bank. However, boot camp contracts also offer training, both on and off the desk, and although new hires will be expected to grasp things quickly they are not just left to sink or swim. There is also an element of internal mobility and contracts can lead to a permanent job offer. Ultimately, it’s a path that should not be discounted out of career snobbery as it could be just the opening someone needs to really kick start their fortunes,” advises Alex.

Established in 1982, Joslin Rowe is one of the leading financial services recruitment firms in the UK and Ireland. On 7 April 2006, international staffing services company Vedior (headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) raised its stake in Joslin Rowe’s parent company, The Blomfield Group, from 18% to 70%. Jocelyn Rowe recruits for a number of graduate jobs in banking across London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin including long-term contracts, temporary and permanent roles.

 

Via EPR Network
More Human Resources press releases