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Acas Urges UK Businesses To Tackle Mental Health In The Downturn

Acas, the employment relations service, is encouraging UK businesses and managers to prepare for the longer term effects of the recession and implement policies and procedures to help cope with mental health issues in the workplace.

In a recently published policy discussion paper, Acas looks at some of the lessons that can be learnt from tackling workplace stress. It advises business and managers to look at how they can anticipate and identify mental health problems in the workplace and what steps should be taken to respond to them.

Figures show that mental health problems cost UK organisations around £26 billion each year*. The latest figures also reveal that the total number of unemployed has now reached 2.47 million**, which could have a further adverse impact on employees’ wellbeing.

Ed Sweeney, Acas Chairman, said: “The economy may hopefully have seen the worst of the recession but the impact on workplaces will be felt far into the future.

“Implementing procedures to effectively deal with mental health issues in the workplace has strong benefits for individuals and organisations. Early intervention can play a critical part in reducing the problem of ill health at work and this ‘prevention over cure’ approach will ultimately help businesses and employees save time, stress and money.”

Measuring the impact of the recession on employees’ mental wellbeing can be difficult as the stigma associated with mental health creates barriers to measuring the true extent of the problem.

Acas is urging organisations and managers to implement effective policies and procedures to help managers deal with the long term impacts of the downturn and safeguard the health and wellbeing of employees. This might include:

- workplace training – to raise awareness of stress and
mental health so that line managers, in particular, can tell if an employee is
suffering from additional or excessive pressures

– Good interpersonal skills – to help nurture trusting relationships with staff who
may be anxious about disclosing their mental health problems

– A supportive organisational structure – that guides managers by providing clear
policies and procedures for managing mental health

Via EPR Network
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Recruiting Private Sector Talent Is Now A Priority For Public Sector

Hays Public Services has revealed the results of a new survey which shows that more than 80% of public sector organisations believe skills shortages in their organisation would be best filled by private sector workers.

Employers based across public services divisions including education, central and local government, housing, the NHS, charities and not for profit organisations stressed concern about the lack of commercial talent. 47% of respondents also said there are widespread skill shortages generally and this needs to be addressed in order for quality services to be delivered.

Concerns expressed by respondents identified shortages in management skills (54%) and indicated that the most valuable attributes a private sector candidate can bring to the public sector is commercial expertise (61%) and creativity (17%). Other attributes include a different drive and ethic.

The time to move to the public sector may be now, with 63% of employers confirming they have noticed an upturn in applications. Significantly 86% believe this increase is beneficial with job candidates bringing a diverse range of skills experience and willingness to adapt to new methods.

Andy Robling, Director at Hays Public Services, said: “The recession has forced people to re-evaluate their perception of a job in the public sector and they have come to realise that it offers comparable pay, generous benefits and a challenging, yet rewarding, environment. At the same time, many public sector organisations are undergoing a period of change and commercial expertise is highly valued to manage this process and drive efficiencies. Employers need to make sure they are tapping into this pool of talent. Jobseekers with a commercial background have never been more available or more willing to make the move.”

Although almost two-fifths of public sector employers are adamant that the recession has enabled access to a pool of talent that may otherwise not have been on offer, there is also the concern that once the economy picks up many of the new workers will leave and go back to previous private sector employment, once again leaving a dearth of skills.

About Hays Public Services:
Hays Public Services is part of Hays plc and specialises in public sector jobs including social housing jobs and a range of jobs in education.

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Business Development Paving The Way To Successful Sales Growth

Hays Sales has revealed that the recession has underscored a shift in emphasis toward business development, as organisations seek to increase sales and grow market share.

Business Development Paving The Way To Successful Sales Growth

“The demand for business development managers has remained buoyant, particularly in the service sector, in industries such as IT and utilities, but there are also opportunities in the facilities management side of construction,” commented Kevin Dunbar, National Sales Director at Hays Sales.

A track record of business development is a highly prized asset in the current marketplace and this is reflected in the salaries and benefits on offer for the right individual. The need to develop and win new business, over and above the management of an existing client base, has led to a steady demand for sales professionals who can make a real difference to their company’s bottom line.

“Organisations are looking for experienced business development managers, with the skills to bring in new clients and generate much-needed cash,” continued Dunbar.

For those looking for business development jobs, it is imperative that CVs are tailored to each role and include all relevant competencies. “Individuals need to draw out the experience they have, make it specific to the role in question and demonstrate that they have the skills to meet the organisation’s requirements. Quantifying achievements is very important, as employers want to see evidence of revenue streams,” Dunbar explained. “Employers are looking for a blend of strong commercial and interpersonal skills and are seeking evidence of how individuals handled themselves in certain situations and how capable they are of interacting with colleagues to achieve desired outcomes.”

One of the fundamental issues for employers is to attract the right calibre of candidate for their business development jobs, given that many jobseekers are cautious to move in the current market. With job security the most important consideration for employees, organisations need to find innovative recruitment solutions and delivering a strong sales message is a key lynchpin to a successful recruitment strategy. Establishing a thorough recruitment process is central to this and will also have a positive ‘knock on’ effect to reduce staff turnover. The use of online advertising has become a focal element behind any successful recruitment strategy. “There are a whole host of solutions, including bespoke campaign sites, SMS messaging and video content, to promote both the organisation and its roles,” stated Dunbar.

The sales industry continues to be blighted by high levels of staff turnover, particularly in the utilities sector, which serves to reinforce the need to focus on employee retention. Although investment in training and development is an important way of engaging with any workforce the current climate has not facilitated this, as companies struggle to generate sales.

“Training tends to take a back seat during a recession and is one of the first areas to be affected by spending cuts. That said, jobseekers place great value on career development and so employers need to strike the right balance if they are to retain their best sales teams,” concluded Dunbar.

Hays Sales is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range of sales jobs from telesales jobs to sales director jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. As of 30 June 2008, the Group employed 8,294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Rise In Number Of Teaching Applications, Report Says

A recent Hays Education survey has shown that more than a fifth of teachers believe the increase in teaching applications is positive, because the so-called ‘credit crunch teachers’ are bringing new skills and experience with them.. However, current teachers have also questioned their motives and 33% are concerned that they don’t realise how difficult teaching is and won’t stick with their newfound careers when the economy picks up.

Teaching Applications

Martyn Best, managing director of Hays Education, said: “Interest in teaching jobs has increased during the recession. Naturally, people are looking for the added job security, but they are also taking stock and assessing what they really want from a career – particularly if they have been made redundant and feel let down by their previous employer.”

The government has recently attempted to attract redundant workers into teaching by offering fastrack PGCE courses. The incentives also include golden handshakes to those chosing to teach science or maths.

Stuart MacKenzie is a former graphic designer who turned his back on commerce and retrained as a teacher. Stuart, who is now head of design and technology, said: “I was a graphic designer working with clients such as Cadbury and Rolls Royce before becoming a teacher. Real-life experience is really helpful in the classroom and adds to the breadth of knowldege that you can pass on to a class.”

The vast majority of respondents (84%) confirmed this, with the belief that recruiting teachers from a wider cross section of backgrounds – including commerce – would benefit the teaching profession. Interestingly, it also seems the tide is turning against some of the common misconceptions of teaching with 59% of teachers stating that they were happy with their work-life balance.

Martyn Best said: “Our advice is to contact your local school and get some practical experience. See how schools have progressed and find out whether the reality of a career in the classroom would suit you. Then take a PGCE course and explore which side of teaching you prefer. A positive attitude, good communication skills and patience were rated most highly by current teachers. Many people will have learnt these skills in the private sector and once they have the relevant qualifications will find that teaching is a career they can excel in.”

About Hays Education:
Hays Education is part of Hays plc, specialising in range of education jobs from teaching assistant jobsto headteacher jobs. It is market leader in the UK and Australia, and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group employs 8294 staff operating from 380 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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HR Consulting and Safety Compliance Services By National PEO

National PEO LLC (Professional Employer Organization) offers safety compliance services along with a full spectrum of HR consulting expertise to a wide range of industries including food services, manufacturing, health care and construction.

HR Consulting and Safety Compliance Services

Human Resources has been for years a frequently understaffed or overlooked department, especially in small and medium sized businesses that are focused on production and revenue rather than administrative requirements. However, it’s often at this stage that companies are in most need of HR best practices to facilitate strategic growth and manage various regulatory compliance issues. National PEO offers programs that can help companies with any of their HR needs, including:

• Employee development and training.
• Staff programs, safety programs and employee handbooks.
• Compensation analysis.
• Regulatory compliance, including safety and environmental compliance.
• Regional taxation rules.
• Strategic planning.

National PEO clients benefit from the experience of a company that was founded ten years ago and has remained committed to remaining at the leading edge of professional employer organization best practices and well as emphasizing unparalleled customer service.

Arizona Environment Progress, Inc., a National PEO client has this to say: “The staff is courteous and helpful, and goes the extra mile for their clients. Their Human Resource Department is such a pleasure to work with. We can always get answers to our most difficult questions, and most times have the answer within one hour. We would recommend them to any company.”

National PEO goes far beyond what typical a HR Consulting Firms offer, including the availability of bilingual support staff. Safety compliance includes providing a full safety inspection of the client’s facility, following OSHA inspection standards, accompanied by a written report and photographs. Going beyond the level of a trial inspection, a full safety audit is also available. This includes an inspection, review of OSHA 300 logs for the past five years and a comprehensive review of the company’s accident reports, safety training programs, environmental programs, hazardous material management plans and other relevant documentation. National PEO then assists the client to achieve abatement and compliance once an OSHA compliance inspection is completed.

For further information about National PEO’s HR Consulting services, including safety compliance programs, payroll processing and employee benefits programs, please call 480-429-8098, or visit www.nationalpeo.com.

About National PEO LLC
National PEO LLC was founded in 1999 and has enjoyed a decade of steady growth, becoming a leading provider of PEO services to hundreds of companies throughout Arizona and the United States. National PEO’s executive Safety Compliance Services team exceeds a combined thirty years of experience in the field and continues to steer National PEO toward exceeding expectations of a HR Consulting Firms through innovation, leadership, customer satisfaction and setting the trend for PEO industry best practices.

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ISV Partner Is Dedicated To Oracle Human Capital Management

Applaud Solutions today announced that it has become a Partner in the Oracle® PartnerNetwork. Applaud Solutions are a new cross market Independent Software Vendor dedicated wholly to producing solutions for Oracle® E-BusinessSuite HCM.

applaudsolutions

Formed in 2008, the founders of Applaud Solutions have all had over a decade’s worth of experience in Oracle HCM and have worked on some of the largest UK projects in sectors including Local Government, Central Government, Retail, Finance and Telecommunications. Their goal is simple: create integrated solutions that are in demand f r o m Oracle HCM customers, built to the same world class standard as that provided by Oracle development.

Early solutions proving popular with early adopters include integrating Microsoft Outlook with Oracle® Learning Management and a new graphical user interface for Managers to schedule holiday bookings f r o m within Oracle® Self-Service HR.

Applaud Solutions are embarking on validating the integration of their solutions through Oracle’s Application Integration Architecture (AIA) for Partners validation process.

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Hays Social Housing Reports Increase In Demand For Housing Professionals

Hays, leading specialist recruiter, has stated that the government’s plans to secure a brighter future for school leavers amid the rising tide of unemployment, has led to an increase in demand for support workers.

“We are experiencing a steady demand for social housing jobs, particularly for support workers to undertake varying assignments with the 16-25 age group and this requirement is expected to increase as government grants for supported funding become available,” said Matt Lewis, Business Director at Hays Social Housing. Support workers typically assist individuals in hostels and refuges with their lives and the transition back to work. This means the skills employers are looking for include proven experience with client groups and an ability to undertake support plans.

In line with the government initiative, Hays Social Housing has been partnering with social housing providers to offer careers advice to tenants and youngsters that are at risk of being made homeless. “We’ve been running a series of workshops with a focus on how to create a winning CV and how to conduct yourself during an interview. The sessions have had a positive impact, helping to break down some of the barriers that are preventing individuals from fulfilling their true potential,” explained Lewis.

The recession, which has brought hardship to many families, has also fuelled an increased demand for specialist help for those at risk of having, or who have had, their homes repossessed. “The demand for housing advice officers has increased significantly over the past few months. Salaries have remained stable given the increased competition for skills to attract the best applicants, as pressure for these services continues to increase,” continued Lewis.

Due to the changing regulatory framework, one of the key trends has been the increased focus of housing associations on their customer service provision, which has led to a requirement for tenant and community engagement, neighbourhood involvement and inclusion. In addition the Decent Homes Programme continues to fuel tenant liaison opportunities with organisations such as contractors, building and utilities companies’ officers. Meanwhile, there is also a demand for housing policy roles that focus on strategy and commercially-minded individuals who can drive efficiencies and generate new business.

“Housing associations are looking for individuals with transferable skills to work as leasehold officers, liaising with private landlords and carrying out risk assessments,” added Lewis.

Two of the key requirements for individuals in social housing jobs are a solid work history and an ability to hit the ground running. While CIH qualifications are important, particularly for senior roles, these are not usually a pre-requisite. The demand for social housing professionals is likely to continue given the pressing need to increase the supply of affordable housing, as highlighted by the government’s commitment to build new homes, which is a continuing sign that the sector remains buoyant.

About Hays Social Housing:
Hays Social Housing is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range of social housing jobs including housing benefit jobs and supported housing 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 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Hays Purchasing & Supply Report Cost Efficiencies Fuelling Procurement Demand

According to Hays Purchasing & Supply, the leading specialist recruitment company, the implementation of efficiency and cost control drives within organisations has led to a sustained demand for experienced purchasing professionals.

“Many SMEs and smaller companies are being required to improve the supply chain to protect their profit margins, which calls for sophisticated planning and improved procurement within the market. Blue chips and larger organisations are also driving supply chain improvements to ensure the route to market is increasingly efficient,” commented Pat Law, Managing Director at Hays Purchasing & Supply.

This has led to a steady demand for supply chain professionals, as employers seek to recruit for a range of purchasing jobs, including procurement, sourcing and contracts managers as well as those in forecasting roles.

“The diversity of roles spans across industries; from pharmaceuticals, food, fast moving consumer goods and the service sectors. Energy and utilities are also particular growth areas,” continued Law. “Salaries and benefits packages have remained competitive although jobseekers are being more flexible when it comes to remuneration and location to secure their next role.”

With many organisations cutting back on their learning and development budgets as part of cost-cutting programmes, the onus is on employees in procurement jobs to assume responsibility for their own development by demonstrating flexibility and making themselves indispensable. “Candidates should be looking for challenges and projects that broaden their experience, enhance their skill set through continuing professional development, whether through formal or informal training and they should look to take on extra responsibilities and seek ways to add value at every opportunity. Project based work outside of the ‘day job’ should be used to stimulate ideas and new ways of thinking,” advised Law.

Working in an interim capacity, especially for those who have been made redundant in the current market, provides an excellent platform to gain experience of diverse industries. “There is however more competition for those interim roles,” said Law. “It should also be noted that there are excellent opportunities for skilled jobseekers in both the public and private sectors, and therefore it is important for jobseekers to explore all available options and look to maximise their transferable skills.”

Employers are expecting more from their recruits and it is up to individuals to deliver results from the outset, “Previously, organisations might have taken on a candidate who ticks the majority of boxes, filling any knowledge gaps with training to hone their skills. But now candidates need to hit the ground running and show how they can add value by making the current processes more efficient,” remarked Law.

Commercial organisations are increasingly looking to improve their existing procurement teams, making them more efficient, effective and leaner to ensure a knock-on effect on profitability. “Each part of an organisation needs to be operating at maximum efficiency and as a result the focus for senior management is to cut costs across every step of the supply chain, from purchasing to final delivery,” concluded Law.

Hays Purchasing & Supply is part of Hays plc, specialising in purchasing and supply jobs including warehousing jobs and contracts and supplier management. 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 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Demand For Corporate Recovery And Insolvency Professionals Rising

Hays Senior Finance has revealed that the current economic downturn has triggered a rise in the demand for professionals with corporate recovery and insolvency experience, to work on both permanent and temporary assignments.

Corporate Recovery Jobs

The increase in demand for these specialist skills across a range of industry sectors comes as a direct consequence of the difficult business environment. Professionals are sought after to work on a range of insolvency and corporate recovery jobs, from compulsory and voluntary liquidations through to administrations and corporate turnarounds. “Since the end of last year, we have experienced a rise in demand for insolvency, corporate and personal restructuring specialists, including administrators, senior administrators and managers,” commented Kathryn Swan, Director at Hays Senior Finance.

Salaries have remained steady and even risen for some roles, added Swan: “Although remuneration levels have remained fairly constant for managers, senior managers and directors, we have noticed marginal increases for administrators and senior administrators, compared to 12 months ago”.

Employers are typically looking for insolvency specialists, who have either gained experience with a Big Four, mid-tier or boutique insolvency and corporate recovery firm and this means that jobseekers would need to demonstrate experience of taking control of businesses that have succumbed to financial pressures.

An analytical mind and diplomacy are desirable attributes for those considering working in insolvency and corporate recovery jobs, with other required competencies including marketing expertise and commercial acumen as well as the ability to win new business. “On top of technical skills and qualifications, organisations are looking for experienced managers who can manage growing teams and who have a track record of winning new business,” continued Swan. “Market activity has remained buoyant and with more senior level firms opening up new offices and taking on new teams, there are real opportunities for those wanting to specialise in corporate recovery.”

The role of the corporate recovery specialist is a multi-faceted one: accessing the viability of each part of the business, ensuring all stakeholders buy into your plan and determining how to generate cash as fast as possible. Deflecting immediate threats to the client’s survival and devising strategies to drive profits are central elements to any recovery strategy. The normal route is to sit the Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency (CPI) exam and then study for the Joint Insolvency Examinations Board (JIEB) qualification. “This growth in demand has been for those with specific business review skills, for example Independent Business Reviews (IBRs), pre-lending or pre-insolvency,” added Swan.

The demand for insolvency experts has risen across the UK and the number of opportunities for suitably qualified professionals looks set to continue.

“We’ve seen an increase in number of insolvent, compulsory and voluntary liquidations and debt restructurings. The number of companies involved rose sharply in the final quarter of 2008 and this upward spiral is expected to continue into the second half of 2009 and beyond,” concluded Swan.

Hays Senior Finance is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range of senior finance jobs from finance director jobs to tax accountant 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 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 and 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.

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Joslin Rowe Questions Whether The Lowest Point For HR Recruitment In London Has Passed

Joslin Rowe, the specialist recruitment company, has reported a recent noticeable upturn in HR recruitment following a year long slide in City HR job volumes. While most of 2009 has been characterised by a continuing slump in HR recruitment, job volumes reached their nadir during mid June 2009, with a 77% decrease in HR jobs compared with 2008.

joslinrowe

Daniel Cooper, a senior consultant with Joslin Rowe’s HR recruitment team, commented: “Mid-May to mid-June signalled the lowest point, where the only positions being recruited for were incredibly specialist, such as learning & development roles, expat positions and comp & bens. There were very few generalist positions available. However, the last few weeks has seen a marked increase. There’s been an incredible bounce upwards.”

According to Joslin Rowe data, the HR jobs desk is now handling more roles than at any time since the recession was declared in 2008. And, more importantly, the sheer variety of firms recruiting is a strong indicator the market may no longer be in a downward spiral.

“We’ve seen our first few senior HR jobs being released from the legal sector, whilst a number of investment banks and insurance firms are recruiting again – even those who were hardest hit,” said Cooper. “Another positive is the number of HR generalist jobs. Certainly, the recruitment we’re seeing at the moment is way ahead of previous client predictions which all pointed to the end of 2009 before recruitment would reach current levels.”

Conversations with Joslin Rowe clients indicate that departments are now so lean, even a small increase in business activity will necessitate increased HR headcount, with one HR Director admitting his team is so stretched, he might be back up to 2008 headcount levels by the start of 2010.

“The key is of course, whether this growth can be sustained,” admits Cooper. “I think if we start to see jobs for internal recruiters, we’ll certainly know we’re heading in the right direction. At the moment, entry level HR jobs, graduate recruitment and internal recruitment are yet to recover.”

Another positive is that salaries for roles coming to market have remained very competitive. Despite this, candidates who previously earned £70,000 are now willing to look at roles at the £65,000 mark in order to return to the labour market.

Dan Cooper believes, “Job seekers are realistic enough to realise that whilst in the good times they may have seen their salary soar from £50,000 to £70,000, the market has re-aligned itself and they are happy to do the same.”

About Joslin Rowe:
Established in 1982, Joslin Rowe is one of the leading UK financial services recruitment firms in the UK. Joslin Rowe consultants, candidates and clients work together to achieve the best employment opportunities and long term relationships. Joslin Rowe recruits for accountancy jobs and banking jobs along with other financial services jobs across London, Edinburgh and Glasgow including interim contracts, temporary and permanent positions. Joslin Rowe is a Randstad company – the second largest HR services group globally.

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Demand For Experienced Invoice Finance Professionals

Hays Banking, specialist recruitment company, reports the need for companies to seek a financing facility and generate cash during the recession has helped to maintain demand for experienced invoice finance professionals.

Invoice Finance Professionals

Despite the problems encountered by the banking industry as a whole, invoice finance has remained fairly resilient, “Many providers are independent businesses and therefore have not been affected as much as the large banking institutions. The invoice funding facility can provide a much-needed boost to cash flow, particularly in the present climate,” commented Tessa Hollingworth, Operations Director at Hays Banking.

Invoice finance is an integral part of commercial, business and corporate banking and is offered as a service by both independent providers and banks to commercial businesses of all sizes, from SMEs through to multinational corporations. The types of roles being recruited for include relationship and client managers, heads of customer relations and business development managers.

Among the key competencies required for invoice finance jobs are client and portfolio management experience, a track record of generating new business, liaison with external stakeholders and risk management control. Although there are no specific qualifications needed to specialise in invoice finance, organisations are typically looking for technical experience at relationship manager level and above. “Smaller invoice finance businesses will often require experienced individuals with excellent local knowledge and the ability to self-source deals through an introducer base,” remarked Hollingworth.

Invoice finance is split into three core areas: factoring, invoice discounting and asset-based lending. Invoice discounting enables the organisation to retain control of their sales ledger with funds based on the value of invoices, while factoring means that the bank deals directly with a company’s debtors, thereby eliminating the costs of administration. “Typically, individuals will specialise in either factoring or invoice discounting; the two are however closely aligned and candidates with these skill sets will often possess experience of both areas. Asset-based lending is a more complex, structured form of lending and is therefore a specialist area in its own right,” explained Hollingworth.

Although direct experience is required for the majority of roles, there are routes into the profession for those with relevant industry knowledge, “Transferable skills from junior support roles within the banking sector and financial service sectors are a definite advantage for invoice finance roles,” advised Hollingworth.

For those wanting to remain in a client-facing role, invoice finance allows the individual to gradually work towards the high-value client management arena, which brings greater reward and responsibility, along with access to more complex business structures. Client-facing success can also turn into staff management or area management positions in medium to large organisations if this is a preferred career path.

About Hays Banking:
Hays Banking is part of Hays plc, specialising in a range banking jobs from commercial banking jobs to wealth management 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 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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IT Leads Organisational Efficiency – Reports Hays Information Technology

Hays Information Technology, a leading specialist recruitment company, reports a number of specialist IT skill sets have come to the fore during the current climate, as organisations seek to maximise efficiencies.

hays

Providing technical solutions in a structured and cost-effective manner remains a key priority, particularly for larger organisations and consequently this has led to sustained demand for architecture expertise in the current IT architect jobs market. “Enterprise architects can still command excellent salaries and remuneration levels reflect the substantial cost savings that these individuals can bring to their organisations,” commented James Lloyd-Townshend, Managing Director at Hays Information Technology.

The focus on cost efficiency has also fuelled demand for business intelligence consultants, whose remit is to prepare management information reports, keep senior stakeholders informed on all aspects of company performance and highlight areas where resources need to be diverted in order to optimise financial outlays. “SharePoint experience is a particular skill set that employers are looking for, as this can make a real difference to the way businesses share information, which in turn has a dual knock-on effect on engagement and productivity,” added Lloyd-Townshend.

Virtualisation is a central part of an organisation’s IT strategy in achieving consolidating and standardising infrastructure. This results in server and device consolidation and these reductions mean less capital expenditure, lower power consumption and maintenance costs, fewer human resource support requirements and software licenses. Cloud computing and cloud-based applications are seen as a pivotal part of this economy drive. Other specialist skills that are currently in demand for IT jobs include VMware, C# and .Net.

Some of the larger organisations in particular will be looking to increase their expenditure on IT projects during the second half of the year, in preparation for the upturn. “Businesses will initially look to bring in senior interim professionals to manage these projects and we would then expect them to gradually increase their permanent headcount as and when the market starts to pick up,” added Lloyd-Townshend. “Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are also taking advantage of the current market conditions to attract talent and these organisations offer opportunities for individuals to make a real difference to their businesses.”

While the nature of the current economic climate has altered the parameters for IT recruitment, many organisations are reassessing their requirements in preparation for delivering fundamental strategic projects, as this represents an opportunity to steal a march on the competition and subsequently gain market share. IT professionals can also bring their commercial skills to bear in the public sector, which is keen to hire individuals with a commercial background. “It is important that jobseekers research transferable skills and understand how these organisations operate,” added Lloyd-Townshend as a note of caution.

Finding increasingly cost effective infrastructure solutions, enabling faster data access across organisations and sharing information to gain operational efficiencies have all led to a steady demand for specialist IT skill sets, which will help organisations through the downturn and provide a solid platform for the economic recovery.

About Hays Information Technology
Hays Information Technology is part of Hays plc, specialising in IT jobs including developer jobs and programmer 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 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

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Hays Social Care Has Reported That The Recent Government Announcements To Invest In The Recruitment Of Social Workers Is Likely To Provide A Temporary Boost To The Numbers Employed In The Industry

Hays Social Care, specialist recruitment company, has reported that the recent government announcements to invest in the recruitment of social workers is likely to provide a temporary boost to the numbers employed in the industry, but a longer term action plan is needed to combat the skills shortages that are crippling the industry.

hays-socialcare

“There has been systematic underinvestment in social care for many years, which has resulted in a severe shortage of experienced social workers – the latest figures say that one in seven social work positions are currently vacant. The perception of the industry as a whole needs to be addressed and a defined career structure needs to be introduced, so that social work graduates are not lost to the industry,” commented John Faraguna, the newly appointed Managing Director of Hays Health and Social Care.

A number of reasons have been put forward to explain the lack of qualified social workers. Salaries for experienced frontline social workers are not as competitive as those for nurses and teachers, and there is a lack of financial assistance to help support them through their ongoing studies. Unlike nurses, social workers do not receive any funding for their studies. The sponsorship of university places that has just been announced is a small step to encourage workers to pursue these careers.

The majority of social workers in the UK studying for their social work degrees have either changed careers or had previous experience of social care work and decided to retrain later on in life. Local authorities are increasingly looking overseas as a viable solution to plug the skills gap but the figures are still not stacking up.

Hays Social Care has found that those authorities who have tapped into the overseas talent pool have generally been impressed with the calibre of candidates, which has lead the company to receive excellent feedback in almost all cases. However, Hays warns that this is just a drop in the ocean. Paul Marriott, Operations Director for Hays Social Care, remarked, “Putting measures in place to retain the existing workforce is just as important as attracting international candidates or the considerable numbers of social workers that have left the profession. Social workers need the support of management, regular supervision and ongoing training to be provided.”

There are also differences depending on the social work specialization and this is another prevalent factor which has led to some professionals leaving the industry altogether. “Children’s social workers tend to be stressed, work long hours, have to juggle increasing caseloads in what are often extremely challenging environments. We don’t seem to get the same feedback from those working within Adult Services,” noted Paul.

While there are an increasing number of individuals who are studying towards a social work degree straight from school or college, finding work experience can be fraught with obstacles. Placing newly qualified social workers into permanent positions is often difficult and many find they have to work initially as unqualified social workers. “Two good placements under your belt will greatly increase employability” concluded Paul.

About Hays Social Care
Hays Social Care is part of Hays plc, the leading global specialist recruitment group. 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 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 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.

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Women Equal Men In Hunt For Financial Service Jobs Reveals Joslin Rowe

Joslin Rowe has revealed that women working within investment banking and investment management jobs are closer to reaching parity in terms of the percentage of job offers they’re receiving versus men, thanks to the longer and more rigorous interview processes put in place by City firms as a consequence of the recession.

joslinrowe

Lack of budget for head count in 2009 has ensured that when hiring for financial services jobs does take place, candidates are subjected to a more rigorous and lengthy interview process to guarantee the very best candidate is hired. This appears to have weeded out gender prejudices, whether passive or active.

Joslin Rowe, the financial services City recruitment specialist, analysed 1,244 City job offers across accountancy jobs, risk and finance jobs, banking operations jobs, compliance jobs and investment management jobs. Between May 2007 & May 2008 (when the recruitment process was typically 3 weeks) men received 55.1% of all financial services job offers compared to 44.9% for women.

Fast forward to May 2008/May 2009, when interview times jumped to over 6 weeks and more interview stages were introduced, and women now receive 48.4% of all financial services job offers – with men receiving 51.6%. In the year 2000, just 41.1% of financial job offers went to women compared to the 58.9% received by men.

Tara Ricks, managing director of Joslin Rowe, the City of London recruitment consultancy, explained: “Today’s interview process has become one of the most intense we’ve ever witnessed. With so many candidates to choose f r o m, and the need to justify every single hire, interviews are involving many more hiring managers and assessment stages. City firms have always been incredibly selective but now only ‘exact match’ candidates can expect to tick all the boxes on each financial services job spec and receive that job offer.”

“Of course there may be other factors at work behind these increases,” added Ms Ricks. “For example, many City firms have been working hard for years to ensure an improved diversity and equal opportunity culture and you can see that f r o m the progressive figures we’ve witnessed since the start of the Millennium.”

Ms Ricks concluded: “The recession may actually prove good news for women. According to a CIPD report, entitled ‘Women in the Boardroom’, female executives interviewed said the traditional rewards and trappings of a higher career status, such as huge bonuses, money and bigger cars, were geared towards a male perspective of success. What they wanted was more time and greater flexibility, something that may be more, rather than less, likely in the post hyper-bonus world.”

 

According to Joslin Rowe research 50.5% of job interviews are with women and 49.5% are with men. This means that although women are slightly more successful at gaining interviews this marginal advantage does not actually translate into job offers.

About Joslin Rowe:
Established in 1982, Joslin Rowe is one of the leading UK financial services recruitment firms in the UK. Joslin Rowe consultants, candidates and clients work together to achieve the best employment opportunities and long term relationships. Joslin Rowe recruits for accountancy jobs and banking jobs along with other financial services roles across London, Edinburgh and Glasgow including long-term contracts, temporary and permanent positions. Joslin Rowe is a Randstad company – the second largest HR services group globally.

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Hays Highlights The Demand For Specialist Treasury Accounting And Systems-Based Experience Has Increased Over The Past Six Months

Hays, the specialist recruitment company, highlights the demand for specialist treasury accounting and systems-based experience has increased over the past six months. The increasing focus on compliance has led to a stronger focus on individuals with regulatory experience.

Hays, the specialist recruitment company

“Employers are looking for accounting and systems based personnel, in contrast to the same period a year ago when we were experiencing a very high demand for treasury operations managers, working in broad roles and overseeing small teams on the general day-to-day operations,” commented James Crichton, Senior Business Manager at Hays Treasury.

James continued, “Employers are particularly keen to hire individuals who can demonstrate a solid understanding of IAS32 and 39, for both permanent and interim assignments.”

The role of the corporate treasurer has also assumed greater importance during the current downturn, as treasury departments are coming under increasing workload pressures. At the more senior end, applicants need to demonstrate accounting qualifications, strong relationship and change management experience, while strong analytical and systems skills are prized at the more junior end of the market, ideally gained in a complex, multinational environment.

“Employers are looking for accomplished technical and behavioural competencies when recruiting for their corporate treasury jobs,” noted James Crichton.

There has also been steady growth in interim and temporary roles, particularly for strategic (as opposed to operational) appointments, which has fuelled demand for experienced corporate treasurers that are available for contract work. Required competencies include bank relationship and cash flow management expertise, two skill sets that have surged in demand during the current downturn.

“Companies that had previously not employed a dedicated treasurer are reaping the benefits of having an in-house expert, particularly in the management of cash flow”, James remarked.

Another key trend has been an increase in recruitment activity for permanent senior level positions. A number of new posts have been created to accommodate experienced professionals who are able to take on the Head of Treasury role and make fundamental changes to the organisational structure of the accounting function.

“Companies are increasingly looking to bring in specialists who can not only head up their departments but who have the leadership and management skills to drive through change and establish a separate identity for the treasury function,” continued James.

There has been a clear shift of emphasis in the demand for jobs in treasury during the last six months, and the overriding message is that applicants with the right accounting and systems experience and qualifications are well placed to succeed in the current market. However Hays warns that the onus rest on the individuals to show that they have the right skills and background. Individuals who do not have the required experience will find it more difficult to move into treasury roles, as employers are increasingly looking for very specific skill sets.

 

About Hays Treasury:
Hays Treasury is part of Hays plc, and offers a wide range of Tax and Treasury roles including corporate tax jobs, personal tax jobs and tax investigations 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.

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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.

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Corporate Benefit Coordinators Is Proud To Announce Its Newly Formed Integrated Business Solutions Model, The M-5 Group

In this economy business owners must work smarter. CBC’s M-5 Group gives them the tools and resources to bridge the gap between struggling and thriving. Corporate Benefit Coordinators is proud to announce its newly formed Integrated Business Solutions model, the M-5 Group. Currently comprised of nine powerful firms that deliver innovative quality employee benefits, top-rated retirement plans, more efficient web-based payroll services, premier CPA auditing and consulting, and more, the M-5 Group provides business owners a virtual one-stop shop for all their business needs. Each M-5 Group member brings unique strengths, dedication and specific business know-how within each of their respective fields. Unlike the normal business model wherein the business owner solicits and engages with several entities to fulfill company requirements, the M-5 Group provides an impressive array of independently operated firms that provide business resources that the employer can utilize to streamline and efficiently position his/her company in an ever-more-challenging business environment. Member groups include:

• Brucker and Morra – The largest Southern California firm that exclusively practices employee benefits law, this company has a deep understanding of every nuance of tax and labor law, including but not limited to 401K, IRS and DOL compliance initiatives and self-correction alternatives, ERISA litigation and family law.

• CommerceWest Bank – Core values, consistency, reliability and a dedication to the highest level of service standards for clients is what this regional and business banking institution is all about. With special features, including Remote Deposit Solution, Concierge, Banking by Appointment, NetBanker Online Cash Management, 48-Hour Turnaround and 24/7 Emergency Banking, CommerceWest stands heads above the competition.

• Corporate Benefit Coordinators (CBC) – A full-service benefits firm dedicated to helping companies achieve their financial and business goals. CBC offers superior group medical, dental, and ancillary plan designs. In addition, we offer compliance and administrative services with hands-on, personal attention to help improve the bottom line. Cafeteria plans, COBRA administration, Health Savings Accounts, 401K plans, and 5500 tax preparation are also among our top-rated client services.

• Garret/Mosier/Griffith/Sistrunk Insurance Services (GMGS) – GMGS is a full-service insurance brokerage dedicated to providing insurance, surety and risk management solutions for businesses. Through a combination of claims/loss control services, technical insurance knowledge and alternative cost-effective combinations of risk retention & risk transfer, GMGS is able to dramatically lower the long-term insurance costs for businesses while successfully protecting and enhancing their financial strength.

• HR Alternatives, Inc. – HR Alternatives provides Human Resource capabilities to meet business objectives while effectively managing employee related concerns with our advisory support and project solutions consulting. Advisory support provides ready access to certified expert consultants on a retained basis. Project Solutions provides the design and implementation of projects, such as HR Compliance, AAP, Employee Handbooks, Compensation Programs, Safety, Recruitment, Training and Organizational Development. This company’s full spectrum of resources provides an effective Human Resource function at a fraction of the cost of traditional options.

• ING Retirement Services – One of the largest and most formidable leaders in the U.S. retirement services marketplace, ING closed its acquisition of CitiStreet, thus reinforcing its long-term commitment to the business and further strengthening its ability to design and deliver best-in-class customer solutions.

• Lesley, Thomas, Schwartz & Postma – A full-service, certified public accounting firm dedicated to providing a full spectrum of customized accounting and advisory services to solve business problems and achieve business goals, this firm has a proven track record for producing results.

• PayBridge – A nationally recognized leader in web-based, real-time payroll solutions that integrate with retirement plan administration and recordkeeping. PayBridge eliminates repetitive spreadsheet calculations, enables contributions to reach 401(k) plans faster, and promotes timely compliance with federal and state regulations with less time needed for oversight. Above all, PayBridge saves money for clients by streamlining payroll operations. The outcome is a fast, intuitive, and flexible payroll / HR solutions platform that reduces costs and lets managers spend more time growing revenue.

• The Pension Group, Inc. – A committed, premier retirement-plan design and administration service group dedicated to Profit Sharing, 401k, Pension Plans and New Comparability/Tiered Plans, The Pension Group’s professional approach saves both time and money for businesses and creates on-going value for clients with appropriate, timely, accurate, personalized service.

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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.

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Hays Reports Interim Learning And Development Professionals Still In Demand

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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.

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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.

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