I wanted to start the New Year by wishing all REC and IRP members a successful and prosperous 2017.
This is a year when we need to collectively ‘up our game.’
2016 was full of unprecedented change. It’s clear that the year ahead will also have its challenges.
We expect the economy to grow at a slower rate, the labour market to tread water, and certain parts of the media to continue its relentless attack on all forms of flexible working.
The REC will continue to talk up the importance of the recruitment industry. We will bust myths and produce evidence which supports the critical contribution we make to the UK economy.
But the government does not fully value the role we play in making the UK labour market the international success it clearly is. The Apprenticeship Levy and changes to IR35 in the public sector are the start of more intervention in the way that we do business.
We could be downbeat, but now is the time to go the other way and talk up the difference we make. We know that we do more than just help Britain’s businesses get the talent and people they need. What we do transforms people’s lives every day.
We help young people get their first job and that all important first step on the career ladder. We help those who are unemployed get back into work. We provide advice and guidance as we know it’s harder to get a job if you’re currently not working. We help nurses and doctors who want to work flexibly but continue to support the NHS save patients’ lives. We also help hundreds of thousands of people every year land their dream job.
This is something we need to be proud of and shout about.
We need to spend less time talking about the odd rogue or cowboy—it’s the REC’s job to deal with them. What we need is for every recruitment business—large and small—to talk up our industry and explain that what we do is important, that it matters and it makes a difference.
Many will continue to be critical of us, so let’s be even more confident and assertive.
The REC has three specific campaigns in 2017 to help your business and the industry up our game:
To help your recruitment business grow we will continue with our Scale Up campaign. This will include more podcasts, masterclasses with Greg Savage and new research into customer service. I am going to be all over the UK again this year. Our new Scale Up in the Round events are focused on helping you up your game. Please join me we start on 24 January in Cambridge. We will continue to educate clients via the Good Recruitment Campaign. It would be great if more members could promote this good practice campaign to their clients. Finally, we are using our Jobs transform Lives campaign to promote the value the industry creates for individuals, businesses and the wider community.
Our data shows the recruitment industry is now bigger than ever before. We’re contributing greater added value to the economy than the food and drink sector, advertising and the arts. So let’s use this year to highlight the industry’s true value every day.
Let’s make 2017 the year when we enhance the reputation of our industry.
You can also follow me on Twitter @kevingreenrec.
