5 Ways Millennials are Changing the Workplace

Millennials are often stereotyped as being lazy and entitled, but this stereotype is unfair and wrong. Millennials are hard-working individuals who are always striving to better themselves, whether that’s by seeking for better pay, further educating themselves or putting their health above financial freedom. Regardless of society opinion, Millennials are now the largest segment of the workforce and so businesses are beginning to accept how they differentiate to their other working counterparts. With their increased numbers in the workplace, Millennials now have a larger influence, and with the changing workforce, workplace cultures are beginning to change.

Below, we’ve listed five ways Millennials have changed the workplace. How many of these do you recognise in your own workplace?

 

1)   Open Spaces and Communal Areas

In the past, offices were built up of individual cubicles where everyone works separately with physical barriers. Millennials have turned this type of work style on its head, with a serious focus on work community and teamwork. This is reflected in physical changes in the environment, with more offices embodying open spaces and communal areas so that people can work together and collaboratively in their workplace.

Not only this, Millennials also appreciate having important relationships with management, so the open environment also fosters approachability across all levels. Employees with direct interaction with management are three times more likely to be more engaged, rather than workers with no interaction with company leaders. Open-door policies and communal spaces are certainly a millennial adjustment, and they appear to be changing workplace cultures for the better.

2)   Remote Working

When Millennials are in the office, they appreciate large, open and communal areas, but even then – the time actually spent in the office is slowly decreasing. More and more companies are offering remote working opportunities to their employees. In one survey, 85% of millennial respondents said that they would prefer telecommuting from home versus commuting to a central location.

Employers and businesses have been supporting this way of working, so the office population is shrinking, with different employees working from different areas at different times. The option for remote working allows individuals to work how they feel best, which increases productivity. You can find our other blogs on remote working here.

3)   Tech, Tech, Tech

Linking into our previous point, remote working is more accessible due to the development of technology. Now, people can call, network and even video chat to multiple people at the same time purely because of the development of technology, programmes and software.

Not only this, but because of technology, offices are getting smarter. Millennials prefer instant online chat, texting and email to speaking on the phone. Due to this, emails are quicker and more frequent than ever, and the office pace is faster than before. Speeding up the working process can online increase productivity and this is a substantial change to the workplace.  

4)   Work-Life Balance

Millennials have a huge focus on their work-life balance, and because of this, their attitude towards work and the working world is completely different to that of their working counterparts. Millennial employees will have other priorities in their life as well as their jobs, and so in the way that an employer chooses an employee, Millennials are slightly pickier when choosing their workplace. Due to this, millennial professionals want to work in an environment that prioritises their health and happiness – money doesn’t mean as much! This is why many companies now offer benefits and perks, whether that’s free food, or letting employees leave earlier on a Friday rather than just increased salary.

5)   Diversity and Inclusion

More than any other generation, Millennials are very politically independent, and interested in a wide variety of nations, cultures, ideas and beliefs. Millennials always want to better themselves, and they want to learn as much as they can, which is why many of them often go travelling. In regard to working life, millennial employees are attracted to companies that have high levels of diversity and inclusion. In fact, LinkedIn’s global recruiting trends report found that promoting diversity and inclusion was the most important factor within recruitment!

So it appears that Millennials are slowly changing workplace norms, and regardless of what previous generations may have to say about them, the changes that they are bringing are increasing productivity in the workplace. Be sure to check out our other blogs here.

A Day In The Life of a Work Experience Intern

What’s it like to be on Work Experience at Prestige Recruitment Group? 

We caught up with Joe Bloggs*, who came to Prestige Recruitment Group this week on work experience to find out about what he enjoyed, what he learnt and what he thought about the working world.

(*Please note that due to age and GDPR regulations, names and other identifiable factors such as images have been changed.)

How have you found your work experience?

‘It’s been good, and I have learnt a lot about different departments in the short amount of time I have been here. For example, on Monday, I was in accounting and I was tasked with printing off the schedules for the Temps hours and I also filled out a spreadsheet that worked out the holiday pay due for the Temps. I was also set the task of filing some of the documents and I even posted some letters! However, today I am in marketing and now I’m creating blogs and searching for images and it’s all very different.

'On Thursday I was in sales, and I helped out by looking for details of different companies that were hiring. I focused on IT jobs and used LinkedIn to find suitable employees of the different companies to call and speak to about recruitment. As well as this, I spend time looking through a variety of different CV’s to try and find a suitable candidate for a receptionist job.

‘I really expected work experience to be a difficult week. I had no idea what I was going into and I imagined the worse. I thought I would struggle with the work and make lots of mistakes, however, everyone within the business were welcoming and I was given manageable tasks that were of use to the different departments of Prestige Recruitment Group. I think the biggest surprise about my work experience was the environment within the office - before arriving I expected myself to be sitting in silence behind a desk, however all the team were nice to me and engaged in conversation and made me feel included.

‘I feel that working at Prestige Recruitment Group is more beneficial compared to the work that some of my other friends are doing. I get an idea for what a working office environment is like, which I personally believe is much more useful than other placements. Additionally, I got to work in a variety of different areas within the business, which has allowed me to get a better understanding of the different aspects of a business.

‘My favourite task so far has been working creatively in marketing – I used the app Illustrator to design my own character to use for the images on this blog post! I enjoyed experimenting with the different tools on the app and perfecting each detail on the cartoon.’

 You can see the image created here:

As well as this, Joe Bloggs* recommends the following blogs for people his age:     

How to Dress for a FORMAL Job Interview

Ten Top Tips for Improving Your CV

‘These blogs are relevant for people around my age as they inform young people who are looking for work and educate them around important aspects like interviews and CVs. I also read through the guide to getting a dream guide and found it very interesting. It was extremely detailed and clearly explained each point and gave relevant advice and helpful tips that make it easier to achieve your dream job.’

You can see our 'The Ultimate Guide to Getting Your Dream Job' here. 

How to Organise Your Workspace (& Yourself!)

Do you ever find yourself spending longer than necessary trying to find a certain file? Do you often spend ages searching through all the paper on your desk just to find the stapler you swear you just had? If the answer to either of these questions is ‘yes’, you aren’t being as productive as you can be.  

Prestige Recruitment Group understand the importance of being productive – which is why we’ve written five top tips to help you organise your office workspace, which in turn, organises you.

1)  Delete. Bin. Purge.

The first thing you should do when organising yourself is completely purge your workspace. If you have tonnes of paper files hanging around your desk and clogging up your draws, it’s absolutely imperative that you throw out (or recycle!) as much as you can.

Our advice for this is:

• If you haven’t touched something in the last six months, recycle it.
  

• If you have two copies of one file, recycle one.
  

• If you have electronic copies of the documents that are taking space up on your desk, recycle them!

As well as physical copies, be sure to work through your electronic documents too. Have the same document twice? Delete one! We often save files more than once with titles such as ‘Spreadsheet New,’ ‘Spreadsheet New New’ and this really isn’t necessary! Delete your old files so everything on your computer is updated and relevant.

Getting rid of unnecessary documents and papers will give you more space to think and means that you will be able to find the documents you actually need much quicker.

2)  Organise The Things You’re Keeping

So now you’ve deleted everything you don’t need, which means you have a clearer head – fabulous. Now, you need to organise the files and documents that you’re keeping. This includes digital documents as well as physical copies.

On your computer, use folders! Colour-code them if you can. Make sure every item has a folder and a place so that you can easily find the certain document you need when it comes to it. Rename any documents you have that might be misleading.

It might also be a good idea to sort through your emails and organise everything into folders within outlook too. A great way to organise things this way is to empty your inbox by sorting each completed task/email into a separate folder – this way, you can see what you need to do as it’s sat in your inbox!

Once you’ve organised your documents into folders, make sure that you back up all of your documents onto a memory stick or hard drive, or use an online system like dropbox or a cloud! Going forward, you should get into the habit of backing up your files every evening so that you won’t lose everything if your computer breaks.

With physical documents, you may want to sort the paperwork that you have into different coloured folders for each month. This makes it easier to trace back to documents that you may need in the future.

3)  Develop a Labelling System

Linking into organising your existing files, you should also come up with a thorough labelling system. It’s imperative that you format all of your documents a certain way, as this will make it easier when it comes to finding a file that you need. A great way to do this is to label each document with the month you are creating it and a title, which thoroughly describes what’s exactly in the document. There isn’t actually one linear way you should do this, but ensure whatever labelling system you use is easily maintained.

By having a labelling system, you will be able to find documents easily without having to worry about what you might have called it. This means you’re wasting less time trying to find what you called those reports!

4)  Make a Schedule

The best way to stay organised at work is to write everything down that you need to do and stick it into a calendar. This way you know exactly how many things you need to do a day, and it will stop unproductivity. When you are more organised with your time, more things get done.

Write agenda’s or lists of people you need to call back and add that list to your schedule for the day. Tick things off once you’ve completed them, because it will make you feel more productive, which actually makes you more productive!

5)  Ritualise Your Day

Linking slightly to our previous point, it is vital that you have a schedule that fits into a ritualised day. If your job allows, only check your emails two/three times a day as this ensures that you don’t get distracted every time a mailer or unimportant email comes through and flashes up on your screen.

Having an organised workspace isn’t a one-and-done thing; it is something that should be maintained every day in order to ensure you stay on top of things. Devote 15 minutes a day to go through all your documents from the day and check everything is organised and where it should be. If you haven’t had a chance to sort through your papers throughout the day, do it before you go home. This way, every morning, you have already sorted all your documents, emails and information. This ensures a clean, fresh, organised start and you can start being productive immediately.

When you decide to get organised, some things may take slightly longer, especially if you have a backlog of information that needs sorting. Don’t expect organisation to be an overnight fix - you have to work at it. Once you have sorted it, it should be easy to maintain. If you're interested in the importance of your workspace, check out our other blog 'The Digital Workspace and the Physical Workplace.'

5 Skills You NEED to be a Modern Marketer

The marketing landscape is always evolving as new tools and technologies constantly alter the way in which every marketer works. A career in marketing may refer to various jobs as the industry is laced with several different roles, but generally speaking, marketing refers to the management of relationships between consumers and a business. This often involves the process of showing potential consumers why they should use a company’s product or services.

Prestige Recruitment Group understand the importance of a great marketer, so we’ve compiled a list of the top five skills you NEED to be a modern marketer:

1) Communication Skills

Marketing is a form of professional communication, as you need to communicate the benefits and advantages of your business to potential consumers and existing customers. This may come in the form of explicit conversation, such as responding to customers over social media and replying to emails, but it may also come in the form of indirect, metaphoric advertisements. You might also need to create content for blogs or run e-mail campaigns.

Inside the company, communication skills are also vital as most marketing teams consist of different people with unique creative ideas. It is therefore important that you are able to communicate effectively to management and other members of the team to get your ideas across.

Regardless of the specifics of your job role, linguistic ability is vital for any marketing career and so you should ensure that you have exceptional communication skills.  

2) Technological Skills

Over the years, marketing has become more digitally focused, especially with the growth and development of the Internet and so it is important that you have a thorough understanding of technology. You will be expected to use project management software, CRM’s and other creative programmes such as Photoshop and Illustrator. Therefore, it is vital that you get to grips with entering the digital workspace, as well as the physical workplace. You can learn more about this here.

3) Creativity Skills

Closely linked to our previous point, it is vital that you also have creative skills. When you enter the digital workspace and use programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator, you must have a creative eye and be able to tell what looks good, and what works. Everything you create must be aesthetically pleasing, professional and to the highest standard so make sure you develop your creative skills when you can.

As well as this, if you are working in marketing it is vital that you come up with innovative and exciting ideas so that you can engage with potential consumers and customers – being creative and thinking outside the box is crucial.

5) Analytical Skills

As technology and society develop, marketing requires a lot of research and analytics in order to determine what the audience wants. Part of marketing relies heavily on carefully crafted strategies that may be altered, as campaigns may have to change course based on the analytical information received. There are tonnes of free tools that can measure the success of campaigns and it is, therefore, vital that you can use analytical figures to make changes accordingly! 

4) Enthusiasm to Learn

The marketing industry revolves around constantly changing trends and ideas. Because of this, it is vital that marketers are developing their skills and knowledge in order to stay on top of their game, which is why so many marketing qualifications have expiry dates! The sheer scale in which society, technology and trends develop due to tools like the Internet means that marketers have to learn faster than ever.

Marketing can be a very rewarding career, especially as it has quantifiable results. When working in marketing, you can really promote change and transform your company’s sales figures and engagement through interaction. It is also good for individuals who are eager to constantly develop their knowledge. If you fancy it and think you could work in marketing, get in touch with us! We recruit for a variety of marketing roles from digital marketing assistants to marketing managers!

A Day In The Life of an Accounts Assistant

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 What’s it like to be an Accounts Assistant at Prestige Recruitment Group? 

We caught up with Joshua Toye, who is our apprentice accounts assistant based in our head office in Birmingham! Here’s what his role involves:

‘My experience so far of being an apprentice accounts assistant is that its quite a big role, as the job I do gets followed with college lessons for my course. As well as this, I am also trained by experienced managers and members of staff within the office to further my knowledge of the jobs that I do. I work four days in the Birmingham office, and one day a week at college, which means I am constantly learning! It’s very exciting.

'The jobs that I do are spread out during the week, which means my days are quite balanced. Some of the jobs I do in the office include printing off timesheets that need to go in the weekly bible, entering every temp’s hours and pay onto payroll and consistently checking that everything is correct and up to date. Other elements within my role include paying all the temps, sending payslips and preparing invoices to be sent while making sure that all information is correct.

'In between jobs, I help colleagues with anything they need, whether it’s replying to emails or scanning and sending important information to them.

I’ve only worked at Prestige Recruitment Group since January, but it’s a great experience to see the working world, and it’s a company I really enjoy being a part of. I can’t wait to continue learning over the next year.'

A Fact About Josh:  At only 17, Josh is the youngest member of the Prestige Family. 

If you're interested in joining the Prestige family, get in touch! If you want to know more about Josh, check his Meet the Team page here. 

A Day In The Life of a Recruitment Coordinator

 What’s it like to be a Recruitment Coordinator at Prestige Recruitment Group?  

We caught up with Jessica Martin, who is one of our recruitment coordinators based in Wilmslow. Here’s what her role involves:  

‘I’m supposed to walk to work every morning, but most days I end up in a taxi. When I arrive at work, the first thing on my mind is a cup of coffee to wake myself up for the day ahead!

'From there, I log on and work my way through the emails I need to respond to. I help my team out as much as I can whether it’s registering candidates, gaining references, CV searching, updating candidate profiles, placing candidates in vacancies, arranging interviews or prepping candidates for interviews.

'Each day is different for me, on a Monday I will be processing payroll, making sure all candidates have their timesheets in before the 11am deadline, confirming holiday pay, and ensuring I have collected everyone’s p45’s and timesheets. Towards the end of the day, I work on my blog, which I post on LinkedIn on a weekly basis. I will also be working on general registrations for the week ahead of me.

'Most of the other days I spend resourcing for Vicky and Sarah, or filling vacancies for the temp desk. I love the thrill of knowing I have placed a candidate into a role that they have always wanted or that they never imagined working for. I also enjoy working on jobs for Sarah, even though I am only helping with searching for CV’s and finding candidates for the relevant roles that they are recruiting for at that time.

'The roles that Sarah work on are jobs I have never worked on before or even heard of, so it’s great to be able to support and learn at the same time. I also make sure I save the roles into my folders created, so that everything is organised!

'Prestige Recruitment Group brought me in to support Vicky alongside her temp’s desk, as I come from a temp’s background. I have had a lot of training with the Prestige Training Academy, and I had a lot to learn about Prestige and the way they work as a company. They have provided me with all I ever needed – support, guidance and a confidence boost.

'Even though I come across as a very chatty upbeat person, I still have my insecurities. One thing I struggled with overcoming was the fear of people hearing me on the phone as I work so close to the rest of my colleagues in the office. However, I soon realised that everyone is so busy that they are focusing on their own jobs, and I have nothing to be embarrassed about.

'The journey I have been on so far has been amazing, and I am so happy about working with Prestige Recruitment Group.

Jessica's Secret Fact: 'I am the DJ of the office and I keep the whole office entertained!' 

If this sounds like something you’d love to be doing, and you fancy joining the team, get in touch. If you want to know more about Jess, check out her Meet the Team page here. 

Ten Top Tips for Perfecting Your Email Etiquette!

Regardless of the job you do, chances are, you’re going to have to send emails. In the age of the Internet, you are probably so used to hitting reply, writing something quickly and then sending it straight away. However, the way you send and write emails can seriously affect your professional reputation and that’s why it is vital that you have completely nailed your email etiquette. Perfecting email etiquette is something we teach our new recruits in our Training Academy, and this is why Prestige Recruitment Group have created Ten Top Tips for Perfecting Your Email Etiquette!

1) Proofread

Although this might sound like common sense, it is immensely important. We get it, everyone is busy and that’s why you might pen an email and hit send quickly, without much thought. However, you really should take time to ensure that there are no problems or issues with your email before you send it. Check for spelling errors, grammatical problems and that the email flows efficiently and effectively. The little errors can seriously affect your professional reputation, especially if you’re sending an important email to a really important person. So, take a few minutes to check everything before you hit send.

2) Avoid Misdirected Emails

Although you have proofread your email, and you’re sure that there’s no mistakes or issues in the body of the message - you should also check whom you’re actually sending the email to. If there are people within your company with the same name, it might be easy to brush over the recipient, thinking you’ve sent it to the correct person. Imagine sending a really confidential email to the wrong person! Therefore, make sure you double-check that you’re actually sending the email to the right person before you send it.

3) Avoid ‘Reply All’

It is not uncommon that within the workplace, management will send emails to every workplace member. It is also not uncommon that some people will hit ‘Reply All’ and so your email will be flooded with emails that aren’t relevant or important to you. Avoid being that person. Linking back to avoiding misdirected emails, simply reply to the person who has sent the email unless it’s absolutely necessary that everyone within the email thread receives your response.

4) Create the Perfect Subject Line

So, you’ve drafted your body of the email, and you’re completely sure it’s going to the right person. Now it’s time to pen the subject line. Avoid writing something colloquial or informal like ‘Hi’ (this happens more often than you’d think!) and write something relevant to the email, which will make it easy for the recipient to find the email again if they need it in the future.

5) Don’t Mark it as Urgent

Don’t get into the habit of marking every email you send as ‘Urgent’ especially if it’s not! If you continuously do this, people won’t think your emails are actually ever important. This can seriously affect situations when you actually do send an important email! Therefore, avoid sending ‘Urgent’ emails until you actually need an urgent response.

6) Avoid Short Emails

If someone is sending you some information over, you don’t always need to email them to say thanks. (Especially if this person works in your office!) If you do work within a close proximity of the person who has emailed you, just say thank you when you see them. Unnecessary emails will just flood your inbox. In order to avoid emails with just one-line responses, don’t be afraid to write ‘No Need for Response’ within your email!

7) Avoid Long Emails

When you send an email, people will tend to read only the first few lines properly, and then they’ll skim over the rest of the information. Therefore, there is actually no need for you to be sending long emails with tonnes of unnecessary information. If you can, summarise the information within the first few lines of the email. If you become known for sending long, unnecessary emails – no one is going to care about the important information you’re sending.

8) Avoid Late Night Emails

Although tempting, you should avoid responding to emails late at night before you go to bed. When you’re tired, any email you send is probably going to have a mistake in it. If it’s a really important email you need to send - it’s extra important that you don’t make any mistakes. The best thing you can do is draft an email and wait until the following morning to send it. That way you can read it over, check the information and ensure it is going to the right person while you’re fresh-faced, and ready for the day ahead.

9) Avoid Emotional Emailing

If you get an email that comes across as rude, or you receive information that you don’t want to hear, don’t send an email back straight away. Write a draft, and then come back to it when you’ve calmed down. When you’re emotional, you may want to send an email back immediately – but this will only lead to further upset down the road. Therefore, take some time and calm down in order to collect your thoughts.

10) Don’t be Overfamiliar

Unless you personally know the person you are emailing, remain professional at all times. Avoid using nicknames, emojis or sending kisses to people. Relationships need to be built and developed before any level of personal interaction can happen. Therefore, remember to stay professional!

There you go! Now you know how to write perfect emails and can build up your professional reputation. Be sure to check out our other blogs here.

The Prestige Family Take Part In The ‘Colours for Peace’ Fundraising Day

If you've seen our previous article, you will know that yesterday was the 25th Anniversary of the Warrington Bombings! To commemorate this, Prestige Recruitment Group supported the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation and took part in their ‘Colours for Peace’ Fundraising Day.  Below, we've posted a couple of images from our Warrington and Birmingham offices where everyone is wearing their colours! 

Vicky, Angela, Janette and Francesca from our Warrington Office.

Annejulie, Josh, Jenny, Shay, Jessica, Tim and Emma from our Birmingham Office.

How Else Can You Help?

The Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation relies heavily on the generosity of public fundraising so that they can continue supporting so many victims of terrorism with their Survivors Assistance Network. 

Donations, large or small, monthly, annually or one-off can help the Foundation plan for their future. Please visit their website and donate! 

UK Ports Invest £1.7 Billion in Infrastructure

The most recent research by the infrastructure advisory firm Moffatt & Nichol shows that UK Ports and Terminals will have a staggering £1.7 billion of port infrastructure investment. The research, which was developed using publicly sourced data from the last year, captures substantial schemes from across the United Kingdom, and illustrates how ports are investing in new facilities to promote market growth. 

British Ports Association’s Policy Manager and BPA Port Futures Program Coordinator, Mark Simmonds says:

‘Ports are doing their bit but we rely on government to ensure that road and rail connections from the port gate are fit for purpose. The terrestrial and marine planning and consenting process is also cumbersome and costly and often holds back or even prevents some sustainable port development. We hope that this report helps government to develop an accurate picture of the investment that industry is making when developing its policies and making its own investment decisions regarding infrastructure.

‘This research demonstrates that UK ports are investing in new infrastructure to keep goods and people moving as efficiently as possible.

‘The UK ports industry operates in a competitive and commercial environment, independently of government, so this significant investment is at no cost to the taxpayer.’

Joseph Collins of Moffatt & Nichol carried out the research. When asked about the report, he said:

‘This report focuses on developments which have been announced in the press in the last 12 months and provides a snapshot of shows the potential scale of UK. ports investment in infrastructure.

Despite there being no guarantee that all of these projects will be fully realised, with greater engagement between key stakeholders such as government, the ports, investors and statutory bodies, the realisation of these developments has the best chance of success.

It’s also likely that there are a many more privately financed infrastructure projects planned or underway all around the country, which haven’t been discussed in public yet. Together, these projects help ensure that the 95 percent of UK trade that moves through our ports continues to do so as efficiently as possible.’

The British Ports Association will be writing to the Infrastructure Projects Authority to ensure that officials have a clear picture of industry investment, highlighting significant projects. There are over a dozen significant port projects listed in the research and it demonstrates great optimism in infrastructure development and growth in the port sector, says BPA. The British Ports Association will also be working with its port members and will be keeping the list of investment up to date as new projects are announced.

The report can be found here. 

Our Bespoke Training Academy

Starting this year, Prestige Recruitment Group and our sister brand Zoot Recruit have been running a bespoke Training Academy. With our HR, Training and Systems Manager Sarah Kay being the first point of call within the academy, we caught up with her to ask her about this exciting new venture.

Sarah Kay - Our HR, Training and Systems Manager

‘The Training Academy is such an exciting enterprise and I can’t wait to recruit new employees to join us. As we continue to develop as a company, we are recruiting to match our growth and so we are running quarterly training programs across our offices.

Our latest training is going to be running in the North, where we will be hiring, training and mentoring some new employees. It’s such a great opportunity for someone to come in as a recruitment coordinator and develop into a recruitment consultant.

The best thing about our Training Academy is that we understand the needs of an individual, and so using a thoroughly considered approach; all of our training is tailored to the employee’s individual needs.

The training itself is constructed of seven different phases, which are thorough in ensuring every employee develops their knowledge and understanding of our company and the recruitment industry. The seven phases we have included are induction and orientation, candidate control and engagement, client interview control, how to take a vacancy, vacancy control, business development and time management. Although we follow a structure, the package we offer is very bespoke to the individual as we allow each person to develop their knowledge in the way that best suits them. We really do understand that different methods will work for different people.

Firstly, the training starts in the ‘classroom’ as such where we use a variety of interactive methods to teach our employees everything that they need to know. By week three, we aim to have every person submerged into the company, using what they’ve learnt so far in action.

Candidate-driven at first, we want every employee to be communicating with our candidates to help them find jobs across a variety of industries. Through this, employees are rewarded with the knowledge that they are changing lives within just a few weeks of starting their career with us. These recruitment coordinator roles will then natural develop into sales, which is a vital element to the recruitment industry. We are excited about this – and we hope you are too! Although it may be scary for some within the Training Academy, all of their managers will offer the upmost care with me being here to support every single one of your needs.

This flexible training system and modules allows us to take on employees who have had no previous recruitment experience but are looking to achieve an amazing career within recruitment - all they need is the hunger to achieve, we will do the rest! Equally, when we recruit established Consultants, Managers and Directors, they have the comfort of knowing we will invest in the people who are working for them.

Our Training Academy really takes the strain out of training. We know that high level; high calibre achievers don't need generalised training. In fact, we love to learn from their experiences, as this allows us to expand our training with their knowledge. But, we are always there for them as well. If they ask for high-level bespoke training or help, we support them with the tools and training they need.

The whole ideology behind the Training Academy is to improve all business practices, which means the training doesn’t stop after you have become a fully-fledged member of staff. Workshop training will continue to run on going support and mentoring while understanding the importance of the individual in all aspects of the recruitment sector. By doing this, we are ensuring that each employee is knowledgeable in the latest trends and facts so that all of our team thoroughly understand the recruitment industry.

We want to give people opportunities. We want to help nurture people into their recruitment career and further educate those who have been in the industry a long time. The Training Academy is here to find the right candidates and mentor them.’

Join Prestige in Taking Part in the ‘Colours for Peace’ Fundraising Day

To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Warrington Bombing, Prestige Recruitment Group are joining the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation and taking part in their ‘Colours for Peace’ Fundraising Day – and we’d love it if you could too!

On Tuesday 20th March 2018, we kindly asks clients, candidates and colleagues to join us in a ‘dress down’ fundraising day, where people can wear the Peace Foundation colours: blue, green and/or white. A small donation of £1.00 will go towards supporting victims of terrorism and their families through the Foundation’s Survivors Assistance Network.

What is The Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation?

25 years ago on March 20th 1993, the IRA exploded two bombs in a busy shopping street in the town of Warrington. The shrapnel killed three-year-old Johnathan Ball and five days later, twelve-year-old Tim Parry also died. 54 other people were also seriously injured. After the bombing, Tim’s parents Colin and Wendy Parry wanted to ensure that nobody would ever experience what they had gone through and so they formed the Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball Foundation For Peace.

The Foundation is a charity that works nationally and internationally for peace and non-violent conflict resolution. They support those who have been affected by terrorism and violent conflict, covering prevention, resolution and response. The Foundation also supports the police, ambulance and fire services, many of who are seriously affected by what they have witnessed. A large and vital part of what they do comes in the form of the Survivors Assistance Network, which is vital to families and individuals all over the world.

What is the Foundation’s Survivors Assistance Network?

The Foundation’s Survivors Assistance Network (SAN) provides free practical and emotional support to people who have been affected by any terrorist incident. The most recent annual statistics revealed that there were 9,707 attacks worldwide, and it is estimated that one attack happens every 55 minutes. There is no denying that the world can be violent, and supporting the individuals affected is a key element to the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation.

The Foundation is currently supporting 800 people from the Manchester attack alone and so it is vital that we all come together for Peace to help the Foundation raise as much money as they possibly can.

Support the Foundation with Us

Having offices in Warrington, this charity is something that resonates with extreme importance to our whole company. All of our team members will be donating and dressing down on the 20th March to show our support for our Warrington offices and wearing blue, green and/or white!

How Else Can We Help?

As a charity, the Foundation relies heavily on the generosity of the public fundraising on their behalf so that they can continue to deliver their programmes to young people and continue the Survivors Assistance Network that supports so many victims of terrorism.

Donations, large or small, monthly, annually, or one-off can help the Foundation to plan for the future. Your donation will make a real difference to the Foundation’s vital work supporting victims of terrorism, armed forces veterans, and vulnerable young people.

25 Years

Although this year marks 25 years since a very upsetting event, a lot of good has come from it. The support that the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation offers is amazing, and the Foundation really helps people who need support.

Similar effects to the Warrington bombing happen with every terror attack and so it is fundamental that we support the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation and the Survivors Assistance Network. Prestige Recruitment Group offer our never-ending support and urge other businesses to do the same. We can’t wait to see you wearing your blue, green and white so be sure to send us any pictures from your ‘Colours for Peace’ Event!

 

UPDATE:

Check out our pictures from the Colours for Peace Fundraising Day here. 

Is Every Day becoming ‘Dress-Down Friday'?

According to recent research carried out by Travelodge, just 50% of workplaces have a dress code policy in place, and a massive 76% of these workplaces say their dress code is actually casual dress.

Travelodge found that comfort dressing triumphed over power dressing as 69% of workers reported that dressing casually for work makes them feel more comfortable and 22% reported that they could express their personality through casual dress.

6 in 10 people said that they believed a more laid back dress code enables a more relaxed office environment and that they felt colleagues were friendlier towards each other.

In fact, 43% of workers said that the business suit no longer had a place in the office and if they saw a colleague wearing a suit they would stand out.

So why is it happening?

Culture Change

Professor Karen Pine, Psychologist at Hertfordshire University said the changes to dress codes reflect under changes to business culture.

‘The biggest changes have included decline of hierarchy, the boss being less of an authority figure and more of a coach, all colleagues being called by their first name and the biggest change, the transition from a formal dress code to a casual one.

Having a dress down Friday, every day enables workers to the independent and showcase their personality & attributes by how they dress rather than the position they hold. This leads to stronger bonds between co-workers to remove barriers, enabling everyone to get on with their jobs.’

What causes culture change?

Technology

With the development of young, hip and exciting technology – businesses may be trying to mimic it and so develop the culture and aesthetic that comes with new technology.

Millennial and Generation X

Some believe the reason for a more relaxed dress code within businesses is due to handing over the economies reigns to the millennial generation. Millennial’ or ‘Generation X’ have relaxed social standards when compared to previous generations and so businesses are changing as their employees do.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of casual dress in the office?

Advantages

• Improves morale – by allowing room for freedom and expression, many employees are much happier.

• Increases business attractiveness – by keeping your employees happy within the workplace, you are likely to build your business reputation which is a great tool during recruitment as it attracts candidates to your business.

• Improved effectiveness – some studies have shown that employees feel happier and so perform better in the workplace.

Disadvantages

• Some companies have actually noted a decline in employee performance. They believe that by allowing casual dress, employees act more relaxed and so are less likely to meet deadlines.

• Clothes may reflect badly on the firm – with client facing businesses, it is important to ensure there is still some level of professionalism within the workplace as many clients may prefer business dress at all times.

• Confusion about what is appropriate – Difficulty in establishing a clear policy around casual attire can damage employee/employer relationships.

So what do you think?

Many businesses are run differently, and just because something works for your company may not mean it works for everybody else. Does your company embody a casual dress code every day – or is it just on Fridays? Or do you not get casual dress? Let us know what you think works best!

5 Skills You NEED to be a Great Administration Assistant

As an administrative assistant, you perform a variety of clerical duties and tasks to support your organisation every single day. Everyone knows that admin staff must have top notch computer literacy skills, as a huge duty within the role includes creating spread sheets and using word processing software – but here are five other skills which are equally as important to be a great administrative assistant:

1) Communication Skills

As an administrative assistant, you will interact with a wide range of people both online and in person. Therefore, your communication skills are vital, as you must always come across as both friendly and professional at all times. Being a good communicator, you should also be a good listener. You must listen carefully to every person you talk to and ensure you remember correct, accurate information. This also links into written communication skills – your spelling, grammar and sentence structure are integral aspects of online correspondence. Therefore, in order to be a great administration assistant, you should be able to communicate clearly, accurately and professionally across all mediums – whether that’s speaking on the phone, sending an email or filling in written forms.

2) Organisational Skills

When undertaking multiple tasks with similar deadlines, it is easy to forget things. Admin staff can’t do this, as they must stay on top of everything at all times. You must have exceptional organisational skills in order to keep schedules straight and everything running smoothly around the office. You should know how to keep everything organised, whether that’s managing a filling system or coordinating paperwork flow throughout the office.

3) Attention to Detail

To be a great administrative assistant, you have no room for mistakes. When filling in forms and paperwork, you must ensure everything is correct at all times – as a mistake from you could affect the business. You need exceptional attention to detail to ensure the right information, materials and data is gathered for co-workers. A great administration assistant can keep on top of all their responsibilities while ensuring that detail does not slip through the cracks.

4) Self-Motivation

As admin staff, you are unlikely to have management working directly above you. This means you will have to be self-motivated in order to ensure you get things done on time and to the highest standard. If you do start to lose motivation, the business will immediately realise as it becomes clear you haven’t completed your tasks.

5) Problem-Solving Skills & Intuition

Great administrative staff must have extraordinary problem-solving skills. You will have to use these skills if clients cancel meetings or if appointments need juggling. Without a direct manager, it is extremely unlikely that you will be told what to do and when, and so to be a great administrative assistant, you need to use your intuition at all times to prioritise tasks and get things done on time.

Although challenging at times, being an administrative assistant is a thoroughly rewarding career choice, especially if you like to stay busy. You have a lot of responsibility and multiple tasks to do simultaneously but a business couldn't last without it's admin staff! If you are currently looking for work or need to recruit for an administrative assistant, get in touch. 

The Top Fashion Events to Look Out For in 2018

January marks the start of the New Year, and with January events like London Textile Fair, Haute Couture and Fashion Showcase & Networking Night, it’s clear that 2018 is going to be a massive year for the fashion industry. We’ve listed the key events to look out for over the next year, so keep your eyes peeled and let us know which events you love!

February 2018

New York Fashion Week – Fall 2018

When? 8th February – 16th February.

Where? Mainly Skylight Clarkson Square and Industria in New York City.

London Fashion Week– Fall 2018

When? 16th February – 20th February.

Where? Mainly Brewer Street Car Park, Brewer Street, London W1F 0LA and Somerset House, London.

Fashion’s Finest LFW Show

When? 17th February.

Where? Grand Connaught Rooms 671-65 Queen’s Street Holborn, London WC2B 5DA.

Milan Fashion Week – Fall 2018

When? 21st February – 27th February.

Where? Various locations in Milan.

London Fashion Week Festival

When? 22nd-25th February.

Where? The Store Studios, 180 Strand, WC2R 1EA.

Paris Fashion Week– Fall 2018

When? 27th February – 6th March.

Where? All around Paris in different locations.

March 2018

StockXChange

When? 11th March – 12th March.

Where? ILEC Conference Centre, 47 Lillie Road, London, SW6 1UD.

Wearable Technology Show

When? 13th March – 14th March.

Where? Excel London, Royal Victoria, Dock, 1 Western Gateway London E16 1XL.

London Hat Week

When? 22nd March – 28th March.

Where? Various locations in London.

April 2018

Menswear Revolution: The Transformation of Contemporary Men’s Fashion

When? 5th April.

Where? Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XF.

The Future of Textiles: Textile Art 2028

When? 19th April.

Where? Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey street, London SE1 3XF.

May 2018

Fashion and Textiles: A Designers Story

When? 3rd May.

Where? Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XF.

Colleges Council Preview Day

When? 11th May.

Where? TBC.

IMATS

When? 19th May – 21st May.

Where? London Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London, W14 8UX.

June 2018

London Fashion Week Mens

When? 8th June – 11th June.

Where? BFC Show Space, 180 The Strand, London WC2R 1EA.

The Beauty Exchange

When? 15th June.

Where? KPMG, 15 Canada Square, London, E14 5GL.

July 2018

The Fashion Exchange

When? 6th July 2018.

Where? KPMG, 15 Canada Square, London, E14 5GL.

September 2018

New York Fashion Week - Spring 2019

When? 6th September – 14th September.

Where? Mainly Skylight Clarkson Square and Industria in New York City.

Fashion Together

When? 11th – 18th September.

Where? 20 John Princes Street, London, W1G 0BJ.

London Fashion Week - Spring 2019

When? 14th September– 18th September.

Where? Mainly 180 Strand London WC2R 1EA, Somerset House and other locations within London.

Milan Fashion Week - Spring 2019

When? 19th September - 25th September.

Where? Various historic, open air and other venues in Milan.

Paris Fashion Week Spring - 2019

When? 25th September – 3rd October.

Where? In various galleries around Paris.

Ongoing Exhibitions

T-Shirt: Cult/Culture/Subversion

When? 9th February – 6th May 2018

Where? Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF.

Fashioned From Nature

When? 21st April – 27th January 2019.

Where? Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL.

Ona Kiely – A Life in Pattern

When? 25th May – 23rd September.

Where? Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey street, London SE1 3XF.

Frida Kahlo’s Wardrobe

When? 16th June – 4th November.

Where? Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL.

Harper’s Bazaars – 150 years

When? 20th October – 21st January 2019.

Where? Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF.

5 Skills You NEED to be an Efficient Office Manager

As an office manager, your knowledge of the office is top notch – you know who to call and when. Whether calculating payroll or hiring new employees, you must perform your duties with the upmost accuracy for a business to perform well. Everybody knows that office managers must be multi-taskers, but here are five other skills that are equally as important to be an efficient office manager.

1) Exceptional Communication Skills

There is no denying that miscommunication can lead to terrible problems for a business. So in order to combat this, it is important that as an office manager, you listen well and provide clear input, answers and advice. This goes further than face-to-face conversation, as written communication is just as important, especially in an office environment. With emails, you want to incorporate the most important information up front as the recipient is probably going to pay more attention to the words that they read first. Re-read your email before you send it. If you think you’ve sent something misleading or confusing to a member of staff– just pick up the phone or visit their desk to explain.

2) Organisation and Time Management Skills

Tracking your time over the duration of a few days will help you assess exactly how long a task takes. If you and your staff understand how long a task takes to complete – you can schedule your time more productively and accurately. This carefully links into organisational skills as they are both critical in completing tasks on time and making sure your day runs smoothly. Keep items and documents in their proper places to allow easy access by any staff member who needs them. This will get rid of ‘wasted time,’ when an individual is busy looking for something particular rather than being able to work.

3) The Ability to be an Innovative Thinker and Have a Creative Mind

As the office manager, there are going to be difficult situations that you can’t control, as well as challenges that you need to overcome. The best way to overcome these difficult situations is to approach them with an innovative mind-set. You should try and think outside of the box as often as you can – you should constantly expose yourself to new ideas and industry trends to continue to develop your creativity and innovative mind. This will bring increased positivity to your office environment.

4) The Ability to Stay Optimistic

Sometimes in a stressful situation, it can be easy to forget to smile and stay happy. Using humour in the workplace, smiling and embodying a positive attitude will lift morale in the team. This means you should be able to keep the positive attitude on your bad days. Being an office manager – you need to continue to motivate your members of staff regardless of personal circumstances or bad situations so remember to stay optimistic.

5) The Want to Continue Learning

Nobody is perfect. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the top of the ladder – you can still learn. The best office managers know this and embrace the chance to continue learning. Seek related education and work experience, find courses that may be relevant and read everything and anything! You should also be open to learning from your staff members - accept that sometimes they might know things that you don’t – and that’s okay.

The Prestige Team Build

The Team build Video!

Friday 4th August was the day, The Studio in Birmingham was the venue - bring on the teams!! Our annual summer get together was split into a 3 part affair. In the morning we had a fantastic, fun and very competitive team building exercise which saw the teams build a giraffe, put together a compass, do a catchphrase and solve puzzles of various guises!! Plenty of creativity was to be seen in problem-solving and the odd bending of rules here and there! 

Then we were off to Bistrot Pierre for a some what boozy lunch (much needed after the frenetic morning) at the canal side, Gass Street. Fantastic food with a lovely water way setting, everyone enjoyed their lunch and their preferred tipple after a brain intense morning! 

Out of the Bistro, we took a short stroll down to our narrow boat. The afternoon was spent "cruising" around Birmingham's canal network!! There may have been a bit more alcohol consumed, together with some great conversation and strong relationship building. To add to the relaxing atmosphere we hired an amazing on-board massage therapist!  The whole day was a huge success and whilst we had a few staff missing due to holidays we all ended up as one big happy buzzing team sipping bubbles in the sun!! 

Engineering and the Predicted Skills Shortage Within the UK

Many of the world's biggest and innovative civil, biomedical and electrical engineering companies are based within the UK. But there is currently an engineering skills shortage within the market place. Industry experts say we may need to fill more than one million engineering jobs between now and 2022. The UK’s once booming engineering sector could run into problems if the shortfall is not addressed. In this article I take a look at some of the problems and potential solutions that may help us stay strong in our vibrant sector of engineering!    

The facts as they stand now 

Despite the doom and gloom that swirls around with issues like these, the UK engineering sector is still thriving. The industry employs more than 5.5 million people and the contribution from computer to civil engineering brings in a whopping £455.6 billion to our UK economy. Yes, engineering is one of the country's most successful industries and we need to keep it this way. But for this to happen we need to fill a forecasted 182,000 positions on the run up to 2022.

Shortage of Skilled Engineers Within the UK

The shortage of skilled engineers within the UK is widely acknowledged as a serious hurdle to its economic growth plans for the future. The situation is made more intriguing by the UK's decision to leave the EU.  Whereas up until recently, skilled and educated workers from the continent would happily step into the breach with realistic prospects of living in the UK, it may now be seen that the UK is no longer quite as attractive for skilled foreign nationals as it once was. But will this really be the case? We still do not know the terms of the exit as it stands and we may find this really does not affect the situation as much as some people thought. 

Is it this gloomy?

A rather gloomy outlook is put forward in a study by the the Institution of Mechanical Engineers who say that the government's efforts to encourage industry will likely fail because Britain's education system simply isn't able to turn out enough people with the right skills. And the UK Commission for Employment and Skills states that up to 43 percent of science, technology, engineering and maths jobs, or STEM jobs, are well nigh impossible to fill. So what is being done to fill the shortage of skilled engineers within the UK?

Apprenticeships

The tide has been partially turned by the growing popularity of apprenticeship schemes. According to The Tech Partnership the number of apprenticeships within the digital tech sector rose by 21 percent over the last year. According to the organisation every £1 invested by employers through apprenticeships at levels 2 and 3 sees a return of £27. We have seen the government put a lot of emphasis on ‘The Apprenticeship Levy’ as mentioned on our article ‘What are the big issues for Human Resources Departments within the UK in 2016?’. The levy is being introduced in order to fund three million new apprenticeships in England by 2020. So we can see by this statement of intent that this may be one of the beacons we need to improve the situation.  

A long way to go

The Apprenticeship Levy is perhaps encouraging news, but there is still a long way to go until the shortage of skilled engineers within the UK is filled. A telephone survey carried out in 2016 revealed that 62 percent of 400 engineering employers felt that British graduates were simply not equipped with the requisite skills, also 68 percent felt that the British education system will struggle to cope in keeping up with the ever evolving engineering industry. Education needs to be addressed, we need to make engineering look exciting for kids as fundamentally this is where it all starts! 

Mixed feelings on Brexit

Of those interviewed, only 5 percent felt Brexit would have a positive impact on recruitment, while 35 percent felt there would be a negative impact over the next 4 or 5 years. Another 23 percent predicted it would have no impact at all, while 36 percent were uncertain. This really shows you nobody really knows how this will effect the industry.  We all need to shout at the government to make sure the engineering voice is heard so that they can implement the best possible solution armed with the correct statistics, facts and strategy.

According to Naomi Climer, president of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), "As we are facing an engineering shortfall in the next decade and some uncertainty around skills following Brexit, it is more important than ever that we develop the next generation of 'home grown' engineering and technology talent." In efforts to fill this widening gap the IET have put forward plans to encourage companies and employers to provide work experience to give aspiring students a taste of the industry. Climer also stated there must be an increasing collaboration between employers and educators to facilitate and encourage a much needed growth of homegrown talent in the sector. 

The Brighter Side

Some have tried to look on the bright side and see an opportunity in the UK's shortfall in engineers in the UK. The chief executive of EngineeringUK, Paul Jackson said, "Engineering is a growth industry that has the potential to continue to drive productivity in the UK. This is a great opportunity, tempered only by concern about the need to train many more engineers if we are not to be left behind by countries like South Korea and Germany." If the shortfall can be addressed by implementing programs such as apprenticeships, it could be a turning point for the better. 

Stereotyping

As well as the country exiting the EU, another potential hurdle to overcome is the longstanding stereotyping that comes with the engineering sector.  The minister of state for skills Nick Boles is concerned that the industry's still being commonly viewed as the sole preserve of males and this may be holding further growth back, but backing up Climer's comments, he feels these challenges can be overcome with greater collaboration and partnership between educators and employers. I feel sure with the right incentives for kids of all backgrounds and gender this could really help towards the short fall. 

The Round up!

According to EngineeringUK's 2016 “The State of Engineering” there is still some way to go before the 69,000 extra engineers needed to fill the shortfall is achieved. It remains to be seen whether the various strategies that have been proposed will have a positive impact on the UK's very real present shortfall in qualified engineers. At least people have realised this and the discussion has started about how we can bridge the gap. As a recruiter within the industry I feel it will be a mix of things that will work. One of those issues that will be facing companies will be the sponsorship of foreign students. A lot of companies dismiss this as an option but I feel it will be a necessity to look at going forward. For my next blog post I will be discussing this in greater detail and investigating the real world benefits of introducing this approach within your company.

Warrington - The Bid to be a City of Culture 2021

The Bid to be a City of Culture

Warrington together with a host of cities from across the UK including Coventry, Hereford, Paisley, Perth, Portsmouth, St David’s and the Hundred of Dewisland, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland and Swansea are all fighting to be the third UK City of Culture in 2021. But what can this cultural award do for Warrington and the businesses within it? 

The UK City of Culture Award

Launched in 2009 the initial vision of the event was to establish a British City of Culture prize, the winning city would be able to host events such as the Turner Prize, Brit Awards, Man Booker Prize and the Stirling Prize amongst many other culture based events.  Under the then Labour Culture Secretary Andy Burnham the award was inspired by the success seen in Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture in 2008, were this event showed significant social and economic benefits for the area. The award was a way of building on Liverpool’s legacy, the effect having an overall improvement to the city and its residents with cultural engagement that this type of award achieves. 

The Liverpool Effect

In 2008. Liverpool's year as European capital of culture earned the city bumper visitor numbers and a multimillion-pound boost to its economy. A five-year research programme analysed the social, economic and cultural impact of the 2008 title and found that the festival year saw 9.7m visitors to the city, an increase of 34% generating £753.8m for the economy.

85% of Liverpool residents agreed that it was a better place to live than before and the media coverage of Liverpool's cultural attractions doubled for the first time in decades. The study by Liverpool University academics found that initially, people had mixed views in the build up to the year.  This however changed during 2008 itself, showing a much more optimistic view that was shared by people in late 2008. This indicates that more people felt the benefits as the events happen across the year, leaving a real feel good factor in the city that has carried on. 

The first UK City of Culture Award Derry/Londonderry

After the government set up the UK City of Culture competition it was Derry/Londonderry that won the bid back in 2013. As the first award, Derry happily acknowledge they were "guinea pigs" for the concept but said there was no shortage of enthusiasm in the city! The list of shows, exhibitions and concerts held since January 2013 was impressive and the big events shone a light firmly on the city in terms of visitors and culture.

There were mixed views on the financial benefits of the first award, some saying that it needed to be capitalised on a bit more in the planning stage but Shona McCarthy Chief Executive of the Culture Company 2013 said, "We already know that there have been over 75 nationalities represented in the city over the year.” "From May right through to September we have broken all previous records for hotel occupancy. So that tells me we have got the visitors. That tells me people are coming here.”

Over the course of the year, about £100m was invested in the city through cultural programming and infrastructure. It is estimated that for every £1 spent, there would be a predicted £5 return. All those who have been involved in organising events are now using the word "legacy" and discussing how people can build on what has been achieved. A lot of people have the view that the simple feel-good factor created by Derry's success in becoming the first UK City of Culture was great for the city, having the effect of bringing together people in a sometimes divided city was a real step forward.  

Hull Followed With The 2017 Award

This year the 2017 winners Hull kicked off their UK City of Culture program with the city is expecting to see a significant increase in visitors and events over 2017 generating a positive economic impact. Hull is the second city to host the title and it will be hosting 365 days of cultural events that started with a fireworks event. It is estimated that the UK City of Culture 2017 win will deliver a £60 million boost to Hull’s economy throughout 2017, with a £13.5 million investment into the project. The city has also seen a £1 billion investment since winning the title in 2013. Keep an eye on what Hull is achieving throughout its year here at https://www.hull2017.co.uk

The Benefits to Warrington

Warrington’s initial expression of interest to run for UK City of Culture 2021 has been submitted to the government. There are two further stages with an initial bid submitted in April and the final bid from shortlisted cities by 29th September. The Heritage Lottery Fund has committed £3 million to the holder of the UK City of Culture title from 2021 onwards to boost local heritage, this would have a benefit of bolstering the area and all our cultural attractions. 

It looks to me from the outside that a successful bid brings real benefits to the economy and business. It brings investment in local infrastructure, together with a big uplift in tourism and the local economy. If we then add the feel-good factor into the equation and how the previous awards have had a profound effect on their residents, then I would say this would be a massive benefit to the whole of Warrington! 

A quotation on the http://www.warrington2021.com/our-bid/ website says the award would have "significant economic and social benefits, complementing existing physical regeneration plans as well as highlighting the cultural elements of the current developments as an essential part of the overall growth of the borough." The timing of the 2021 award seems to be perfect for Warrington and complements existing plans and projects to deliver and support:

• More than £100m of investment in the centre of Warrington before 2020

• More than 100 unique events across the borough every year in the run up to 2021

• The 50th anniversary of the new town in 2018

• Plans for a brand new heritage hub with a target opening date of 2019

• Final Thoughts

I feel putting culture at the heart of the transition from a new town to a new city and being highlighted as a “go to” destination for culture would have a long lasting positive effect for us all, in terms of economic growth and people's pride in their city. There seems to be real synergy with the bid, linking it to the growth of Warrington over the next four years. This tells me that it could be an amazing gift to those expansion plans and would give real inertia to the city’s proposed projects. I’m getting right behind this bid and would love to get more businesses involved with spreading the positivity and pushing hard to win a place in the history of British cultural events. As a business community as a whole, let us show our support and help in any way possible.  

Get the best from your recruiter - 5 Tips

Five top tips for recruitment

• How can HR professionals get the best from Recruiters?

• With an estimated 78% of businesses using recruitment agencies to support the attraction and recruitment of new talent………what’s really important?

• Formulate a working partnership – it’s important for both parties to understand processes and limitations

• Clearly define your expectations – what are your objectives? the whole experience needs to work not just the end result

• Make time for a face to face meeting: 30 minutes spent together can prove invaluable for building trust and “buying into” your recruiter

• Ensure your recruiter becomes an ambassador for your business – you want them to understand the position of your business and how to sell it to potential candidates

• Be prepared to give honest feedback - it’s vital early on in the relationship for recruiters to make sure they get it right on every level

• When a relationship between HR and a Recruiter works it can provide a real return on investment resulting in the recruitment partner becoming an extension of a HR department.

Looking back on the trends of 2016

Branding

Every recruiter started to experience a shortage of talent in their respective market places which has meant that branding become the “buzz” phrase of the year! Not only did social media go into overdrive but content marketing began to take on a life all of its own. Branding is a showcase for any business and from a recruitment perspective we have both clients and candidates that we look attract. A strong brand give you a strong identity.

Candidate experience

Whilst is should always be an inclusive journey from initial contact to job placement, a lot of recruiters have always considered the client to be of more importance. Obvious mistake of course, candidates can make or break your brand as they often share their experiences with friends and family then it becomes far reaching. Making extra effort to keep your candidates engaged in the recruitment process has become of paramount importance, coach, advise and guide, our candidates are our ambassadors.    

Flexibility  

Finding good Consultants with the right values become an issue and the main reason for movement of experienced Consultants come from those striving to find a real work/life balance. Recruitment businesses have now had to look outside of the “norm” with the offer of flexible working hours, part time roles and remote working. Finding talent and more importantly keeping talent has meant recruitment leaders have been forced into a rethink!

Pressure points 

Understanding what our clients experience on a daily basis has become more important for recruiters to truly understand how they can claim to add value to a business. It’s not just about filling a job but knowing how we can help, it’s about providing sensible advice to our clients which can only happen when we really understand the issues they face on a daily basis. Knowing our recruitment market place means we can become a real business partner.