COVID-19 - Our message to the recruitment supply chain: Let’s work together

Over the past few days I’ve seen the best of our industry. In the face of adversity, the levels of mutual support and teamwork across and between businesses has been something to be proud of.

This isn’t like normal times. Our businesses are being damaged by a common foe, not the healthy competition between firms that we all know and love.

And what’s important is that we work together in the bad times to succeed as an industry in the good times. That’s the message my REC team are sending out, as they work harder for recruiters than at any time in their professional lives.

But it is also a message from us to all those who have benefitted handsomely from recruiters’ success over the past decade:

• Banks and insurance companies, as they are pushed by Government to support businesses in their hour of need. We have seen terrible examples of practice this week.
• Job boards, who rely on us for the vacancies that make their sites viable – and social support organisations.
• Upper tier suppliers like RPOs, who need to remember that their supply chain needs to be paid on time to survive.
• CRM and technology providers, whose costs have grown as a part of businesses’ operations in the last few years as we all become more digital.
• Landlords, who should be reacting to this as a long-term threat to the commercial property market (especially given the success of remote working!) by being amenable to flexing rents due.

There is space for us to work together to keep the UK’s world-leading recruitment ecosystem going - but it requires us to look after each other and have sensible discussions about how those that benefit from the industry in the good times help when things are less good.

I’ve written to a number of these major firms (see for example our letter to the British Business Bank) to ask for flexibility and discussion with recruiters in their terms at this challenging time. The best way through is a plan for shared prosperity.

As always, the REC is here for you. Send us your feedback on business conditions and the government support required at covidsupport@rec.uk.com.

Stay safe.