A new guide has highlighted the importance of recruiters and HR departments building stronger and mutually beneficial relationships.

‘A guide to productive partnerships’, from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD), was launched in London.

Rachael Harvey-Browne, a director at HR recruiter Resourcefulpeople and a London regional director at the REC, told Recruiter that there was far more value on building relationships through networking with HR departments rather than making cold calls.

Although time consuming and unlikely to produce any short-term benefits, she said such an approach was worth the effort as it resulted in “a major piece of business”.

Boyd Kershaw, HR and training director at interim management recruiter Practicus, said that 30% of the company’s business came from existing relationships: “Our annual sales are £30m; £10m of that comes from existing relationships. But you have to be in partnership with your clients to get back that type of return.”

Rob Papps, operations director at restaurant chain Nando’s, told Recruiter that building partnerships with agencies had been instrumental in achieving annual staff turnover which was less than half the industry average.

Papps added that getting relationships right was “a fraction” of the cost and time of having to replace inappropriate staff, and the ongoing damage to the company of having the wrong people in post.