New to Market

26 March 2024

NEW TO THE MARKET: 25-30 MARCH 2024

• Digital identity security specialist ID Crypt Global has launched its early access Authentic Media Protection program (AMP). With AMP, the creator of an original image is able to link a verifiable digital identity to any file they produce, incorporating branding and website URLs in the process. The free-to-use web browser extension provides a visual overlay for ease of authentication and can work across any information sharing platform such as X, Facebook or Instagram.

• Global matching and hiring platform Indeed has launched Specialist Media Networks to help employers hire for competitive and hard-to-fill roles. The industry-specific Specialist Media Networks enable employers to reach more candidates with specific, in-demand skills. Tech Network, the first of Indeed’s Specialist Media Networks, focuses on the tech sector – an industry where many roles are hard to fill. Specialist Media Networks are designed to better support employers hiring for specialist roles such as those in tech.

Quesam has launched an app designed to enhance employee engagement through daily simple questions, replacing traditional lengthy surveys. Quesam provides insights into employee wellbeing and company health by focusing on a single question each day. It captures feedback that reflects the real status of the organisation’s culture.

Talmix, a global marketplace for business talent, and N2S.Global, a workforce solutions company, has announced a partnership to provide clients globally with on-demand talent solutions and compliance capabilities. This partnership provides N2S.Global clients with access to business talent through the Talmix marketplace and enables streamlined employer of record (EOR), independent contractor compliance and global mobility services for the Talmix client base.

21 March 2024

CandidatePages to cut social media application process to 60 seconds

According to the company press release, the simple and intuitive application process can be completed in just 60 seconds, making applying for a job quick and easy, rather than being redirected to a lengthy, impersonal form.

CandidatePages, which works with job adverts placed on all social media including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, draws its inspiration from eCommerce rather than traditional recruitment tech.

It features an AI assistant who ‘chats’ with applicants to learn more about their experience, relays answers to hiring managers and even helps candidates complete their application.

This includes identifying any anomalies in a CV, such as career gaps or changes, to give a fuller picture to recruiters and help them identify candidates whose skills best match the role’s requirements.

CandidatePages autosaves throughout the process, and in the event the candidate doesn’t finish the form, the AI assistant will later encourage them to do so by engaging directly with them via SMS and email.

According to the company, the first recruitment campaign to use it saw a 9.7% application rate, with one in 10 of those seeing a job advert applying immediately (more than double the typical conversion rate for application form completion).

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19 March 2024
HR

Durhamlane’s workforce benefits from international working

The new policy allows its employees to travel outside the UK for up to two months per year.

Created after the ‘revenue accelerator’ firm identified a significant percentage of its younger employees had a desire to travel alongside working, especially those with families overseas.

The firm is headquartered in Newcastle, but its 97-strong workforce is spread across the UK. A quarter of its clients are located in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. As a result, 21% of the durhamlane team is multilingual, covering 12 different languages, a company statement said.

Under the slogan ‘The World Is Your Workplace’, the International Working Benefit “complements the lifestyles of employees, allowing them to visit family abroad and celebrate religious holidays, and also having an in-office presence with durhamlane’s clients internationally”, the company said.

Sinead Hall, chief people officer at durhamlane, who developed the policy, said: “When we considered the diversity of our workforce (which is made up of at least 18% ethnic groups), and the fact that we sponsor migrant workers via the skilled worker route, we started to think about where some of our employees call home. This led us to looking at the ability to work internationally.

“Together with the fact that a lot of our clients have head offices all over the globe, this brought us to the conclusion that it was important to give our employees more freedom to choose their location of work, whether remotely in the UK or abroad.

“We believe the International Working Benefit does this, meeting our objectives of attracting and growing our people, not only through nurturing and empowering existing employees, but also making the company an attractive prospect to join.”

The benefit was trialled and subsequently rolled out after it was met with unanimous approval from an internal focus group led by Sam Vardon, durhamlane’s junior people adviser. Feedback centred around mental health benefits, as well as an improvement to social life and happiness outside of work, proving the success of the policy.

Since then, four employees have used the International Working Benefit to travel around the world, from Spain, to France, to Pakistan and beyond.

Commenting on what the policy means on a personal level, head of operations Josh Guthrie said: “This benefit allows me great flexibility in being able to visit my parents, who emigrated to Spain at the end of 2023. I can work completely seamlessly when abroad and keep in regular contact with my line manager and my team.

“My parents used to live locally, so their move took a bit of getting used to, but the International Working Benefit allows me to spend time with them more than I expected possible.

Sales development representative Waqas Rajput added: “I visit my family during the month of Ramadan, and as a practicing Muslim, it is invaluable for me that I can break my fast with my family and celebrate Eid. This policy allows me to make the most of my travel.

“Whilst using the benefit, I was able to work as normal and exceeded my standards of working.”

Over the next year, durhamlane said it hopes more employees will take advantage of the new policy. 

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18 March 2024

NEW TO THE MARKET: 18-22 MARCH 2024

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has introduced an online Learning Hub designed to assist recruitment firms in managing staff training while empowering employees to take charge of their own development. The new platform provides a “smoother” experience for delegates, offering access to all training documents, activities and latest course information in one place, allowing individuals greater autonomy over their career development. The Learning Hub also enables managers to monitor and review current training programmes to ensure team members are on track with development targets.

Babcock International Group (Babcock), a defence company, has created more than 1,000 new jobs at its advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding facility in Rosyth to support the delivery of programmes and development of its workforce capabilities. The new job opportunities include 400 apprenticeships, 350 production support operatives, skilled engineers, tradespeople and graduates. The roles will support programmes like the Type 31 frigate design and build programme.

• Professional services firm Cognizant has partnered with digital skills training provider QA to develop an MSc level apprenticeship programme aimed at increasing the number of women in leadership positions within tech companies. The new programme has been designed to develop wide-ranging technical excellence as well as executive leadership skills through a work-based learning program organised by QA.

Jobmatch Sweden has entered into a new partnership agreement with Broadwing Recruitment, a staffing organisation based in Malta. This collaboration allows the utilisation of Jobmatch’s DNV-certified work psychological tests in Malta and Luxembourg. As a result, Jobmatch has extended its presence to a total of eight countries.

12 February 2024

NEW TO THE MARKET: 12-16 FEBRUARY 2024

• Prepared food provider Bakkavor Group has announced it will recruit 86 individuals to join its apprenticeship programme for 2024. From Scotland to Kent, the Midlands to the South-West, the application process is open nationwide. Successful candidates will start their career journey with Bakkavor in September. The apprenticeship roles for 2024 span a wide range of specialist areas including: food technology, health & safety, supply chain management, operations, finance and business administration, with 26 roles specifically relating to engineering.

• Specialist recruiter Coleman James has opened a new office in Doncaster as it continues to accelerate its growth in the rail sector. The firm will be based at Wagon Works in the J3 Business Park – a historic former-rail premises.

• Stockport-based accountancy and contracting firm Sapphire is helping recruitment agencies source and manage contract workers overseas through its new division, Sapphire International. Sapphire International’s offering includes employed solutions for contractors and accountancy services for self-employed contractors in countries including Denmark, Spain, Norway, Sweden and Italy. Services include invoicing, multi-currency payment handling and local compliance advice.

The firm also takes full control of new contractor onboarding on behalf of recruiters and agencies, allowing them to get on with growing their businesses while all of the admin is taken care of. Clients using the service also benefit from added security through Sapphire’s employee liability insurance.

7 February 2024

Elevate Talent launches across sports, media and lifestyle sectors

A new executive search and global talent advisory practice, Elevate Talent supports companies to source leaders from across sports, entertainment, media, lifestyle, technology and gaming.

The launch of Elevate Talent follows the acquisition of SRI, a leading executive search and talent optimisation firm operating in 15 cities across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Since its founding in London in 2001, SRI’s team have supported over 1,000 organisations around the world.

The move both broadens Elevate’s multi-industry expertise and expands its global presence, adding to Elevate’s operations in brand consulting, strategy, creative, premium hospitality, audience measurement, marketing and revenue analytics, and data-driven insights. 

Elevate is led by Al Guido, who also serves as president of the US’s National Football League team, the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are the 2023 NFC Champions competing in Super Bowl LVIII this Sunday.

Jim Chaplin, formerly CEO of SRI, will become global president of Elevate Talent. In his 14 years at the helm of SRI, Chaplin and his experienced management team have spearheaded the company’s transformation from a UK-based sports specialist firm to a global leader in the executive search space, helping organisations solve critical board structure, governance and C-suite issues with talent and advisory solutions.

Elevate’s chief people officer Liz Moulton will serve as chairman of Elevate Talent. She joined Elevate last year from Activision Blizzard, where she oversaw all aspects of executive talent strategy, including succession planning and organisational design across three business units comprising over $8bn (£6.34bn) in revenue. Moulton has previous experience with Korn Ferry and Spencer Stuart.

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1 February 2024

Home care provider starts third level education fund for staff and children

The initiative offers full-time care assistant employees, or their children, funding to undertake an OU undergraduate degree.

The first Caremark office to trial the initiative was in Pulborough, West Sussex, which unveiled its offering in October last year.

Post-Brexit, slow recruitment issues have faced the home care sector, but the OU collaboration is aiming to tackle this as full-time staff can access up to £9k of funding for any undergraduate degree for a dependent child. 

Part-time workers are also eligible and can benefit from paid course fees of up to £6k for themselves or their child on a part-time course.

Caremark’s OU funding programme aims to lessen the financial burden on its employees and keep existing staff fulfilled in their roles. The initiative will hopefully improve the shortage of workers for businesses in the care sector, which are struggling to recruit staff at this time.

For more information on the Caremark initiative, visit here.

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Credit: iStock

23 January 2024

NEW TO THE MARKET: 22-26 JANUARY 2024

• Digital skills training provider QA has launched a new apprenticeship programme to train digital product managers. It joins QA’s programmes in areas including data, cyber, AI and software development, which have trained more than 30,000 apprentices. The Digital Product Manager Level 4 Programme is the equivalent of a first year undergraduate degree. The course concludes with a two-day hackathon where students will develop a product from start to finish.

Paul Ridley and Dean Penn have joined forces to create technical and engineering retained recruitment specialist Scorpius Talent Acquisition. Ridley and Penn have engineering, manufacturing, legal and compliance experience in the recruitment sector and aim to deliver innovative candidate/client-led recruit-to-retain solutions via the Scorpius Insights platform.

• Chester-based invoice finance and back-office support provider Zodeq has launched its latest campaign. ‘Top of the class finance’ is aimed specifically at recruiters working in the education sector. According to the company, the offering highlights how Zodeq can help – not only teachers but also kitchen staff, handymen, gardeners, etc – to protect their cashflow through innovative invoice finance solutions.

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