The Harcourt Matthews Blog & News Articles

Job Market Christmas Cheer !

Following on from our Job Vacancies Reach A 2011 High blog post in November, we’ve even more cause for celebrating this week, as figures released by Reed have confirmed that the job market continues to defy the gloomy economic outlook and report positive news.

The Reed Job Index has highlighted a “ year-on-year rise in demand of 20% compared to November 2010, and means that employer demand for new staff is a third higher than it when the Index began in December 2009”, additionally, “the Salary Index, reflecting pay rates being advertised, climbed one point from October to 98 points”.

So, what have we got to shout about? Well, the statistics of key note include:

Job demand
New job opportunities rose to the highest level for nearly two years, employer demand for Accountants hit a new high and the demand for qualified finance professionals also attained peak figures.

Regions
London, the South East and the North West led the way in the creation of new jobs for November, with more than half of the UK regions showing positive growth.

Salaries
The good news continued with salaries for new jobs climbing an index point, and month-on-month salary increases across nearly 50% of the sectors analysed.

With Christmas just round the corner, it’s great to be reporting on positive news, which will hopefully signal a rosy start to 2012.

If you are thinking about a new role for the New Year, take advantage of our FREE job search tools, with top tips and advice on your job search.

Vacancy by Foto Twerp; UK by jainidiesner; Money by LaLunaBlanca

 

 

 

 

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Job Vacancies Reach A 2011 High

If our blog posts last week, Temps Still In Demand and Job Market Update, have given you cause for cautious optimism, then hopefully figures released by Reed for October will serve to confirm that the recruitment market remains on an upward trajectory.

The Reed Job Index has highlighted 3 significant areas of good news.

Job Demand
October saw the volume of vacancies throughout the UK achieve the biggest month-on-month increase in almost 24 months, with the IT, Marketing, Accountancy & Sales sectors experiencing the largest upward swing.

Salaries
Financial packages have seen an uplift, particularly within the Leisure & Tourism and Retail markets, with other sectors continuing to hold steady during October.

Regions
Demand for staff enjoyed an increase across all of the UK, with the number of new jobs being advertised in London rising by some 10 index points.

Hopefully, these encouraging results bode well for the job market as we approach 2012 & signal positive times ahead.

If you are tempted to think about your next move, take advantage of our FREE job search tools, which will help you take the first steps in your search for a new role.

photo1 by imagesofmoney, photo2 by seanmacentee, photo3 by delmarva.dealings

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Job Market Improving – Reasons To Be Cheerful

Despite the bumpy economic climate, there are signs of positivity within the UK job market. A recent “JobsOutlook” survey by the Recruitment Employment Confederation highlighted two specific areas that are cause for optimism, namely ….

Employers are confident about long-term workforce growth
In the next year, 42% of employers are planning to increase permanent headcount, with a further 48% intending to maintain current staffing levels. This suggests that the overall outlook is changing for the better.

Temporary workers are in demand
A significant proportion of employers are not envisaging reducing numbers of interim workers, with some 82% of businesses planning to maintain or even increase their use of temporary staff in the future, despite the recent implementation of the Agency Worker Regulations.

According to the latest results, Roger Tweedy, the REC’s Director of Research said:

“The underlying trend this month is one of improvement in employers’ optimism about their future hiring intentions. Though the overall scores have only fluctuated slightly over the past month, the last three months of data show that there are definite signs that confidence is returning.”

This can only be good news for businesses and employees. So, if you’re seriously thinking about looking for a new role, take advantage of our FREE job search tools to help you on your way. Alternatively, if you are considering recruiting for an extra pair of hands, make the most of our FREE recruiter tools.

photo 1 thisdanceisover; photo 2 jungeovpburgenland

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Temps Still In Demand

Despite the uncertain economic climate and the recent introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations last month, temporary agency staff are still very much in demand, according to a recent news article in Recruitment Matters (Autumn 2011).

Reporting on a client survey by the Venn Group, “research found that 90% (of employers) said they were likely to continue using such labour”. This is welcome news for both contractors and recruitment businesses alike, who were initially concerned that a combination of financial austerity and employment law may have an adverse effect on the interim job market.

However, it appears that all the sound commercial reasons for employing a flexible temporary resource (permanent head count freeze, maternity or sick leave, projects etc) still holds true regardless of market challenges.

If you are immediately available and seeking your next interim opportunity, take a look at our latest vacancies, alternatively, if you are considering recruiting a temporary contractor, please contact us on 020 8730 4000 to discuss your requirements.

photo by xXxbrianxXx

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Starting a New Job – 5 More Top Tips

Hopefully, you will have found our blog on Starting a New Job – 5 Top Tips a useful starting point, but to make sure that you stay on track in your first few months, take a look at our additional hints to help you on your way.

5 MORE TOP TIPS …

TREAD LIGHTLY – rather than charging in like a bull at a gate and hoping to change things in your first week, be cautious about suggesting radical alternatives as soon as you arrive. This shows consideration for existing practices and colleagues and means you won’t inadvertently tread on any toes.

START NETWORKING – make sure that you don’t just rely on a Day One introductory tour to meet people. Make a point of getting out and about within the business. This gets you known and brings you up to speed with key contacts and departments.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE – having reviewed the lay of the land, think about where you can make the biggest positive impact, rather than trying to make wholesale changes. This avoids knee-jerk  resistance and ensures you’ve made a recognisable difference.

KEEP IN STEP – having established yourself within the business, stay in tune with the broader strategic focus of the company. Achieving results that tie in with long term corporate goals will raise your profile with key decision makers.

PLAN YOUR CAREER – not every route to the top follows the conventional climb up the career ladder, so be flexible about the path you take. Taking an unorthodox road may well put you ahead of the career curve and raise your visibility with influential colleagues.

With our Top Tips under your belt, the only way is up! Keep in touch with the latest recruitment news though our regular industry blogs,  or visit our website for current advice to keep you in the loop.

photo 1 by martincanchola. photo 2 by ryans

 

 

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Starting a New Job – 5 Top Tips

Finding a new role, especially in these uncertain economic times, can be a daunting endeavour in itself.  So, for those of you who have taken the plunge and secured yourself the next step on the career ladder – congratulations!

From Day One, employee and employer expectations are high, so how do you ensure that the critical first weeks go according to plan?

Take a look at our 5 Top Tips to put you on the right path.

Get DiggingGET DIGGING – do some preliminary research before your first day into corporate news, competitor activity & organisational structure. This gives you a snapshot of what’s going on in the business.

MAKE SMALL TALK – keep in touch with your new boss prior to joining, especially if you have a long notice period. This capitalises on the relationship you developed during the selection process.

KEEP THEM PEELED – identify which of your new colleagues are doing a good job by watching and listening to what’s going on around you. This ensures you take on board the behaviours that have made others successful and valued with the business.

MAKE FRIENDS – find out who are key decision makers and make an effort to get to know your colleagues. Taking an interest in your peer group will ensure a smooth introduction to the social niceties of the organisation.

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING – every company has its own way of doing things, so ensure that you don’t get left high and dry. By dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, you won’t draw unwelcome attention to yourself, rather you’ll be seen as someone who can get up to speed quickly.

We hope that you found our hints and advice useful – stay tuned for our next blog which features more Top Tips on settling in.

photo 1 by benjystanton. photo 2 by cndcindy.

 

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AWR – Day One Rights

By now, you’ll be aware of the core facts surrounding AWR, having read our previous blogs on this hot topic. However, as either an employer or a temporary worker, you also need to be aware that despite the 12 week qualifying period relating to equal treatment, there are some rights that temporary agency workers will be entitled to from Day One of their assignment.

The right to access collective facilities ie: canteen, childcare facilities & transport services. On-site facilities include car parking, on-site gym, prayer rooms, toilet or shower facilities but do not include subsidised off-site gym membership, also, agency workers will not have an absolute right to access all facilities.

The right to be informed by the client hirer of relevant vacant posts with the hirer. There is no obligation for the hirer to employ the agency worker.

If you missed our previous AWR posts, why not get yourself up to speed by accessing our earlier blogs – What is AWR?, AWR – Some Key Facts and AWR – More Key Facts to ensure that you are au fait with this important legislation which was implemented on 1st October 2011.

We hope you find it useful!
photo 1 by kleefunkelchen; photo 2 by robby virus

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AWR – More Key Facts

Getting up to speed with the core aspects of AWR, due for implementation on the 1st October 2011, is essential whether you’re an employer or a temporary worker, so we hope you’re ready for some more key facts to add to those mentioned in our last blog post – AWR – Some Key Facts. Right then, we’ll continue …

What’s included & excluded?

SalaryPay: under AWR, pay is defined as “sums payable to a worker of the hirer in connection with the worker’s employment, including any fee, bonus, commission, holiday pay or other emoluments referable to the employment, whether payable under the contract or not. Pay includes basic pay, overtime, shift premia, unsocial hours rates; bonuses related to personal performance; commission payments; holiday pay; vouchers which have a transferable cash value eg: lunch vouchers & car allowance (possibly) but not access to a company car.

Payments which are not “directly attributable to the amount or quality of the work done” or which “rewards the worker’s long term services” are excluded from pay, these include pension; occupational sick pay; maternity, paternity & adoption pay; redundancy payment; financial participation schemes; bonuses related solely to company performance and, although not specifically stated in the AWR, also life assurance, private medical insurance, offsite health club membership & childcare vouchers paid via salary sacrifice. 

HolidayAnnual leave: under AWR, temporary agency workers will be entitled to the same contractual holiday entitlement as if they had been directly recruited by the client, even if this is above the current statutory entitlement of 28 days per annum.

There’s more to come on Day One rights, so don’t miss our next blog to keep up to date!

In the meantime, if you are looking for your next role, take advantage of our FREE job search tools or if you are currently recruiting for your team, take a look at our FREE recruiter tools. We hope you find our tips and advice useful!

photo 1 by wwarby; photo 2 by shazwan

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AWR – Some Key Facts

Hopefully our recent What is AWR? blog, posted earlier this week, has highlighted that the Agency Workers Directive is to be implemented across England, Scotland & Wales as of the 1st October 2011. So, what are some of the key AWR Facts that employers’ of temporary staff or candidates working in interim assignments need to be aware of?

Who’s affected? The Directive will impact on Agency Workers, these are: a) individuals who are supplied by a temporary work agency to work on a temporary basis for, and under the supervision and direction of, the hiring client; and b) who have a contract of employment with the temporary work agency or any other contract to perform work and services personally for the temporary work agency. Note: an individual can be deemed an Agency Worker, even if they work through an intermediary, eg: an umbrella company.

ContractWhat’s “equal treatment”? An agency worker is entitled to the same relevant terms and conditions as if they had been directly recruited by the client. Relevant terms and conditions relate to pay, duration of working time, night work, rest periods, rest breaks and annual leave. Note: not all areas of pay are included under equal treatment.

What’s the “qualifying period”? This refers to the 12 week period that must be worked by the agency worker in the same job for the same hirer to qualify for the right to equal treatment. Note: there are some rights applicable from Day One of temporary employment.

There’s more to come, so don’t miss our next blog to keep up to date! In the meantime, if you are looking for your next role, take advantage of our FREE job search tools or if you are currently recruiting for your team, take a look at our FREE recruiter tools.

We hope you find our tips and advice useful!

photo by stevesnodgrass

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What Is AWR?

Whether you are a client employing temporary staff on an adhoc or regular basis, or a candidate undertaking interim assignments as a short-term “fill-in” or a long-term “career” basis, you may, or may not be aware, that the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 is about to implement the Agency Workers Directive across England, Scotland & Wales.

CalendarEffective from the 1st October 2011 onwards, the Directive will impact on the recruitment of temporary staff, whether employed by businesses directly or via a recruitment agency, including those “limited company” contractors operating through umbrella organisations.

In short, the Directive is to ensure the following:

1) Temporary workers will have the right to equal treatment regarding pay, holidays and working conditions having completed a 12 week “qualifying” period

2) Eligibility for certain rights from “Day One” of temporary employment

3) New rights for pregnant agency workers

Awareness of the Directive is imperative for businesses and individuals alike, so stay tuned for our next blog post which highlights some of the key aspects of AWR.

In the meantime, if you are looking for your next role, take advantage of our FREE job search tools or if you are currently recruiting for your team, take a look at our FREE recruiter tools.

We hope you find our tips and advice useful!

photo by dafnecholet

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