We&rsquo;re here to solve our clients&rsquo; challenges &ndash; which is why we&rsquo;re helping all our colleagues to think more strategically.
To mark World Creativity and Innovation Day on Thursday 21 April, we invited all Impellam Group colleagues to a panel discussion on how to create a successful strategy.
Hundreds of them tuned in to listen to Chief Customer Officer Penny Queller, Jamie Eaton, SVP Customer Strategy, and our external guest speaker explain what strategy is and how to design a successful one.
Asking &lsquo;why?&rsquo; is key component of strategy, Penny and Jamie told attendees &ndash; whether you&rsquo;re trying to think more strategically or design a strategy with purpose.
Jamie said: &ldquo;Strategy is about defining where you are today, where you want to be, how you are going to get there and why you want to achieve those long-term goals.
&ldquo;For me, the &lsquo;why?&rsquo; brings purpose &ndash; which people can buy into. Unless there&rsquo;s an emotional buy-in, then it&rsquo;s not going to get off the ground.&rdquo;
Both Jamie and Penny emphasised the importance of designing strategy in collaboration with other teams or functions &ndash; and always with an eye on the external market and the challenges facing our clients.
Penny added that it was important that colleagues at all levels had the opportunity to be involved in decision making. &ldquo;When I have the opportunity to think strategically and contribute to that strategy, then I&rsquo;m part of owning it, executing it and making it happen. I operate better that way &ndash; I think we all do.&rdquo;
She told colleagues to be curious and to ask questions &ndash; not just of their colleagues, but of our clients too. She said: &ldquo;Prioritise speaking to clients to really and truly understand their challenges. Ask them why, listen and ask them why again.&rdquo;

World Creativity and Innovation Day 2022

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Organisations are feeling the effects of a fiercely competitive market and evolving candidate expectations. Simultaneously, the workforce and talent solutions industry is navigating huge changes accelerated by global economic forces and digital transformation.
Here at Impellam, customer centricity is our North Star. To deepen our understanding and make sure we are delivering exactly what our customers need, we spoke to more than one hundred of our biggest clients from around the world and some key themes emerged:
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Perhaps unsurprisingly, 50% told us that cost efficiency combined with cost transparency is their key concern for 2024 - cost savings, cost avoidance and budgetary control are king.
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As a result of the changing markets and ever-evolving tech there is an increasing need for workforce solutions to be agile and able to react quickly, as well as a steely focus on finding the best talent in the market.
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Then there is the &lsquo;tech factor&rsquo; &ndash; how tech can be used to improve efficiencies and how organisations can find the talent needed to implement the latest developments that will provide a competitive advantage.
Based on these findings, here are some important workforce solutions designed to help you to manage costs and build better a business.
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<h2>1. Exploring more ways to manage costs with expert delivery</h2>
The rapidity of technological change (including increases in cyber threats) means that many organisations have had to face an inconvenient truth: they don&rsquo;t have the skills to drive the technology changes needed to compete, or survive, in the new normal. For smaller organisations that can pivot quickly, the outlook isn&rsquo;t so sobering. But larger organisations, that are struggling to adapt their legacy tech to rapid change, are feeling the urgency &ndash; especially when it comes to competing with those disruptive startups. This means that finding more ways to attract the skills needed to get work done &ndash; especially change and transformation work &ndash; is now front and centre for many organisations.
&ldquo;The hunt is on for delivery partners who can support organisations in this time of need &ndash; and what organisations are looking for has changed. For many businesses the &lsquo;hire and hope&rsquo; solution of contractors is becoming too risky &ndash; both in terms of cost and performance. This is why we&rsquo;re seeing a shift to buying outcomes, or deliverables, gaining momentum globally.&rdquo; &mdash; Steve Corbett, Client Services Director, Impellam UK&rsquo;s Science, Technology, and Engineering (STEM) brands.
Outcome-driven projects (or deliverables-based Statements of Work) with a trusted partner can provide a more competitive process for buying services, potentially offering far better value for money. Businesses get a team of experts who are experienced in delivering similar projects, along with the agility to pivot left or right mid-project. Clients get a skilled tech team with the horsepower needed to get the project done properly, along with experienced project managers. Crucially, they have the peace of mind thanks to knowing that if a partner doesn&rsquo;t deliver as agreed, they don&rsquo;t get paid.
&nbsp;
<h2>2. The rise of Direct Sourcing</h2>
While many organisations have strong supplier partnerships, they are also looking to increase the proportion of direct hires to gain greater control of their talent pool. As a result, Advanced Direct Sourcing by Managed Service Providers (MSPs), is set to become a key trend.
Direct Sourcing involves leveraging your employer brand to attract, curate and engage exclusive talent pools to support contingent hiring needs and the easy re-deployment of valuable workers. Alongside the wish for greater control of the talent pool, and the ongoing need to make cost savings, there are other factors contributing to this trend. One is data. Hiring and talent data can be too cumbersome to interpret or leverage, but a Direct Sourcing partner can give organisations the data they need, in a way that&rsquo;s simple and actionable, helping keep talent communities buoyant and engaged. This boosts the efficiency, agility and speed of hiring processes &ndash; without sacrificing the quality of hires &ndash; so helping address talent shortages in this increasingly tight labour market.
&ldquo;We expect more organisations will leverage their employer brand to attract and engage contingent labour through technology-enabled talent communities and direct sourcing. This will pave the way for a more integrated approach to workforce solutions.&rdquo; &mdash; Sara Gordon, SVP Client Relationships, Guidant Global.
The right MSP will offer a cutting-edge CRM and recruitment automation technology to reduce admin and drive efficiency when it comes to identifying and nurturing communities of talent. This technology leverages AI and Machine Learning for superior candidate matching and personalised automation at scale, while providing a single platform to manage the complete lifecycle of a candidate, from engagement and placement to offboarding and redeployment. Crucially, it frees up time for recruiters to work on all important elements like relationship building. For many organisations, the optimum approach is to mix recruitment supply chain and Direct Sourcing. However, this can lead to complexity. Again, this is where an expert MSP partner can add value by managing suppliers &ndash; especially in the realm of technology hiring where the competition is fierce.
&ldquo;The trend towards a blended workforce can create complexity, which needs to be supported and solved. We recommend finding a trusted advisor to guide you in achieving the optimal mix of fulfilment &ndash; a mix that combines supply chain and Direct Sourcing. And a specialist MSP can be invaluable when it comes to providing STEM expertise. It&rsquo;s the smarter, faster, better approach to building a custom and scalable talent pipeline. And don&rsquo;t forget to flex your EVP!&rdquo; &mdash; Alexa Bradbury, Global Marketing Director, Impellam Global Managed Services.
Last but not least, a strong Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is crucial in attracting a contingent workforce, especially given that around 40% of today&rsquo;s global workforce is non-permanent. We recommend approaching your EVP as a framework, not a fixed entity. Create numerous pillars for competitive differentiation, such as project-based work, diversity or innovation. And to be really thorough, carry out voice of the candidate work to understand the experience of people in these roles. This feeds back into personal development and then into effective talent marketing campaigns.
&nbsp;
<h2>3. Closer HR and Procurement alignment to deliver strategic workforce management</h2>
HR and Procurement, having been traditionally siloed, are having to come closer together, aligning their strategies to respond to talent shortages, skills gaps and the need for greater organisational agility and cost savings. This is fuelling a move towards strategic alignment, the bringing together of attraction and strategic and agile management of both the contingent and permanent workforce. The key reasons are talent and cost; in a tighter market with economic uncertainty, organisations need to gain better control of their entire workforce so that they can identify and leverage the skills they have at their disposal, and they are increasingly looking for new opportunities for more aggressive cost avoidance and cost savings.
&ldquo;HR and Procurement together have a full view of organisational needs and strategy. When you combine that with the specialist knowledge from influential leadership and expertise from specialist workforce and talent solutions providers, it is a powerful combination that delivers meaningful, cost-efficient results.&rdquo; &mdash; Claire Marsh, CEO, Impellam North America.
We&rsquo;re talking to customers about how they can create better alignment to enable visibility and control. Because until they&rsquo;ve got control and alignment, the issues remain: squeeze here and expenditure increases there &ndash; across permanent and contingent talent. Without gaining control, businesses are often moving problems from the most cost-effective to the least cost-effective solutions.
A successful strategic workforce management approach needs buy in from HR and Procurement leads, as well as other key leadership, such as the CIO/CTO who have oversight of the strategy and its implementation. It needs open conversations about pinch points and talent challenges, consistent sharing and analysis of workforce data between the functions, and strategic alignment on how to attract a workforce that can deliver on the organisation&rsquo;s objectives. When this is done well, it gives businesses greater control and oversight of their talent ecosystems and transforms a reactive approach to a proactive one, which in the current market we&rsquo;re seeing can be a key competitive differentiator.
&ldquo;With the trend towards a more holistic approach to talent landscapes, organisations can certainly benefit from working with an expert and flexible workforce solutions partner to help them navigate the internal complexities that may arise as a result of the shift in approach. There&rsquo;s no one size fits all, so partners need to provide bespoke solutions along with the expertise to advise on adapting nimbly to changing market conditions.&rdquo; &mdash; Annelise Smith, Managing Director, Lorien Managed Solutions.
&nbsp;
<h3>4. The importance of Social Impact and working with hard-to-reach communities</h3>
Another factor feeding into finding the right talent is the trend for increasingly purpose driven candidates getting more selective about where they want to work. In a recent survey, 87% of employees in North America and 68% in the UK, France, Germany and Ireland said they prioritise organisations that share their values, and in Gen Z that is more pronounced, with 90% saying they would leave their current job for one that better matches their values. It&rsquo;s a positive trend, but one that has implications for hiring and Equity, Diversity &amp; Inclusion practises.
For all the talk of skills shortages, there are still groups of people who are under-represented in the workforce and/or overlooked by employers, from women in tech to the over-50s. Dig deeper and you&rsquo;ll find barriers to employment that range from living with a disability to having a criminal conviction. Lack of confidence and connections on the part of candidates, and lack of flexibility on the part of employers, can restrict access and even exclude diverse communities from an organisation &ndash; and when competition for talent is fierce, it can make finding and keeping great people harder than it needs to be.
&ldquo;These talent shortages are an opportunity to look at more diverse talent pools and organisations are beginning to prioritise Social Impact, locally or nationally, as part of their CSR or ESG agendas. I&rsquo;d urge companies to get on board with that now and look at how social value can help drive their people and talent strategies. It&rsquo;s not just doing the right thing, it is imperative and will be crucial in maintaining an engaged workforce and to gaining the trust of your customers.&rdquo; &mdash; Chris Blackburn, STEM ambassador and Head of CSR, Impellam.
Many businesses are already working to drive social mobility in deprived areas by collaborating with schools, colleges, prisons and community groups. It&rsquo;s great for communities and it&rsquo;s excellent for forging and nurturing new talent pipelines. Increasingly, organisations are realising the value of work experience, apprenticeship and degree apprenticeship programmes too, which have the added effect of boosting the labour pool &ndash; a win-win for young people and for industry.
Ann Bookout heads up ED&amp;I at Impellam. Looking at Social Impact through the lens of technology, she believes that advancements in tech will increasingly drive Social Impact.
&ldquo;Given that AI will increasingly cover hard skills, opportunities are growing forthose with strong soft skills. This means that candidates from different backgrounds, with diverse perspectives, can progress with a less formulaic career route. A growing number of organisations have already developed programmes for learning on the job &ndash; and are making a strong Social Impact in the process.&rdquo; &mdash; Ann Bookout, Global Head of Culture and Fulfillment, Impellam.
We recommend partnering with a workforce and talent solutions specialist that understands how best to tap into and nurture diverse talent pools &ndash; and can help with training and leadership programmes so that candidates from diverse backgrounds are ready to add value from day one.
&nbsp;
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;">As a Global company we recognise there are some regional market differences:</h3>
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s fair to say, the UK market is showing caution but resilience. We&rsquo;re seeing customers being shrewd in their approach to talent and workforce strategies and welcoming of new solutions with demonstrable results. As a result, in the coming months I expect to be having even more conversations around important solutions like Advanced Direct Sourcing, services procurement and deliverables-based SOW, as well as increased interest from all industries for the specialist STEM talent needed to futureproof businesses.&rdquo; &mdash; Simon Blockley, CEO, Impellam UK &amp; Europe.
&nbsp;
Brian Salkowski, Chief Experience Officer, Impellam takes an optimistic view.
&ldquo;For North America, predictions for 2024 suggest an economic soft landing. And with consumer spending up, more capital projects are resuming, which bodes well for a bounce back across the workforce solutions market. However, competition will remain fierce, so I predict that this bounce back will see even more organisations being very careful about the kind of workforce solution partners they select.&rdquo; &mdash; Brian Salkowski, Chief Experience Officer, Impellam.
&nbsp;
Mark Coyle, CEO, Impellam APAC recognises the need for agility in workforce solutions.
&ldquo;With unemployment at just 4%, Australia&rsquo;s candidate shortages mean a lot of organisations are struggling to find skilled staff &ndash; especially in IT and healthcare. This has led to a growing trend for offshore recruitment, set to continue. I&rsquo;d recommend partnering with an organisation that has the flex and expertise to deliver high-quality offshore talent where and when it&rsquo;s needed.&rdquo; &mdash; Mark Coyle, CEO, Impellam APAC.
&nbsp;
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt;">Further Information</h3>
There are cost-efficient workforce and specialist talent solutions available to solve your most complex challenges. If you want to build a better business and would like some help navigating the market, get in touch - <a href="mailto:AskImpellam@Impellam.com">AskImpellam@Impellam.com</a>
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Drawing from our research and expertise, our latest report delves into workforce solutions designed to help you manage costs and build a better business.&nbsp;

Workforce Strategies - Delivering efficiency & results

By Penny Queller, Chief Customer Officer at Impellam Group
Business success in uncertain times
Just a few weeks ago, life for many of us seemed to be returning to &lsquo;normal&rsquo;.&nbsp; The success of vaccine programs in many countries encouraged people to celebrate a long-awaited return to the office, resume travel and enjoy seeing family and friends.&nbsp; But over the last couple of weeks, uncertainty caused by the new Omicron variant means that life, once again, is changing &ndash; for us as individuals, and for businesses.
I was thrilled to join Impellam last year as Chief Customer Officer and I have spent a great deal of time over the last few months talking with customers to hear the realities, challenges and opportunities that they face.&nbsp;
At this time of unprecedented change, I believe that it&rsquo;s more important than ever to listen intently with the goal of understanding so we can bring solutions and solve problems.&nbsp; To complement my own meetings, I also engaged an independent third party for one-to-one customer interviews, gaining additional objective analysis.
No matter what sector or industry, a key insight from this exercise is that a pervasive uncertainty continues to force businesses across the globe to find new and improved ways of working. The way that talent is sourced, managed and energized is always key to long-term success.
The talent challenge
A perfect storm in the talent market continues to brew.&nbsp; Having navigated significant market and operational challenges over the last 18 months, many businesses are now battling to retain their business-critical talent at a time when they need it most.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm">4 million Americans</a>&nbsp;resigned from their jobs in July 2021, resulting in a record-breaking 10.9 million open roles, consistently outpacing the number of unemployed people. Similar trends have been seen in across Europe and further afield.
At the same time, as businesses are forced to work in different ways, an unprecedented supply-demand mismatch for almost all types of jobs roles, levels and industries is increasing.&nbsp; In the UK, the number of unemployed people looking for a job rose to 1.17 million in October, the highest number in recent history.
And as companies strive to attract and retain great people, salaries and wages continue to rise.&nbsp; When many organizations need to become more efficient, increased people costs are unsustainable for the long term.
The good news is that help is at hand.&nbsp; As one customer said to me &ldquo;we are increasingly looking for partners who can provide initiative, foresight and anticipation of what we need before we need it.&rdquo;&nbsp; At Impellam, we pride ourselves on a unique approach to helping our customers build better businesses by optimising their talent in a changing world.
Unique customer solutions, the Virtuoso way
Creating exceptional customer solutions starts with the way we shape our own culture, with the concept of trust at the heart of our approach.&nbsp; We build trust by making and keeping promises to achieve better results and experiences for our customers, candidates and colleagues. We pride ourselves by doing exactly what we say we&rsquo;re going to do.&nbsp;
To develop this culture, I have enjoyed seeing first-hand how we support Impellam colleagues to deliver on their promises by becoming &lsquo;Virtuosos&rsquo;.&nbsp; Through exceptional leadership, coaching and development, we enable colleagues to make big and small, bold, transformational promises so that customers can devise new and creative ways to solve their biggest workforce challenges.
Our &lsquo;Virtuosos&rsquo; are hyper-focused on creating a better customer and candidate experience from each unique perspective.&nbsp; Listening to each customer and each candidate and their particular concerns is fundamental to every interaction, helping to ensure they do the right thing at the right time, every time.&nbsp; Impellam Virtuosos constantly tune in, innovate, make and deliver on new promises and grow with their customers and candidates to ensure their evolving needs are met whether through sector, service or international expansion.
People and partnerships&nbsp; 
It&rsquo;s often said that employees are the most valuable asset of an organization and in the current dynamic environment, this is truer than ever before. Workforce planning, the need to mitigate risks and a comprehensive understanding of the talent supply chain are critical.&nbsp; Virtuoso partnerships help our customers to see what is on the horizon and understand the art of the possible.&nbsp; Our ability to listen and respond and helping others to succeed demonstrates that there is a better way to do recruitment - a way where fulfilled, engaged, adaptable and productive people help our customers build better businesses in a changing world.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Why the Virtue of listening is now more important than ever By Penny Queller, Chief Customer Officer at Impellam Group

Why the Virtue of listening is now more important than ever

Many professions come with a dress code or uniform &ndash; lawyers generally wear suits, doctors generally wear white coats or scrubs, police, fireman etc. Uniforms are prescriptive and ensures everyone is dressed exactly the same way, whereas dress code policies achieve similar appearances between employees, but the specific items worn are not identical.1
Having a dress code is generally seen as bringing consistency to the workplace and there are a number of good reasons for your business to have an employee dress code.2 You may want your employees who interact with customers to appear professional and welcoming at all times, and provide guidelines on how to be presentable in those situations. Safety is another good reason &ndash; employees who do labour-intensive work may need to wear protective clothing or gear to keep themselves and others safe, such as construction and food preparation.3 A dress code also enables your business to define exactly what&rsquo;s appropriate for employees to wear in the workplace.
A multi-generational workplace is inevitably a complicated one, and different generations have different perspectives&nbsp;on what they want to wear in the workplace. People of different ages typically have different perspectives on the world, and they disagree on the most fundamental issues. They dress differently, eat differently and travel differently. And more pertinently, they work differently. These generations seem to be more protective over identity and style, and are opposed to being told what to wear.
Research has discovered that more than 1 in 10 people aged 18-24 said that they had considered quitting their job due to a strict dress code.2 On the other hand, older generations in the workplace do not share the same strong views. Only 7% of those aged 55 and over said they would consider leaving their jobs because of the dress code.
If businesses leave dress codes open to interpretation, outfits will range from jeans and T-shirts, to suit and ties. If you do decide to implement a dress code policy, consider the following points3:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>One size doesn&rsquo;t fit all: Your policy can have different requirements for different teams. Employees who interact with customers can have more stringent dress requirements than those who work behind the scenes if needed;</li>
<li>Don&rsquo;t use ambiguous language: What&rsquo;s the difference between &ldquo;business casual&rdquo; and &ldquo;casual&rdquo;? Give specific examples of what type of attire are acceptable;</li>
<li>Put it on paper: Your dress code policy should be clearly explained, documented and made easily available to your employees. Ensure that it&rsquo;s explained to new starters so that they&rsquo;re appropriately dressed on their first day.</li>
</ul>
You would also need to be especially careful that your dress code policy doesn&rsquo;t discriminate against any of your employees.2 Some employees would wear certain apparel or refrain from wearing certain apparel due to their religious beliefs, and a business should reasonably accommodate this to avoid religious discrimination. Another type of discrimination that could occur is disability discrimination &ndash; businesses need to try to reasonably accommodate employees with disabilities when implementing a dress code policy in cases where it&rsquo;s almost impossible for some employees to conform to the policy you&rsquo;ve outlined.
As the world of work changes around us and new generations enter the workforce &ndash; the shift in attitudes towards dress codes means it&rsquo;s more important than ever to tune in to your people and customers.
Impellam Group work across a variety of sectors from professional services, legal &amp; science to education and healthcare. So we understand the needs of each business differ, so taking the time to review your dress code and the impact it has on your people and customers is a great place to start.
&nbsp;
Notes 1 hrdailyadvisor.blr.com 2 CEOTodayMagazine.com 3 recruiterbox.com

Having a dress code is generally seen as bringing consistency to the workplace and there's a number of good reasons for your business to have one.

When last have you reviewed your dress code policy?

The global Covid-19 pandemic has evolved the way organisations conduct day-to-day business; and new ways of working that empower people to optimise their performance are being explored on a global scale. Many spend a large proportion of their lives at work and it&rsquo;s important that work and home life can operate in harmony with each other.
There are many aspects to consider when creating and incorporating new flexible working policies, and there&rsquo;s no &lsquo;one size fits all&rsquo; approach. New ways of working have led to many studies and experiments, with quite a few interesting findings including the fact that remote working may be here to stay for the long-term.
There are also downsides to remote working, which include staff tending to work increased hours &ndash; negatively affecting productivity, work-life balance and mental health. To avoid overworking, examples should be set by leadership teams, and special attention needs to be given to individuals and their personal needs.
<a href="http://www.lorienglobal.com/en/insights/investing-in-flexible-working" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">To read this full article by Lorien on what to consider when implementing flexible working, click here.</a> Lorien is a technology, transformation &amp; digital recruitment solutions specialist, with over 40 years&rsquo; industry experience. They combine specialist tech recruitment with the scope, depth and breadth of large-scale talent solutions. Driven by both clients and candidates, covering Europe and the US, they work with all sectors, sizes and tech needs. Their experience within a variety of sectors has given them a uniquely broad perspective &ndash; equipping them with the tools to create tailored solutions. This gives their clients the power to excel at tech, no matter their core discipline.
Read on for a full list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.impellam.com/about-us/our-group">Impellam Group brands</a> and their specialist fields. <a href="https://www.impellam.com/contact">Contact us</a>&nbsp;to learn how we can support your business with your remote staffing requirements.

There are many aspects to consider when creating and incorporating new flexible working policies

What to consider when implementing flexible working

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<h4>&nbsp;</h4>
<h4>We have been made aware of a WhatsApp scam using our name. Our recruiters would not reach out or contact you on WhatsApp as a first point of contact for a new role.</h4>
<h4>&nbsp;</h4>
<h4>If someone contacts you on WhatsApp claiming to be from Impellam Group or one of our brands, please block the number or report the scam in WhatsApp.</h4>
<h4><a href="../../../../../../insights/top-tips-to-avoid-scams">You can also click here to read our top tips to avoid WhatsApp and phishing email scams</a></h4>

We have been made aware of a WhatsApp scam using our name. Our recruiters would not reach out or contact you on WhatsApp as a first point of contact for a new role.

WhatsApp scam

Success in modern business is all about people. Soft skills are in high demand, and businesses want to attract and retain the best people in order to gain a competitive edge. 
Business leaders can no longer afford to take an arms-length approach to their people. Increasingly, people want to engage on a deeper level and feel an emotional attachment to their organisation. They want their jobs to have purpose. Without such a connection, people will move onto pastures new. Enter employee engagement.
<h4>What does employee engagement mean?</h4>
Employee engagement is one of those HR and recruitment concepts that attracts an enormous amount of buzz.
Hundreds of articles have been written on the subject, and the term is strongly linked to concepts such as flow, job satisfaction, organisational commitment, organisational citizenship behaviour, employee voice, and employee involvement. However, with so few comprehensive definitions, the subject is also rife with confusion, misinterpretation and speculation.
Though smart businesses seek brevity, many businesses are still falling into the trap of using definitions that put the business first and their people second. To take an example, here&rsquo;s how <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_engagement">Wikipedia&rsquo;s </a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_engagement">page on employee engagement</a> defines an &lsquo;engaged employee&rsquo;:
&ldquo;An engaged employee is one who is fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work and so takes positive action to further the organisation&rsquo;s reputation and interests.&rdquo;
By subscribing to this definition, the onus on maintaining engagement is placed firmly on the shoulders of the employee. The organisation, meanwhile, absolves itself of the responsibility to develop a robust engagement programme. By doing so, the business is implicitly saying its people do not matter &mdash; and people will quickly pick up on this.
Such a static, myopic, and one-sided interpretation of engagement is unlikely to foster trust between a business and its people. Clearly, a more reciprocal definition is needed.
David McLeod, co-leader of the UK government taskforce, <a href="https://engageforsuccess.org/what-is-employee-engagement">Engaged for Success</a>, offers a much more fluid and all-encompassing understanding of engagement:
&ldquo;Employee engagement is a workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation&rsquo;s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of wellbeing.&rdquo;
In this sense, engagement is an ongoing, two-way process that gives people scope to enhance their own sense of wellbeing in the workplace while also boosting productivity for the business. This definition ensures that everyone in the business &mdash; from top to bottom, side to side &mdash; has a responsibility and a part to play in creating a culture that facilitates engagement.
McLeod&rsquo;s statement also has an emotional element. By acknowledging the connection and commitment that people seek with their employer, this definition of engagement takes on a different meaning for different people.
When businesses get the emotional alignment between employee and employer right, truly engaged people become attracted, inspired, committed, dedicated, and focused. Above all, they care. They genuinely want to see the company succeed and are willing to use discretionary effort to go above and beyond without being asked.
In one apocryphal tale often cited by management experts, President John F. Kennedy asked a NASA janitor what he was doing, to which the janitor replied: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m helping to put a man on the Moon.&rdquo;
The janitor understood that his small act of sweeping the floor was part of a chain reaction that enabled others at NASA to fulfil their duties &mdash; resulting in Neil Armstrong taking one small step on the lunar surface.
This story sums up what businesses need to aim for: giving each and every person a clear sense of how what they do links with the organisation&rsquo;s fundamental purpose.
<h4>Why is employee engagement important?</h4>
Businesses in markets such as the UK have a substantial engagement issue, and it is far from a new problem.&nbsp;People drive bottom-line growth &mdash; as long as their intrinsic needs are consistently being met.
While many companies embrace the rhetoric that nothing matters more than their people, too many people believe their employer is merely paying lip service to the notion. According to an <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanhall/2013/03/11/im-outta-here-why-2-million-americans-quit-every-month-and-5-steps-to-turn-the-epidemic-around/#6f603bb96484">Accenture study</a>, 31% of people dislike their boss, 43% felt that they received no recognition for their work, and 32% were actively looking for a new job. People are even willing to give up a pay rise in favour of their boss being fired.
We live in the social media age. Every corporate decision or action is immediately exposed for public consumption and painstakingly scrutinised. Work-related issues that were once private are now posted online for everyone &mdash; including both employee and potential employee &mdash; to read, with websites such as Glassdoor giving people a platform to anonymously praise or denigrate a business. The way that people feel about an organisation can be its competitive advantage or Achilles heel.
Deloitte research conducted across over 3,300 businesses around the world found that &lsquo;culture and engagement&rsquo; was deemed the most important issue for companies. 87% of the businesses surveyed cited culture and engagement as one of their top challenges, while 50% said it is &ldquo;very important.&rdquo; Alarmingly, the 87% figure was double the proportion in the previous year&rsquo;s survey.
The research is clear. Of all the challenges facing HR &mdash; including leadership, learning and development (L&amp;D), and workforce capability &mdash; engagement is seen as both the most critical and least understood.
<h4 style="margin: 12pt 0cm;">The takeaway</h4>
Every person has opinions that can prove valuable to their employer. Companies can either choose to listen to people through effective employee engagement methods&nbsp;and harness their insights to make the business better, or they can choose to ignore them.
If a business opts for the latter, poor engagement levels will likely snowball into bigger issues that can make or break a brand&rsquo;s reputation. The bottom line? Businesses cannot afford to recruit talent and not keep tabs on how engaged they are.

Increasingly, people want to engage on a deeper level and feel an emotional attachment to their organisation

What is employee engagement and why is it so important?

There&rsquo;s always a new buzzword in recruitment, we&rsquo;ve recently had &lsquo;quiet quitting&rsquo; and &lsquo;the great resignation&rsquo;, to name but a few.&nbsp;
Right now, there&rsquo;s a lot of noise about ChatGPT, and it has had many of us heading to Google to find out more. Don&rsquo;t worry, we&rsquo;ve got you!
Read more in our insight page: <a href="../../../../../../insights/chatgpt-and-the-future-of-work-and-recruitment">ChatGPT and the future of work and recruitment</a>
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An infographic which explains what ChatGPT is and how it is set apart from other chatbots

What is ChatGPT

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Women continue to make powerful changes in the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). From breaking barriers to shattering glass ceilings, visionary women have not only shaped the future of technology,&nbsp;<a name="_Int_qsWwAprL"></a>they will be an inspiration for generations to come.&nbsp;
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Over the course of the coming weeks, our STEM brands will celebrate their relentless pursuit of knowledge, and the transformative impact they&rsquo;ve had on the world.
 At Impellam Group, we recognise the importance of fostering an environment where every aspiring woman in STEM can thrive and leave an indelible mark on the ever-evolving landscape of innovation.&nbsp;
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Head to each of our STEM brands blogs listed below to read more about the women who have shaped STEM.
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<a href="https://www.lorienglobal.com/us/insights/the-women-who-shaped-stem-pioneering-digital-frontiers-for-future-generations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lorien - <span class="NormalTextRun SCXW37649614 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="normaltextrun" data-ccp-charstyle-defn="{&quot;ObjectId&quot;:&quot;079972c9-cd9d-4c8b-b581-4f2428155ff7|35&quot;,&quot;ClassId&quot;:1073872969,&quot;Properties&quot;:[469775450,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,201340122,&quot;1&quot;,134233614,&quot;true&quot;,469778129,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,335572020,&quot;1&quot;,469778324,&quot;Default Paragraph Font&quot;]}">Pioneering Digital Frontiers for Future Generations&nbsp;</a>
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<a href="https://www.srgtalent.com/us/blog/the-women-who-shaped-stem-breaking-boundaries-in-the-laboratory-and-beyond" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SRG - Breaking Boundaries in the Laboratory and Beyond&nbsp;</a>
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<a href="https://www.bartechstaffing.com/news-and-insights/visionary-voices-the-women-who-shaped-stem-engineering-a-world-of-possibilities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bartech Staffing - Engineering a World of Possibilities&nbsp;</a>
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Over the course of the coming weeks, our STEM brands will celebrate their relentless pursuit of knowledge, and the transformative impact&nbsp;they&rsquo;ve had on the world.&nbsp;

Visionary voices - The women who shaped STEM

Reach for an Oxford Dictionary, and you&rsquo;ll find that a &lsquo;virtuoso&rsquo; is: &lsquo;a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit&rsquo;. We particularly like the second part of this definition, because we view the ability of our managers to lead, achieve and inspire as an art.
In 2017, the Impellam Virtuoso programme came into being, recognising that it is our managers who make the difference in building trust, relationships and better futures for our clients and candidates. Since the launch, around 400 managers have experienced the programme.
&lsquo;Experienced&rsquo; is the word; our Virtuoso programme is not about conventional, fact-driven classroom training. Jill Thornton, Director of Group Talent, explains: &ldquo;The Virtuoso programme alters perspectives, helps our people to think laterally, and brings about a shift in mindsets to truly unlock potential.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Being a Virtuoso is all about tuning into customers to uncover their real concerns and challenges. Impellam&rsquo;s programme enables our people to lead better conversations with all clients and candidates, conversations that matter and drive innovative, agile staffing solutions and provide good, fulfilling work,&rdquo; explains Jill.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Crucially, Virtuosity provides a framework that allows Impellam people to make bold, transformational promises and senior management to support them. The framework uses open communication to allow people to identify when their promise is drifting, and to ask for help and feedback without fear of failure.&nbsp;
Jill continues: &ldquo;Over a nine-month period, Virtuosos undergo workshops and one-to-one coaching, starting with helping them to gain the clearest vision of their promise. In turn, they then work backwards to define what it will take, the skillsets needed and, critically, the infectious passion to enrol and engage their teams. Only with them on board can they deliver on their promise.&rdquo;
Lorien, our technology focused recruitment brand acquired in 2014, embraced the Virtuoso programme with nine managers in its first cohort. Claire Marsh, CEO, explains: &ldquo;We already knew we had real talent within the business. Virtuosity has allowed us to put trust in our managers and really show what they can do to move the business forward. It gives people the freedom to take ownership for initiatives that they are passionate about.&rdquo;
Ashton Arnold is Client Services Director at Lorien, and she started the Virtuoso programme in June 2017. She believes the Virtuoso mindset stretched and challenged her and her team, contributing to finishing the year 92% ahead of plan. Ashton worked closely with her team, sharing the vision, gaining their buy-in and commitment, and exciting them on what could be achieved. Along the way, they saw the value of improved communication, clear milestones and individual accountability.
Ashton concludes: &ldquo;The Virtuoso culture we all adopted as a team required self-reflection, belief and business acumen, and we delivered the benefit to our customers, our candidates and ourselves.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Virtuosos also own initiatives that fall outside of &lsquo;business as usual&rsquo; but contribute to providing a sustainable business with fulfilling roles for its people. This includes a mentoring programme, with twelve mentees already signed up in Lorien. &ldquo;Virtuoso has already helped us move beyond cost and outcome to a focus on where we want to get to. It&rsquo;s allowing us to better align investment to strategy,&rdquo; says Claire Marsh, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a huge shift in realising potential and value.&rdquo;
Visit our <a href="https://www.impellam.com/">Careers page</a>&nbsp;to learn more about our Virtuoso culture.
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Impellam&rsquo;s Virtuoso programme enables our people to lead better conversations with all clients and candidates, conversations that matter and drive innovative, agile staffing solutions and provide good, fulfilling work.

Virtuoso Managers Make the Difference

In challenging economic times, businesses may find that they don&rsquo;t have the right talent to meet their business objectives. Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a service that can help businesses meet their recruitment needs by outsourcing all or part of its permanent recruitment to a recruitment specialist &ndash; saving the business time and costs.
Even in once-off scenarios, versions of RPO such as on-demand RPO can help businesses quickly source the talent they need to fulfil any short-term projects. This is different to contingent RPO which is more long-term and includes aspects such as employer branding, ED&amp;I and supply chain management.
To read this full article by Guidant Global on how on-demand RPO can help with sudden talent needs with a case study example, click <a href="http://www.guidantglobal.com/news/what-is-on-demand-rpo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>. Guidant Global provides global workforce management solutions (MSP, RPO &amp; SOW) that help companies find the best permanent and contingent talent. Guidant champion #ABetterWay &ndash; a forward-thinking way of working; moving away from the embedded staffing industry mentality of 'recruitment by numbers' and taking a wider perspective, by shifting the focus to people &ndash; the vibrant force that drives thriving businesses.
Click <a href="https://www.impellam.com/customer-solutions/rpo-and-permanent-workforce-solutions">here</a>&nbsp;for more information on our RPO services. For a full list of Impellam Group brands and their specialist fields click <a href="https://www.impellam.com/about-us/our-group">here</a>, or <a href="https://www.impellam.com/contact">contact us</a>&nbsp;to learn how we can support your business with your staffing requirements.

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a service that can help businesses meet their recruitment needs

Using on-demand RPO to help attract and retain talent

Does your business operate in the UK and employ more than 250 employees? If you answer yes, then your business is required to submit an annual gender pay gap report. This report essentially shows the median pay gap between male &amp; female employees.
To help explain what the median gender pay gap is, imagine all women in your business are standing in one line, from lowest paid by hour to highest, and all men employees doing the same in another line. The median gender pay gap is the percentage difference in hourly pay between the woman and man in the middle of both lines.
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Promoting gender equality in the workplace is beneficial to your business.1 Joel Peterson, Chairman of JetBlue Airways sums it up nicely: &ldquo;Men and women are equal, not identical&rdquo;. His quote points out that diversity in opinions and ways of thinking is required for a successful business. Gender diversity brings varied perspectives, produces more holistic analysis of issues a business faces, leading to improved decision-making.
&nbsp;
Ways to improve gender equality can include reviewing jobs advertisements which encourage both men and women to apply, placing greater value on soft skills and abilities, and providing different forms of mentoring to support the development of women for leadership roles.1
 Data transparency is an important part of the UK&rsquo;s gender pay gap reporting requirements.2 The UK government put these requirements in place to boost activity to close gender pay gaps. Having a deadline specifically for this report ensures the published data and the actions organisations are taking to close the gap, receives the attention it needs. The requirement to publish on the government pay gap viewing portal, as well as company websites, makes it easier for the public to access, understand and act upon the data. 
According to the latest data from Glassdoor, the gender pay gap has narrowed slightly in the UK, US, France and Australia, showing improvement since Glassdoor's study in 2016.
Today, the unadjusted pay gap between men and women in the UK is 17.9%, meaning women earn, on average, 82p for every &pound;1 men earn. This is a 5.0% reduction in the unadjusted pay gap from three years ago, when women earned, on average, 77p for every &pound;1 men earn.
Similar to the US, pay gaps have slightly improved over the past three years in the UK and Australia, but not in Germany. Of the eight countries in the 2019 study, Germany has the largest unadjusted pay gap (22.3%), while France has the smallest unadjusted pay gap (11.6%).
We at Impellam welcome the annual requirement to publish gender pay comparisons &ndash; it offers an important opportunity to reinforce our existing work, as well as provides stimulus for continuous improvement. &ldquo;This report reminds us that we must seek further opportunities to stretch our ambitions and that there is more we can do. We will continue to encourage honest discussions that represent all our people, regardless of gender or level of seniority, so that we can truly understand the barriers that prevent fulfilment of potential.&rdquo; &ndash; Julia Robertson, Impellam Group CEO
 Last year, Impellam Group had an overall median gender pay gap of 2.00%, which includes our permanent and temporary workers. This year, our median gender pay gap has improved slightly to 1.55%. Among our permanent employees our median gender pay gap is 21.93%. We are uncomfortable with this gap, even though it is largely driven by wider norms in society. Closing our gender pay gap is not a &lsquo;quick fix&rsquo;, and requires continuous work over the long-term. Our vision at Impellam is to be the world&rsquo;s most trusted staffing company &ndash; trusted by our people, our customers and our investors in equal measure. A key part of building trust with all of our stakeholders is transparency.&nbsp; We see it as our responsibility both to understand and to address the root causes of inequality&nbsp;to ensure that all Impellam people, including our candidates, are able to reach their full potential and do work which gives them fulfilment and a sense of purpose.
At Impellam Group, we work across a wide variety of different sectors; from education, to life sciences, to office work, and we understand both the challenges and opportunities workplace diversity can present. If you&rsquo;d like to build a better business through diversity, regardless of your sector, Impellam Group have a brand that can help.
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Notes
 1 www.gethppy.com/hrtrends
2 www.parliament.uk

Understanding the Gender Pay Gap Report

Most discussions about the multigenerational workforce tend to focus on four generations, however it&rsquo;s also worth mentioning a fifth

Understanding the different generations in the workplace

UK Work and Pensions Secretary and member of the Conservative Party, Amber Rudd, spoke to recruiters at Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) HQ about opportunities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
&ldquo;Automation is driving the decline of banal and repetitive tasks,&rdquo; Rudd said. &ldquo;So the jobs of the future are increasingly likely to be those that need human sensibilities &ndash; with personal relationships, qualitative judgement and creativity coming to the fore. And there is a clear role for government to help people take advantages of these changes, and to help businesses create high-quality jobs.&rdquo;
Rudd has been seen by some as a candidate to succeed Prime Minister Theresa May and the speech was part of her vision of a modern-day Conservative Party.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t underestimate the challenges ahead,&rdquo; Rudd said. &ldquo;Jobs are being made, remade and reshaped every day, as we find new ways to be useful to one another. But I remain incredibly optimistic about what we can achieve.&rdquo;
In her speech, Rudd also expanded on three key points for the UK labour market: better access, better opportunities and better protection for workers.
As part of the &lsquo;better access&rsquo; key point, Rudd said the first plank of the party&rsquo;s strategy is building a society where everyone who can work has access to a job.
&ldquo;The Government&rsquo;s Industrial Strategy sets out an ambitious, long-term vision to make us the world&rsquo;s most innovative economy &ndash; future-proofing our jobs market so we can be at the forefront of emerging industries,&rdquo; Rudd said.
In her second key point, &lsquo;better opportunities&rsquo;, Rudd said that it isn&rsquo;t enough to just have any job, &ldquo;we want people to have good jobs.&rdquo;
She highlighted the Good Work Plan to address fears that the gig economy could &ldquo;objectify labour to a point where their working lives are subordinate to an unthinking algorithm.&rdquo;
For the &lsquo;better protections&rsquo; key point, Rudd addressed the &ldquo;need to build a safety net that supports people effectively during their working lives &ndash; one that can particularly help those who find themselves temporarily displaced.&rdquo;
She also pointed to Automatic Enrolment for workplace pension, the National Retraining Scheme and Universal Credit as pillars for better protection for workers.
&ldquo;Automation presents opportunity for greater creativity and increased focus on personal relationships in the workplace. We see this across the recruitment industry, with technology augmenting the role of the recruiter, speeding up and replacing laborious administrative tasks. The demand for new skills and creation of new roles should create greater possibility for truly fulfilling and meaningful work for individuals, as long as the requirements for professional and personal development are met and delivered at scale across both employed, unemployed and new generations heading in to the workforce.&rdquo;- Charlotte Horton, Impellam Group Head of Innovation and Insight.
Listen to Amber Rudd&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2019/05/where-were-at-conservatives-piloting-the-economy-out-of-economic-turmoil.html">full speech.</a>

UK Work and Pensions Secretary speaks about opportunities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

UK Work and Pensions Secretary Provides Insights for Recruiters

Today marks one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. One year on, thousands of Ukrainians have lost their lives and millions have been displaced, seeking refuge overseas.
Since the war began, Impellam quickly showed support and solidarity with Ukrainians by launching a donation match campaign with our colleagues, donating to the International Red Cross to help with humanitarian efforts. Together we raised over &pound;27,297.
We made a promise to help refugees impacted by the war in&nbsp;Ukraine. When refugees started arriving in the UK, we&nbsp;launched our Jobs for Ukraine scheme, a tech-enabled solution to help those settling in the UK to find work.
This included launching a chatbot on our website that is available in English and Ukrainian to help consolidate applications as well as providing resources and guides to helping the job search and adjusting to life in the UK. We worked together, across our brands, to mobilise a cross-brand team to help refugees find work, with any profit from placements being donated to the International Red Cross. We have since engaged with thousands of Ukrainians, to complete pre-screening and right-to-work checks and have worked with clients to place over 70 Ukrainian refugees into roles across the UK.
In October 2022,&nbsp;we held a special event for our colleagues&nbsp;with&nbsp;Nataliya Mykolska, a Ukrainian national who is a member of DATTALION, a not-for-profit organisation run by Ukrainian women to help document the war in Ukraine. We&nbsp;heard her experience of the war, about the work she is doing with DATTALION, what struggles displaced Ukrainian&rsquo;s face when they arrive in a new country and what we can continue to do to help them find work and settle in.
Today, our thoughts are with Ukraine, it&rsquo;s people and with all those affected by the devastating humanitarian crisis that continues to unfold.&nbsp;We are committed to keep supporting and helping refugees find roles.&nbsp;If you&nbsp;would like to join our&nbsp;initiative&nbsp;to help Ukrainian refugees and have suitable roles, please contact us,&nbsp;jobs4refugees@impellam.com.
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Today marks one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. One year on, thousands of Ukrainians have lost their lives and millions have been displaced, seeking refuge overseas.

Ukraine One year on

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<h2>&nbsp;</h2>
<h2>Top tips to recognise legitimate recruiter emails and avoid phishing scams</h2>
There&rsquo;s been a recent increase in email and WhatsApp phishing scams targeting recruitment companies, where people are being contacted by scammers posing as recruiters. 
We would never want our candidates to fall victim to these spoof scams that are using our name. 
Here are our top tips to distinguish legit recruiter emails and avoid phishing scams.
<h2>Beware of WhatsApp</h2>
Our recruiters would not reach out or contact you on WhatsApp as a first point of contact for a new role.
If someone contacts you on WhatsApp claiming to be from Impellam Group or one of our brands, please ignore the message and block the number.
If you believe you may have been a victim of a WhatsApp scam, you can&nbsp;report it&nbsp;to the app by following these steps:
<ol style="text-align: start;">
<li aria-level="1">Android: open WhatsApp, tap&nbsp;More Options, and head to&nbsp;Settings&gt;Help&gt;Contact Us&nbsp;to submit a scam report.</li>
<li>iOS: Open WhatsApp, tap Settings&gt;Help&gt;Contact Us.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Check for official contact information</h2>
Genuine recruiters provide their contact information, including a phone number and an official company address. Verify this information by searching for the recruiter or the company online through Google or LinkedIn.
Be wary if you can't find any information or if the contact details are inconsistent with the company's official information.
<h2>Verify the sender's identity</h2>
Start by checking the sender's email address. Legitimate recruiters usually use corporate email domains (e.g., @impellam.com). 
Be cautious if the email comes from a generic or suspicious domain, such as @gmail.com or @yahoo.com. Or if the company name has a spelling mistake in the domain. Scammers sometimes go to the lengths to include a company name but spell it incorrectly such Innpellam instead of Impellam.
<h2>Don&rsquo;t succumb to the pressure of urgent requests</h2>
Phishing emails often use urgency or high-pressure tactics to manipulate or trick the recipients. They may claim that you must act immediately to secure a job opportunity. Legit recruiters typically provide a reasonable timeframe for response and encourage you to research the opportunity.
<h2>Check the email content</h2>
Pay close attention to the email's content as legitimate recruiter emails typically contain personalised information, such as your name and details about the job opportunity. 
Be cautious if the email is overly generic, lacks specific details, or contains numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes, as these can be red flags.
<h2>Don't click on suspicious links</h2>
Be wary of any links or attachments. Hover your mouse over links to see the URL and verify it without actually clicking on them and do not open or download any attachments. Legitimate recruiters may include links to their company website or a job portal however, phishing emails can often contain links to malicious websites or attachments to infiltrate your computer &ndash; so make sure you check.
&nbsp;

There&rsquo;s been a recent increase in email and WhatsApp phishing scams targeting recruitment companies. Here are our top tips to distinguish legit recruiter emails and avoid phishing scams.

Top tips to avoid scams

<h4>&nbsp;</h4>
<h4>Congratulations to&nbsp;Lorien&nbsp;who won the The&nbsp;Amdaris&nbsp;Long-Term Partnership Award (Enterprise) and&nbsp;Comensura, in partnership with&nbsp;Veolia UK, who won the DE&amp;I Award at the 2023 TIARA Talent Solutions Awards Europe!</h4>
The&nbsp;TIARA Awards&nbsp;shine a spotlight and celebrate the best RPO, MSP and Talent Solutions providers in Europe.
The judges provided the following feedback for each of the awards -&nbsp;
DE&amp;I Award - "Comensura demonstrated clear metrics for success,&nbsp;actions&nbsp;and measurable results across a wide spectrum of DE&amp;I.&nbsp;The energy around this project&nbsp;leapt of the&nbsp;submission.&nbsp;The judges applauded&nbsp;the diversity&nbsp;and&nbsp;ambition&nbsp;of their&nbsp;targets,&nbsp;and&nbsp;the work that&nbsp;went into tackling each of&nbsp;them."
The&nbsp;Amdaris&nbsp;Long-Term Partnership Award (Enterprise)&nbsp;-&nbsp;This was an impressive submission with&nbsp;great detail&nbsp;around the growth of the partnership and&nbsp;scalability. Lorien showed a strong focus on delivery, but also on diversity. The judges loved&nbsp;the focus on upskilling,&nbsp;development&nbsp;and knowledge sharing.&nbsp;Lorien has delivered value across so many key areas for their client and&nbsp;demonstrates&nbsp;strong outside of the box thinking to diversify hiring pipelines. We&rsquo;re proud that our Virtuosos from&nbsp;Lorien&nbsp;and&nbsp;Comensura&nbsp;have been recognised for their incredible work in helping our customers build better businesses, changing the lives of under-represented talent, and making a measurable impact.
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<img style="height: 400px; width: 507px; left: 472px; top: 309.562px;" src="-/media/06c565cefeda406b83824de5cbcf9dc1.ashx?h=400&amp;w=507" alt="TIARA Award">

Congratulations to Lorien who won the The Amdaris Long-Term Partnership Award (Enterprise) and Comensura, in partnership with Veolia UK, who won the DE&amp;I Award at the 2023 TIARA Talent Solutions Awards Europe!

TIARA Award Winners

We&rsquo;re pleased to report that <a href="https://www.guidantglobal.com/news/guidant-global-are-finalists-at-the-tiara-talent-solutions-awards-europe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Guidant Global</a>, <a href="http://www.comensura.com/insights/blog/comensura-are-finalists-at-the-tiara-talent-solutions-awards-europe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Comensura</a> and <a href="https://www.lorienglobal.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lorien</a> have all been confirmed as finalists at the TIARA Talent Solutions Awards Europe. Our Global Managed Services brands, Guidant Global and Comensura, are finalists in three categories &ndash; the Cornerstone OnDemand Best Use of Technology Award, the eTeam Client Service Award and the iCIMS Long-term Partnership Award, Challenger. 
Our Technology, Transformation and Digital Recruitment Solutions specialist brand, Lorien, is a finalist in two categories &ndash; The eTeam Client Service Award and the iCIMS Long-term Partnership Award, Challenger. 
<a href="https://rpo.tiara.talint.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The TIARA Talent Solutions Awards Europe</a> are leading the way in highlighting the dynamism and growth among Talent Solutions organisations, providing a spotlight on MSP, RPO and Talent Solutions providers who are delivering excellence in recruitment and talent acquisition across Europe. 
Award winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony on 30th September in London. 
Our innovative and scalable MSP, RPO&nbsp;&amp; Tech solutions&nbsp;free our customers to focus on building better businesses. Impellam brands have the collective expertise to deliver almost any talent acquisition requirement. 
For a full list of Impellam Group brands and their specialist fields&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.impellam.com/contact">contact us</a>&nbsp;to learn how we can support your business with your staffing requirements.

Impellam brands have the collective expertise to deliver almost any talent acquisition requirement

Three Impellam brands confirmed as finalists at the TIARA Talent Solutions Awards Europe

The world of work underwent some significant changes in 2018. A host of factors will continue to alter productivity and the way organisations hire and retain the best talent to build better businesses in a changing world in 2019. Legislative, compliance, technology advancements, and global socio-economic changes are having enormous impacts on the world of work. Near-full employment, tight labour markets, and an abundance of data in 2018 have resulted in major changes to the way businesses operate, hire and retain talent; the precedence to provide fulfilling, good work could effectively address transformative trends across the world of work. Candidates and clients will continue to feel the effects of tight labour markets across the world. Businesses will continue to experience candidate and skill shortages, further legislative reforms will increase the burden of costs they must absorb. New technologies will continue to emerge and disrupt markets and businesses across the world, whilst global growth will slow. Industry changes mean staffing firms take on an increasingly important role in partnering with businesses and candidates to address threats and leverage opportunities to provide good work and build better businesses. Consultancy firm, Korn Ferry, identified key emerging trends in the HR and talent space in <a href="https://www.kornferry.com/media/sidebar_downloads/kf-emerging-hr-trends-b2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">their report</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2>Workplace reforms effectively protect the worker</h2>
Public policy in the US, UK and Europe is evolving to better reflect the flexible ways in which people choose to work. The human cloud is the fastest growing segment of today&rsquo;s technology-fuelled gig economy. Impellam recognises that behavioural trends indicate individuals regard flexible working more and more in a transformative age.&nbsp;
With Impellam&rsquo;s support, businesses can effectively identify the importance of, and provide, flexibility, through the recognition of the advantages flexible working provides towards improving productivity and attrition through the provision of fulfilling, good work. In the UK, the rights of all workers will continue to be a priority, as the <a href="https://www2.staffingindustry.com/eng/Editorial/Daily-News/UK-New-legislation-to-ban-Swedish-Derogation-48439" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UK business secretary pledged</a> on December 17 - the majority of recommendations made in the Taylor Report will be taken forward. Improvements to workers&rsquo; rights to safe guard flexible workers will continue to be critical in the provision of fulfilling, decent work.&nbsp; Zero hour contracts will continue to be disputed - the <a href="https://www2.staffingindustry.com/eng/Editorial/Daily-News/Ireland-Law-to-clamp-down-on-zero-hour-contracts-could-be-in-place-this-spring-The-Journal-48433" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Irish government announced</a> its promise to introduce a new law banning zero-hours contracts in spring 2019. Safeguarding workers&rsquo; rights by providing good work that offers individuals a sense of meaning continues to be a priority across Impellam in 2019 and onwards.
&nbsp;
<h2>Diversity and inclusion uncovers untapped candidate pools</h2>
Low unemployment rates, especially in the UK, Europe and the US, have resulted in tight labour market conditions in 2018; this means that there are lots of jobs available for less people to fill them. This has led to there being increased competition for talent amongst businesses with roles to fill, as <a href="https://www2.staffingindustry.com/site/Editorial/Daily-News/Increasingly-tight-labor-market-prompts-employers-to-increase-wages-enhance-benefits-Beige-Book-48322" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported by SIA</a> last month.
A <a href="https://www.cielotalent.com/insights/new-research-from-cielo-finds-companies-shifting-strategies-to-compete-for-talent/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recent study</a> from talent acquisition and recruitment process outsourcing consultancy, Cielo, found that nearly 70% of business leaders surveyed worldwide believe the existing talent pool is shrinking while the competition for talent is increasing.&nbsp; Inclusive businesses are winning the war for talent, and are benefitting from workforces with diverse perspectives and experiences that provide difficult decisions with quality context.
By becoming a more diverse and inclusive employer, businesses can engage and retain their sought-after talent more effectively by improving their commercial purpose and employer branding. This is increasingly important as immigration regulations shift in 2019 in the UK, Europe, and further afield. We know that there&rsquo;s a better way to do recruitment and build better businesses through equality, diversity and inclusion. Impellam are trusted to improve access, experiences and provide fulfilling careers for all our people and candidates by partnering closely with clients to support them in becoming more inclusive employers to build better businesses.&nbsp; At a time when full employment is driving wages up and competition for talent is mounting, businesses must consider the role soft benefits play in talent motivation, attraction and retention, upskilling existing talent, and realising the untapped pools of talent through a revised diversity and inclusion strategy in 2019.
&nbsp;
<h2>Artificial intelligence becomes more &lsquo;intelligent&rsquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
The dramatic rise of AI and machine learning has provoked intense debate amongst business leaders in 2018. Fears around machines replacing all human labour has existed since the start of technological transformation.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/human-capital-trends.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deloitte&rsquo;s Global Human Capital Trends report</a> found that 42% of business executives believe automation will have a major impact on job roles over the next two years. Not necessarily a negative impact, however. Robots may make some jobs redundant in the market, but history demonstrates that they also tend to create new ones.&nbsp; According to predictions from the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/jobs-of-next-20-years-how-to-prepare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Economic Forum</a>, &lsquo;There won&rsquo;t be a shortage of jobs but &ndash; if we don&rsquo;t take the right steps &ndash; a shortage of skilled talent to fill those jobs&hellip;Technological change will keep increasing, so learning new skills will be an ongoing necessity.&rsquo; Not only is it predicted AI will increase the number of jobs in the market over the coming decade, it is also set to improve our cities, infrastructure and health; as well as augmenting our time at work, making us more effective and productive, and our work more meaningful.&nbsp; Artificial intelligence will be leveraged to retrain and upskill workers so they can step into the new roles that technological advancements facilitate in 2019. Further,<a href="../../../../../../insights/how-blockchain-technology-will-impact-recruitment"> the advantages of blockchain </a>will be harnessed to free up recruiting specialists to do what they do best - engage in long-lasting personal relationships with both candidates and clients.&nbsp; If AI lives up to its true potential in the workplace, it will not only help to free up time to produce better outcomes, it will allow us to do more positive, meaningful work. Innovative technology will support the provision of fulfilling work.&nbsp; Joscelin Conrad, Director of Investment &amp; Innovation, provides insight into the role AI will play in the world of work in 2019: &ldquo;AI will augment our time at work, making us more effective and productive, and our work more meaningful. The dangers of AI relate to humans not making the right choices on how to use it for the betterment of society, individuals, economies, and labour markets. Ultimately, the true business potential of AI, for both companies and people, is infinite &ndash; it&rsquo;s up to humans to make the right decision on how to best use the potential.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2>Personalised pay for generational demographics</h2>
A multigenerational workplace is inevitably a complicated one. As Korn Ferry identify, there are four generations in the workforce with varying expectations and needs that employers must address.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s time for meaningful, personalised employee engagement to take centre stage. Organisations must seek to understand all their employees&rsquo; needs to support them effectively and provide fulfilling work.&nbsp;&nbsp; As Russell Beck, Head of Consultancy for Impellam, suggests: &ldquo;The more demographics within a business, the harder it is to manage everyone harmoniously. Every individual is unique and complex; people cannot be grouped or defined by trends &ndash; and employees are no different.&rdquo;&nbsp; Businesses must start assessing the way different age groups in workforces interact and co-exist to engage and retain the best talent in the tight market employers face in 2019.
&nbsp;
<h2>Review processes reconsidered&nbsp;</h2>
Korn Ferry&rsquo;s report outlines how &lsquo;ongoing feedback is the name of the professional development game&rsquo;. Assessment is a necessary part of corporate life, as it is any environment where performance is important. It&rsquo;s something that businesses need to do not only to satisfy our human need for self-ratification but also to see how we&rsquo;re performing, and how our companies are performing.
Different groups of workers have different expectations when it comes to feedback. Understanding how to get the best out of people to retain them will be integral to building better businesses in 2019.&nbsp; Impellam will continue to tune in to our customers and deliver on our promises to be the most trusted staffing company. We&rsquo;ll continue to use our international expertise and house of brands to provide people with fulfilling work, and deliver innovative, agile staffing solutions that build better businesses in a changing world.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

The world of work underwent some significant changes in 2018. A host of factors will continue to alter productivity and the way organisations hire and retain the best talent to build better businesses in a changing world in 2019.

The World of Work in 2019

The dramatic rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning provokes intense debate amongst business leaders. So much so, we see conflicting arguments appear almost every day.&nbsp;
On one side are the techno-pessimists, who claim AI technologies will signal the loss of millions of jobs world-wide. A <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/digital-disruption/harnessing-automation-for-a-future-that-works" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2017 McKinsey Global Institute report</a> revealed half of all UK and US jobs could be automated in the near future. Likewise, a <a href="https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/reports/Citi_GPS_Technology_Work_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2016 Oxford Martin School study</a> suggested 57% of jobs in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) area could be lost to digital automation in the next twenty years.&nbsp;
With statistics as distressing as these, it&rsquo;s little wonder that media reports reacting to such figures shock the public into believing that the adoption of AI will lead to economic, social and psychological Armageddon. But gloom-ridden predictions surrounding new technologies rarely turn out to be as bad as expected.
<h3>Should we fear technological transformation?</h3>
<blockquote>&ldquo;The key to artificial intelligence has always been the representation&rdquo; Jeff Hawkins</blockquote>
Fears of unemployment caused by technological advancement is not something particularly new. Whether it be the Luddites, John Maynard Keynes or The Guardian&rsquo;s Economics Editor, fear that machines will replace all human labour has existed since the start of technological transformation &mdash; from the first steam powered cotton loom, to the deep learning AI systems we see today. However, we also know that when the first machine age happened, the number of occupations lost to technology was replaced with hundreds of new careers which didn&rsquo;t previously exist. Likewise, whilst post-industrialisation led to job losses in manufacturing and heavy industry, new roles in different sectors were created in their place. Robots may make some jobs redundant in the market, but they also tend to create new ones.&nbsp;
In addition, AI will often just replace the tedious tasks that negatively impact productivity in our roles &mdash; it can be an enhancer. If AI lives up to its true potential in the workplace, it will not only help to free up time to produce better outcomes, it will allow us to do more positive, meaningful work.
<h3>More AI, more jobs</h3>
<blockquote>&ldquo;AI could destroy a lot of jobs in some sectors and create a need to retrain people. But AI could also be one of the solutions to better train these people and help them find new jobs&rdquo;&nbsp; Emmanuel Macron</blockquote>
Take roles within businesses today. Twenty years ago the roles of UX Designer, Python Developer and Digital Marketing Manager would not have been understood even by the most forward-thinking hiring manager. Today, these roles are common in all but the most traditional organisations. The implementation of AI is likely to have the same effect. We may see some job losses in specific sectors. But, considering what happened in the past, it is likely the effects of digital transformation won&rsquo;t be as catastrophic as many fear. In fact, AI technology could help to sustain, or even grow the job market. For example, if the negative predictions about AI were true, then why, even with increasing AI solutions being adopted by businesses, are we not seeing significant job losses today? Most western nations are, in fact, experiencing the opposite effect. Take the UK. According to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/employment-rate-at-new-record-high" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">government statistics</a> released earlier this year, the UK has a 75.7% rate of employment, the highest since records began.&nbsp;
<a href="http://reports.weforum.org/future-of-jobs-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The World Economic Forum&rsquo;s Future of Jobs 2018 report</a> also predicts a more positive future for the world of work. It predicts the rise of AI, machine learning algorithms and robots will create 133 million new jobs by 2022. Compare this with the 75 million jobs set to be replaced, and it suggests AI technologies could be the driver of positive change. Not just good news for businesses, but for people in work too.&nbsp;
<h3>The current impact of AI</h3>
<blockquote>&ldquo;More and more industries are being influenced by AI...our society as we know it is transforming.&rdquo; Anthony Delgado</blockquote>
Most consumers are already experiencing the positive impact of AI in our day-to-day lives. From the machine learning algorithms built into Netflix and Spotify, tailoring recommendations based on our consumption habits, to smart home assistants which help to organise our lives, AI has a strange habit of augmenting our experience. And the rate at which consumers learn to adopt and trust these powers of AI is rapid. Whilst this trust is fast-gained by consumers, widespread acceptance of AI in the workplace hasn&rsquo;t quite travelled at the same rate of knots.&nbsp; Despite this, we are starting to see the first shoots which suggest the true business potential of AI. Both AI and machine learning can help to improve judicial systems, the healthcare sector, climate change, inequality, human rights abuses, financial markets, transportation and infrastructures, social media, and even cucumber detection, as suggested in Nick Polson and James Scott&rsquo;s latest book, <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1115366/aiq/9780593079775.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">&lsquo;AIQ: How artificial intelligence works and how we can harness its power for a better world&rsquo;</a>.
How far AI can ultimately go in improving the world around us is unknown. What is known, however, is the world of work is going to change beyond comprehension.
<h3>Upskilling for the future</h3>
<blockquote>&ldquo;Automation and AI have the potential to support the development of quality work.&rdquo; Matthew Taylor</blockquote>
New jobs created through businesses implementation of AI will theoretically require new skills. It is likely people currently in work may need to upskill to adapt to rapid technological change, whilst education will need to shift in order to meet the demands of a shifting, dynamic workforce. The skills required to be prosperous over the coming years are, however, those which have always been requisite for success. From critical thinking to creativity, strategy to imagination, the most vital components of a future worker remain the same core soft skills. Learning how to use new technology will also be key, but with highly developed emotional and strategic intelligence, this aspect of the future of work will likely be the simplest. And ultimately, the work of the future will require the skills that give greater meaning to our roles within a business.&nbsp;
<blockquote>&ldquo;As a society, we must be absolutely committed to people finding employment in productive and meaningful&hellip;jobs.&rdquo; Bill Dembski</blockquote>
In the fullness of time, current fears surrounding AI will begin to seem misguided. Throughout history, people have lived in fear of everything from the printing press, to the calculator. And though AI is arguably the most transformative of all emerging technologies today &mdash; perhaps the most impactful since the internet &mdash; there is little to fear if society, governments, and individuals commit to respecting fulfilling work that provides a sense of purpose, and embraces human intelligence, as <a href="https://billdembski.com/science-and-technology/the-future-of-meaningful-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dembski suggests</a>.&nbsp; Organisations, and therefore people, will choose what role AI performs in our societies, economies, environments, and in the world of work. It&rsquo;s important that we make the right choices for a better future state. Not only is it predicted AI will increase the number of jobs in the market, it is also set to improve our cities, infrastructure and health; as well as augmenting our time at work, making us more effective and productive, and our work more meaningful.&nbsp; There are unintended consequences to innovation, and the dangers of AI relate to humans not making the right choices on how to use it for the betterment of society, individuals, economies, and labour markets. Ultimately, the true business potential of AI, for both companies and people, is infinite &ndash; it&rsquo;s up to humans to make the right decision on how to best use the potential.&nbsp;
Read more on <a href="https://www.impellam.com/about-us/our-group">Technology and Innovation</a> at Impellam.
<div>&nbsp;</div>

The dramatic rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning provokes intense debate amongst business leaders. So much so, we see conflicting arguments appear almost every day.

The True Potential of AI

It&rsquo;s time to seriously rethink job adverts &mdash; for both business benefit and candidate clarity.
If we take a look at the latest job postings on LinkedIn or job boards, every role &mdash; for almost every company &mdash; appears to be practically identical. We know that the same job title can vary wildly from business to business, especially when it comes to responsibilities and expectations. So why are there so many identikit job adverts? And why should businesses care?
<h3>We&rsquo;re throwing money at an avoidable situation</h3>
Companies spend a great deal of time, money, and effort on talent attraction. 
The cost of attracting qualified candidates is growing, especially in economies reaching full-employment. With skills gaps in the global market widening, finding competent people for technical professions is becoming increasingly complex. The speed of change in the talent market is breath-taking.
Though recruiters could utilise increasing amounts of money to help solve the problem, either through paid posts or increased job board spend, there is a simpler way to attract the right candidates to a business. Improving job ads.
<h3>Generic job ads are bad for a business&rsquo; bottom line</h3>
According to a Glassdoor study undertaken in 2013, <a href="https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/blog/6-in-10-employees-say-job-realities-different-than-expected-glassdoor-survey/">61% of new recruits say the realities of their jobs are different from expectations set during the recruitment process</a>. This isn&rsquo;t due to over-expectations from job seekers. Instead, it&rsquo;s down to poor communication.
The cost of replacing someone in a permanent role is, on average, <a href="https://www.peoplekeep.com/blog/bid/312123/employee-retention-the-real-cost-of-losing-an-employee">six to nine months&rsquo; salary</a>. For executive positions such as CEO, this can rise to over two years&rsquo; salary.<a href="file:///S:/Impellam/Corporate%20Communications/Content/BAU%20Content/Blogs/Uploaded/Attrition%20&amp;amp;%20Motivation/Importance%20of%20writing%20honest%20job%20adverts/The%20importance%20of%20writing%20honest%20job%20adverts.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> If we set the wrong expectations in job ads from the outset, chances are that recruited talent will start to wonder why they accepted the job in the first place. Potentially, it can lead to talented people considering their position within the business.
No one wants to do a job they aren&rsquo;t comfortable with. No business wants to waste money on avoidable expenses. When it comes to recruiting and retaining people, writing clear and effective job adverts is one of the key drivers of success.
We need to radically rethink the traditional, generic approach to job adverts. Here&rsquo;s how to make sure job ads are not just honest, but actually attract the best candidates to a business.
<h3>Moving away from generic templates</h3>
Many human resources (HR) professionals see writing job adverts as a trivial task, amongst the least important of their duties and responsibilities. This often leads to the use of generic templates sourced online or edited slightly from previous attempts to recruit talent. 
 
A step change needs to occur if businesses want to attract the best candidates. Creating a job advert should be approached as though it were a blank canvas rather than a quick copy-and-paste exercise. 
Writing job adverts is indeed an art form. Every role is different, requiring different skills and different personal and cultural characteristics. But when it comes to job ads, this is rarely clear from the outset.
When a job seeker stumbles across a job ad, they should know fundamentally what the role is, what the requirements and expectations are, and what the team and company objectives are.
An important aspect that also gets overlooked is accurately representing a company&rsquo;s culture. Every job description should explicitly state what the working environment is like, what the company&rsquo;s ethos and values are, and what the business truly believes in. 
Without these, how can a candidate know that their values align?&nbsp;
Staffing industry professionals understand that cultural values and having a job with purpose are increasingly important to potential candidates, but especially to millennials &mdash; who now make up more than half the workforce. 
Failing to express what makes a business&rsquo; culture unique in a job advert could be the difference between a high-value, highly-skilled person applying for a role and the best talent choosing a more recognisable company that better expresses its cultural values.
At Impellam, we believe that it&rsquo;s important for our candidates and clients to trust us as a business, as this leads to high candidate and client retention. Honest job adverts are one way to build trust.
<h3>Not every role is perfect</h3>
It&rsquo;s easy to get caught up in hyperbole. 
How often do we see job adverts that lay bare the pros and cons of exactly what a job involves? Being an administrative assistant or office manager, for example &mdash; both have their pros and cons. But the majority of job adverts make both professions appear flawless.
These type of job ads are essentially fictitious, and they undermine trust. For maximum effectiveness and to build trust with a candidate, job ads should not only list the exciting parts of the role but also the mundane aspects. Even the best jobs have their drawbacks. 
It&rsquo;s time to start being candid with candidates. After all, honesty builds trust. When a candidate trusts a brand, they are more inclined to apply for roles and be more likely to stay for the long-term if recruited. And we already understand the financial and secondary costs of poor people retention.&nbsp;
Make job adverts unique and inspiring. Most importantly, make them honest.
<a href="~/link.aspx?_id=D0087F82A02F441EAEC53616B1361E47&amp;_z=z">Get in touch</a> for our expert consultants to help you attract the high quality talent that your business needs.
<div> 
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1">
<a href="file:///S:/Impellam/Corporate%20Communications/Content/BAU%20Content/Blogs/Uploaded/Attrition%20&amp;amp;%20Motivation/Importance%20of%20writing%20honest%20job%20adverts/The%20importance%20of%20writing%20honest%20job%20adverts.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> $317,125 or AU$455,325
</div>
</div>

Use of generic templates sourced online or edited slightly from previous attempts to recruit talent, can prevent you from attracting the right candidates

The importance of writing honest job adverts

A manager&rsquo;s job is to keep their team engaged and laser-focused on the tasks at hand. Sometimes, however, managers can be the primary reason for disengagement in the first place.
<h3>Why are managers so important?</h3>
People leave their managers, not their job. And the evidence certainly supports this theory. 
According to data published in The Economist, 35% of American people employed would forego a pay rise to get their boss fired. 
Managers have a massive impact on our engagement, happiness and health. Swedish researchers at the Stress Institute in Stockholm, for example, found that people with incompetent, inconsiderate, secretive or uncommunicative managers are <a href="https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/study-60-percent-of-employees-are-more-likely-to-s.html">60% more likely to have a heart attack</a>.
Productivity is also affected by poor management. The former director of the Centre of Economic Performance at the London Business School, John Van Reenen, has said that half the productivity gap between the UK and the US is down to mediocre people managers. 
Too many managers in the UK are &ldquo;accidental&rdquo; &mdash; upon promotion, they inherit a team without being adequately trained in how to motivate and inspire them. According to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), <a href="https://www.managers.org.uk/insights/news/2017/september/how-accidental-managers-are-draining-productivity">four out of five</a> people managers in the UK fit this profile. 
The relationship between managers and their team is changing, however. People are no longer just a human resource, and managers are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of understanding and acknowledging their team&rsquo;s personal lives.
Before rolling out the latest engagement strategy, businesses first need to ensure that their managers are good people managers.
<h3 style="margin: 12pt 0cm;">What makes a good manager?</h3>
In 2008, Google launched <a href="https://rework.withgoogle.com/blog/the-evolution-of-project-oxygen/">Project Oxygen</a>, a massive data-driven research project to uncover the characteristics of good managers. The project initially identified eight traits, which was later updated to ten in 2018. According to Project Oxygen, a good manager: 
<ol style="margin-top: 0cm;">
 <li>Is a good coach</li>
 <li>Empowers the team and does not micromanage</li>
 <li>Expresses interest in and concern for team members&rsquo; success and personal well-being</li>
 <li>Is productive and results-oriented</li>
 <li>Is a good communicator who listens and shares information</li>
 <li>Helps with career development</li>
 <li>Has a clear vision and strategy for the team</li>
 <li>Has key technical skills that help them advise the team</li>
 <li>Collaborates </li>
 <li style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">Is a strong decision-maker</li>
</ol>
After a cursory glance at this list, one thing becomes apparent: nine of the ten traits are soft skills. A good manager has to be deeply empathetic and genuinely interested in their team&rsquo;s personal lives and long-term careers. They need to be supportive, open-minded communicators as well as being deeply intuitive, but they must not micromanage.
To underscore the importance of communication, Google went one step further and identified three reasons why managers inevitably fail: a tough transition, an inconsistent approach to performance management, and not spending enough time managing or communicating.
Today, the line between a person&rsquo;s professional and private life is blurred. It&rsquo;s no longer enough for managers to merely fulfil basic administrative duties. To understand and connect with their team, managers need to understand them as individual people. Engagement boils down to treating people with respect.
<h3 style="margin: 12pt 0cm;">How managers can boost <a href="~/link.aspx?_id=8D21E55004BF4D63986B3D1FE8413AB6&amp;_z=z">employee engagement</a></h3>
Here are three simple strategies that managers can follow to help encourage greater engagement among their team.
<h4>1) Give regular recognition</h4>
Receiving praise makes us happy. Recognition increases the amount of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin in our brains, triggering feelings of joy and happiness.
Showing appreciation to people is free and easy. The problem? The initial positive feeling that people experience after receiving praise wears off fairly quickly. For direct supervisors, it&rsquo;s important to regularly give sincere, authentic praise.
In reality, however, this simply isn&rsquo;t the case. Gallup&rsquo;s research suggests managers need to praise someone at least <a href="https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/research-says-this-absurdly-simple-habit-is-a-powerful-way-to-get-employees-moti.html">once a week</a>. However, Deloitte research found that 70% of people feel their work is recognised either annually or not at all. Given that 78% of people feel that being recognised for their efforts motivates them in their job, the onus is on managers to harness this inner drive among their people.
For the award-winning HR leader, Debra Corey, recognition should be <a href="https://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/boost-employee-engagement-recognition/">ongoing, strategic and intimately linked to an organisation&rsquo;s values</a>. Corey also argues that recognition does not necessarily have to focus on a single individual:
&ldquo;Recognition doesn&rsquo;t just have to be about the individual. It can, and should, be about the team as well.&rdquo;
When recognition is positioned as a core tenet of an engagement strategy, it enables people to be more productive, improves the working environment, reduces attrition and decreases absenteeism.
<h4>2) Provide honest, constructive feedback</h4>
While similar to praise, managerial feedback can often tend to focus on the negative aspects of a person&rsquo;s performance. However, giving feedback is vital because it is a constructive and important way to help someone get better at what they do.
A manager&rsquo;s job is to galvanise their team to be the best they can be. Managers giving little or no feedback results in <a href="http://www.businessperform.com/workplace-communication/constructive_feedback.html">four out of ten people</a> becoming actively disengaged. 
Regular, developmental feedback not only builds trust, but it also helps people deliver on their promises.
<h4>3) Build and maintain positive relationships</h4>
People crave meaningful relationships with their colleagues. A 2013 <a href="http://oru.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A570625&amp;dswid=cookie-agreed">doctoral thesis</a> by researcher Helen Stockhult found that social relationships between colleagues are at the root of someone&rsquo;s willingness to take on responsibilities beyond their formal job description.
Further research has uncovered some interesting details on this particular subject. According to a <a href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/237530/item-best-friend-work.aspx">Gallup Poll</a>, having a best friend at work makes someone 43% more likely to report that they have received recent recognition.
Elsewhere, a study by the University of Wharton found that helping someone for 10 to 30 minutes a day will make people feel <a href="https://hbr.org/2012/09/youll-feel-less-rushed-if-you-give-time-away">more confident and less time-constrained</a>. In other words, helping a colleague makes people happier.
Managers want people around them to feel connected to what the business does. In order to achieve this, the first step is to encourage cooperation and build positive relationships between colleagues.
<h3 style="margin: 12pt 0cm;">The takeaway</h3>
In bolstering engagement across a business, the role of managers is vital. As one of the key indicators of people wellbeing, managers need to be given the training and support to properly manage their teams. And, perhaps most importantly, businesses need to ensure they treat all their people with respect.

Evidence certainly supports that people leave their managers and not their job

The impact of managers on employee engagement

The pandemic gave people an opportunity to slow down, to think, and self-reflect. All that time spent home alone led many of us to reconsider how we are spending our lives. For a growing number of Americans, that has meant quitting their jobs in the search for something better.

The Great Resignation: In Crisis, Opportunity

We&rsquo;ve all worked deep into the night to meet a deadline or had a spell of disrupted sleep during our working lives. But grogginess is one thing. Chronic sleep deprivation, which negatively impacts our ability to concentrate, reason and memorise, is a different story.
In the 1950s, people generally spent, on average, eight hours sleeping. In the 21st century, Brits get an average of <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/sleeping-number-hours-night-british-average-6-hours-poll-stress-work-a8336081.html">six hours and 19 minutes of sleep</a> a night, while <a href="https://au.yougov.com/news/2019/03/21/one-three-australians-not-getting-enough-sleep/">one in three Australians are not getting enough sleep</a>. Evidently, our attitude towards sleep has changed &mdash; and not for the better.
Though sleep deprivation is not treated with the same level of urgency as other public health risks, for Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, industrialised societies are caught in the grips of a &ldquo;catastrophic sleep-loss epidemic&rdquo; that is <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/sleep-deprivation-epidemic-health-effects-tired-heart-disease-stroke-dementia-cancer-a7964156.html">slowly killing us</a>.
In this blog, we evaluate the impact that poor sleep can have on cognition &mdash; effects that, if left unchecked, will ultimately hinder job productivity and permeate every other aspect of life.
<h3>The importance of sleep</h3>
It&rsquo;s impossible to understate the importance of getting enough rest. One-third of our lives are spent asleep. Sleep is a vital physiological process for maintaining homeostasis (the self-regulating processes that happen in a cell or organism to keep conditions optimal), as well as an important mechanism for cell repair. And it&rsquo;s crucial for a number of brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) interact with one another. In other words, sleep replenishes our system. It keeps us healthy.
When a person fails to get enough sleep, all of these critical functions are compromised. Persistent sleep deprivation increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, stroke, obesity, and cancer. And given that <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190124141536.htm">poor sleep has been linked to the acceleration of Alzheimer&rsquo;s</a>, the effects on the brain can be catastrophic, too.
In fact, it&rsquo;s impossible to identify a cognitive skill that isn&rsquo;t affected by how much sleep we get. As revealed in a 2017 <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171106112312.htm">UCLA study</a>, sleep deprivation disrupts our brain cells&rsquo; ability to communicate with one another &mdash; leading to mental lapses that negatively affect memory and visual perception. 
Without sleep, our cognitive abilities unravel. According to researchers, the effect is even <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/tiredness-sleep-deprivation-the-same-as-drinking-too-much">comparable to </a><a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/tiredness-sleep-deprivation-the-same-as-drinking-too-much">being drunk</a>.&nbsp;
<h3>The link between sleep and cognition</h3>
We only recently discovered that we need to sleep before learning to prepare our brain to take in new information. Without sleep, the memory circuits within the brain become clogged, restricting our ability to absorb new information.
In a revealing experiment, healthy young adults were split into two groups &mdash; one of which got a full eight hours of sleep, the other got no sleep at all. The following day, both groups were given a series of new facts to learn and tested to see how effective the learning had been. Without sleep, it was found that the brain was 40% less able to make new memories. This could be the difference between a first-class class degree and a fail.
Not only do we need to sleep before learning, but we also need it afterwards, too. This is far from a new discovery &ndash; we knew this back in 1924. Experiments by John Jenkins and Karl Dallenbach indicated that human memory retention improves by 20-40% if we sleep after learning versus the same time being awake. Sleep allows our brains to fully absorb information.
But sleep is more than just knowledge retention. It also drives creativity. A study published in <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/the-organizational-cost-of-insufficient-sleep">McKinsey Quarterly</a> in February 2016 found that participants who enjoyed a good night&rsquo;s sleep were twice as likely to discover a hidden shortcut in a task than those who didn&rsquo;t. During deep REM sleep, the brain fuses memories together to test associations and see if novel new connections can be made. REM sleep causes our brain to create new links, which is why we often wake up with solutions to previously unresolvable problems.
The challenge here is that not all sleep is equal. Our sleep broadly falls into buckets of around 90 minutes. But these buckets are biased towards NREM sleep (memory clearance and protection) at the start and towards REM sleep (creativity and emotional connections) later on. Both the quality and quantity of sleep are equally important.
<h3>What happens to your brain if you don&rsquo;t get enough sleep?</h3>
&ldquo;After sixteen hours of being awake, the brain begins to fail. Humans need more than seven hours of sleep each night to maintain cognitive performance. After ten days of just seven hours of sleep, the brain is as dysfunctional as it would be after going without sleep for twenty-four hours. Three full nights of recovery sleep (i.e., more nights than a weekend) are insufficient to restore performance back to normal levels after a week of short sleeping.&rdquo; 
&mdash; Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams
From 1998 to 2002, David Dinges and Hans Van Dongen <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12683469">led a study</a> that monitored dozens of volunteers split into three different groups &mdash; some of whom slept four hours, others six hours, and others eight hours &mdash; for fourteen days in the lab.
Every two hours during the day, researchers tested their ability to sustain attention by way of a psychomotor vigilance test (PVT), which involved sitting in front of a computer screen for ten minutes and pressing the keyboard&rsquo;s space bar whenever they saw a flash of numbers at random intervals.
The PVT is a gold standard for measuring sleepiness and reaction time and is routinely employed during the training of pilots and astronauts &mdash; occupations where attention and alertness are key. In a PVT, a delay of only half a second suggests a lapse into sleepiness.
The findings of the study? Participants who received a full eight hours of sleep had few attention lapses and experienced no cognitive decline over the two weeks. In contrast, those who had four or six hours&rsquo; sleep saw their PVT results decline steadily every day. By day six, a quarter of the six-hour group were even falling asleep at their computer.
But what causes this decline in cognitive performance? Though sleep deprivation is commonplace across the modern world, we're only just beginning to understand its profound effects on the brain and cognition from a scientific perspective.
One region of the brain thought to be affected by sleep deprivation is the prefrontal cortex. This section of the brain&rsquo;s frontal lobe is involved in alertness, attention, decision making and executive functioning, which describes our ability to organise cognitive processes (e.g. planning ahead, stopping and starting tasks, shifting from one activity to another).
The effects of total sleep deprivation on the prefrontal cortex include a decreased inhibition of response, decision making, divergent thinking and working memory. Sleep loss is also thought to disrupt the connection between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala &mdash; our brain&rsquo;s emotional control centre. With this in mind, it&rsquo;s no surprise that insomnia can significantly <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-athletes-way/201512/sleep-loss-disrupts-emotional-balance-the-amygdala">impair our emotional perception</a>.
Sleep deprivation is also thought to affect the thalamus, a large mass of grey matter that relays motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex, and the hippocampus, a small organ located in the brain&rsquo;s medial temporal lobe associated with memory (particularly long-term memory). In the thalamus, poor sleep is thought to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24346259">reduce grey matter volume</a>, which is said to be linked to a loss in visual alertness. In the hippocampus, meanwhile, sleep deprivation is thought to reduce neuroplasticity and the proliferation of cells, both of which may impair a person&rsquo;s memory.
Of course, the adverse physical and cognitive effects of sleep loss depend on a range of variables, meaning they are experienced differently from person to person. For researchers, this makes it difficult to accurately predict and detect an individual&rsquo;s sleep-deprivation deficits.
According to a <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180603193600.htm">2018 study</a> by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the key to making such a prediction may be found in small genetic molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs). The study found that microRNAs in the blood are changed by total sleep deprivation for 39 hours and, as viable biomarkers of sleep deprivation, can predict the resulting cognitive performance in adults.
Though further research is needed, microRNAs may one day be used to identify who is most at risk for the adverse effects of sleep deprivation and thus should receive medical assistance to prevent them.
<h3>The takeaway</h3>
Without sufficient sleep, our brains cannot operate at a normal, healthy level. In the context of work, a sleep-deprived workforce is bad for business. Aside from reducing productivity, sleep deprivation can also increase the risk of accidents for people who operate heavy machinery or carry out manual work. For businesses and their people alike, encouraging people to get enough sleep should be high on the agenda.

Poor sleep ultimately hinders job productivity

The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance

Impellam people play a vital role in the fight against covid-19, and the importance and reality of the work we do every day has never been more apparent. 
<h3>Regional Specialists: Corestaff in North America</h3>
Like many other countries, the US continues to struggle with the effects of covid-19, and Corestaff has been doing great work to support our US clients to provide their best candidates to provide swift support to critical industries.
A key example is the partnership with a healthcare technology provider in the US. Corestaff are supporting this customer by providing both short-term and longer-term candidates that can carry out their call centre function whilst working remotely. The purpose of the call centre is to provide medical advice, process medical claims and allocating coverage. With Corestaff&rsquo;s help, it allowed this customer to continue to provide the right level of support, guidance and advice to their clients who are being directly affected by covid-19.
Another client being supported by the Corestaff team in Houston is a Pharmaceutical company, who is also a major distributor of hospital IV bags and medications. Corestaff is providing production staff to support the increased need by hospitals for these products as a result of covid-19. The team has been able to place multiple production associates who are ensuring these medical supplies get to patients in hospital as soon as possible.
Corestaff is also supporting a client who specialises in the repair, manufacturing and distribution of heart monitors. These monitors are able to send information from a patient to a doctor remotely, complying with social distancing measures. Corestaff has recruited 30 customer service candidates who are working from home to help answer patient questions relating to their products.
A large administrator of government-sponsored programmes who has been selected to operate a covid-19 crisis management hotline in the US, has reached out to Corestaff to assist with supplying candidates for their call centre. Corestaff expedited their hiring process and were able to provide candidates within 3 days of initially receiving the request, who are working hard to connect those most effected by the virus with the community resources they need.
Corestaff has provided 550 candidates to help produce heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units for a client that manufactures these units for families quarantined in their homes, hospitals fighting fevers, and grocery stores needing to keep foods cool.
&nbsp;
<h3>Managed Services Providers: Guidant Global and Comensura</h3>
Comensura Australia is supporting the public sector with Communications experts who are responsible for internal and external covid-19 communications. The team in Australia are also supporting with candidates responsible for contact tracing for covid-19 cases.
Guidant Global are proud of their UK public sector team who are working incredibly hard to support one of their local authority clients in London by redeploying people into essential key worker roles. These include children practitioners being moved into adult care support roles, school bus drivers now being utilised for key worker transport, and school catering candidates are now supporting homeless shelters and care homes.
&nbsp;
<h3>Regional Specialists: Blue Arrow</h3>
Blue Arrow is playing a key role in ensuring the NHS in the UK can function with the increased pressures of covid-19. Branches across the UK have been working hard to place candidates in hospitals as porters, domestic assistants, cleaning staff, housekeepers and patient catering. These candidates were all existing Blue Arrow chef candidates, who have adapted their skills in order to support the NHS.
In Norwich, the team has also placed over 40 candidates across a number of private hospitals being used by the NHS to provide additional beds in response to the virus outbreak.
&nbsp;
<h3>Regional Specialists: Carbon60</h3>
Our construction and engineering specialists in the UK, Carbon60, has now started over 190 candidates in hospitals across the UK, with more to come as more shifts come through.&nbsp;
Carbon60 continue to support by supplying over 400 candidates needed to deliver essential services covering everything from Ambulance Detailers to PPE Packers. The team works in shifts to attract, screen, interview and onboard the relevant skill sets. The Carbon60 <a href="http://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=o6CaiMOHbkO997Iq2i1HBMJuNR83XU5OsGb7LNXhvjxUM0JaTFNMMElNOVRKWkhVNVRLTFFDVjE2RS4u">Key Work Network</a> was launched to support this, and to date this network has 500+ candidates registered and is growing every day, with over 280 roles being filled and ready to start.
&nbsp;
<h3>Regional Specialists: Tate</h3>
Our office specialists in the UK, Tate, was contacted by a Housing Association client asking for support for residents who have been detrimentally affected by covid-19 and have lost their jobs. In response to this, Tate is currently creating guides that can be placed on their website for their residents to download as job search support.
&nbsp;

Impellam people play an important role in the fight against covid-19.

Supporting the fight against covid-19

Teams from&nbsp;Impellam Group&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Guidant Global&nbsp;recently assembled at Dorney Lake for the 2023 Superhero Tri, powered by Marvel. The&nbsp;Superhero Series, founded by Paralympian Sophia Warner, is the UK&rsquo;s only disability sports series, where people with disabilities (Everyday Superheroes) can call the shots and not worry about cut-off times or equipment restrictions, surrounded by a community of people who understand overcoming challenges. Our 3 teams of Everyday Superheroes and supportive sidekicks took on the Superhero Tri&nbsp;Sprint, which consisted of a 150m swim, 3km cycle/wheel and 1km run/walk to the finish &ndash; some using adapted bikes from&nbsp;Get Cycling CIC. Congratulations to our teams and everyone who was there to support the day!
<img style="height: 447px; width: 597px; left: 668px; top: 313px;" src="-/media/c31f4eaf045c472cb712adc72816cade.ashx?h=447&amp;w=597" alt="Superhero Tri Series">

Teams from Impellam Group &amp; Guidant Global recently assembled at Dorney Lake for the 2023 Superhero Tri, for the Superhero Series, a disability sport series.

Superhero Tri 2023

This is the second instalment of a two-part blog series on the widening skills gap, which turns the spotlight on UK STEM. View part one, &lsquo;Are you losing out on extraordinary talent? Consider a skills-based approach to recruitment and redeployment?&rsquo; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/you-losing-out-extraordinary-talent-consider-approach-penny-queller/?trackingId=7slTSrGdEIDPEC85D31JKw%3D%3D">here.</a> 
The UK economy has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons over recent weeks, and unsurprisingly, employer confidence is cooling. Even before this, the number of job vacancies in the UK fell by 3.6% in July to September 2022 &ndash; the third consecutive quarterly fall. But with 1,246,000 vacancies still available, this number was still 450,000 (56.6%) higher than before the pandemic, and nearly 117,000 (10.3%) above the level of a year ago.<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>
Some sectors are feeling the talent squeeze more than others. According to the BBC, there were more than two million UK job vacancies in tech last year, more than any other labour area. <a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> And a report by Tech Nation, published in June this year, says tech roles now make up 14% of all job opportunities in the UK, up from 11% in 2019.<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a>
As a specialist recruitment and workforce solutions provider, we have first-hand experience of the talent shortages affecting our clients across the UK, and we&rsquo;re working with them to find new ways to plug the skills gap, especially in high-value, vital STEM occupations.
Technology talent shortages 
Lorien, our technology and digital specialist brand, has a large portfolio of clients in financial services &ndash; a sector that has been going through a digital transformation. This transformation accelerated during the pandemic as the workforce became remote, and customers moved to digital and cashless payments and mobile banking.<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4">[4]</a>
Managing Director David Gettins explained that the demand for tech people has increased as everyone from retail to financial services companies look to improve the customer experience. He said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s no longer just IT companies recruiting tech people: everyone is. And it&rsquo;s not just the big players either; even the smallest organisation is now going digital. Companies need those skills to create new digital products, reduce operating costs and prevent cybercrime.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s an additional pressure on an already competitive market in which the talent pool is smaller too. With our homegrown workforce lacking the technical skills and experience required, and the UK no longer recruiting talent from APAC and Eastern Europe, the need is being met, at least in part, by workers from India and Pakistan.
Life sciences and engineering 
And it&rsquo;s not just technology experiencing the skills squeeze &ndash; other areas of STEM are finding recruitment and retention of quality talent equally challenging. According to the UK Commission for Employment &amp; Skills, 43% of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) vacancies are hard to fill.<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5">[5]</a> Audrey McCulloch, Operations Director of SRG, our life sciences, engineering and clinical recruitment specialists, explained that Covid had led to an unprecedented demand for biological scientists, and while the testing requirement has receded, vaccine developers are still needed. She said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re seeing fewer individuals coming from European countries and that&rsquo;s creating a skills shortage.&rdquo;
The root of the skills gap is education. Although there has been an increase in STEM undergraduates over the past few years, only 24% of graduates in STEM subjects are known to be working in a STEM occupation six months later,<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6">[6]</a> and two-fifths of employers cited a shortage of STEM graduates as a key barrier to recruiting appropriate staff.<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7">[7]</a> Audrey also points to a decrease in the number of students doing industry placements as part of their degree, as well as a number choosing to go back into further education.
And it&rsquo;s not just in biological sciences. According to Audrey, the chemicals industry is facing a &lsquo;retirement cliff&rsquo;, and with many due to retire in the next five to 10 years, the candidate pool is being squeezed at both ends.
So, what can we do to reduce the skills gap?
For David, it starts with education. &ldquo;We need to focus on technology,&rdquo; he said, pointing to the technology colleges and universities of China, India and Eastern Europe.
Getting girls on board is crucial too. Lorien has partnered with TechGirls to raise awareness of tech careers among schoolgirls. As part of this partnership, the team spoke to pupils in Manchester and London about the opportunities available at one of our well-known retail clients, from product designers and product owners to UX designers. &ldquo;It opened their minds,&rdquo; said David. Lorien is also using a tool to make sure job adverts and job specifications are gender neutral.
SRG supports client engagement with universities, and it&rsquo;s working with one client to promote its apprenticeships and industry placements to future talent. Another client is investing in employee training to plug the skills gap &ndash; not only helping to tackle the problem but aiding retention too. &ldquo;Individuals who go through on-the-job training tend to be a lot more loyal,&rdquo; explained Audrey.
Retraining employees whose jobs are at risk is another way to meet the skills need &ndash; particularly those jobs at risk from the very digital transformation that is driving the demand for tech talent. For example, companies are moving away from project management to more agile methodology, with smaller teams working across a business to deliver new products more quickly. So, why not reskill and retain the project managers?
As for the current job market, with everyone after the same talent, companies must stand out from the crowd to attract talent. Clients are reviewing their compensation and benefits package, with cost-of-living bonuses and share options among the methods being used to attract and retain staff. Lorien has seen average permanent salaries for technology hires increase by 17% since the pandemic, compared to the first half of 2019.
Employers have to be more flexible too. They must be open to remote working, contract recruitment, and hiring candidates those whose skills and experience might not meet the job specification but who have the capability to grow. David said: &ldquo;We are having to think differently when we&rsquo;re putting teams together. Fortunately, our clients are open to new ways of doing things &ndash; in fact, they were among the early adopters of hybrid working. And as our business covers the whole of the UK, we can give our clients access to talent pools throughout the UK.&rdquo;
Audrey is also seeing flexibility in a sector that has been more rigid in the past. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re talking to clients and asking them to consider, do people have to be on site? Do they have to be based in the country? Some of the big pharmaceutical companies in the UK previously said &lsquo;no&rsquo; to remote working, but now they&rsquo;re realising they don&rsquo;t need to have all staff on site.&rdquo;
Finally, and perhaps most importantly of all, in today&rsquo;s disrupted talent market a brand&rsquo;s value proposition is key to attraction. According to research conducted by Gartner, a strong employee value proposition (EVP) can reduce the compensation premium by 50%, decrease annual employee turnover by just under 70% and increase new hire commitment by nearly 30%.<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8">[8]</a> And with more than a third of employees willing to quit their job if their employer does little or nothing to fight the climate crisis &ndash; rising to over half (53 per cent) of people aged between 18 and 24 years old<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9">[9]</a> &ndash; it&rsquo;s clear that a company&rsquo;s mission, purpose and values are what attracts candidates to employers &ndash; and what keeps them there. David agreed that those clients with an attractive EVP are easier to recruit for &ndash; which is why both SRG and Lorien have been working with clients to understand and promote their value proposition. He added: &ldquo;Money is still a key driver, but purpose is the number one.&rdquo;
How can we help? 
If you need help attracting and retaining the right people, contact Impellam Group.
We&rsquo;re a collaborative network that delivers the right specialist recruitment and workforce solutions at the right time.&nbsp;
Our people are specialists in their fields and care about providing good work for people and good people for work.
Our unique, connected way of working gives our customers access to the full breadth of our solutions. Supported by our Customer Office, our customers benefit from a borderless, seamless service that delivers on the promises we make.
In a fast-moving, talent-short, disrupted world, our model delivers more innovation, ideas and growth in less time, more efficiently.
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/jobsandvacanciesintheuk/latest
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-62098767
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3">[3]</a> Tech Nation, People and Skills Report 2022, https://technation.io/news/uk-tech-jobs-people-skills-report-2022/
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4">[4]</a> https://www.fingent.com/blog/digital-transformation-in-financial-services-all-you-need-to-know
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5">[5]</a> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/ready-and-enabled/stem-skills-shortage/
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6">[6]</a> https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Delivering-STEM-Science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-skills-for-the-economy-Summary.pdf
</div>
<div id="ftn7">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7">[7]</a> https://luminate.prospects.ac.uk/the-uks-stem-skills-shortage
</div>
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8">[8]</a> https://www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/insights/employee-engagement-performance/employee-value-proposition
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/laura.eustace/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/P6E0P54U/Article_talent-shortage_181022%20FINAL.docx#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9">[9]</a> https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/careersandeducation/employees-are-willing-to-quit-jobs-over-weak-climate-action-by-employer/ar-AA135Wr3
</div>
</div>

This is the second instalment of a two-part blog series on the widening skills gap, which turns the spotlight on UK STEM. View part one, &lsquo;Are you losing out on extraordinary talent? Consider a skills-based approach to recruitment and redeployment?&rsquo; here.

Strategies for closing the STEM skills gap

What&rsquo;s better than beating a world record? Beating your own world record!
That&rsquo;s what Guidant Global&rsquo;s Stephen Salmon has done. He completed the 2022 London Marathon in two hours, 56 minutes and seven seconds. It&rsquo;s the fastest marathon time for a participant in a non-racing wheelchair &ndash; and over 22 minutes fastest than his previous Guinness World Record of three hours 18 minutes and 15 seconds, which he set last year.
What&rsquo;s more, Stephen raised another &pound;3,642 for Whizz-Kidz, which funds wheelchairs, equipment and services for young wheelchair users. And we&rsquo;ve matched funds donated by Stephen&rsquo;s colleagues too.
As a wheelchair user, Stephen understands how important it is to empower young wheelchair users to be independent. While serving as a Royal Engineer in the British Army in his mid-20s, he suffered from an illness that resulted in him needing a wheelchair &ndash; and abruptly ended his military career. He&rsquo;s been volunteering for Whizz-Kidz since 2018 and has raised over &pound;15,000, wheeling 3 marathons. He says the charity played a key role turning his life around.
He says: &ldquo;Achieving the personal goal of setting new Guinness World Records has been made more meaningful for me by being able to support Whizz-Kidz at the same time. Through my association with the charity, I&rsquo;ve added a greater purpose to the life experience that resulted in me becoming a wheelchair user.&rdquo;
Stephen joined Guidant Global in 2019 and is now Senior Marketing Executive. He is co-lead of IMAble, our employee-led group for disability and mental health, and as a Disability Inclusion Specialist, he is helping to drive our disability inclusion strategy and shape best practice towards disability confident recruitment.

Guidant Global&rsquo;s, Stephen Salmon, completed the 2022 London Marathon in two hours, 56 minutes and seven seconds. It&rsquo;s the fastest marathon time for a participant in a non-racing wheelchair.

Stephen breaks world record

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Impellam Group, an industry-leading workforce and STEM talent solutions company, today announced that two senior executives, Claire Marsh, CEO of Impellam Group North America, and Brian Salkowski, Chief Experience Officer, Impellam Group, have been named Staffing Leaders to Watch in 2024 by Candidate.ly as presented at the World Staffing Summit.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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The World Staffing Awards, held at the World Staffing Summit, is an annual event in North America that recognises exceptional staffing leaders who drive innovation, offer meaningful solutions to solve industry challenges, and set the trends for more effective business operations. Marsh and Salkowski were recognised as the #1 and #2 &ldquo;leaders to watch&rdquo; respectively.&nbsp;
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Julia Robertson, CEO, Impellam Group, commented &ldquo;Claire and Brian are passionate, dynamic and innovative leaders. They take the time to truly understand our clients&rsquo; needs and work with their teams to deliver agile, customer-centric workforce and STEM talent solutions. This is an incredible achievement and confirms what we already know &ndash; our people make the difference.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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Jan Alexander Jedlinski, CEO &amp; CO-Founder Candidate.ly, said &ldquo;Claire's and Brian's achievements highlight their role in driving forward-thinking changes in the staffing sector. As we continue to recognise exceptional leaders at the World Staffing Summit, we are excited about the prospect of seeing Claire and Brian on the list again, showcasing the ongoing impact they have in our industry.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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Marsh has been recognised for her leadership style that is rooted in fostering inclusivity, where every individual's voice is not only acknowledged, but valued. Her dedication to promoting diversity and innovation has left an indelible mark on Impellam Group&rsquo;s culture. Similarly, this is the second year in the Top 100 for Salkowski, a testament to his unwavering commitment to changing the dynamics of MSP services and driving a superior customer and candidate experience. Both champion a better, more forward-thinking approach in the dynamic field of workforce and specialist talent solutions.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</div>

<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Claire Marsh, CEO of Impellam North America and Chief Experience Officer, Brian Salkowski, have been named Staffing Leaders to Watch in 2024 by Candidate.ly.&nbsp;

Staffing Leaders to Watch

SRG, powered by Impellam Group, today announced the launch of SRG Ireland. This expansion of SRG, the industry-leading workforce solutions and specialist recruiter for life science candidates in the UK, Europe and North America, is designed to support local talent and global customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
SRG Ireland will operate via expert in-country teams based in Dublin and Cork and offer agile workforce and specialist life sciences recruitment solutions.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;We are delighted to launch SRG Ireland, we think we can complement the burgeoning Irish life sciences sector and find exciting new roles for world-class Irish talent,&rdquo; commented Andrew Turner, Managing Director, SRG.&nbsp; &ldquo;We already work with many companies with a presence in the market and we recognise the wealth of new opportunities we can provide to candidates &ndash; locally and globally.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
SRG&rsquo;s expansion to Ireland, where the development of STEM talent is being driven by various schemes and initiatives &ndash; including the Irish Government&rsquo;s STEM Education Implementation Plan to 2026, will help local talent to build and thrive in STEM careers.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
SRG recruit across the Life Sciences product life cycle - covering scientific research and development (R&amp;D), clinical trials, manufacturing, and engineering disciplines. Services available to customers include:&nbsp;&nbsp;
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Temporary and Permanent Recruitment&nbsp;
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Managed Services and Contingent Workforce Solutions&nbsp;
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; RPO and Permanent Workforce Solutions&nbsp;
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Statement of Work&nbsp;&nbsp;
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Early Talent&nbsp;&nbsp;
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Executive Search&nbsp;
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Technology and Strategic Partnerships&nbsp;
&nbsp;
For more information visit <a id="LPlnk292170" href="http://www.srgtalent.ie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">www.srgtalent.ie</a>

SRG, Leading Life Sciences Recruiter, Launches in Ireland.
&nbsp;

SRG Launches in Ireland

We&rsquo;re delighted to announce that Patrick Stedman has been appointed Senior Vice President of SRG in North America.
&nbsp;
Patrick brings 17 years&rsquo; experience in staffing and talent management, with a background focusing on Life Sciences, Clinical Research, and IT verticals. Patrick will lead SRG&rsquo;s North American business, driving growth and strategic development and he&rsquo;ll play a pivotal role in our STEM senior leadership team, collaborating with our other brands.
&nbsp;
Ryan McMahon, President, describes Patrick as: "A proven leader with a track record of delivering outstanding results and building strong relationships with clients and candidates."
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.srgtalent.com/us/blog/srg-appoints-patrick-stedman-as-new-sr-vice-president-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can find out more here.</a>
&nbsp;
Welcome to Impellam Group, Patrick!

SRG appoints Patrick Stedman as Senior Vice President.

SRG appoints Patrick Stedman

SRG announced the appointment of Andrew Turner to the role of Managing Director.
Turner joins SRG to execute the strategic and commercial leadership of the business, reporting in to Impellam&rsquo;s STEM portfolio CEO Kelly Morton. Turner will drive SRG&rsquo;s strategic vision and direct the development of new services and client offerings, while strengthening SRG&rsquo;s people-centric business culture.
Commenting on the appointment, Kelly Morton, STEM Portfolio CEO at Impellam Group, said: &ldquo;Andrew has an amazing and award-winning record of success. He understands what is needed to help our clients to build better businesses with the specialised talent SRG are experts in finding. I look forward to working with Andrew to establish and elevate our STEM recruitment and I&rsquo;m confident in his ability to continue SRG&rsquo;s mission in building tomorrow&rsquo;s world through powerful partnerships&rdquo;.
Andrew Turner, Managing Director SRG, said: &ldquo;Having enjoyed a career with Impellam for a number of years, I am looking forward to beginning my journey with Kelly and SRG. SRG&rsquo;s dedication to empowering individuals and STEM businesses to enhance the now and shape the future is not only inspiring, but crucial to match the ever-evolving needs of the STEM industries. I believe SRG&rsquo;s established talent network and partnership model places us in a unique position to solve the issue of futureproofing talent pipelines in scientific businesses across the world.&rdquo;
Turner joins SRG following an established career in strategic and commercial leadership for some of Impellam&rsquo;s global brands, most recently in the Asia and Pacific Regions. As Executive Director for Medacs, Global Medics and Litmus Workforce Solutions, Turner oversaw a full-scale business transformation including significant expansion of sales and operational functions to standardise business practice and streamline cost bases.

SRG announced the appointment of Andrew Turner to the role of Managing Director.

SRG appoints Andrew Turner

With more Ukrainian refugees entering the UK, one of Impellam Group&rsquo;s own has recently welcomed a Ukrainian refugee under the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-visa-under-the-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme</a>. Choosing to remain anonymous, they share their experience on finding someone to sponsor and being prepared for their arrival.
<h4>It was something we always wanted to do.</h4>
My partner and I have previously considered opening our home up to people in need, but the timing had not been right for our family before. Sheltering a person in need can have a significant impact on your household. We wanted to wait until our children were mature enough to understand such an undertaking and handle the emotional aspects involved.
Now that they&rsquo;re older, we felt compelled to help. After all, we would want someone to help our family if the roles were reversed.
<h4>Finding someone to sponsor.</h4>
We had to use our initiative to find out how we could sponsor and host a Ukrainian refugee in the UK as we didn&rsquo;t have any Ukrainian connections beforehand. We found Oleksandra (not her real name) through a forum for musicians.
Alternatively, the mobile app, <a href="https://nextdoor.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nextdoor</a>, is a great resource for connecting with your local neighbourhood, and more importantly, finding a Ukrainian community in your area. Facebook groups are also a great way to connect with that community.
<h4>Our search for someone to sponsor.</h4>
While doing our search, we tried to look out for someone who had an interest in music so they would feel more comfortable in our home. Our family is musically inclined so we felt it would be a great way to bond if we couldn&rsquo;t communicate through a common spoken language.
Oleksandra happened to be a piano teacher and also had a great command of English so that made the connection easier to build. We initiated a few Skype calls at first so we could all to get to know each other a little better. The majority of the refugees are women and children, and sadly, they are also the ones most at risk.
<h4>Learning more about each other.</h4>
While we didn&rsquo;t ask too much about her current situation, we did check in on the kind of skills and work experience she had (so we could support her to find work in the UK), if she had any contacts in the UK and shared links to our local area so she could familiarise herself with it.
It was important we informed her of our home dynamic (such as if we had pets or young children), as well as the type of living quarters she&rsquo;d receive (such as if she would have a shared or private bathroom or a lock on her door) so she could know what to expect.
We created a WhatsApp group to share photos of our home with her so she could see where she would be staying. It was a great way to communicate as she was able to ask us whatever she wanted to before arriving.
<h4>Speeding up the application process.</h4>
Once we knew we wanted to sponsor Oleksandra, we submitted the paperwork online through the UK Government website. It could take weeks for the visa to get approved, so we wrote to our local MP who ultimately helped accelerate the application process. You will need to upload passport documents of anyone over 18 living in the household as well as downloading an invitation letter to share with the refugee.
<h4>Preparing for Oleksandra&rsquo;s arrival.</h4>
Some refugees may arrive with minimal belongings. There is always the likelihood that they may arrive with nothing, so I prepared essentials such as toiletries, feminine products, a dressing gown, extra clothes, transport apps and a working sim card. You may also want to set up a WhatsApp group introducing them to their local Ukrainian community.
Each refugee will receive a one-off &pound;200 credit card from the government when they arrive which they can use to spend on getting supplies. As a sponsor, you&rsquo;ll receive &pound;350 a month as a &ldquo;thank you&rdquo; from the government to contribute towards the extra costs involved in having another person in your home.
While Impellam Group were great at letting me work flexibly while I helped Oleksandra settle in, you may want to request time off with your employer as you&rsquo;d need time to show them around the neighbourhood and organise other items they might require.
<h4>Be patient, empathetic and respect their space.</h4>
Prior to Oleksandra&rsquo;s arrival, we spoke with mental health professionals on how we could support her. The best advice we received was to not ask too many questions and give her as much space and time as she needed.
It was important that she was allowed to adjust to a new life in her own time and that we didn&rsquo;t push her for details about what she had been through. We took a step back and let her talk to us when she felt comfortable.
You could never comprehend what a refugee has gone through, so we were mindful that Oleksandra may not be ready to talk about her experiences or what she has gone through in recent months.
<h4>In the three weeks since her arrival, Oleksandra has settled in really well.</h4>
She has made some new friends and has found work here. She is finding her place in our house and is sharing her culture with us, as well as learning from ours. My family and I are humbled to be able to support Oleksandra and will do everything we can to assist her during her time in the UK.

With more Ukrainian refugees entering the UK, one of Impellam Group&rsquo;s own has recently welcomed a Ukrainian refugee under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and they share their experience on finding someone to sponsor and being prepared for their arrival.

Sponsoring Ukrainian refugees in the UK: Everything you need to know

When it comes to talent acquisition, one of the biggest challenges facing businesses is finding candidates who strike a balance between the right skills and the right personality. 
For HR professionals and managers the world over, the dream situation is to stumble across a candidate who combines all the necessary hard skills with a personality that perfectly aligns with the company culture.
In reality, however, candidates who display both factors in abundance are rare &mdash; especially for businesses operating in candidate-short talent markets. Managers are often forced to choose between those who have the necessary technical skills and those who fit the culture and the vision of the company.
This challenging reality has a number of implications for a business. For example, if a candidate is recruited for their skill-set without sufficient consideration of their cultural fit, the candidate could thrive in the short-term but become disillusioned in the long-term.
The right balance between cultural fit and skill-set is vital. A successful hire can help boost a company&rsquo;s bottom line, enhance company culture, and ultimately attract better quality candidates in the future. On the other hand, the consequences of making the wrong hire can cause lost productivity, lower morale, and the substantial financial costs of finding a replacement.
<h3>Recruiting for skills</h3>
Candidates with all the right skills on their CVs are noticed immediately by recruiters and managers. A savvy candidate will incorporate the most up-to-date keywords and tailor their past experience to the role to which they&rsquo;re applying.
However, with values-driven millennials making up the <a href="https://www.zenefits.com/blog/truth-about-millennials-largest-generation-workforce/">largest generation in the workforce</a> and more businesses placing a greater <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/heidilynnekurter/2018/11/15/5-ways-millennials-are-shaking-up-the-workforce-from-the-bottom-up/#375fbbc12415">emphasis on workplace harmony</a>, recruiting by skill-set alone seems like an increasingly short-sighted approach.
As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, technology is evolving so rapidly that hard-earned technical skills can quickly become redundant without ongoing learning and development. Even the most experienced people need to update their skills.
Managers, therefore, should aim to keep abreast of technological and societal changes and factor this into their recruitment strategy.
<h3>Recruiting for personality</h3>
The <a href="https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/personality">OED</a> defines &lsquo;personality&rsquo; as &ldquo;the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character.&rdquo;
Broken down, this can be interpreted as the beliefs, principles or standards of behaviour that define a person&rsquo;s conduct &mdash; in other words, it&rsquo;s their judgement of what is important in life.
Beliefs define how people behave, what they stand for, and what is intrinsically important to them. Beliefs also develop early in life but can change depending on the vagaries of a person&rsquo;s experience.
Soft skills are inextricably tied up with personality. When recruiting for personality, businesses seek out candidates who are open-minded, work well as part of a team, have a positive attitude, and are good communicators.
According to the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-10-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/">World Economic Forum</a>, the top ten work skills most valued in 2020 will be:
1. Complex problem solving
2. Critical thinking
3. Creativity
4. People management
5. Coordinating with others
6. Emotional intelligence
7. Judgement and decision making
8. Service orientation
9. Negotiation
10. Cognitive flexibility
With a focus on open-mindedness, collaboration and adaptability, these in-demand soft skills demonstrate the importance of an agile, iterative approach to work. As start-ups disrupt the business landscape and technology hurtles us towards an automated future, the human aspect has never been more important.
However, there are some potential drawbacks to recruiting a person based on personality. For example, many managers may unwittingly conflate their ideal personality type with the candidate they get along with best.&nbsp;While some candidates will sail through interviews with flying colours, they may present a less favourable side to themselves when faced with the day-to-day challenges of the job. As such, it&rsquo;s critical that businesses measure personality in an intentional, objective, and evidence-based way.
Increasingly, forward-thinking businesses are emphasising personality over skill-set. After all, it&rsquo;s easier to upskill and provide training for personality-based hires than it is to change the minds of people hired for their technical expertise.
<h3>The takeaway</h3>
There is no universal answer to the question of whether skills or personality are more important. The answer to such a question entirely depends on the needs of the company doing the recruiting. Managers thus have to ask themselves the following:
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>which factor &mdash; skill set or personality &mdash; is more important for the company?</li>
<li>which factor better suits the team?</li>
<li>which factor does the role most require?</li>
</ul>
After considering these questions, managers may find themselves giving different answers to different questions. For example, the company may require a technical whizz to step into a role with a pre-existing skill set, but the team may prioritise a certain type of personality to help consolidate and grow their internal culture.
In such a situation, it&rsquo;s best to place emphasis on personality. While a great cultural fit can be trained up in the necessary skills, a poor fit is unlikely to change their mind about an organisation.
If possible, a blend between the two is the ideal scenario. When strong candidates are in short supply, any staffing decision should be reached via an objective recruitment process that aligns the long-term professional growth of the candidate with the long-term strategic goals of the business.
&nbsp;

One of the biggest challenges facing businesses is finding candidates who strike a balance between the right skills and the right personality

Skills or personality: which is more important in recruitment?

Congratulations to our Impellam North America CEO, Claire Marsh, who has been named on SIA&rsquo;s North America Staffing 100 list for the third consecutive year.
The thirteenth annual&nbsp;list highlights the top 100&nbsp;influencers&nbsp;in the staffing and workforce solutions industry.
We&rsquo;re&nbsp;delighted that Claire has been named&nbsp;and recognised for her leadership and commitment to attracting and retaining top talent within Impellam, as well as her work and support in our global Equity, Diversity &amp; Inclusion Council, UNITY.
This follows a recent announcement that Claire was named #1 Staffing Leader to Watch in 2024 by Candidate.ly.

Impellam North America CEO, Claire Marsh, has been named on SIA&rsquo;s North America Staffing 100 list for the third consecutive year.

SIA Staffing 100 North America

A big congratulations to our&nbsp;Impellam Group&nbsp;CEO,&nbsp;Julia Robertson, CEO of Global Managed Services,&nbsp;Simon Blockley&nbsp;and Managing Director of&nbsp;Lorien,&nbsp;David Gettins, who have all been named on&nbsp;Staffing Industry Analysts&nbsp;2023 Staffing 100 Europe list!&nbsp; The list recognises European staffing leaders who are champions of change and boldly creating new pathways within the transforming workforce solutions ecosystem.&nbsp; We are thrilled that they have been recognised once again for their incredible work and leadership, as this is&nbsp;Julia&rsquo;s 9th,&nbsp;Simon&rsquo;s 7th and&nbsp;David&rsquo;s 2nd consecutive time appearing on the list.&nbsp;

A big congratulations to our Impellam Group CEO, Julia Robertson, CEO of Global Managed Services, Simon Blockley and Managing Director of Lorien, David Gettins, who have all been named on Staffing Industry Analysts 2023 Staffing 100 Europe list!

SIA Staffing 100 Europe

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<h3 class="Paragraph SCXW136487012 BCX8" style="color: windowtext; background-color: transparent; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;">A big congratulations to Impellam North America CEO, Claire Marsh and Guidant Global COO, Brian Salkowski, who have been named on SIA&rsquo;s North America Staffing 100 list for 2023.</h3>
The twelfth annual list highlights the top 100 influencers in the staffing and workforce solutions industry whose work significantly impacts the workforce ecosystem.
We&rsquo;re delighted that Claire and Brian have been named and recognised for their incredible work within Impellam Group.
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A big congratulations to Impellam North America CEO, Claire Marsh and Guidant Global COO, Brian Salkowski, who have been named on SIA&rsquo;s North America Staffing 100 list for 2023.

SIA's Staffing 100

Impellam Group CEO Julia Robertson; Claire Marsh, CEO, Impellam North America; and Hoa Ngo, Managing Director UK, Comensura, have been named on <a href="http://si100women.staffingindustry.com/">SIA&rsquo;s Global Power 150 &ndash; Women in Staffing for 2022.</a>
Now in its eighth year, the annual list recognises women in the staffing and workforce solutions industry for their outstanding efforts and achievements and shines a spotlight on female leaders making a difference inside and outside of boardrooms.
It&rsquo;s not the first time Julia and Claire have featured on the Global Power 150, but it&rsquo;s Hoa&rsquo;s debut appearance. Alongside growing Comensura&rsquo;s statement-of-work offering, she has prioritised diversity, equality and inclusivity: &nbsp;50% of the heads of departments under her management are women.
SIA&rsquo;s Subadhra Sriram said: &ldquo;The remarkable women gracing our 2022 Global Power 150 list exemplify strength and leadership in the staffing industry. From heading up impactful organisations to steering essential projects and fine-tuning the hybrid model, they have led with grace and empathy.&rdquo;

Impellam Group CEO Julia Robertson; Claire Marsh, CEO, Impellam North America; and Hoa Ngo, Managing Director UK, Comensura, have been named on SIA&rsquo;s Global Power 150

SIA’s Global Power 150 shines a spotlight on our female leaders

Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) have released their 2021 <a href="http://si100women.staffingindustry.com/">Global Power 150 - Women in Staffing Report</a>, and we are pleased to announce that several Impellam people were included on the list.
Every year SIA release the names of visionary women who continuously make a significant impact on their company, industry and the many people they work with and support.&nbsp;Congratulations to our Virtuoso leaders who have been recognised:
Annalise Smith, Head of RPO and MSP, Lorien
Claire Marsh, CEO Impellam NA
Julia Robertson, Group CEO, Impellam
Kelly Morton, Portfolio CEO, STEM
For more information on Impellam awards click <a href="https://www.impellam.com/join-our-team">here</a>.&nbsp;

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SIA Global Power 150 - Women in Staffing

Congratulations to our&nbsp;Impellam Group&nbsp;CEO,&nbsp;Julia Robertson&nbsp;and CEO, Impellam North America,&nbsp;Claire Marsh, who have been named on the&nbsp;Staffing Industry Analysts&nbsp;2023 Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list! This annual list recognises women for exceptional contributions in the staffing industry, and whose innovative thinking and mentorship help propel the entire industry forward and provide inspiration to the next generation of leaders. We&rsquo;re delighted that they have been recognised once again for their incredible contributions and leadership.&nbsp;Julia&nbsp;has been recognised on the list every year since it started nine&nbsp;years ago, and it&rsquo;s&nbsp;Claire&rsquo;s fifth consecutive year on the list.&nbsp;

Congratulations to our Impellam Group CEO, Julia Robertson and CEO, Impellam North America, Claire Marsh, who have been named on the Staffing Industry Analysts 2023 Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list!

SIA Global Power 150

Across the developed world, companies are struggling to hold on to their best talent. In this article, we&rsquo;ll provide some pointers to make sure your business can swim against the rising tide.&nbsp;
<h3>A changing workplace culture</h3>
High people turnover is often more than a sign of economic and cultural change. If a business is regularly losing high performers &mdash; even with today&rsquo;s complex challenges &mdash; there are often deeper-rooted causes that need addressing. According to data from XpertHR, 1 in 5 UK employees resigned in 2017, representing a six-year high.
This could be outmoded management, a substantial gender pay gap or a dated, inflexible working environment. Whichever of these is applicable, people are increasingly not willing to accept outmoded ways of working &mdash; particularly in the case of millennials, who are currently <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/">the biggest generation in the US labour force</a>. The UK and the rest of Europe are not far behind, while in Australia, millennials will make up the <a href="https://media.haworth.com/asset/89200/Millennial%20Series:%20Raising%20the%20bar:%20Australian%20Millennials%20in%20the%20Workplace">largest generation of the workforce by 2025</a>.
For a business to reduce attrition, it needs to get to the heart of the problem as quickly as possible &mdash; not only to minimise the negative economic impact but also to provide work with more purpose and meaning.
<h3>The death knell of jobs for life: new motivations</h3>
The concept of a &ldquo;job for life&rdquo; today looks increasingly odd. Twenty years ago, it was something to aspire towards. Today, it seems implausibly anachronistic. The most talented people can choose where, when and who they work for &mdash; putting increasing pressure on companies to prove their worth to current and potential employees. For a business to keep its best staff, it has to do an awful lot more than increase salaries in line with inflation.
Today&rsquo;s generation is just as concerned with culture fit as they are with remuneration. We are operating in a new age of people management - an off-white, open-plan office designed in the 1980s doesn&rsquo;t pass muster, hierarchical management is treated with disdain and the standard 9-to-5 workday is increasingly seen as outdated.
So, what exactly should a business be doing to reduce attrition? How much do the highest turnover rates cost a business?
<h3>The economic impact of high employee turnover</h3>
The impact of attrition varies from business to business. If we assess the results of studies conducted on the cost of attrition, however, it becomes clear that losing staff costs a lot more than one might initially think. A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study predicts that every time a business replaces a salaried employee, it costs on average 6 to 9 months&rsquo; salary. Meanwhile, a <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/CostofTurnover.pdf">Center for American Progress (CAP) investigation</a> studied the cost of attrition in greater depth. For mid-range positions ($30-50,000 a year), attrition costs on average 20% of the yearly salary, whilst highly educated executive positions cost up to 213%. When you take into account that <a href="https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Chief_Executive_Officer_(CEO)/Salary/3de8cecd/London">the average CEO in London earns &pound;120,073</a>,<a href="file:///S:/Impellam/Corporate%20Communications/Content/Digital%20Team%20Content/Seminar%20Content/Attrition%20&amp;amp;%20Motivation/Blogs/Shock%20therapy_%20why%20is%20attrition%20rate%20so%20high%20V5.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> the cost of losing an executive team member could potentially cost upwards of &pound;250,000.<a href="file:///S:/Impellam/Corporate%20Communications/Content/Digital%20Team%20Content/Seminar%20Content/Attrition%20&amp;amp;%20Motivation/Blogs/Shock%20therapy_%20why%20is%20attrition%20rate%20so%20high%20V5.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a>
<h3>The real-world cost of losing high-value employees</h3>
Attrition has other visible effects on business, too, and it isn&rsquo;t just financially challenging. To accurately calculate the impact, factors such as reduced productivity, employee onboarding, advertising costs, agency costs and the expense of new equipment also need to be taken into account. There&rsquo;s also the cultural impact. When people see the most important members of their team leaving for pastures new, their response can be to consider why they are seeking out new opportunities. This can lead to disengagement and a loss of productivity, whilst many will possibly also consider their own position.
<h3>The steps a business needs to take to reduce its attrition rate</h3>
For many, attrition is an unavoidable part of doing business, and ignoring the loss of key staff is a risky game. With such acute skills shortages, finding replacements is not only time-consuming &mdash; it&rsquo;s expensive, but there are strategies that can be employed to stop employees resigning.
<h3>Define the right roles: aligning the selection process</h3>
When advertising for new employees, it&rsquo;s essential that job adverts accurately reflect the work they&rsquo;ll actually be doing. It&rsquo;s very easy to use a template or to use a job specification used two years ago, but these won&rsquo;t reflect the roles as they are today. By clearly defining what the role is and what sort of person would be a genuine cultural fit, it&rsquo;s easier for a business to dismiss unqualified candidates, saving time, money and, in the long-term, reducing attrition.
<h3>Ensure a positive work-life balance</h3>
Almost a third of the UK workforce feel like they have poor work life balance. In fact, 73% say that they want to keep their work and home life separate. Despite this, we&rsquo;re creating a workplace culture -&ldquo;on-call&rdquo; at all times. For your people to be content and comfortable at work, they need a culture that promotes a positive work-life balance. This can include flexible working and extended lunch breaks, as well as ensuring that workloads aren&rsquo;t over-stretched. It&rsquo;s also necessary to consider the needs of all those that are working remotely, who can often feel cut off from the central workplace culture.
<h3>Celebrate successes</h3>
People need to feel fulfilled and, appreciated, businesses need to make a conscious effort to recognise the success of their teams, no matter how small the impact on the bottom line. Not only does it reinforce a sense of purpose, but it engenders trust and loyalty, which, in turn, reduces the attrition rate. Likewise, though salary isn&rsquo;t as important as it once was &mdash; especially for younger professionals &mdash; remunerating staff for their skill set and contribution as they develop professionally is still beneficial to reducing attrition. Without this, it&rsquo;s likely that people will search for better offers elsewhere.
<h3>The takeaway</h3>
Motivating and empowering a workforce to reduce attrition is no simple undertaking. Keeping people for longer means better, more consistent services can be delivered to an organisation&rsquo;s customers and ultimately will help to build a better business in the long term.
If you want to learn more about how we deliver our &lsquo;high-retention strategy&rsquo; and how we retain clients, candidates and employees for longer,<a href="https://www.impellam.com/contact"> contact us.</a> today.
<div><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%">
<div id="ftn1">
<a href="file:///S:/Impellam/Corporate%20Communications/Content/Digital%20Team%20Content/Seminar%20Content/Attrition%20&amp;amp;%20Motivation/Blogs/Shock%20therapy_%20why%20is%20attrition%20rate%20so%20high%20V5.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> $152,313 or AU$218,726
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<a href="file:///S:/Impellam/Corporate%20Communications/Content/Digital%20Team%20Content/Seminar%20Content/Attrition%20&amp;amp;%20Motivation/Blogs/Shock%20therapy_%20why%20is%20attrition%20rate%20so%20high%20V5.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> $317,125 or AU$455,325
</div>
</div>

Across the developed world, companies are struggling to hold on to their best talent. Here's some pointers to help your business cope with this.

Shock therapy: why are attrition rates so high?

<header class="l-section hero-section hero-section-blog">
<div class="l-container">
<h2 class="blog-article-hero-title">Robin Sanders promoted</h2>
</div>
</header>
<div class="blog-article-body">
<h3>We are delighted to announce&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAALjcgBqt3-TqczXObJz4D4cocl293Zelw" data-attribute-index="0" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Robin Sanders</a>&nbsp;has been promoted to Chief Sales Officer of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/impellamgroup-plc/" data-attribute-index="2" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Impellam Group</a>&nbsp;North America.</h3>
 
Robin has been part of the Group for over 10 years, most recently in the role of Senior Vice President of Client Solutions at our brands&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/lorien/" data-attribute-index="4" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Lorien</a>&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/guidant-global/" data-attribute-index="6" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Guidant Global</a>. She will be leading&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/impellamgroup-plc/" data-attribute-index="8" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Impellam Group</a>&nbsp;North America's growth strategy across our brands to acquire new customers for the Solution Sales Group.&nbsp;
Simon Blockley, CEO of Global Managed Services at Impellam said of her promotion "Robin is a highly respected leader and has been a true Virtuoso throughout her 10+ years of dedicated service. Over the past 12 months, Robin has taken on significant additional responsibility as the Sales Leader for Impellam in North America and is spearheading sales for our Integrated Workforce Solutions for GMS and STEM.
Robin is an outstanding contributor and a wonderful colleague&hellip; and I can&rsquo;t wait to see the next barrage of amazing achievements!"
Congratulations&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAALjcgBqt3-TqczXObJz4D4cocl293Zelw" data-attribute-index="10" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Robin</a>!&nbsp;
</div>

Robin Sanders has been promoted to Chief Sales Officer of Impellam Group North America.

Robin Sanders promoted

The 11th of November is an important date, which holds significance in the regions we work in around the world. In the UK, and Commonwealth countries including Australia and Canada, Remembrance Day commemorates the contribution and sacrifice of military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts. In the US, our colleagues will be marking Veterans Day, honouring all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you to all who served and those who continue to serve to defend our freedoms and protect our way of life.

The 11th of November is an important date, which holds significance in the regions we work in around the world. Remembrance Day for the UK and the Commonwealth countries, and for the US, Veterans Day.

Remembrance and Veterans Day

The search for purpose in careers may seem a uniquely 21st Century obsession, with numerous media articles carrying anecdotes about &lsquo;millennials&rsquo; &ndash; the generation born between the early 1980s and mid 1990s &ndash; choosing purpose over pay when making job searches.&nbsp;
But businesses should pay attention to the importance of purpose, as it has a role beyond attracting a younger generation.&nbsp;
A <a href="https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/job-trends/purpose-at-work?src=gua">global survey of 26,000 LinkedIn members</a> debunked the myth that millennials are the generation pushing purpose up the business agenda. In fact, it is the over 50s who are most likely to prioritise purpose over pay (48%), followed by 38% of those aged 36-50. Only 30% of millennials made this distinction.&nbsp;
Significantly, 74% of all respondents wanted a job where they felt like their work matters &ndash; to them, their company, or the wider world. Given the percentage of our lives spent at work (according to the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/work.htm">United States Bureau of Labor</a>, the average American spends the majority of their waking hours working) it shouldn&rsquo;t come as a great surprise that the majority of people want this time meaningfully filled.&nbsp;
In fact, psychologists have found that having a sense of purpose can help people to live longer. In a <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614531799">14 year study</a>, researchers demonstrated that participants who had a sense of purpose within their lives have a 15% risk of death. Whether this fulfilment is being provided by careers is debatable &ndash; only 30% of respondents to LinkedIn&rsquo;s survey said that they were in fulfilling jobs.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The challenge for businesses is how to listen to their workforces&nbsp;and provide their people with a sense of purpose, especially in a changing world where increasing numbers of roles are temporary. Future focussed companies are seizing this as an opportunity, however, with a <a href="http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/ey-the-business-case-for-purpose/$FILE/ey-the-business-case-for-purpose.pdf">Harvard Business Review and EY</a> study finding that CEOs recognised many business benefits to providing individual and shared purpose, from customer loyalty, to higher quality services and products, to a better ability to adapt. Surely a positive sign that fulfilling work is rising up the business agenda, for all generations.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<div>&nbsp;</div>

Businesses should pay attention to the importance of purpose, as it has a role beyond attracting a younger generation.

Purpose is driving the working population

At&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/impellamgroup-plc/" data-attribute-index="0" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Impellam Group</a>, it&rsquo;s our culture of Virtuosity and the collaboration between our Virtuosos which truly sets us apart. Last week, we celebrated our people and their combined expertise, by holding a Proposition Growth Event alongside our direct sourcing technology partners,&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/bullhorn/" data-attribute-index="2" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Bullhorn</a>&nbsp;for Salesforce. Our Virtuosos were given a safe space to ask questions, discuss opportunities and share experiences.&nbsp;We were so impressed with the energy everyone put into thinking outside of the box, whilst keeping our customers at the heart of everything we do. Through our ongoing determination to do more and to be bold and brave, we help change lives, businesses and futures through the power of work.

Impellam Group celebrated our people and their combined expertise, by holding a Proposition Growth Event alongside our direct sourcing technology partners, Bullhorn for Salesforce.

Proposition Growth Event

At&nbsp;Impellam Group, we&rsquo;re changing businesses by breaking stereotypes and striving to improve diversity, equity and inclusion.&nbsp;Comensura&nbsp;has been partnering with&nbsp;New Futures Network&nbsp;and prisons to help prisoners reintegrate into society and employment. Recently, they hosted a Prison Collaboration Day at our Luton office, with Prison Employment Leads from HMP Drake Hall, Featherstone and Chelmsford, because members of our leadership team -&nbsp;Hoa Ngo,&nbsp;Simon Blockley,&nbsp;Joscelin Conrad&nbsp;and&nbsp;Lianne Watkinson&nbsp;- are part of their Employment Advisory Boards.&nbsp; The day was designed to share knowledge, with guests learning from Impellam subject matter experts and in turn, our guests hosted a lunch and learn sharing the great work they are leading which is designed to help prisoners into meaningful work and reduce reoffending. &nbsp; In addition, our business resource group IMWomxn organised clothing donations for the women at Drake Hall to wear during interviews to help build confidence.
&nbsp;

Comensura has partnered with New Futures Network and prisons to help prisoners reintegrate into society and employment - Impellam held a hosted a Prison Collaboration Day at our Luton office.

Prison Collaboration Day

We are proud to announce that we are working with&nbsp;Planet Mark&nbsp;to support our decarbonisation journey on the pathway to net zero. Through the Planet Mark Business Certification, we will be measuring and reducing our carbon footprint to ensure that we are embedding sustainability into our business practices. At&nbsp;Impellam Group, we are committed to making environmental improvements to drive a more sustainable future and to improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the communities in which we operate.

We are proud to announce that we are working with Planet Mark to support our decarbonisation journey on the pathway to net zero.

Planet Mark Partnership

We are delighted to announce that Impellam&rsquo;s UK operations are now Planet Mark Business Certified, recognising how successfully we&rsquo;re embedding sustainability into our business practices and our commitment to continuing to do so.
Impellam Group is committed to making environmental improvements to drive a more sustainable future, be a trusted partner and improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the communities in which we operate.
In November 2023, we <a href="https://www.impellam.com/insights/planet-mark-partnership">appointed environmental consultancy Planet Mark</a> to support our decarbonisation journey in the UK on the road to net zero.
With Planet Mark we are measuring our progress against UN Sustainable Development Goals with notable achievements including:
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 83% of our energy demand met by renewable energy
&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 98% of our waste recycled and composted
You can see our <a href="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/x5u5yyit9754tzqq0ub39dhyr9f4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Planet Certificate here.</a>
You can find out more about Impellam&rsquo;s Sustainability Strategy, and our partnership with Planet Mark, in our <a href="https://www.impellam.com/insights/impellam-launches-impact-report">Global Impact Report 2023</a>.

Impellam&rsquo;s UK operations are now Planet Mark Business Certified.

Planet Mark Business Certified

Queller will build a robust customer success team that enhances global to local delivery for enterprise clients
We are pleased to announce that Penny Queller has joined Impellam Group as Chief Customer Officer and will serve on the global executive team.
"Penny Queller is an exceptional human capital executive with strong professional services acumen and proven HR outsourcing credentials," said Julia Robertson, Chief Executive Officer of Impellam Group. "As a leadership team, we are looking forward to the next phase of Impellam&rsquo;s journey and we are excited that Penny will lead the Customer Office, which includes the company&rsquo;s most strategic enterprise accounts.&rdquo;
Queller brings over 25 years of strategic client experience in both technology and HR services, having worked at Adecco, Randstad, Staffing Industry Analysts, and Monster. Queller will build upon Impellam&rsquo;s focus on leveraging the organisation&rsquo;s wider Group capability, and will encourage continuous innovation to drive client and company success. The company&rsquo;s commitment to transformation will be the foundation of Queller&rsquo;s efforts as the business continues to emerge from the pandemic as a stronger, more resilient and even more customer-centric organisation.
&ldquo;Penny possesses the right combination of operations experience and passion for customer care to meet our ambitious objectives here at Impellam, and will be responsible for driving increased global market penetration and expansion. She is hugely ambitious to meet both our clients&rsquo; human capital priorities and our own. I know she will inspire our people to achieve even more,&rdquo; said Simon Blockley, CEO of Global Managed Services at Impellam.
Enthusiastic about her new position, Queller said &ldquo;Joining Impellam at a time when the talent market is experiencing a once in a lifetime strategic shift is an incredible opportunity, and I look forward to partnering with our customers to devise new and creative ways of solving their biggest workforce challenges of the future.&nbsp;I am so proud to be given the opportunity to lead our global business with a culture that is built upon our Impellam &lsquo;Virtuosos&rsquo; who make and deliver on promises and grow with their customers through sector, service, or international expansion. Impellam is a company packed with talent at all levels &ndash; and is trusted by clients to support their most important asset &ndash; their people. I look forward to working with the global Impellam team to make the most of strengthening market conditions.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

We are pleased to announce that Penny Queller has joined Impellam Group as Chief Customer Officer and will serve on the global executive team.

Penny Queller joins Impellam Group as Chief Customer Officer

We&rsquo;re thrilled that <a href="https://www.srgtalent.com/">SRG </a>has launched its annual Global Talent Trends and Insights report, in partnership with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/jobs.newscientist/">New Scientist Jobs</a>. &nbsp; Whether you&rsquo;re a business looking to attract and retain talent, or a professional hoping to find out more about STEM sector salary trends &ndash; this report is your go-to resource.&nbsp; &nbsp; Based on primary research from over 4,000 life sciences and STEM industry professionals, the report gives exclusive insights on what sparks their career ambitions, what they seek in an ideal employer, their outlook on AI&rsquo;s impact on the future of work, salary benchmarking and diversity and inclusion. &nbsp; &nbsp; Did you know:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>More than half of the UK respondents said they are likely to change jobs this year. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Female life sciences professionals in North America are moving toward closing the gender pay gap. Today it is 8% from the previous deficit of 21%. </li>
<li>Engineering scientists make the most, with an average salary of $98,720 in North America.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
To find out more and get the full insights, download the SRG reports below.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.srgtalent.com/us/salary-survey">Download the US report.</a>
<a href="https://www.srgtalent.com/global-talent-trends-and-insights-2024">Download the UK report</a>

New Global Talent Trends and Insights report launched

Happy National STEM Day! We&rsquo;re delighted to celebrate (today and every day!) the work and achievements of our experts and talent community in the ever-evolving world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). At Impellam, we&rsquo;re proud to have filled more than 26,500 STEM roles over the last year and we continue to engage with over 1 million STEM experts in our talent communities. In the UK our experts have continued to make a difference with their work to support young people getting into STEM, including working with charities like&nbsp;STEM Learning UK&rsquo;s Ambassador Program and&nbsp;MAMA.codes - Raising Digital Kids. We also working to support and encourage the growing pool of future talent through our&nbsp;STEM Council For Good&nbsp;North America programme, which provides mentorship pathways for people wanting to get into STEM. We are dedicated to breaking down barriers and unleashing the potential of our diverse and ambitious STEM candidates, helping them change lives, change businesses and change futures.

National STEM Day

<h2>We&rsquo;ve been named a Leader by Everest Group &ndash; and it&rsquo;s all down to our brands&rsquo; collaborative approach.&nbsp;</h2>
 The Everest Group PEAK Matrix&reg; is a global framework used to assess the market success and overall delivery capability of CMW/MSP and Services Procurement/SOW service providers, classifying them into three categories of Leaders, Major Contenders and Aspirants.&nbsp;&nbsp;
 The 2023 analysis for Impellam Group combined the data and capability of three of our industry-leading brands,&nbsp;Guidant Global,&nbsp;Comensura&nbsp;and&nbsp;Lorien. We were named a Leader in both categories - one of only five companies in the world to achieve this!&nbsp;
We received the following quotes from the analysts at Everest Group -&nbsp;
For our&nbsp;Contingent Workforce Management - "Impellam Group continues to demonstrate ability to address diverse contingent workforce requirements of clients spanning various industries and geographies," said Krishna Charan, Vice President, Everest Group. "Through sustained investments in emerging areas such as direct sourcing, and a deliberate emphasis on fortifying its technology stack with proprietary tools and strategic partnerships, it has solidified its positioning as a Leader on the Everest Group&rsquo;s Contingent Workforce Management (CWM) / Managed Service Provider (MSP) PEAK Matrix&reg; 2023."
For our Services Procurement and Statement of Work -"Impellam Group continues to deliver effective services procurement management solutions drawing upon its experience in catering to both transactional and strategic aspects of services procurement programs," said Krishna Charan, Vice President, Everest Group. "Its efforts to enhance client value through dedicated investments to strengthen services procurement people and technology capabilities have all contributed to its positioning as a Leader on Everest Group&rsquo;s Services Procurement / SOW PEAK Matrix&reg; 2023."
&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/5x3p6o56rus0z32fxf6ibw5g4d64" alt="Peak" width="300" height="108">
<img src="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/pjo7x4bloqacaxhb3zp9tri7kfj4" alt="Everest" width="300" height="116">
&nbsp;

We&rsquo;ve been named a Leader by  Everest Group  in two categories of the The Everest Group PEAK Matrix

Named Leader by Everest Group

Before monitoring colleagues&rsquo; productivity at work, it is important to understand whether it is necessary to implement staff monitoring, and define what you are trying to achieve. This could have both positive and negative effects on staff, and careful consideration should be taken before any form of monitoring is implemented. The idea of monitoring has led to increased privacy concerns, and ensuring you remain compliant during this process is crucial to avoid ruining your reputation as an employer.
There are various types of staff monitoring to suit different types of work environments, and the global Covid-19 pandemic has intensified this due to more people working from home. Monitoring alternatives include shadowing, getting reports from staff themselves, and reviewing random samples of work produced.
Some pros of implementing a monitoring system include providing staff the opportunity to showcase their work outputs; delivering data and information to inform accurate billing; and it could be used to track the amount of time spent on work projects. However, there are also cons to implementing a monitoring system including challenges with new software adoption and training; colleagues losing trust in their employer; and excessive monitoring negatively impacting mental health and wellbeing.
There are many important things to consider when implementing a monitoring system, such as a communications strategy to remain transparent and to keep staff fully informed; and remaining compliant by limiting access to staff data to only those necessary.
Blue Arrow is one of the UK&rsquo;s largest recruitment consultancies, placing candidates into fulfilling temporary roles within transport, logistics, call centres, hospitality, catering, manufacturing, production and Public Sector roles. Blue Arrow&rsquo;s mission is to enhance people&rsquo;s lives through the provision of fulfilling temporary work, promising to take a stand against temporary staff being commoditised.
Read more on our full list of<a href="https://www.impellam.com/about-us/our-group"> Impellam Group brands</a> and their specialist fields.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.impellam.com/contact">Contact us</a>&nbsp;to learn how we can support your business with your staffing requirements.

There are many important things to consider before monitoring productivity in the workplace

Monitoring productivity at work

According to NHS England, one in 4 adults and one in 10 children experience mental illness, and many of us know and care for people who do. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act, and also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices.1
&nbsp;
Common types of mental health problems include panic attacks, bipolar disorder, depression and eating problems.2 Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week takes place in the UK from 13 -19 May 2019 to create awareness around mental health in our communities.
&nbsp;
The theme this year is Body Image &ndash; how we think and feel about our bodies3. "All of us live with our bodies as they evolve and change. Just as all of us have a role in shaping an inclusive culture where we help others feel comfortable in their own skin."
&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s important that employers and their employees take steps to promote positive mental health and support those experiencing ill mental health.1 People that feel good about themselves often work productively, interact well with colleagues and make a valuable contribution to the workplace. A recent Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development study found, for the first time, stress is the major cause of long-term absence in workers. Promoting positive mental health in your workplace can therefore be very beneficial, and ways to promote mental health in the workplace include1:
&nbsp;
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Understanding mental health: staff supported by their employer are more likely to be able to stay in work or return to work after a period of absence, reducing long-term absences in the organisation; </li>
<li>Commit to improving mental health: employers should publicise its commitment to promoting mental health, which can start normalising the subject and encourage staff to talk to their manager and colleagues about their mental health; </li>
<li>Educate staff about mental health: train managers on how to spot ill mental health and manage someone experiencing ill mental health. Provide them with the confidence to approach matters that concern them and help them to support their team in the best possible way.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
As an international people business, we at Impellam Group have a responsibility as both an employer, and as a gateway to numerous industries, to ensure we work to embed <a href="https://www.impellam.com/edi-statement">Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&amp;I)</a>&nbsp;across our Group and the workplaces we serve across the world. We&rsquo;ve therefore created an internal EDI council that&rsquo;s open to all Impellam Group employees to be part of.
&nbsp;
Our EDI council brings our people, candidates and clients together; to realise a vision for a personal, fair and diverse collective of organisations where everyone&rsquo;s voice is heard, where everyone is represented, and where everyone - whether they&rsquo;re our people candidates or our clients &ndash; can ultimately contribute towards building better businesses.
&nbsp;
The Mental Health Foundation are hosting Mental Health Awareness Week from 13 &ndash; 19 May 2019. 
&nbsp;
Notes
1 acas.org.uk 2 mind.org.uk 3 mentalhealth.org.uk

Understanding mental health is the first step to promoting positive mental health in the workplace. If properly dealt with, overall worker absence can be reduced.

Mental Health Awareness Week

Across the world, it&rsquo;s estimated that 264 million people suffer from depression.1 Depression is one of the main causes of disability, and many who suffer from depression also suffer from symptoms of anxiety. A recent study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the world economy US$ 1 trillion every year in lost productivity at work.
World Mental Health Day on the 10th October has been created for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against the social stigma around mental health.2
Mental health disorders include a broad range of problems, and are generally characterised by some combination of abnormal emotions, thoughts, behaviour and relationships with others - most of these can be successfully treated.1 See below stats from across the world, across multiple sectors that Impellam operates in:
<img style="height: 693px; width: 921px; left: 347px; top: 270.984px;" src="-/media/0184ac96e00d47ce8cd46f2cf3a60b64.ashx?h=693&amp;w=921" alt="Mental Health at Work stats"> Last year, the 12th biennial TUC survey of workplace health and safety representative in the UK was published in the run-up to World Mental Health day. TUC general secretary, Frances O&rsquo;Grady commented: &ldquo;Employers and managers need to do more to reduce risks and provide support to employees struggling to cope.&rdquo;
Ways to create a healthy workplace environment include2:
<ol>
<li>Creating a culture of openness by encouraging people to talk about mental health;</li>
<li>Reviewing job descriptions to ensure these set out clear and realistic expectations. If not, this might be contributing to mental distress amoung people;</li>
<li>Conducting regular surveys to take a temperature check on wellbeing, and feedback results and progress to your people;</li>
<li>Ensuring line mangers spend time with their team to get to know them &ndash; this makes it easier for managers to spot when their team members are struggling uncharacteristically at work;</li>
<li>Creating an Employee Assistance Programme to provide additional support for your people if they&rsquo;re having difficulties inside or outside of the workplace.</li>
</ol>
Mental health disorders can affect everyone &ndash; no matter what sector, team or role you work in. It&rsquo;s essential that businesses promote mental health and support their people with mental disorders, in order to cope with the changing world of work. The most important assets in any business is people, which is why all Impellam people have access to an Employee Assistance Programme relevant to the region that they operate in. For further guidance on promoting mental health in the workplace, or Employee Assistance Programmes,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.impellam.com/contact">contact us.</a>
1 <a href="http://www.who.int/">www.who.int</a>
2 <a href="http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/">www.mentalhealth.org.uk</a>

Mental health issues affect everyone in all types of work

Mental Health Affecting the World of Work

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<h3 class="Paragraph SCXW136487012 BCX8" style="color: windowtext; background-color: transparent; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px;">Congratulations to&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAA6_cQB0x5V6C-G2Z1x_6ckJ_I3eNgdTKA" data-attribute-index="0" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Marie France</a>, Senior VP of Global Managed Services at Impellam NA and&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAABWo5QB-lsLg3z_5P12gPi8bxNP5oCYOtQ" data-attribute-index="2" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Danny Cohen</a>, Head of STEM, Impellam NA, who have been named &lsquo;Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion Influencers&rsquo; for 2023 by&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/staffing-industry-analysts/" data-attribute-index="4" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Staffing Industry Analysts</a>. </h3>
They have been recognised for their work and passion in advancing DE&amp;I in their communities and within our company. At&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/impellamgroup-plc/" data-attribute-index="6" data-entity-type="MINI_COMPANY">Impellam Group</a>, we believe in the power of work and we believe in the power of equity, diversity and inclusion. We&rsquo;re proud that&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAABWo5QB-lsLg3z_5P12gPi8bxNP5oCYOtQ" data-attribute-index="8" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Danny</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAA6_cQB0x5V6C-G2Z1x_6ckJ_I3eNgdTKA" data-attribute-index="10" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Marie</a>&nbsp;have been recognised for their outstanding work in DE&amp;I and they join&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAABp0GiYBGzi007lNKWU8mDxrZHwrnU8uVHs" data-attribute-index="12" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Ann Bookout</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: var(--artdeco-reset-base-margin-zero); padding: var(--artdeco-reset-base-padding-zero); border: var(--artdeco-reset-link-border-zero); text-decoration: var(--artdeco-reset-link-text-decoration-none);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAPiR5ABEnA2wlqkeO4ZezpBv0IIhZVugRI" data-attribute-index="14" data-entity-type="MINI_PROFILE">Beth Armesto</a>&nbsp;on this important list.
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Congratulations to Marie France, Senior VP of Global Managed Services at Impellam NA and Danny Cohen, Head of STEM, Impellam NA, who have been named &lsquo;Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion Influencers&rsquo; for 2023 by Staffing Industry Analysts.

Marie France and Danny Cohen named as DEI Influencers

We&rsquo;re delighted to announce that Lorien will publish its annual &lsquo;What Tech Candidates Want&rsquo; report for 2024 soon!
Based on Lorien&rsquo;s latest industry research, the report gives critical global insights into current hiring trends, what influences candidates to apply for a role, and expectations from employers
To celebrate the launch, Lorien will host an exclusive event at The Loading Bay in central London on Wednesday 24th April, specifically for business leaders and in-house HR, Talent Acquisition, IT or Procurement specialists with an interest in technology talent*.
Darren Topping, Director of Solutions &amp; Insights at Lorien, will present the findings from the in-house research and share exclusive content not available in the report.
Find out more about the upcoming launch event here - <a href="https://www.lorienglobal.com/insights/lorien-uk-release-new-what-tech-candidates-want-report-2024">https://www.lorienglobal.com/insights/lorien-uk-release-new-what-tech-candidates-want-report-2024</a>
<a href="https://www.lorienglobal.com/insights/lorien-uk-release-new-what-tech-candidates-want-report-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don&rsquo;t forget to download the free &lsquo;What Tech Candidates Want&rsquo; report from Lorien on 15th April.</a>
*Eligibility:
This event is open to business leaders and in-house HR, Talent Acquisition, IT or Procurement specialists with an interest in technology talent. All registrations will be reviewed by the Lorien and Impellam team for eligibility. If you are unsure of eligibility, please email <a href="mailto:solutions@lorienglobal.com">solutions@lorienglobal.com</a> &nbsp;to request your spot

Lorien 'What Tech Candidates Want' Launch Event

A huge congratulations to our longest serving employee Maria Lewis, for 35 years at&nbsp;Impellam Group!&nbsp;
Paul McMahon, Group Director of Operations and Transformation, commented on the occasion, "Maria celebrates her 35 years&rsquo; service this week and is now the longest serving employee at Impellam which is truly amazing. Maria&rsquo;s many years of service are a true testimony of her dedication and commitment to the organization,&nbsp; Thank you for your hard work and dedication over the last 35 years and a big congratulations for achieving such a significant milestone".
We couldn&rsquo;t be more thankful and proud of her dedication and work with us, over all these years - she is a true OG Virtuoso!&nbsp;

A huge congratulations to our longest serving employee Maria Lewis, for 35 years at Impellam Group!

Longest serving employee

A lack of technical expertise has fuelled skills shortages across the UK for the last two decades, according to analysis of the professional jobs market by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).
APSCo cited a 1999 report from the University College London which found that 47% of all &lsquo;skill-shortage vacancies&rsquo; that year could be attributed to a lack of technical expertise.
Meanwhile, current research from The Edge Foundation suggests that around half of all employers (51%) have been forced to leave a role open because there are no suitable candidates available, and that tech job vacancies are costing the UK economy &pound;63 billion a year. LinkedIn data indicates that cloud and distributed computing is the most valued skill among employers, with user interface design, SEO/SEM marketing and mobile development also featuring in the top 10.
Ann Swain, Chief Executive of APSCo, commented, &ldquo;While the specific skills that employers are seeking have changed dramatically over the past two decades, the fact that talent gaps continue to be aligned with technical competencies suggests that we need to do more to boost Britain&rsquo;s digital capabilities.&rdquo;
&ldquo;However, perhaps more importantly, we must pipeline the calibre and volume of skills we need for the future so that we break free from this perpetual skills shortage,&rdquo; Swain said. &ldquo;As this data indicates, for the past 20 years we have been playing catch-up &ndash; and we must break the cycle if individual businesses, and the wider UK economy, are to fulfil their full potential.&rdquo;
The Apprenticeship Levy &ndash; introduced by the UK government to encourage greater investment in work-based training &ndash; hopes to reduce the skills shortage in the UK.
Impellam Group is an accredited Apprenticeship training provider across multiple sectors, including; Aeronautical Engineering, Management, Warehousing, Hospitality, Customer Service and Recruitment.
&ldquo;We work with awarding bodies such as City and Guilds, NCFE, Skills First, CMI and the REC to deliver nationally recognised courses with industry specific qualifications. All of our Apprenticeship standards are bespoke to the client we work with and the learner completing the course. Our unique blend of delivery incorporates digital, 121 and classroom teaching methods with cutting edge technology. We&rsquo;ve helped our clients retain their existing talent, recruit a new wave of candidates, and up-skill candidates that have since been promoted to more senior roles within their companies. Apprenticeships are a great way of succession planning - meaning clients don&rsquo;t have to recruit from competitors, they just make their best - better!&rdquo; &ndash; Matt Bungay, Impellam Group Director of Apprenticeships.
We also believe that managers make the difference. In 2017, the Impellam Virtuoso programme came into being, recognising that it is <a href="~/link.aspx?_id=060F08323E9345A49278CC2895CDCAA0&amp;_z=z">our managers who make the difference</a>&nbsp;in building trust, relationships and better futures for our clients and candidates. Since the launch, around 400 managers have experienced the programme.
Jill Thornton, Director of Group Talent, explained: &ldquo;The Virtuoso programme alters perspectives, helps our people to think laterally, and brings about a shift in mindsets to truly unlock potential.&rdquo; Therefore, the more people that we have focused on embedding a culture of Virtuosity, founded on making and keeping promises to our customers, candidates and each other, the more robust our portfolio of businesses will be to face changing markets and ongoing uncertainty.
Looking forward, we anticipate continued market and technological disruption. On an ongoing basis, our management teams discuss and review market conditions and sales and account management pipelines in order to withstand challenging market conditions.

A lack of technical expertise has fuelled skills shortages across the UK for the last two decades, and the need for advanced IT skills is responsible for 31% of vacancies

Lack of Technical Expertise Has Fuelled Skills Shortage

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<h1 class="blog-article-hero-title">Karina Townley named APSCo Leader</h1>
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Congratulations to our UK Managing Director of&nbsp;Guidant Global,&nbsp;Karina Townley, who has been named as&nbsp;APSCo&nbsp;OutSource Leader of the Year at the APSCO OutSource Awards for Excellence 2023!&nbsp; The award recognises a member who has demonstrated great leadership skills and qualities in motivating and inspiring their teams.&nbsp; We&rsquo;re so proud of Karina for being recognised for her incredible leadership and work for our colleagues and clients!&nbsp;
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UK Managing Director of Guidant Global, Karina Townley, who has been named as APSCo OutSource Leader of the Year at the APSCO OutSource Awards for Excellence 2023!

Karina Townley named APSCo Leader

We launched the first of our #Reignite themed events on International Women&rsquo;s Day (IWD) in March.
We have chosen the #Reignite theme for our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion events this year because we believe that, by giving meaning to our lives, we can #Reignite our energy after a challenging few years.
For IWD, we heard from acclaimed author and speaker Emily Esfahani Smith on how to create a meaningful life through the four pillars of purpose, belonging, transcendence and storytelling. We also explored the #BreakTheBias theme in panel discussions and groups across the world.
Ann Bookout, Head of Culture and Fulfilment at Impellam Group, said: &ldquo;IWD is a moment to unify and uplift our people through belonging and finding purpose as we work towards equity for our people, with our customers and within our communities.&rdquo;
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International Women&rsquo;s Day events #Reignite our people

International Women’s Day events #Reignite our people

<blockquote>"Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back"</blockquote>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &ndash; Anonymous 
We at Impellam Group are proud to be one of only a few companies with a female CEO. In addition, 26% and 57% of our Senior Leadership Team and Board members are female respectively.
Women tend to be great leaders as they generally value work-life balance, are empathetic, they are great listeners, they are good at multi-tasking, and most importantly &ndash; they tend to make their job look effortless.
Julia Robertson was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of the Impellam Group in April 2013 after joining Tate in 1996, which was later acquired to form part of what is now the Impellam Group. Under Julia&rsquo;s leadership, Impellam has grown to become the 2nd largest staffing business in the UK and the 6th largest managed services provider worldwide.
Julia leads by example, and has had an impressive career in recruitment. She&rsquo;s always challenging the ways that the Group does recruitment, and that when done well, we are able to change our candidates&rsquo; lives for the better, also helping our clients&rsquo; businesses to thrive. To prove her quality leadership skills, Julia received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Recruitment Professionals &ndash; go Julia!
In addition to Julia, North America CEO, Claire Marsh, CEO of STEM UK, Kelly Morton and Group General Counsel, Rebecca Watson are all more examples of exceptional female leaders at Impellam Group. By having these female leaders lead us, it inspires our other female employees, clients and candidates to know that if they work hard enough, they too can lead a team, a division or even an entire company. &nbsp;&nbsp;
International Women&rsquo;s Day is celebrated every year on the 8th March to promote world gender equality, however we believe that it should be celebrated every day. The theme for 2019 is #BalanceforBetter, which promotes the idea that a more gender-balanced world is a better world.
Did you know - according to a Skills, Competencies and Gender research study by the Institute for Employment Studies, men are likely to undervalue social skills and interaction with clients and customers, which women stress as important. This relates to a growing trend that we have seen &ndash; lower-skilled jobs are decreasing in significance and numbers; where roles that require relationship building skills are increasing. This is a great example of why a gender-balanced world that offers women equal opportunities benefits the workplace.
We therefore encourage all businesses to continue to invest in their female employees and candidates, as women possess certain traits that will ultimately grow your business. On the other side of the spectrum, we continuously encourage and support our female Impellam employees and candidates to have confidence in themselves to demonstrate what they can deliver, as we provide equal platforms and opportunities for both men and women at Impellam. Read more on our <a href="https://www.impellam.com/edi-statement">ED&amp;I statement.</a>

Impellam Group is one of only a few companies with a female CEO. Women possess certain traits that make them great leaders in the workplace.

International Women's Day - Celebrating our Female-led Company

<h3>Happy International Women&rsquo;s Day!</h3>
Today (and every-day!) we&rsquo;re celebrating our incredible women across Impellam Group. Our employee-led IMWomxn Business Resource Group chose Ginnette Harvey&nbsp;to share a talk on &lsquo;negotiating for self&rsquo; to help empower and celebrate all those who identify as women. At Impellam, we are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse culture built on trust.&nbsp; Our actions are driven by our understanding that equity and equality mean different things for different people in different parts of the world.&nbsp; We are proud to be working in partnership with our colleagues, our clients and our communities towards a more inclusive society.

Happy International Women's Day! Happy International Women&rsquo;s Day! Today (and every-day!) we&rsquo;re celebrating our incredible women across Impellam Group.

International Women's Day 2023

Happy International Women&rsquo;s Day! Today (and every day) we celebrate the diverse and extraordinary contributions of women across Impellam Group, including our colleagues, clients and candidates. This year&rsquo;s International Women&rsquo;s Day theme is&nbsp;#InspireInclusion. At Impellam, we&rsquo;re committed to creating an inclusive and diverse culture built on trust. Watch our video on what International Women&rsquo;s Day means to our people, who inspires them and how we can support and amplify women&rsquo;s perspectives and their experiences in our work.
<a class="primaryBtn" href="https://youtu.be/7jMuqIFFbhg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch our video here</a>

International Women's Day

Managers who invest energy and time into delivering clear lines of communication will build trust with their teams, ultimately leading to increased productivity and team morale.
With up to 40% of the global workforce now contingent, it&rsquo;s important to acknowledge and effectively communicate with temporary workforces like permanent staff. It takes specific skills to listen effectively, including listening with an open mind, not interrupting and picking up on non-verbal clues.
Careful consideration should be also be given to creating an effective employee feedback process&nbsp;so that it&rsquo;s deployed as part of a wider engagement strategy.
There's also a full blog from Blue Arrow on <a href="http://www.bluearrow.co.uk/latest-blogs-improving-productivity/how-listening-to-your-temporary-workforce-can-increase-productivity">how to listen to your temporary workforce,. </a>Blue Arrow is one of the UK&rsquo;s largest recruitment consultancies, placing candidates into fulfilling temporary roles within transport, logistics, call centres, hospitality, catering, manufacturing, production and Public Sector roles.&nbsp;
To learn more about the <a href="https://www.impellam.com/about-us/our-group">benefits of employee engagement</a> for busines.

Delivering clear lines of communication will build trust with temporary workforces

Increasing workforce productivity through listening

An organisation of Impellam&rsquo;s scale touches many lives and communities. We work in 76 locations across the world, dealing with thousands of clients and candidates daily, both as part of the working world and their wider lives. We encourage our people to use their talents to give back to those communities, whether it&rsquo;s hosting bake sales to running marathons, wrapping Christmas presents, growing moustaches for Movember or playing endurance&nbsp;golf.
People across the Group come together in response to events that touch the lives of our colleagues, clients and candidates. For example, following hurricane Harvey about a year and a half ago, Impellam launched a global fundraising campaign for the US&rsquo; Houston Hurricane Relief fund, and Bartech Staffing organised a rapid response in sourcing 3,000 call centre operators for the &lsquo;Texans Helping Texans&rsquo; hurricane Harvey relief response.
Our people support causes that matter to them personally. Examples of this are SRG spending a day answering calls to take donations for the &lsquo;Backpack Buddies Mediathon and food drive&rsquo;, collecting and donating food to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in Raleigh, North Carolina, which provides healthy meals to those in need. Career Teachers raised around &pound;100 through a bake sale at the office for comic relief recently for Red Nose Day and Blue Arrow&rsquo;s 65 branches fundraised locally for Mind UK, the Scottish Association of Mental Health, and Aspire (Ireland and Northern Ireland).
&ldquo;The team loves getting involved in charity fund raising because it&rsquo;s rewarding, it&rsquo;s fun and brings us together. We collectively feel we are making a difference (even if it&rsquo;s small!) and if it helps someone out that needs it &ndash; then why not! I believe all companies should get involved in raising money for charities or sponsored events as it is very fulfilling and it personally makes me feel good to be able to contribute and give back to certain projects.&rdquo; &ndash; Digital Marketing Executive at Career Teachers.
A further aspect of our <a href="https://www.impellam.com/about-us/esg">corporate social responsibility (CSR)</a>&nbsp;work is building a trusted, sustainable supply chain. Bartech Staffing, our US specialist staffing brand, works with small, medium-sized (SME) recruitment businesses to fulfil specialist roles required by clients. Recognising the importance of working within a thriving and diverse business community, Bartech Staffing set up the &lsquo;Diversity Delivers&rsquo; initiative. On this two-year programme, small businesses owned by minorities and veterans are offered executive level coaching to help them expand their business. They also have access to an annual supplier summit that helps them partner with others to further realise their ambitions. Monthly check in calls and quarterly business reviews with Bartech Staffing&rsquo;s experienced team help to turn coaching into business action. When a community is strong, a business has a strong base of clients and candidates to work with. Giving back to communities can also be seen as a form of business networking.* Volunteering in your local communities is a great way to build relationships, network and create brand awareness. Whether your business donates in the form of money or volunteering time, it increases your business&rsquo; visibility in a positive way and provides a human face to a business.
Research has previously shown that community involvement is important to some people.* This may be the deciding factor for candidates when considering working for your business. This attitude is particularly prominent amongst millennials, who form a large part of today&rsquo;s workforce.
At Impellam, we are part of communities all over the world and it is our responsibility to be an active corporate citizen in all areas that we operate in. In order to live up to our vision of becoming the world&rsquo;s most trusted staffing company, we&rsquo;ll continue to create business initiatives like the Bartech Staffing's &lsquo;Diversity Delivers&rsquo; initiative that invests time, skills and money to create positive impacts in our local communities. Our people also are encouraged to get involved in initiatives that make a difference, which in turn provides fulfilment and a sense of purpose for our people and help our customers build better businesses in a changing world. Notes *Duct Tape Marketing: ducttapemarketing.com

With the theme for 2019 being #HappierTogether, it&rsquo;s important for us to provide fulfilment and a sense of purpose for our people, and help customers build better businesses in today&rsquo;s changing world

Importance of Bringing Happiness to our Local Communities

Our agile, innovative staffing solutions and commitment to providing fulfilling work for our candidates help us to build better businesses for our clients in a changing world.
Our culture is grounded in trust, the golden thread that runs through all our managed workforce and specialist staffing brands. We build trust by making and keeping promises. We do exactly what we say we&rsquo;re going to do. We make and keep promises to deliver better results and experiences to our customers, candidates, employees and investors.
We are trusted to partner with clients to build better businesses, improve the lives through decent work, and support economic growth in a transformative age.
We support our people to deliver on their promises through the Virtuoso Programme. The Impellam Virtuoso programme provides the tools that enable our people to make bold, transformational promises to help build better businesses in a changing world.
&nbsp;
Being an Impellam Virtuoso means being trusted to tune in to clients by asking the right questions to create better dialogue. Impellam Virtuosos make the right promises that lead innovative solutions.
&nbsp;
Bash Shah is a National Account Manager for Blue Arrow and a Virtuoso manager, inspired through the Virtuoso Programme to relentlessly drive positive change across his clients&rsquo; business.
&ldquo;My bold promise to my client and to Impellam focuses on growing my client account to an annual spend over &pound;20 million by January 2020&rdquo;, explains Bash.
&ldquo;As a result of the Virtuoso programme, I approach every conversation actively looking to understand what more I can do to improve my clients&rsquo; business and deliver on my bold promise.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been provided with the tools to leverage conversations to uncover real challenges, develop close relationships with my clients, and inspire all stakeholders to work collaboratively to address and deliver what needs to happen to help the clients build truly better businesses.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Close client partnerships and mutual trust mean my clients and my team have the confidence to declare exactly what we want to achieve, make bold promises, and hold each other accountable to these promises.&rdquo;
&ldquo;As a specialist Virtuoso, I&rsquo;m persistent and less inclined to just accept the way my clients have historically done things if it doesn&rsquo;t help towards building better businesses. The Virtuoso programme has made me more resilient, tenacious, and determined to be trusted in everything I do for my clients.&rdquo;
&ldquo;To me, being a Virtuoso is about always looking at what&rsquo;s next; identifying what&rsquo;s missing that would help to build a better business for my clients. I&rsquo;ve evolved into a better leader, one that inspires others to do better. The Virtuoso programme really shifts mindsets from being reactive to being more innovative and inspirational.&rdquo;
We now have over 400 Virtuoso managers across Impellam, all inspiring teams to tune in to customers and continue providing fulfilling work to build better businesses in a changing world.
Click <a href="~/link.aspx?_id=BCB273B142144D85AAB61772A5ED2DA8&amp;_z=z">here</a>&nbsp;to learn more about our Virtuoso culture.

Our Impellam Virtuoso programme inspires our managers to make the right promises that lead innovative solutions

Impellam Virtuosos Build Better Businesses in a Changing World

At Impellam Group, we have a proud heritage of supporting the military community and the broader defence sector. We have a talented and ever-growing community from the Armed forces in our Group, and a dedicated employee-led Business Resource Group, IM Military, for our veterans.
Earlier this month, IM Military, organised an event for our signing of the UK Armed Forces Covenant. We are proud to have formally signed, showing our commitment to continue to support the Armed Forces Community.
Simon Blockley, CEO of Global Managed Services, said of the signing, &lsquo;At a brand level, Carbon60, Lorien, Comensura and Guidant Global are already signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant. By elevating this support to the group level, we will be able to have a bigger impact on the Military community through a louder unified Impellam voice. Not only ensuring Impellam supports and treats the Armed Forces community with fairness and respect but by influencing our extensive client base to do the same.&rsquo;
At Impellam we are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse culture built on trust. We look forward to building on our support as a Group and providing greater impact on the Armed Forces Community.

At Impellam Group, we have a proud heritage of supporting the military community and the broader defence sector.

Impellam signs Armed Forces Covenant

<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Danny Cohen to lead STEM human capital solutions delivered in Lorien, SRG, and Bartech across North America as Managing Director of the STEM portfolio</li>
<li>Tracy Monsour appointed SVP, Marketing, North America in newly developed US-based marketing function</li>
<li>Impellam North America has been recognized by Forbes in the categories for Best Executive, Professional, and Temporary Recruitment Firms, among only 22 of 455 companies to have ranked on all three lists.</li>
</ul>
We are delighted to&nbsp;announce today the appointment of Danny Cohen as Managing Director, STEM, North America and Tracy Monsour as SVP, Marketing, North America. Cohen and Monsour both report into Claire Marsh, CEO, Impellam, North America.
Cohen has direct oversight and is responsible for driving strategy across the Impellam STEM portfolio, including the Lorien, SRG, and Bartech divisions, working closely with the respective brand presidents.
Monsour leads marketing and communication activities across all Impellam brands in the US and Canada, including Bartech, Corestaff, Lorien, and SRG.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a really exciting time for Danny and Tracy to join Impellam, as they&rsquo;ll play integral roles in the ongoing, rapid growth of our business in North America,&rdquo; commented Claire Marsh, CEO, North America, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re also honored to be one of a very select few companies recognized by Forbes as leaders in executive, professional, and temporary recruitment. Our reputation is set to continue to rise with the appointment of Danny and Tracy. Recruiting two people of their stature demonstrates the magnitude of our ambition and our commitment to delivering excellence across all areas of our business. We have a world-class leadership team in place, and I can&rsquo;t wait to see what we can deliver together for our clients and candidates.&rdquo;
Danny Cohen, Managing Director, STEM North America, &ldquo;I am thrilled to join Impellam. Community is important to me, and in Impellam I have found a community of like-minded people enthusiasts who embrace originality, agility, and doing the right thing. A great passion of mine is in finding pathways for everyone into the STEM industry and I&rsquo;m delighted this ethos is shared by Claire and our team.&rdquo;
Tracy Monsour, SVP, Marketing, North America added, &ldquo;Impellam has some of the most respected staffing brands in the market, and I am proud to work for a company that puts trust and people at the heart of everything they do. The leadership team values creativity and collaboration, so I am looking forward to working together to deliver bold new campaigns for our brands.&rdquo;
The news of Cohen and Monsour&rsquo;s appointments follows the recent announcement that Ann Bookout has joined as Global Head of Culture and Fulfillment for Impellam Group.
NOTES
Danny Cohen
Cohen started his career&nbsp;in&nbsp;recruitment in&nbsp;Europe over&nbsp;20&nbsp;years ago, working via&nbsp;many specialist brands within the&nbsp;SThree&nbsp;Group.&nbsp;He moved to Amsterdam in 2005 eventually leading all STEM contract brands across Benelux and France before relocating to the&nbsp;US where he was promoted to&nbsp;Computer Futures&rsquo;&nbsp;Head of&nbsp;Americas.&nbsp;Away from his day job,&nbsp;Cohen&nbsp;sits on a&nbsp;number of&nbsp;diversity&nbsp;and&nbsp;tech&nbsp;boards; he is the co-founder of&nbsp;Breaking&nbsp;the&nbsp;Glass,&nbsp;a leading&nbsp;professional program for&nbsp;women&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;tech community&nbsp;and their allies;&nbsp;and board member at both 50/50 Women Board and the San Diego Tech Hub,&nbsp;a&nbsp;partnership to help under-served and under-represented communities get jobs in&nbsp;technology.
Tracy Monsour
Monsour has significant executive experience in the field of marketing and communications. She has spent most of her career working in and around the human capital industry and has a passion for developing and mentoring young professionals. She started her career working for Bernard Hodes Group and during that 15+ year tenure, rose to SVP and co-head of national sales; and later held roles in TMP Worldwide (now Radancy) and most recently in Randstad. At Randstad she rose to become the Global Head of Content, Thought Leadership and Enterprise Insights where she headed a team that was responsible for driving share of voice for the company across all relevant media platforms, with a focus on engaging enterprise client companies. Monsour was also instrumental in developing the women&rsquo;s mentorship program for Randstad that fosters and develops early-to-mid career women in achieving professional growth and fulfillment.

Impellam has announced today the appointment of Danny Cohen as Managing Director, STEM, North America and Tracy Monsour as SVP, Marketing, North America. Cohen and Monsour both report into Claire Marsh, CEO, Impellam, North America.

Impellam North America announces executive hires and prestigious Forbes recognition

We&rsquo;re thrilled to announce&nbsp;the launch of the Impellam Global Impact Report.&nbsp;
Our mission is to be the world&rsquo;s most trusted workforce and STEM solutions group.
Increasingly people are looking to businesses to lead the way on economic, environmental and social&nbsp;sustainability. As a purpose-led,&nbsp;connected business we&rsquo;re uniquely placed to help build better businesses and help people lead more fulfilling lives through the power of work.&nbsp;
We have created the Impact Report to highlight our&nbsp;social impact, and our CSR and sustainability strategies, to demonstrate how we can help your&nbsp;journey.&nbsp;
The report showcases how we&rsquo;re helping to create inclusive and welcoming workplaces by removing barriers to employment, and how we are providing life-changing opportunities for our candidates.&nbsp;
We share our wellbeing, social purpose and ED&amp;I initiatives and are transparent about our journey to Net Zero.
The report shares strategy and inspiration for how, together, we can change businesses, change lives and change futures.
<a href="https://cdn.sourceflow.co.uk/afvwuv0ikywlcwrcon0nwq2lf8oi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download and read our Impact Report</a>
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Impellam's Global Impact Report, spotlighting ED&amp;I, CSR and Sustainability has launched.

Prison Collaboration Day

Insights to drive workforce performance

Future-proof your business