Helping your business to thrive in 2024

Happy New Year!

Hopefully, the festive season brought a chance to see friends and family, and to re-set after a long year. Success in 2023 took hard graft - but it was fantastic to see how recruiters stepped up.

As we look to 2024, cautious optimism is justified. Our Jobs Outlook shows clients' confidence around hiring increasing. We're seeing inflation stabilising - which should also lead to lower interest rates later in the year. And our annual Recruitment Industry Status Report, published just before Christmas, left us in no doubt that recruitment is a vibrant and robust professional service.

Yet, it's also set to be a year of uncertainty, with clients still under pressure, a General Election, international instability, and new technology reshaping how we work every day. In this fast-changing market, a strong support, voice and guide is essential for any business. The REC is here to be that for you, this year.

Last Autumn, the REC Board reviewed our strategy for the next five years. Given all the change we are seeing, the timing could not have been better. From this January, we are focusing on three clear priorities.

1. Helping your business to thrive with leading-edge advice and services

The REC is your organisation - owned by you and run in your interest. Last year, we invested in bringing you the latest industry insights - including the latest technology developments through 'Tech-enabled humanity' and our groundbreaking guide to inclusive recruitment.

This year we have even more in the pipeline, including new resources to help you explain the market and the value of recruiters to your clients coming over the next few weeks! There's more to follow, as we invest in new forms of support for your business. From international work, to advice on practical issues like prompt payment, the REC will be on the case in 2024!

But we know the REC isn't only about what our team do for you. The power of any organisation like the REC is in the network of members and the advice and support we give each other. Last year, we saw a significant return to in-person discussions; from regional meetings, to our Greg Savage masterclasses and the fabulous REC Awards. This year, I am pleased to say we are doubling down! We've upped the number of events we run outside London by 50%, and we are hosting our first major in-person conference since the pandemic - #RECLive24. Save the date right now - June 25th - for a great day of provocation, insight and analysis about the future challenges and opportunities your business has.

2. Shaping the debate on work

This is almost certainly a General Election year. Political parties make numerous pledges that may or may not see the light of day, but a new Government always brings change. We know we will need to champion the role of the temporary, flexible labour market. Not every politician sees the value to workers of what the industry does - whether that is the important role temping can play in supporting workers, or the fantastic work on inclusion done by so many in the permanent market. Within the next couple of weeks, you'll see the REC's manifesto which will signpost the core priorities for any future government around the labour market. There will also be specific editions for each devolved nation.

There is a lot to do to educate the Labour Party, in particular, about the economic and social value that our sector delivers. From the right to request predictable terms & conditions, to building sustainability into public sector agency work markets - we are ready to make sure that happens. One of our big campaign pieces this year will promote the "voice of the temp", setting out why flexibility works for workers. Watch this space!

3. Extending the professionalism of our industry

We also know resilience and professionalism are fundamental to long-term success for our individual businesses and for the sector as a whole. We will be investing in greater visibility for the REC Code of Conduct and Professional Standards Committee - so that your membership stands for the professionalism you bring. Last year, 40 members were expelled for failing to meet compliance expectations. That remains core to what the REC is.

But professionalism is more than setting expectations. We need to support you. That's why we're launching new training this spring to back up the advice on inclusion we launched last autumn. And we'll be investing more in both our qualifications and professional pathway to help you and your business develop in the right way.

An exciting year ahead

As always, I would be interested to hear your feedback on all of this. We must always shape what we do based on your priorities. And I want to emphasise that all this compliments the core services that you have always received, such as our legal helpline and market-leading contracts and resources (have you had a look at our new legal templates yet? They've been updated in line with the new holiday pay regulations).

Whatever lies ahead, we can be sure that this year will have a few surprises up its sleeve.  But you can rest assured that the REC is here to support you.

All the best to you, and your business, for 2024!

Neil