Let's Build the Best Recruitment Industry in the World

Here we are at the start of 2016 with a great year behind us. The big question is: how can we build on what we achieved in the last 12 months?

The UK recruitment industry is larger than ever before at £31.5bn. That's a whopping £4.5bn bigger than our pre-recession peak of £27bn. Margins improved across the whole industry last year, with permanent hires constituting the most significant rise. Last year we got better as well as bigger: more staff were trained, a greater number of qualifications were taken, over 600 apprentices were hired and less complaints were received. 

In 2016 we will have the opportunity to transform our profession’s reputation by demonstrating the value we add to clients, candidates and the economy as a whole. The REC has a huge role to play in this quest but we can't do it alone. We need you, our members, to become more vocal and speak up about what the industry does.

Firstly, we need you to demonstrate that your business is fully compliant by passing our tougher online compliance test. This shows to clients, government and the media that the REC badge is a true mark of compliance. We also want more members to strive to achieve our gold standard REC Audited. If we want to be recognised as part of the professional services sector we need to start behaving more like lawyers, accountants and HR professionals - we need to up our game.

One way that you can help to do this is by becoming an advocate for the Institution of Recruitment Professionals (IRP) and help more of your people become qualified. This will show not only that your business is compliant, but also that your staff are professionally recognised. Now, when I talk about the IRP and qualifications members often tell me that this is just about the REC making money - so let me reassure you that any revenue we make above our costs is either reinvested in member services or remains on our balance sheet for the long-term benefit of the industry.

We must talk about compliance and qualifications whenever we can. For you, this may be in client tenders, in pitches and sales meetings, when interviewing candidates and just as importantly when talking to the trade, local or national media.

This government is taking our successful and dynamic labour market for granted. In 2016 you will see the REC continuing to fight recruitment’s corner, be that on taxation policy, the wage cap on NHS agency staff, or the introduction of new conduct regulations. We speak on behalf of the whole industry, not just an isolated part of our profession. Recruiters make a difference to people's lives: we help businesses get the skills and talent they need and we make our jobs market work. If we have compliant professional businesses in REC membership it strengthens our voice and enables us to talk with more authority and credibility.

We forecast growth of over 8 per cent this year, taking us beyond £34bn in sales. While the commercial opportunities are significant we must take the opportunity to invest in our people and the recruitment profession.

I will be travelling around the UK this year hosting ‘Scale Up In The Round’ events and I am always keen to visit member businesses and to talk to your staff or clients - just get in contact. Also don't forget to follow me on twitter @kevingreenrec or on linkedin. 

So together let's make 2016 the year when recruitment is recognised as a true profession.