Charterhouse News

October 2011 – Major Changes in Legislation

October will see the biggest change to temporary worker employment legislation in over 20 years with the introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations.

In addition, there is another rise to the National Minimum Wage.

Both pieces of law come into effect on 1st October and we are keen to support clients in implementing these with minimum business impact.

Our teams are fully trained in legislative compliance and we work alongside the REC to ensure that we are giving our clients the most up to date support and guidance as possible.

If you would like further information on the Agency Workers Regulations, we have a number of free tools to support your business – please contact jonathan.spooner@charterhouserecruitment.co.uk or call 0113 242 5599 for further details.

Agency Worker Regulations Seminar with Eversheds a success

Charterhouse recently hosted a successful Agency Worker Regulations seminar in partnership with Eversheds. The informative, free event was well attended with over 80 clients coming to our first meeting in Leeds.

Future road show events are scheduled for York on 8th June and Hull on 6th July.

The speakers at the event were Paul Ball, who is an Employment Law Associate at Eversheds, and Charterhouse MD, Abigail Simpson.

The event covered an overview of the Regulations, how it may impact on client businesses and how Charterhouse can assist in smooth transition to the new law which comes into effect from 1st October 2011.

If you would like to speak to one of our AWR “champions”, please call your local office or email jonathan.spooner@charterhouserecruitment.co.uk, who will arrange to come and meet with you to discuss any concerns you may have.

We also have limited spaces available on the York and Hull meetings, please email Jonathan if you would like to attend.

Charterhouse Corporate!

Out of the recession a new division is born!

Welcome Charterhouse Corporate!

During the economic downturn it is no surprise that the recruitment industry has gone through a whirlwind of change, learns and transformation. As the country was feeling the pinch so did recruiters, with only business critical appointments being made, costs scrutinised and competition fierce.

During this time the team at Charterhouse focused on what we do best, asking our clients what they wanted and needed to support their business?

It became clear that our clients felt quality and service were getting lost by a number of our competitors; especially in disciplines outside of our Accountancy and Business Support service provision

Our key clients wanted the same level of consultancy and Charterhouse service for Marketing executives, Buyers, HR Managers, Supply chain planners…..

So we started talking to the candidates and we were shocked at how few options candidates had if they wanted to work with regional specialist recruiters and how few consultancies have Yorkshire offices. This begged the question “where can candidates meet their consultants and get 1-2-1 service?”

To begin with the Business Support team serviced key accounts in these areas but as the economy improved so did the demand for Corporate and Commercial appointments.

In January 2011 following a recruitment drive we grew and restructured our teams and Charterhouse Corporate became its own division, solely focusing on HR, Purchasing & Marketing recruitment. We have already started to make a name for ourselves having successes with major FMCG clients and Yorkshire Manufacturers and hope to see a big push on branding lead to wider market share.

So what can you expect from the Corporate Division this year?

The answer is A LOT!

Tania Garstang MIRP DipRP
Corporate Development Consultant

Email: tania.garstang@charterhouserecruitment.co.uk
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/taniagarstang

Free seminars on the Agency Workers Directive

Charterhouse Recruitment Ltd will be hosting a series of seminars on the Agency Workers Directive which comes into effect on October 1st this year, in partnership with Eversheds law firm.

These events will be free, informative seminars designed to assist employers with managing temporary workers under the new legislation and how Charterhouse can assist planning for any changes.

The meetings will be 8.00am – 11.30am including free hot breakfast and networking opportunity. The meetings will be held in Leeds on May 4th, York on June 8th and Hull on July 6th.

Please call Jonathan Spooner on 01904 629 009 to book a place or email jonathan.spooner@charterhouserecruitment.co.uk.

Charterhouse Recruitment in Hull moves on up!

We are celebrating our successful 3rd year in East Yorkshire by expanding our team and a new office in Hull city centre. Our new office is on Princes Dock Street, opposite Princes Quay Shopping Centre in the City. It will enable us to offer a broader range of services to clients and candidates, including a dedicated in house Skills Training and Assessment area and private meeting rooms.

Since opening our dedicated Hull branch on 1st December 2007, our team have handled vacancies at all levels, including:

- Accounts Support, Purchase and Sales Ledger Clerks and Credit Controllers
- Bookkeepers
- Part and fully qualified Accountants
- Finance Supervisors and Managers
- HR Administrators, Advisors and Managers
- Project Managers, Buyers and support staff

We have placed over 200 local professionals in that time, working with employers to help attract and retain the best possible staff which in turn helps with the regeneration of the area.

Kate van der Sluis, Charterhouse Manager in Hull and the team are thrilled to have been welcomed to the region as an alternative to existing suppliers by local businesses. “We are fortunate to have been given the opportunity to prove the level of our service by global and smaller players in Hull, Beverley, Grimsby and North Lincolnshire – it’s a great region to live and work in”, she commented.

Abigail Simpson, MD, commented “We have invested in new offices to support our existing client base and to enable us to maximise the opportunities in the region. We are fully committed to the regeneration of the area and providing a first class service to employers and candidates”.

Charterhouse have just expanded our own team with the addition of Helen Wilkinson, who joins to provide recruitment & administration support. We are actively looking for an experienced consultant. For more information, please contact Charterhouse today:

Kate van der Sluis – Manager
Anna Walker – Recruitment Consultant
Helen Wilkinson – Recruitment Support

Charterhouse Recruitment
26 Princes Dock Street
Hull
HU1 2JX

Telephone: 01482 333 555
Fax: 01482 333 556
Email: hull@charterhouserecruitment.co.uk

Charterhouse South Africa 2010 Fifa World Cup Draw – The Results!

Here at Charterhouse we decided to get in to the World Cup spirit by pairing all 32 teams with 32 of our clients across each of our three offices in Leeds, York and Hull.

As we all know, England unfortunately were not destined to win this time round, however that didn’t stop us from celebrating and handing out some great prizes to our lucky winners!

The lucky winners from our Head Office in Leeds:

Michelle Baxendale at NG Baileys was paired with Spain and has resulted in winning a fabulous day at the races of her choice!

Liz Goodman at Grontmij was paired with the Netherlands and as our runner up, has won a lovely bottle of bubbly!

Unfortunately Rob Ormiston at Grontmij was paired with unlucky North Korea, however he has won the fabulous prize of a wooden spoon!

The lucky winners for our York office:

Sue Morgan at Close Motor Finance who was paired with Spain and as our winner has won a great day out at the races of her choice!

Helen Williams at Cellhire is the runner up as she was paired with the Netherlands and has won a lovely bottle of champers!

The lucky winners for our Hull office:

The winner for our Hull office was Kevin Dean who is the Divisional Director of Finance of Arco Ltd, he has won a day out at Beverley Races – good luck with those nags on Monday Kevin!

Dave Barber who is the Finance Director of Ideal Standard Ltd has won a delightful bottle of champagne!

Sorry to Chris Tripp, Financial Director of Weedfree for your wooden spoon prize We’ll try for a better team for you next time Chris!

Congratulations and enjoy!

We are now a Buying Solutions supplier!

Buying Solutions is an Executive Agency of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in HM Treasury. The primary role of Buying Solutions is to maximise the value for money obtained by Government departments and other public bodies through the procurement and supply of goods and services, including temporary and permanent staff. Find out more on the buying solutions website: www.buyingsolutions.gov.uk

Charterhouse Recruitment Ltd is a recognised supplier under the Buying Solutions Non-Medical, Non-Clinical Resources Framework Agreement for temporary staff in the Yorkshire and Humber region. We have a track record in successfully filling niche roles in Finance, Accountancy, HR and Procurement.

As a result of being one of the few specialist recruiters on the framework, we can give you access to opportunities like these, at all levels within central and local government, the NHS and other public sector organisations across the region. Many of the organisations that use the framework are amongst the top employers in the UK.

For information about the opportunities available through Buying Solutions, please contact a member of our temporary specialist recruitment teams:
Leeds – 0113 242 5599
York – 01904 629 009
Hull – 01482 333 555

Or search www.charterhousercruitment.co.uk for public sector, NHS, civil service and government jobs

Charterhouse Raise over £1000 for Charity in the Jane Tomlinson Leeds 10K 2009

Team Charterhouse took part in the 2009 10K ‘Run for All’ event on 21st June. The event had around 11,000 people participating of all abilities raising money for charity. It was a fantastic event with a great atmosphere, both an uplifting and emotional event with lots of people taking part to make a difference to the lives of others, many of whom have been personally affected by a loss of a loved one.
Between those of us at Charterhouse who took part we are proud to have raised over £1000 for various Charities including:
Yorkshire Cancer Research
St Gemma’s Hospice
The Dog’s Trust
Macmillan Cancer
Jane Tomlinson’s children and cancer charities.

Well done to everyone that took part and a big Thank You to all those that supported and sponsored us – lets aim for even more in 2010!!

Is the recession universally bad news? By Abigail Simpson , MD of Charterhouse

“Is the recession universally bad news?” is a question that we have been thinking about quite a bit here at Charterhouse.

It’s certainly true that the fall into this Global Recession has been quicker, steeper, deeper and lasted longer than most people were predicting 12 – 18 months ago. One only has to look at GDP statistics for the major economies of the world, levels of unemployment, stock market capitalisations and pretty much any other indicator that you care to choose, to see the negative impacts. But is there some small crumb of comfort that we can take from reviewing the past?

The most obvious comparison is the depression of the 1930’s. This was truly monumental in its severity starting as it did on October 29, 1929 or “Black Tuesday”. The depression had devastating effects in virtually every country, rich or poor. International trade plunged by half to two-thirds, as did personal income, tax revenue, prices and profits.

However, there were upsides despite, or indeed because of, this collapse. Many companies came through the whole process fitter and stronger and with the added advantage of having some of their competitors disappear! There were many innovators and entrepreneurs who were ‘kick started’ into following through on their ideas due to circumstances. Some very famous names made their money during the Depression era. In Kentucky, a grandfather, called Colonel Sanders, started serving fried chicken at his petrol station and we all know to where that led. Also, two young electrical engineering graduates stared business in a rented garage during the 1930s. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard officially became business partners in 1939 with $538 in investment money; again, great things were to follow.

It is an odd fact that actually more Americans became millionaires during this time than in any other time in their history. Opportunities, that were not present during the 1920s economic boom times, suddenly became available. An Economic Downturn can often be a good time to start a business. It was these ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’ Great Depression entrepreneurs that made the best of the crisis to provide a service, or product, for new markets.

There is also a related question as to what distinguished successful existing companies from their competition. Frequently they were the companies that kept their name in front of the public and created brand name recognition even during the worst of times. Companies like Kelloggs and Chevrolet, both of whom were struggling against larger competition at the time. However a confident belief in their product coupled with a brave stance on advertising led to them weathering the storm in significantly better shape than others. The other sort of businesses that fared well were the ones whose debt levels were manageable (or indeed zero) and whose operations were run under constant scrutiny. Smart companies had used the boom years of the 1920’s to eliminate debt and build a ‘war-chest’ for expansion – usually of less well prepared competitors. This was to prove to be a successful strategy.

The harsh environment of the 1930s rewarded tight ships, strong brand management and the accumulation of small advantages, oh…and people willing to strike out on their own.

YORKSHIRE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

YORKSHIRE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

Following lots of requests from clients, we are launching the 1/4ly newsletter that will keep you up to date with enlightening stories, amidst all the negative press, to demonstrate that Yorkshire Business community is still showing signs of opportunities and growth.
We aim to provide as much positive news as possible from the Region. We are not oblivious to the fact that times are tough, but equally if everyone in business adopted a negative attitude then we might as well all pack up, go home and shut the door until the recession is over! As a region we are fighting back!
Clients have requested a newsletter that provides the good news stories with the headlines they deserve, although there are many sad stories during the recession, it’s as important to shout about the GOOD news stories and they do actually exist.

Law Firm creates new opportunities
DWF continues to grow and move towards its target of a top 30 Law Firm various opportunities are available in the Leeds office including Debt Recovery, Finance Litigation and Private Client. DWF is able to offer structured career progression, negotiability on salary and competitive internal benefits for the right candidates.

Yorkshire Engineering consultancy – Grontmij
Grontmij whose headquarters are in Yorkshire are confident about the future after reporting positive annual figures. They have acquired three businesses over the past year and as part of its growth strategy will expand its services the company can offer. The group has 350 staff in the Chapel Allerton area in Leeds.
Operating profit was £2.5 Million to £7.4m. Projects include work to upgrade the A80 in Glasgow, preparatory work for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland and a major redevelopment of the Gypsy Lane Campus at Oxford Brookes University.

NEW HOTEL – LEEDS CITY CENTRE
Plans have been released for a £31m new 4* hotel in Leeds city centre which will be one of the largest of its type in the city. The 14-storey, 244 bedroom Portland Crescent Hotel is being developed by Oxford GB on land owned by Leeds City Council next to Leeds Metropolitan University’s new Rose Bowl building and close to the site of the new Leeds Arena.

LLOYDS BANKING GROUP EXPANDS
Lloyds Banking Group is looking to expands it operations in 2009. The bank opened a new office in Sheffield last year and has expanded its team across the region from 9 to 28 people. They have pledged that expansion will continue opening new offices.

MORRISONS – 13% RISE IN ANNUAL PROFITS
Morrisons have revealed 13% in annual profits beating analysts’ forecasts. Morrisons, which serves around 10m customers a week and is the UK’s 4th largest supermarket business, is paying a total dividend for the year up 21% at 5.8p. Over 9 new stores opened over the year, and has seen a further 55,000 customers a week. Over the year Morrisons also completed its stores and brand rebrand, as well as opening a new abattoir, extending its vegetable pack-house and starting work on a regional distribution centre.

100 jobs created whilst Manor Park development in Old Malton gets started
The £5m Manor Park development in Old Malton, North Yorkshire has started its work by Redworth who believe 100 jobs will be created during is it constructions. Manor Park is office development in 5 buildings and cover 27,000sq ft. There will be a demand for local sub-contractors to work at Manor Park. They will need painters, decorators, plumbers, groundworkers, electricians, plasterers and general labourers.

City of York – TOP 50 towns creating new businesses.
The City of York has leapt up the league table of the top 50 UK towns and cities creating new businesses. Research by York-based accountancy firm UHY Calvert Smith showed that the historic city from 32nd to 16th place. Leeds was also highly placed reaching 12th with an average 11 businesses per 10,000 residents. Bradford was 16th with a net of 10 firms while Hull fell in 32nd place with a net average of six

'Its The Economy Stupid!' - Kate Walker - Manager Charterhouse Hull

Charterhouse has recently produced a quarterly update on job market. The state of the UK economy is all over the news, of course, but perhaps more important to all of us is what’s happening in this region.

And it’s not all doom and gloom!

• The latest figures from Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce’s Quarterly Economic Survey show that 15% of companies have experienced increased domestic sales in Q4 2008, with 11% of companies reporting an increase in export orders, no doubt boosted by the weak price of Sterling. Similarly, Leeds Chamber Members reported a rise in service sector overseas sales of 4%.

• Despite the media frenzy and headlines, 44% of companies in our region reported that their workforce will increase or stay the same over the next 3 months.

• 22% of companies expect their turnover to improve with 13% expecting profitability to rise over the same period.

The cities of Leeds, York and Hull have robust and diverse economies. There is no doubt that some sectors will feel the crunch more than others, but as a region we don’t suffer from the same highs and lows of financial ‘super-centres’ in the South and South-East.

Charterhouse is seeing the trickle down effect of the current climate, but companies are still recruiting! More buoyant sectors include Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare, Public Services and Energy/Utilities and we are lucky to have major players in all 3 sectors in this region.

Within the Finance Division, Cash control and cost control are more important than ever to our clients, which means the best candidates who can demonstrate expertise in these areas are in demand now more than ever.

For both Finance and Office support roles, Interim and temporary vacancies are taking up the slack where companies can’t offer permanent roles. It is becoming an ‘Employer’s market’ more so than in recent times, but candidates who demonstrate strong skills and are flexible on location can still find the best roles.

For more information on this report and the opportunities open to you as an employer or candidate, contact Charterhouse on 0113 242 55 99, York 01904 629009 or Hull on 01482 333 555.

Yorkshires Finest Business Awards

Charterhouse Recruitment were proud to be part of this years “Yorkshire Finest Business Awards” and entered into 2 categories; Best Team and Best Recruitment Consultant.

The Best Recruitment Consultant award went to Holly Arden, one of Charterhouse Senior Consultants who runs the Junior Industry Temporary desk, who said she was “ecstatic” to win. She said: “It’s a great achievement and it’s great for the company. I do it very much for the business as well as for myself.”
Charterhouse Recruitment was also runner up in the Best Team Award, which was a huge achievement.

The elated winners of the third annual Yorkshire Post Newspapers Recruitment Awards were revealed by Carol Scott, head of member presentation at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REDC) at the Hilton Hotel in Leeds.
Hundreds of guests attended the star-studded bash and were treated to a three-course dinner before the ceremony, which aims to recognise the work of Yorkshire’s recruitment and advertising agencies.

Hosted by Yorkshire Post Newspaper’s commercial director Mike Pennington, winners were announced in 10 different categories, including Best Recruitment Website, Best Recruitment Consultant, Rising Star and Best Recruitment Advert.
The glittering event also raised £1,000 for Amy and Friends, which helps children across the UK.
Congratulations Holly, we are very proud of you and thank you to all who work at Charterhouse, everyone has their part to play in the success of the business. Well done!

Charterhouse celebrate 10 years in business

Charterhouse are pleased to celebrate their 10 year anniversary in September of this year. We decided to celebrate the anniversary by rewarding all our staff with a lavish “night to remember”.

Charterhouse value their employees and understand that recognising staff for their continued hard work and dedication is paramount. Charterhouse would not be as successful as we are today if it wasn’t for our people, we understand that people are the key to the success of any business, which is why we chose to reward them like we did.

All staff were able to have an early finish on the Friday – and headed to a surprise location which was a luxury hotel and spa on the outskirts of Leeds. The theme they had been told was “Chicago”. Everyone arrived in their flapper dresses and gangster suits to be met by actors who relived a “murder mystery”. A 3 course meal followed in between scenes of the murder where all staff were encouraged to take part. Working in teams across the offices helped colleagues to get to know one another better and ensured that they had a good opportunity to work with people they wouldn’t normally get exposure to. A disco followed taking the employees into the night.

The following day was started with delicious breakfast and then a day in the spa, using all facilities including, sauna, Jacuzzi, steam room and swimming pool, enjoying a relaxing day.

Charterhouse decided to reward and recognise their staff in times of recession to ensure they are still motivated to deliver the high quality service we have come to expect to both candidates and clients alike.

National Temp Week

Our latest Charity Event has been a SOARING success!

As part of National Temp Week this June we invited our temps and clients to join us for a Balloon Launch in aid of our charity of the year, Yorkshire Cancer Research. As well as the launch, we had a buffet in our Leeds and York branches and awarded champagne and certificates as prizes to our most valued temps as nominated by our clients.

The furthest travelling balloon flew all the way to Inverness, Scotland, meaning a donation of £300 to our company charity.

Our “Charity of the Year” is Yorkshire Cancer Research, which funds research into the cause and cure of cancer and as a Yorkshire based company, this is close to all our hearts.

Abigail Simpson, MD comments, " the evening was a great success and really highlighted the hard work the temporary staff do and the value they add to many of our clients’ organisations".

As 2008 is our 10th Anniversary, we intend to hold further charity and fundraising events in the months to come…