Employers prepare for scrapping of DRA

Organisations across the UK are gearing up for a major change to employment legislation tomorrow (October 1st), when the Default Retirement Age is scrapped.

It will mean that companies no longer have the ability to force workers over the age of 65 to retire and will have a significant impact on the country's labour market, according to Age UK's director of charity, Michelle Mitchell.

She explained that people in sales jobs and other roles who are able to make a valuable contribution past the age of 65 will now be able to do so without fear of being forced to give up their job.

Ms Mitchell noted: "With an ageing population, traditional rigid ideas about retirement are changing. Many people will want to work longer for personal or financial reasons and prejudice should not lock them out of the workplace."

She added that the government must now continue to work with employers and trade groups to highlight the benefits of hiring older workers.

The implementation of the legislation comes on the same day that Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) are introduced, which will provide agency staff with many of the benefits offered to permanent workers after 12 weeks' employment with the same organisation.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

UK firms plan to maintain or increase pay

An increasing number of UK workers are planning to maintain or increase the amount that workers are paid in the coming months, according to a new report.

A survey of HR professionals carried out by Incomes Data found that over half are intending to award staff the same level of pay in 2012 as they did in 2011, while almost a third indicated that they will increase salary for staff.

Only 13 per cent reported that they would make a lower award in 2012, with workers in the manufacturing industry set to receive the most substantial increase, on average.

Ken Mulkearn, editor of the IDS Pay Report, which collects and analyses the data for IDSPay.co.uk, said that at a time when the economic backdrop is challenging, ways of using reward to stimulate employees will gain in importance.

"While some firms may be able to award increases in line with inflation, most will have to be inventive in designing reward packages that achieve the aim of recruiting, retaining and motivating staff," he added.

A Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development poll of 2,000 workers found that 54 per cent of staff say that their main reason for wanting to change jobs is to boost their salary and benefits, with just 42 per cent wanting to improving job satisfaction.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Work experience ‘is vital’ for university students

People at university can significantly increase their employment prospects by gaining as much work experience as they can, one expert has pointed out.

Dan Hawes, co-founder of the Graduate Recruitment Bureau, said that the workload many students have means it is hard to get experience of the working world while at university, but the effort is worth it when it comes to gaining a graduate role.

He explained that any kind of experience in the field they choose to move into will set them part from other candidates for sales jobs or whatever they choose to go into after university.

The expert advised: "At the very least, certainly during a vacation and summer time is a real opportunity to get some experience that is going to look good on your CV".

If necessary, people should volunteer so they at least have something tangible on their CV which can highlight their skills and abilities and suitability for a role, Mr Hawes added.

Recently, Stephen Hoare, writing for the Independent, said that people who fail to add something unique to their CV are unlikely to stand out and may therefore be hampering their recruitment prospects.

For some of the best CV advice and tips visit the career tools section ofwww.aaronwallis.co.uk. Stacked with hints, tips and advice the Aaron Wallis career tools section is the right solution for you.

Posted by Richard Esquilant

AWR ‘will benefit hundreds of thousands of agency workers’

Hundreds of thousands of agency workers in the UK, including those in sales jobs are set to benefit from the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) when the legislation is implemented, which is great news for the entire jobs market, it has been claimed.

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said the new rights are an "important step forward" in helping the UK's agency workers get a fairer deal at work.

Under the new legislation, after 12 weeks in the same role with the same hirer, the law will require agency staff to receive equal pay for the job they do and to receive some of the same rights as permanent staff working alongside them.

"Recruiting and treating our agency workers fairly will make them more motivated and more loyal to the companies they work for, which will benefit employers and make temping a more attractive option for working people," Mr Barber added.

Meanwhile, the number of companies calling the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's Legal Helpline ahead of the introduction of Agency Workers Regulations next week has also increased significantly, the body recently revealed.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

AWR advice calls increase

The number of companies calling the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC's) Legal Helpline ahead of the introduction of Agency Workers Regulations next week has increased significantly in the last few days, the body has revealed.

October 1st is the date when the legislation will officially be implemented, and the impending event is forcing many companies to seek guidance to ensure they are ticking all the boxes when it comes to taking on new staff, including sales recruitment candidates.

Commenting on the increase in calls, Steve Othen, the REC's head of inbound, said it is a "real positive" that members are doing their best to prepare themselves for AWR.

"July to August stats rose by around 500 queries and we are looking at a similar increase in August to September. To ensure that we can support the need of our membership, we have added two additional advisors to our current Helpline team," he added.

A recent survey carried out by the REC found that 83 per cent of companies say their use of agency workers will either grow or stay the same over the coming year, compared to 80 per cent in July.

Additionally, just 42 per cent of employers are not planning to make any significant changes to the way they manage and use agency workers, down from the 46 per cent earlier in the summer.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Employee grievances ‘must be acknowledged’

Managers have been urged to acknowledge any issues raised by their staff if they are to promote a happy working environment and ensure productivity.

Helen Wright, marketing and communications manager at the Great Place to Work Institute UK, noted that managers who address any employee grievances in the workplace can ensure a "top-down approach" to more productive and content staff.

She said that the key things that organisations need to recognise and understand is the importance of trust in the workplace, which encompasses a number of values such as credibility, respect and fairness.

If there is trust in the workplace, it is more likely that employees will feel more supported, motivated and committed, the expert explained, adding that they are more likely to take pride in what they do, enjoy working with their colleagues and ultimately enjoy their jobs.

"This has a positive impact on both the individual's job and personal satisfaction and the organisation, [resulting in] less turnover of staff, less absenteeism, lower staff costs and consequently higher output, better business performance and business reputation.

It comes after Ashley Ward, director at European Leaders, said the 'happiness index' of the people that work in an organisation is "incredibly important", noting that a worrying number of organisations are currently neglecting to ensure that their staff are content.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Richard Esquilant  

Staff training ‘luring people away from university’

The prospect of increased levels of staff training is proving increasingly attractive to would-be university students, it has been claimed.

A new report carried out by the British Retail Consortium shows that retailers are investing an average of £1,275 per employee in training each year – reflecting a wider trend across many UK sectors.

This, in turn, is making the world of work an increasingly tempting alternative to university, said BRC director general Stephen Robertson.

He noted that young people worried about building up "huge debts" may want to move into employment positions, including sales jobs, which give access to training and personal development and are funded by their employer, while also providing a salary.

That option is getting more attractive all the time. There must be an end to the snobbery about workplace qualifications," Mr Robertson added.

It comes after Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, recently said it is vital that UK businesses boost their efforts to take on young staff and train them to help drive the country's economic and business recovery.

Based in Milton Keynes, Aaron Wallis are a recruitment and sales training business committed to sales excellence.

Posted by Wayne Bly

Regulation reduction ‘would enable economic growth’

A reduction in the regulatory burden facing the country's manufacturers is vital if the sector is to contribute towards economic growth, it has been claimed.

That is the message from EEF – the manufacturers' organisation, which has claimed that many companies are being held back from growth due to the amount of red tape surrounding the hiring of news staff.

EEF director of policy Steve Radley said the government has set out the right ambitions to reduce the burden of regulation and its approach has the potential to deliver it, but industry is now looking to see the new approach deliver "real change".

"With major new measures such as the new national pension savings scheme in the pipeline for next year, the government needs to set out plans for where it can reduce the burden on employers," he explained.

Mr Radley added that, as employers are also about to face costs from implementing the Agency Workers Directive, the coalition needs to show strong leadership in Europe and change a culture which is "still reaching for the regulatory trigger" as a first, rather than last, resort.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Demand for agency workers ‘is robust’

The demand for agency workers in the UK is robust at the moment, with companies committed to taking on temporary staff following the introduction of Agency Workers Regulations next month.

A new study by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) shows that 22 per cent of employers expect to increase the number of temporary workers within their workforce over the next three months.

In addition, 61 per cent plan to keep their agency workforce at the same level, which is four percentage points higher than last month.

The longer-term outlook for agency worker use is also positive, with the number of companies planning to maintain or increase their use of temporary staff over the next year standing at 86 per cent.

Roger Tweedy, the REC's director of research, said the figures show a "complex picture" emerging among employers and their hiring intentions.

"Yet, despite the imminent introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations, employers are still looking to build flexibility into their workforces while an overall air of uncertainty prevails in the jobs market," he added.

Aaron Wallis are a Milton Keynes Sales Recruitment agency with a unique service offering that includes 12 months rebate. Psychometric profiling and online skills testing are also included within a fixed recruitment price.

Posted by Richard Esquilant 

Firms ‘need to focus on retaining customers’

Companies need to do all they can to boost customer loyalty and improve client retention in the coming months in order to maintain economic recovery, it has been claimed.

Bruce Temkin, former Forrester Research principal analyst and author of the Temkin Group report titled Customer Experience Correlates to Loyalty, said that the economic downturn has changed the game as far as attracting and retaining customers is concerned.

As a result, managers need to ensure that those in sales jobs are doing all they can to keep hold of exiting clients and attract new ones, he suggested.

"If firms lose pace with competitors' customer experience, they may end up attenuating the negative impact of the economic downturn," Mr Temkin added.

Recently, Antony Wroe, chair of REC Sales & Retail, said that with the global marketplace becoming ever more competitive and with customers becoming increasingly savvy over their buying decisions, today's sales personnel must have "considerable skills and expertise" to fulfil the job title of sales professional.

Aaron Wallis are a Milton Keynes Sales Recruitment agency with a unique service offering that includes 12 months rebate. Psychometric profiling and online skills testing are also included within a fixed recruitment price.

Posted by Richard Esquilant

Private sector interim manager demand ‘has returned’

The use of interim managers in the private sector has returned to the levels registered before the onset of the economic downturn, according to the latest report.

Data published by the Interim Management Association (IMA) shows that the private/public gap has widened "significantly" in the past 12 months, with 61 per cent of interim managers being employed in the private sphere, compared with a 50/50 split in 2009.

Jason Atkinson, chair of the IMA and managing director of Russam GMS, said there are a number of influencing factors to be taken into account, such as the flexibility in uncertain times that interim sales managers and other leaders can provide.

"Clearly, we welcome the buoyancy that we are seeing in the private sector when it comes to deploying interim assignments and believe it is indicative of how companies are using specialist resource to help them drive economic recovery," he added.

Meanwhile, UK workers would prefer it if there were more female managers in the UK, according to a new study carried out by Randstad.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak

Coaching and motivation ‘the key to business development’

The key to boosting business development in UK organisations is though an increased focus on the coaching and motivation of workers, it has been claimed.

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 77 per cent of organisations are currently employing coaching techniques to motivate and engage staff, including those in sales jobs.

This is a fall on the 90 per cent recorded in 2009, though seven in ten companies have reported that they have either maintained or increased investment in coaching in the last year.

Overall, 67 per cent of firms are focusing on developing skills and competence and 54 per cent on supporting career transition.

Dr John McGurk, adviser in learning and talent at the CIPD, said the report demonstrates the value of coaching, and the need to use it to improve performance and build capability.

"Although budgets remain tight it is encouraging to see that a relatively small number of organisations report decreases in their coaching budgets, compared to the number reporting decreases in overall funding," he added.

Based in Milton Keynes, Aaron Wallis are a recruitment and sales training business committed to sales excellence.

Posted by Nikki Barrister 

Younger staff ‘more likely to pull a sickie’

Younger members of staff are far more likely to call in sick for work despite not being ill, according to a new report revealing workers' attitudes throughout the UK.

According to the data published by Kronos, an average of UK, 43 per cent of adults admitted to calling in sick when they were not, though this figure rises to 65 per cent in the 16 to 24 age group and just 25 per cent in the 55 to 64 demographic.

Of those who had falsely claimed to be ill, the main reasons for doing so were stress, having to look after a sick child, having too heavy a workload and running out of paid leave.

Simon MacPherson, senior director of operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Kronos, said the survey provides a "fascinating look" at the issue of absenteeism both in the UK and around the world.

"Employers everywhere can learn from this survey - about the problem of absenteeism and the possible fixes - from providing more flexible working arrangements to enabling employees to work from home," he added.

However, according to a recent XpertHR survey, there has been a gradual reduction in absence levels since 2006, with an average of four per cent of working time being lost five years ago, to just 2.8 per cent last year.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keen your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Richard Esquilant  

Employees demand more female managers

UK workers would prefer it if there were more female managers in the UK, according to a new study carried out by Randstad.

The poll of British staff found that more than a third of them think that the performance of their organisation would improve if it had more female senior managers.

Other results from the study showed that 15 per cent more workers said they personally would rather have a man as their immediate boss than a woman, while only 27 per cent of female respondents said they preferred to work with other women, compared with 39 per cent of men.

Mark Bull, chief executive of Randstad UK and Middle-East, said the survey shows just how complex gender dynamics in the workplace can be.

"On the one hand people are eager to see more senior female figureheads and believe that this would make a key difference to company performance. Yet on a day-to-day level, the old stereotypes about preferring to work for a man seem to be holding sway," he added.

Mr Bull said that while the battle of acceptability amongst female employees is starting to be won, it seems that UK firms have overlooked the fact that some men in particular feel there is a "stigma" attached to their desire for flexible work patterns.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak

Keeping workers happy ‘is incredibly important’

Although it seems obvious that a happy workforce is the key to success, a worrying number of organisations are neglecting to ensure that their staff are content and, as a result, this is hampering productivity, one expert has pointed out.

Ashley Ward, director at European Leaders, said the 'happiness index' of the people that work in an organisation is "incredibly important".

He said this is not simply a matter of providing workers with freebies, but rather showing a vested interest in their everyday working lives, as well as addressing any issues they may rise.

"It is about inclusion and transparency and creating an environment in which people know what their individual success looks like, where people work in ways where they understand what the critical thing is that they have to get done to determine the success of the business," Mr Ward added.

Recently, Bar Huberman, employment law editor at XpertHR, said the determining factor in the success of any staff member's career is their relationship with their line manager.

She explained that some managers are currently having problems changing their management style from micro-management to trusting and having confidence in their employee.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Nikki Barrister 

Looking for a new job ‘can be daunting’

Recruitment candidates looking for role may find the experience is rather daunting, but there is help at hand for people who are struggling to adapt to the process, it has been observed.

A spokesperson for Jobsite.co.uk said that sales recruitment candidates and other applicants on the hunt for new roles can find it to be a daunting experience, even if they are already employed, given the sheer wealth of opportunities but, equally, the competition for places.

"We asked over 5,000 workers about job hunting and revealed that 52 per cent hate looking for a new job. They find it time-consuming and frustrating and would rather stay in a job where they're unhappy than face looking for a new one," the representative explained.

They added that people should seek out the help of a recruitment agency which can provide people with the help they need to apply for the job, progress through the interview stage and eventually.

Recently, Kirsty Burgess from Reabur.com said that job candidates and other applicants need to forget about any previous negative experiences they may have had in interviews and adopt a fresh mindset.

Aaron Wallis offers one of the largest resources of interview advice and career tools available to UK jobseekers.

Posted by John Oak

Recruiters urged not to neglect disabled workers

The country's recruitment agencies have been urged not to "cast aside" disabled job candidates when looking to fill skilled roles, or risk losing the business of large clients.

That was the message emanating from an event taking place in London this week featuring major UK employers BT and Eon, in which the vital role that disabled workers can play was acknowledged, the Recruiter reported.

According to the two organisations, many recruitment agencies currently have excellent track records when it comes to finding opportunities for disabled candidates, though there are some who fail to adequately support qualified disabled candidates to progress in job applications.

According to recent research results, almost three-quarters of disabled candidates would not tell recruiters about their disabilities as they feared it would have a negative impact on their application.

Caroline Waters, director for people and policy at BT, told the Recruiter that agencies and fellow employers need to "make no mistake" when it comes to eliminating barriers to employment for disabled candidates, as this will ultimately "create a real competitive advantage".

Aaron Wallis are a Milton Keynes Sales Recruitment agency with a unique service offering that includes 12 months rebate. Psychometric profiling and online skills testing are also included within a fixed recruitment price.

Posted by Wayne Bly

Workers switching sectors ‘need to be realistic’

Public sector workers making the switch to the private sector as a result of government spending cuts need to be realistic about the kind of benefits and perks they will receive, it has been claimed.

Nicola Linkleter, managing director at Badenoch & Clark, said that the influx of former public sector staff to the private sphere will undoubtedly see many workers expecting conditions to be the same.

Her comments follow research carried out by her organisation, which noted that 55 per cent of private sector staff are opposed to strikes by public sector staff over changes to their pension packages, with 15 per cent saying the industrial action is an "unnecessary inconvenience".

Ms Linkleter stated: "While the public sector react to cuts in their benefits packages, our research suggests that the private sector still believes they get a comparatively good deal and therefore shouldn't be kicking up a fuss."

She added that former public sector workers who are seeking work in the private sector will need to be realistic about the level of benefits they will be able to receive.

It comes after research by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals into the most common employee benefits offered to UK staff found that found that 85 per cent of employers offer pension schemes, making it the most frequently offered benefit.

For all of the latest sales industry news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK’s most inclusive sales recruitment service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly

Demand for flexible working ‘is changing the jobs market’

The UK employment market is being shaped by the demand for flexibility from younger workers, it has been claimed.

Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said there is a "growing aspiration for more flexible working" as young people enter the employment market with different views to the traditional 9 to 5 office-based job.

This desire is likely to create "huge issues" for employers in the near future, however, not just in terms of attracting sales recruitment candidates, but also retaining them.

"Employers are going to have to think about how they engage people, how they employ them, the different types of contractual relationships they put in place, and how they retain that talent going forward," Mr Green said.

It comes after a survey by Mom Corps found that 42 per cent of working adults are willing to give up some percentage of their salary for more flexibility at work.

The survey found that working men (12 per cent) are twice as likely as working women to say they would be willing to give up more than ten per cent of their salary to receive more flexibility.

For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis Sales Recruitment provide all of the latest news in the UK sales industry to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For sales manager jobs and unique sales recruitment services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.

Posted by Nikki Barrister

Every interview ‘should be approached like the first’

People applying for a job should enter every interview like it is the first they have ever had, according to one expert.

Kirsty Burgess from Reabur.com said that sales recruitment candidates and other applicants need to forget about any previous negative experiences they may have had in interviews and adopt a fresh mindset.

She explained that, while nobody likes rejection and it can be very difficult to remain positive, this is the best way of achieving recruitment success.

"A negative approach to job hunting and a negative self-perception will be seen by employers, and means that chances of success are further reduced," Ms Burgess explained.

She added that it is therefore "vital" that jobseekers approach each and every job application and interview as if it is the first.

Tony Roy, president of CareerBuilder EMEA, recently said that modern employers are evaluating "the whole package" during job interviews, with non-verbal cues from job candidates being very influential on the recruitment decision.

Aaron Wallis offers one of the largest resources of interview advice and career tools available to UK jobseekers.

Posted by John Oak