Managers ‘granting workers more flexibility’

The UK's managers are increasingly allowing their staff more flexibility in their working lives and are also more tolerant of their behaviour in the workplace, according to a new survey.

A new poll commissioned by Vodafone reveals that 70 per cent of UK managers think that the idea of the nine to five working is dying out, while nine out of ten enable their staff to work flexibly to some extent, rather than expecting them to stick rigidly to traditional working hours.

Meanwhile, six out of ten managers said that they did not mind staff doing personal things such as phoning family members or checking their social networking accounts in the office, as long as they get their work done.

Peter Kelly, enterprise director at Vodafone UK, said the research shows that a "cultural shift" has started, with bosses realising that successful businesses must focus on generating results, not on monitoring what employees do at their desks.

"A new generation of workers is coming through the ranks. They prefer fitting work around their lives rather than the other way around. People don't mind doing some work in the evening or at the weekend, but expect bosses to cut them some slack," he added.

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

Employers ‘very keen’ to see work experience

Employers are always keen to see examples of work experience on the CVs of job candidates, but it is surprising how many people omit this information from their resume, one expert has stated.

Jo Barnard, director of Quest Professional, employers have always placed an emphasis on previous work experience when looking to recruit, but it is arguably more important than ever in the current economic climate with competition for jobs so high.

She explained that, going forward, it is going to be important that people have some form of practical experience that shows they have taken responsibility on their CV, even if it is unpaid work.

"Employers do look for it, it gives them the comfort zone that somebody has been prepared to go out and find voluntary work, and find work experience. I think that shows they have been prepared to give up their time," the expert explained.

She described work experience as a "valuable tool" when assessing someone, and also for a young person to skill-sample an industry before being offered employment.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for universitiesnet.com recently said if people have taken time out after university for a gap year spent travelling or volunteering, they should not feel the pressure to brush over this period on their CV, but rather see it as an opportunity to enhance it.

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

Posted by Nikki Barrister 

Govt’s AWR pledge ‘good news for recruiters’

The government's pledge to reduce the amount of bureaucracy firms encounter when complying with Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) will be good news for the country's recruiters, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

Last week, business secretary Vince Cable made a commitment to evaluate the administrative implications of the AWR within the next 18 months.

He noted that "flexible labour markets are an "essential" component of a successful economy and said it is vital that they function in a way that employers "have the confidence to take on new workers and create new jobs".

Responding to Mr Cable's speech, Gillian Econopouly, the REC's head of policy, said the commitment to identify and address unnecessary bureaucracy around AWR implementation is "good news".

"We have agreed to provide the government with regular member feedback, starting with our first post-AWR meeting with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills this week," she added.

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 

Govt’s AWR pledge ‘good news for recruiters’

The government's pledge to reduce the amount of bureaucracy firms encounter when complying with Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) will be good news for the country's recruiters, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

Last week, business secretary Vince Cable made a commitment to evaluate the administrative implications of the AWR within the next 18 months.

He noted that "flexible labour markets are an "essential" component of a successful economy and said it is vital that they function in a way that employers "have the confidence to take on new workers and create new jobs".

Responding to Mr Cable's speech, Gillian Econopouly, the REC's head of policy, said the commitment to identify and address unnecessary bureaucracy around AWR implementation is "good news".

"We have agreed to provide the government with regular member feedback, starting with our first post-AWR meeting with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills this week," she added.

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 

28% of over-50s set to work past retirement age

Some 6.1 million people over the age of 50 expect to work past the current state retirement age, according to a new poll, representing 28 per cent of this demographic.

Figures compiled by LV following a poll of thousands of workers found that one in five over-50s expect to work for at least a decade past the current state retirement age, with affordability cited as the key reason.

A further 11 per cent want to delay taking out their pension in the hope its value will increase over time, while 37 per cent of those planning to work beyond state retirement age would do so because they enjoyed the job.

Ray Chinn, LV head of pensions, said: "The trend of people retiring well into their 60s, or even their 70s, has been increasing slowly over the last few years, and we're likely to see this increase further."

According to a recent global survey from Mercer, older members of staff are less likely to be satisfied with their jobs than younger workers, yet also less likely to leave their current role.

Aaron Wallis offer hundreds of sales jobs together with some of the most comprehensive sales tips and career advice available to UK salesjobseekers. Achieve the sales career you deserve.

Posted by Wayne Bly

28% of over-50s set to work past retirement age

Some 6.1 million people over the age of 50 expect to work past the current state retirement age, according to a new poll, representing 28 per cent of this demographic.

Figures compiled by LV following a poll of thousands of workers found that one in five over-50s expect to work for at least a decade past the current state retirement age, with affordability cited as the key reason.

A further 11 per cent want to delay taking out their pension in the hope its value will increase over time, while 37 per cent of those planning to work beyond state retirement age would do so because they enjoyed the job.

Ray Chinn, LV head of pensions, said: "The trend of people retiring well into their 60s, or even their 70s, has been increasing slowly over the last few years, and we're likely to see this increase further."

According to a recent global survey from Mercer, older members of staff are less likely to be satisfied with their jobs than younger workers, yet also less likely to leave their current role.

Aaron Wallis offer hundreds of sales jobs together with some of the most comprehensive sales tips and career advice available to UK salesjobseekers. Achieve the sales career you deserve.

Posted by Wayne Bly

British youths ‘to be given hope for their futures’

More focus is being put on getting young people in the UK into employment, under a new government strategy.

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has unveiled the youth contract scheme, which will operate over the next three years.

The plan will see £1 billion being provided to employers across the country so that they can supply work and training placements to those between 18 and 24 years old.

Up to 160,000 youths are set to benefit from the strategy, in which each business will be able to take advantage of subsidies worth £2,275 in order to bring young people into the workplace for six months at a time.

Commenting on the new youth contract scheme, Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It provides hope to the many, many young people who, at the moment, are feeling, very anxious and uncertain about their future."

News of the strategy follows on from the release of statistics by the Department for Education, which revealed that the number of youths in the UK not in education, employment or training has now topped a record high of 1.16 million.

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

Posted by Wayne Bly
 

Self-employment ‘an attractive option for Brits’

People who are finding it difficult to secure a full-time job have been advised on how going into self-employment could be a beneficial choice.

Dr Dianne Bown-Wilson, small business advisor and age management specialist at in my prime, pointed out that the economic woes have meant jobs are in short supply.

As a result, travelling down the self-employment route has become much more of an "attractive choice" for those still searching for work.

"There are a number of advantages to setting up in business when times are hard, including the fact that it is possible to win business on a strategy of offering lower prices and a better and more flexible level of service in comparison to larger competitors," Ms Bown-Wilson explained.

Furthermore, the expert believes that the recent recession and economic troubles has helped in making people more innovative in the business sphere.

When it comes to keeping morale up in a workplace at a time where pay rises are not an option, a study by People 1st Training Company and ICM Research found that 66 per cent of workers would be grateful if their employer offered training and career development opportunities.

For free information on sales industry trends sign up to the free Aaron Wallis fortnightly newsletter.

Posted by John Oak
 

Offer training opportunities ‘to enhance workplace morale’

Training and career development could be used by employers to keep those in sales jobs and other areas of work happy.

A new study carried out by the People 1st Training Company and ICM Research showed that 66 per cent of staff would feel better about their line of work if such options were on offer to them.

Furthermore, almost two-thirds (60 per cent) of respondents to the survey acknowledged that they would feel less inclined to look elsewhere for a job if career development opportunities and training seminars were put in place at their current employer.

More than half (53 per cent) also believe that they would improve their work productivity by being given further training.

Sharon Glancy, from the People 1st Training Company, pointed out: "The appetite for leadership and management training shows we have a working population that is ambitious to step-up and progress their careers."

In the run-up to the festive season, Phil McCabe, senior policy adviser at the Forum of Private Business, was recently keen to note that businesses who cancel a Christmas party could see that their decision has a "negative effect" on workplace morale.

Aaron Wallis offer a Skills Testing service to employers overseen by British Psychological Society (BPS) level B accredited staff. Offering a wide range of skills testing services including psychometrics, ability testing and aptitude tests you can rest assured that Aaron Wallis can offer the right solution for you.

Posted by Nikki Barrister
 

Offer training opportunities ‘to enhance workplace morale’

Training and career development could be used by employers to keep those in sales jobs and other areas of work happy.

A new study carried out by the People 1st Training Company and ICM Research showed that 66 per cent of staff would feel better about their line of work if such options were on offer to them.

Furthermore, almost two-thirds (60 per cent) of respondents to the survey acknowledged that they would feel less inclined to look elsewhere for a job if career development opportunities and training seminars were put in place at their current employer.

More than half (53 per cent) also believe that they would improve their work productivity by being given further training.

Sharon Glancy, from the People 1st Training Company, pointed out: "The appetite for leadership and management training shows we have a working population that is ambitious to step-up and progress their careers."

In the run-up to the festive season, Phil McCabe, senior policy adviser at the Forum of Private Business, was recently keen to note that businesses who cancel a Christmas party could see that their decision has a "negative effect" on workplace morale.

Aaron Wallis offer a Skills Testing service to employers overseen by British Psychological Society (BPS) level B accredited staff. Offering a wide range of skills testing services including psychometrics, ability testing and aptitude tests you can rest assured that Aaron Wallis can offer the right solution for you.

Posted by Nikki Barrister
 

Flexible working ‘can help businesses meet key goals’

Flexible working opportunities are not being taken up by many small and medium sized businesses, a new study has suggested.

According to a survey conducted by O2 to support the launch of its Joined Up People strategy, 25 per cent of firms questioned did not have any technology in place to accompany flexible working opportunities.

Furthermore, there were just over a quarter of businesses (26 per cent) which had established a remote working solution for their staff to take advantage of.

Commenting on the figures, Claire Darley, head of small business sales at O2, was keen to stress the importance of having flexible working options open to staff.

She explained: "By allowing employees to be smarter about the way that they work and giving them the tools they need, we believe that many small businesses can actually deliver on some of the key business objectives they are setting themselves."

Transport minster Norman Baker also pointed out recently that, in his opinion, allowing a workforce to operate flexibly is now "simply the smart thing to do".

With string business relationships with key office equipment suppliers Aaron Wallis are perfectly placed to offer jobseekers a wide range of B2Bsales jobs. For office equipment recruitment Aaron Wallis offer employers a unique office equipment recruitment proposition that includes a 12 month rebate scheme

Posted by Wayne Bly
 

AWR could ‘change how temporary workers are hired’

The Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) 2011 could see businesses changing the way they hire temporary staff members.

Reculver Solicitors' James Carmody gave this view on the new rules, which state that after 12 weeks of going through qualifying, temporary workers will be given the right to be paid the same pay as permanent staff.

The expert was keen to point out that he does not believe the regulations will alter the number of employees taken on by businesses across the UK.

However, he noted that it could have a significant effect on how long firms allow temporary assignments to carry on for per staff member.

Expanding on this point, Mr Carmody said: "It would be very unfortunate for the temp in question if the employer gets rid of them after 11 weeks, only to replace them with another temp doing the same thing."

His views come soon after research conducted by Hudson revealed that many managers see agency workers as being more reliable and focused than permanent staff.

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 John Oak
 

Government enhances the GIF

Businesses are to be given more incentive to boost skills and growth within their desired sector, under a new government strategy.

Minister for skills John Hayes and the business secretary Vince Cable have launched the second phase of the Growth and Innovation Fund (GIF).

Under the strategy, the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) will inject £34 million in 2012/13 in order to allow companies to advance their skills solutions.

A further £29 million will also be made available by the BIS for businesses to bid for, while comparable levels of investment are planned for the two years after the initial undertaking.

Mr Cable pointed out: "By putting the employer's voice at the heart of the process, we will reward inventive approaches to training that deliver real help to get business moving."

Meanwhile, Tim Drake, author of You Can Be As Young As You Think: Six Steps to Staying Younger and Feeling Sharper, has noted that young-brained Brits, who display creativity and enthusiasm in job interviews, will have more chance to move further along their career path.

Aaron Wallis is a sales recruitment agency with a Business Services Sales team dedicated to filling B2B sales jobs. For employers we offer a uniqueB2B sales recruitment service that is backed by a 12 month rebate scheme

Posted by Nikki Barrister.
 

Temp to Perm – An Agency Consultant’s Perspective

Some businesses when they enter the world of recruiting finance staff enter with a great degree of caution. The thought of making a bad error of judgment on a candidate makes them tread very carefully and decide that a “try before you buy” scenario, where they decide to take someone on a temporary basis with a view to permanent employment after a successful trial, is the most suitable option.

From a recruitment agency perspective, there is an air of disappointment when a client decides to take this route for a number of reasons. Firstly, the margin on an initial temporary worker is minimal in comparison to a straight permanent fee which although should ultimately materialise it creates uncertainty for the consultant.  Issues the recruitment consultant will be fearful of will be things such as: will the candidate like the role,  will the client feel the candidate is performing the duties of the role to their satisfaction, are they fitting into the team personality wise? And, is the business in a position to sign off the budget to recruit an extra permanent member of staff.

All these elements of doubt going through the consultant’s mind are compounded by the fact that “temp to perm”  roles mean a large majority of candidates will be put off by the fact the role is not initially of a permanent nature as they want security of future income. Therefore, to find a suitable candidate not only have you got to find the candidate with the right skill set and cultural fit for the business but also someone who is happy to work on a temporary basis with the hope of securing permanent employment. This rapidly decreases your pool of candidates to search from which ultimately restricts the level of quality that you are able to submit to the client for shortlisting.  If you have not worked with a client before on any recruitment you may give a falsely negative impression on your business as you may have 10 great candidates were it to be a straight perm role but by making it temporary to begin with none of these are prepared for the job insecurity. No candidate from a permanent background would entertain “temp to perm” unless they had a threat of redundancy hanging over them, or they were particularly unhappy in their current employment.

In summary, permanent finance recruitment delivers a better pool of committed candidates focused on furthering  their career and ultimately delivering positive results for their employer.  

With Aaron Wallis Finance’s 12-month  rebate scheme, we can take out the element of risk, which makes employers choose the “temp to perm” option by offering protection on both scenarios i.e. a client unhappy with the performance of a candidate and the candidate deciding the role is not for them. For further details, please contact Giles Phillips on 01908 764281.    

Flexible working ‘should be encouraged to businesses’

Employers have been further encouraged to adopt flexible working practices in sales jobs and other roles within their businesses.

Transport Minster Norman Baker has looked to get the message of this line of work across to those in the UK with more effect by setting up the 'Anywhere Working' strategy.

The scheme will outline the advantages which can be had by enhancing their workplace so that it includes more flexible working environments.

Vodafone, Microsoft, Business in the Community and Regus are among those involved in the consortium, while the Trades Union Congress and Transport for London are among the institutes to back the scheme.

Mr Baker commented: "In a world where communication technologies offer the means to travel around the world in an instant without travelling at all, encouraging individuals and business to think flexibly about what 'being there' means is simply the smart thing to do."

In other possible changes coming to the UK's workplace in the years to come, an Office Angels survey has suggested that the traditional nine to five shift will soon be a thing of the past.

Aaron Wallis offer hundreds of sales jobs together with some of the most comprehensive sales tips and career advice available to UK salesjobseekers. Achieve the sales career you deserve.

Posted by Nikki Barrister
 

Social networks ‘allow firms to enhance their communication’

Businesses have been advised that social networks could prove "extremely valuable assets" to all members of staff if integrated into the workplace.

This is the view of Tim Gibbon, director at communications consultancy Elemental, who pointed out that both employees and companies can benefit by taking advantage of portals such as Facebook and Google+.

For example, the expert acknowledged that online resources can allow a business to build a stronger base with their customers, as well as get across promotional activities more effectively.

"It's another platform to reach a variety of stakeholders - associations, partners, peers et cetera - and obviously customers directly," Mr Gibbon added.

The message comes soon after a poll of 100 HR directors across the UK by The London School of English revealed that only 23 per cent of them are offering training to allow staff to gain a better grasp on the need to have a good cultural understanding of their trading partners.

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
 

Chancellor ‘must take bold action’ in autumn statement

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has called on chancellor George Osborne to address the regulatory landscape, the tax environment and youth unemployment in his upcoming autumn statement.

Some of the key measures called for in the REC's letter to the chancellor include a National Insurance tax break for small businesses who take on young people, the speed-up cuts to corporation tax and the streamlining of "superfluous" regulations facing the recruitment industry.

Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, said the whole country recognises the need for urgent action to boost business confidence and promote growth, which is why his organisation is suggesting practical measures for driving the recovery of the UK jobs market.

He stated: "The statement later this month must be about bold moves rather the holding manoeuvres. We will continue to push our key messages and to take forward the practical suggestions of recruitment professionals in the front line of the UK jobs market."

Recently, Mr Green said the country should not be disheartened by figures showing UK youth unemployment has hit the one million mark, but instead see it as an opportunity to help implement initiatives to create new sales jobs and other roles to help stimulate the employment market.

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  

Workers ‘need employer assistance’ to boost skills

Many staff hoping to boost their skillsets are struggling to do so without the support of their employers, according to a new poll of staff.

Research carried out by Accenture has found that 55 per cent of staff feel pressure to develop additional skills for career success, but only 21 per cent have gained these skills through employer training programmes.

The data, published in the Accenture Skills Gap Study and compiled following a poll of 1,088 workers, found that few have boosted vital attributes such as problem solving and analytical skills over the past five years.

Furthermore, only 53 per cent of workers who are currently unemployed say they understand which skills are likely to be in demand in the next five years.

David Smith, managing director of Accenture Talent and Organisation, said there is an "escalating talent crisis" and employers should not assume that workers have the resources or knowledge to acquire all the skills they will need.

He noted: "Our study shows that workers are prepared to improve and expand their skills, but they're not receiving sufficient support to develop those skills. In addition to investing in training, employers will have to become more transparent about their talent requirements and more creative about leveraging the skills they already have."

Recently, Judith Armatage, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's director of professional development, said the recruitment industry is starting to adopt a mindset of continuous improvement, which is reflected in a surge in demand for training, mentoring and qualifications.

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 

Many Brits ‘not satisfied’ with current job

A large proportion of British staff are not currently happy with their job and are looking elsewhere for another role, the latest report has revealed.

Research carried out by Train4Trade Skills shows that 28 per cent are not satisfied with their current job and only one in four have no plans to change their career over the next five years.

The research, carried out among 1,200 British employees, also discovered that just 39 per cent of staff are in their ideal job.

Overall, 64 per cent of UK employees believe a decent salary is key to career satisfaction, with 59 per cent valuing a sense of achievement in their work and 46 per cent wanting flexible working hours.

Interestingly, not every worker thinks salaries equate to greater job satisfaction, with only 24 per cent of those earning between £25,000 and £29,999 dissatisfied in their job, compared to 27 per cent who earn between £35,000 and £49,999.

Mike Head, a spokesman for the organisation, said that while pay is deemed important, it is interesting to see that big salaries do not always equal career satisfaction.

"People are looking for flexible hours and doing work they enjoy and are keen to find a career that offers these benefits," he added.

It comes after a new poll of 700 workers by Hays recently found that almost half of those in sales jobs and other roles believe salaries are not as competitive at SMEs as larger firms, while 55 per cent think smaller businesses cannot offer as many benefits.

Aaron Wallis offer hundreds of sales jobs together with some of the most comprehensive sales tips and career advice available to UK salesjobseekers. Achieve the sales career you deserve.

Posted by Wayne Bly 

UK pay rises hold firm

Pay rises for UK employees were two per cent for the three months ending October 31st, meaning the headline pay has now been the same for seven consecutive rolling quarters.

According to the study, carried out by Xpert HR, private sector employers are predicting a median 2.5 per cent pay award in the year ending August 31st 2012, illustrating the difference between pay awards in the public and private sectors.

In the public sector in the year ending October 31st 2011 the headline pay award was zero due to the government's two-year pay freeze, whereas the private sector saw a median 2.3 per cent pay increase over the same period.

Overall, pay awards in manufacturing companies continue to run ahead of those in the services sector as, the three months ending October 31st 2011, the headline pay award among manufacturing firms was 2.5 per cent compared with 1.5 per cent for service, though this included the public sector.

Commenting on the data, XpertHR Pay and Benefits editor Sheila Attwood said: "We expect the median pay award to remain around two per cent through to the end of the year. However, we are hopeful that pay awards will pick up in the new year, with a median 2.5 per cent pay rise within private sector companies during 2012."

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