January 2019 Blogs

We may be only one month in but good news stories have been few and far between so far this year. That’s why we were pleased to see the Office for National Statistics (ONS) report that the number of people in work in the UK has reached a record high.    Other findings from the report, which measured the period from September to November 2018, included: Estimated 32.54 million people in work - 141,000 more than for June to August 2018 and 328,000 more than for a year earlier. Employment rate estimated 75.8%, slightly higher than for a year earlier (75.3%) and the highest since comparable estimates began in 1971. 1.37 million unemployed people, 68,000 fewer than for a year earlier. Unemployment rate estimated at 4.0% and hasn’t been lower since December 1974 to February 1975. Average weekly earnings for employees in nominal terms (not adjusted for price inflation) increased by 3.3% excluding bonuses, and by 3.4% including bonuses, compared with a year earlier. Average weekly earnings for employees in real terms (adjusted for price inflation) increased by 1.1% excluding bonuses, and by 1.2% including bonuses, compared with a year earlier. The number of job vacancies rose by 10,000 to a record high of 853,000.  What was the reaction? Employment Minister Alok Sharma said to the BBC: "Our pro-business policies have helped boost private sector employment by 3.8 million since 2010, and as the Resolution Foundation's latest report shows, the 'jobs-boom has helped some of the most disadvantaged groups find employment', providing opportunities across society." Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics also told the BBC: "We doubt that wage growth will be sustained over the next six months at November's strong rate. Pay settlements likely will weaken this year, as the previous year's inflation rate usually is the starting point for negotiations. Nonetheless, the labour market now looks tight enough to ensure that wage growth does not slip below the 3% mark." Tony Wilson, director of the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), commented: “With unemployment so low, vacancies at their highest ever and EU migration slowing, there is very little spare capacity to meet employer demands. In recent years, we’ve seen more people joining the workforce from ‘economic inactivity’ – typically parents, older people and those with health conditions – but this is slowing fast, with fewer economically inactive people saying that they want a job than ever before. This lack of capacity may well be fuelling pay growth, and, in turn, may start to feed through into inflation.” Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) director of policy Tom Hadley said at the time: “However the politics play out over the coming weeks and months, employers will need to continue innovating in how they hire and attract staff to fill vacancies. Recruitment professionals will play a pivotal role in finding new ways of meeting workforce challenges in high-demand sectors, ranging from engineering and healthcare to hospitality, construction and logistics.” As we mentioned, anything positive on the news agenda is most welcome right now; however, Jeremy Thomson-Cook, chief economist at currency dealer WorldFirst, offered some perspective in the Guardian: “Employment in itself is a lagging indicator. It is slow to react to positive or negative changes in the economic cycle so, although these numbers are ostensibly for what happened in November, they are more a representation of what happened in the summer. The summer was a good time for the UK economy, and so wage and jobs numbers reflect a time of strong business confidence, heightened productivity and relative political calm. Remember that?” Time will tell, and 2019 is shaping up to be an interesting year for all. One thing’s for certain; Henry Nicholas will continue to work closely with our clients and candidates to ensure in-demand talent is matched to the right roles. Looking to join a team that’s going places? Check out our latest vacancies and apply today.

Bristol is a unique UK city that really does have everything, from creativity and culture to a rich and fascinating history. However, given that it’s home to the Henry Nicholas head office, we would say that wouldn’t we? That’s why we’ve pulled together some ringing endorsements from external sources that prove it really is one of the best places to live and work in the UK today. New York Times seal of approval Bristol was the only English city to feature in the New York Times’ list of 52 places in the world to go in 2018, with the write-up stating: “Edgy, creative Bristol is aiming for another label in 2018: cultural powerhouse”. The article also gave a shout out to the Bristol Old Vic, Britain’s oldest continuously working theatre, St. George’s Bristol concert hall, and the Great Western Railway (yes, really). It’s the best place to live The Sunday Times voted Bristol as the “best place to live in Britain” in 2017, and although it was dethroned in 2018 (damn you, York!), it was name-checked in as one of the “best places to live in the city” according to the Times. The cities on the list were featured thanks to their cutting-edge culture, finest food, buzzing nightlife, and a short walk home. Food, glorious food! Bristol’s food scene has gone from strength to strength in recent years with a host of brilliant new openings and award recognition for established haunts. In fact, Casamia, run by chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, was named the best regional restaurant in the UK by online restaurant guide SquareMeal.co.uk. Voted by readers and food bloggers, Casamia climbed 11 places from 2017 to take the coveted top spot. Ben McCormack, editor of SquareMeal, said: “With its 14-course tasting menu, space for just 35 diners, restricted opening hours and contemporary good looks, Casamia has everything you would expect from an ambitious destination restaurant in one of Britain's most vibrant cities.” Making other cities green with envy For a number of years, Bristol has been associated with the green movement and has gained the status as a Green Capital. Founded in 2007, Bristol Green Capital Partnership brings together over 800 member organisations who are committed to working towards Bristol becoming a sustainable city with a high-quality of life for all. Additionally, Bristol is the UK’s first Cycling City and is also a Fairtrade City meaning it trades fairly with nearly five million workers in 58 developing countries. Not only this, but Bristol is also home to the Soil Association and sustainable transport charity Sustrans, and this week it was reported to be the world’s most vegan city! Top for tech Bristol is one of the top 10 cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa when it comes to technology, according to investment company CBRE. Beating Vienna, Cambridge and Rotterdam to bag sixth place, it was named a ‘super cluster’ which means there are between 50,000 and 70,000 people in high-tech employment. This is partly due to the presence of telecoms companies such as EE, BT, Nokia and Vodafone, and other large tech employers including Lloyds Banking Group. Tom Morris, managing director at CBRE in Bristol commented: “Our strong universities and vibrant urban environment have made Bristol a magnet for young development talent and the city is attracting tech companies of all sizes.”  And finally… It’s home to Henry Nicholas! I know, I know, but we couldn’t resist. Take a peek into life at Henry Nicholas and why it’s such a great place to work in Bristol. Henry Nicholas - Work For Us on Vimeo. Interested in joining our team? You won’t regret it. Find out more about us and what we can do for you and your career, and apply today.

Each month, we’ll be catching up with a member of our team to find out more about who they are and what they do at Henry Nicholas. We’re kicking things off with a chat with our superstar consultant Emma Whitting… Emma, is there such a thing as a typical day at Henry Nicholas? No! Every day is different. You could be working on a client brief, talking through roles with candidates, arranging interviews, and visiting clients all of the way through to managing job offers, which involves dealing with the associated paperwork and arranging start dates. You can try to plan your day but everything can change depending on the needs of our clients and candidates, so you’ve got to be ready to adapt, think on your feet and multitask. What type of roles do you recruit for? A lot of agency roles spanning comms, creative, PR and branding. I recruit a broad range of levels from junior account executives, to creative and development all of the way up to senior management and board level roles. I also recruit for in-house roles for well-known brands in retail, travel, finance and the not-for-profit sector, including everything from marketing managers to data and insight specialists. What makes a successful recruitment consultant? Excellent people skills are essential. You’ve got to be able to get stuck in from day one and start building relationships. At Henry Nicholas, consultants must have a genuine passion for our specialist sectors as we spend a lot of time immersing ourselves in our clients’ brands, culture and values in order to speak credibly about their business and roles to candidates. What are today’s candidates looking for from an employer? Salary remains an important factor, but progression is also key. Candidates are looking for evidence of long-term progression opportunities within ambitious companies that continue to grow. The right cultural fit is critical too; candidates want to know more about the team, their personalities, working style and social scene before they get put forward for a role. How about employers? There are skills shortages in certain sectors and therefore a much smaller candidate pool. As a result, retention of staff is crucial, with employers offering competitive salaries and extra benefits to entice the right talent. How would you sum up the culture at Henry Nicholas? We’re like a big family. We support one another, work hard and have fun. There’s a lot of trust put in each member of staff, so it doesn’t feel like there’s a hierarchy as all senior team members are hands-on and offer us help and support. What advice would you give to someone thinking about a career in recruitment? You’ve got to immerse yourself from day one. Get embedded in a specialist industry or sectors and learn as much as possible, so that you can become an authority for both clients and candidates. Recruiters have to be resilient too as things won’t always go your way, so the ability to overcome challenges and obstacles is essential.  If you’re passionate about recruitment and want to join Emma on the Henry Nicholas team, send over your details today!