07 January 2015


2014 was a good year for recruitment. 2015 can be a great one. We predict industry growth of 9 per cent but a number of external factors will have an impact on our market over the coming year:

Regulations
There will be a flurry of regulatory activities in early 2015. Reporting requirements come into force from April and we will also be working on the long-awaited review of the Conduct Regulations. The government has also pledged to review travel and subsistence schemes - something we have been calling for as part of our work to ensure a level playing field for members. With regards to legislative developments in 2015 we have two priorities for mitigating any impact; to influence the final outcome as best we can and to help members implement changes through the support of our legal and compliance teams.

Politics
The outcome of next year's general election is incredibly hard to predict. What is clear is that we need to present a strong collective voice to engage positively with all the political parties. The REC's Manifesto for Jobs calls on the next government to work with us to build the best jobs market in the world and showcases the positive role of recruiters. What might a new government mean for our industry: a steady stream of legislation by a new administration keen to make its mark? Possibly. It is also true that the next government, whatever its colours, will be seeking solutions to major labour market challenges such as skills shortages, boosting social mobility and building better bridges between education and work. Our play is to position our industry at the forefront of these and other debates through our regular data and labour market research and initiatives like our Youth Employment Charter.

Clients and candidates
Supply cannot keep up with demand in many sectors. An increasingly candidate driven market has implications for the speed at which candidates can be identified and placed and also means that employers may need to review current hiring criteria and procedures. The REC's Good Recruitment Campaign actively promotes the benefits of using agencies to address the resourcing challenge facing employers across most sectors.

Perceptions
We need to come together as an industry to drive one underlying priority: raising external perceptions of our sector. Perceptions drive behaviour, whether calls for new regulations or employers bringing recruitment activities in-house. The fact that all REC member agencies have now passed a required compliance test is a crucial step forward and complements the work of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP) to elevate professional standards through qualifications and ongoing personal development.

Underpinning all of the above is a call to action to all REC members: work with us to influence forthcoming consultations, use our Manifesto for Jobs to build links with local MPs and promote the Good Recruitment Campaign to your clients. We also need to continue driving up standards and compliance. What we do within our industry next year and beyond will play a huge role in mitigating external risks as they appear on the 2015 horizon.

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