April 2010 Newsletters

CBD Branch Manager, Emily Wheeldon brings you up to date...........

As the end of March draws in we can reflect on the past few weeks and think about what we have learnt as a business. This month has again felt different to the last and has been a particularly busy for us and the recruitment industry as a whole.

It is becoming increasingly evident that the local market is picking up which is fantastic news for both our clients and our candidates. We have seen more increases in the number of vacancies being registered across all industries and the Banking and Finance Division have experienced a surge in jobs which is an even greater positive sign.

There are also signs of growth in the property and construction industry which is superb news for the economy and a very positive sign for our new Property and Construction Division which so far is fast developing new relationships across New South Wales. I heard only this morning on the news that house prices are set to rise a further 10% this year and the demand for housing still far out ways the supply so there will no doubt be more developments springing up and in turn that should create more jobs in that sector.

The recruitment industry is known for being one of the first industries to experience what is about to happen in the economy by way of job flow and vacancy rates, if there is any truth in this we are the bearers of good news this month. As a business we are not fond of looking into our crystal ball and making profound predictions on coming months but our results and trends over the past few weeks are a strong indication that this Autumn could be a fruitful and rewarding time for many businesses.

Good luck for April 2010 from the Beaumont Team.

faces

Changing Faces At Beaumont Consulting……….

After 7 years at Beaumont Consulting our Chatswood Branch Manager Tara Robinson is relocating to Hong Kong with her husband. Tara has been with us from the beginning, seeing the company’s growth and expansion in to two branches. We are now busy interviewing for a new “Tara” with equal market knowledge, recruitment experience and the required skills to manage our Chatswood Team. If you are keen to know more about this please email Nikki Beaumont or call her on 02 9279 2777

Sadly we also had to say “goodbye” to Natalie Hans our CBD Temp Resourcer who relocated to Ireland with her boyfriend this month. Tracy Mynehan has seamlessly stepped in to this position and become a familiar face within the CBD Temp Team. If you are looking for a new Temporary Position within the CBD email her or give her a call 02 9279 2777.

Another new addition to our team last month was Rebecca Choularton who has joined our Business Services Team in the CBD office. Rebecca comes to us with over 4 years experience in the recruitment industry so if you’re looking for your next permanent move in the Business Services sector email her or give her a call 02 9279 2777.

engage

Keep Your Staff Engaged………..

In our January newsletter we looked back over 2009 and predicted a return to a candidate short market in 2010. At Beaumont we have seen this return with a vengeance. An increasing amount of jobs from our clients has seen our consultants use every tool in their box to secure the quality staff our clients rightly expect.

With this competition in the market, salaries again on the rise and recent market surveys showing that 1 in 5 employees across Australia are looking for a new job, companies have no choice but to focus on staff engagement.

A senior consultant from one of the leading management consulting firms in Sydney which lost six of its senior consultants in the last two months said that the way to keep the best people is to make them feel appreciated and valued.

“It’s not about pay – that would not make me stay,” says the consultant, who asked not to be identified. “I have to know that the work I am doing is being recognised and is of value to the company. This didn’t happen last year. The partners think people are leaving because of the pay freeze and drop in bonus – but that’s not the reason.”

Within the firm turnover was quite low throughout 2009, but in the two months since the economy has picked up, people are gaining confidence and deciding to leave.

“Six of our senior consultants left to go to other consulting firms between December and January,” said the consultant. “It’s one of the greatest insults to a management consulting firm to lose your best people to the competitors. And not only that, but there’s always the danger that they will take their clients with them.”

According to the consultant, the danger that departing employees will take their clients with them is serious.

“One consultant we lost has looked after a client for years and built up a great relationship with them,” she said. “The client is a pharmaceutical company and I think that when this consultant leaves there’s a good chance that client could go with them. She knows their business inside out.”

The consultant, who said she flagged the issues of a drop in morale with the partners some time ago because people felt they were not being valued because overall profits were down said the partners didn’t seem interested until now.

“It’s only now, when they see people walking out the door, are they sitting up and asking why.”

Based on a survey carried out by McKinsey on how to motivate employees, Guthridge said that non-financial incentives are more effective than financial ones and should be used as a retention tool.

The report found that the top three motivators were; praise from the boss, attention from leaders in the form of one-on-one meetings and also the opportunity to lead a project.

Although the McKinsey report states that the number one motivator for employees is recognition, a study by the Harvard Business School, reported in the Harvard Business Review, disagrees. It says that the key to motivating and retaining your people in 2010 is through “progress”.

The study invited more than 600 managers from a range of companies to rank the impact on employee motivation of five workplace factors including: recognition, incentives, interpersonal support, support for making progress, and clear goals. But what the managers ranked as important differed to a previous multiyear study by Harvard which found that on a typical “great workday” 76 per cent of people’s best days were when they made progress in work.

The advice the authors of the report, Teresa M. Ama bile and Steven J. Kramer, offer from this study is: “Scrupulously avoid impeding progress by changing goals autocratically, being indecisive, or holding up resources.”

One of the ways they advise doing this is through cultivating a culture of helpfulness. This can be done in a more direct way: “Roll up your sleeves and pitch in. Of course, all these efforts will not only keep people working with gusto but also get the job done faster.”

Extracts from an article by Human Resources Leader

hired

You’re Hired……………

In addition to our various complimentary events which now include candidate and client webinars and our very successful Recruitment & Selection seminars we have now included a full day training session titled “You’re Hired”

Kim Seeling Smith has been presenting on our candidate webinars with excellent feedback. As a result we have put together a fun and interactive 5 hour training session which will give candidates resume and interviewing skills, online profile and networking tools and most importantly, the mental attitude necessary to secure a job in any market condition.

This is an example of the feedback we have received:

“Where other recruiters see only unnecessary demands on their already very limited time, Beaumont sees opportunity in creating an arrangement that works both ways. Candidates are not simply 'stock' to them - they are first and foremost professionals with valuable skills and experience to offer to the right role and organisation. Spending time and getting to know their candidates as well as offering them seminars and short courses are welcome approaches in keeping a candidate motivated in what can be stressful time of career transition. Clients will benefit from this strategy as well since they can rest assured that a candidate put forward by Beaumont Consulting is likely to be a true professional who will not only do the job, but bring real benefits to their organisation.”

“Thank you SO much for a great webinar (last night) through Beaumont Consulting! I gained so much from it.
You mentioned that you would send out notes of the webinar to those interested......YES PLEASE!
I was frantically trying to listen watch and write at the same time but when you mentioned that I just sat back more relaxed and absorbed much more of your presentation. NO wonder they call you the Re invention Guru, who could not re invent themselves after such an inspiring presentation!”

If you are interested in attending any of our candidate or client events or know someone that would be interested, please do not hesitate to email Patricia Leech

sister

Becoming A Big Sister……………..

In February, ten of our staff supported the Life Changing Experiences Foundation SISTER2Sister program by volunteering for a day of jewellery making and bowling.

Since then Emily Wheeldon (CBD Branch Manager) and Rachael Burling (Property Recruitment Consultant) were inspired to apply to be a ‘Big Sister’. The impact this program has on ‘at risk’ teenage youth is huge. There are many positive outcomes for the girls such as using strategies to assist them to deal with their past trauma, attract and build positive relationships and achieve their education certification. Being part of this program also has a positive effect on our community as a whole.

We were all very proud to hear the news this month that Emily and Rachael had both successfully passed their interviews and assessments and are now busy preparing to attend a 3 day residential bootcamp.

Equally inspired, David Wolstenholme (Business Services Recruitment Consultant) volunteered his weekend to work as a ‘helper’ at the Sister2Sister bootcamp. David will be organising the logistics, outdoor and indoor events and helping out with the food and laundry.

temp

Our March temp of the month goes to…..

Sarah Ross! Sarah has worked with Beaumont Consulting since January 2010. The Temp team here at Beaumont were proud to receive excellent feedback from our client and wish to thank Sarah for her continued commitment and hard work. Here’s what they said…

“Sarah is a pleasure to have around. She is extremely reliable, very flexible and just plain good at her job. She’s a real treasure... Sarah is always early to work; she meets all her KPI targets and has proven to be extremely flexible. Recently we required her assistance in a different area of the business and she took it on with enthusiasm.”

Sarah wins a $100 Myer voucher!