Getting the right workplace culture

How can recruiters move away from negative perceptions and become the kind of employer talented people flock to? By Anna Scott

Recruitment agencies are often thought of as having a bit of an image problem. When lists are published that rank the levels of trust members of the public have in different professionals, consultants tend to come somewhere near the bottom, next to journalists, politicians and estate agents.

“There is a stereotypical identity but I am not sure that our own image within the industry is the same as public perception,” says Anita Holbrow, director of member services at the REC. “Perhaps we need to stop beating ourselves up so much and concentrate on believing that we are professionals.” 

One of the reasons behind this perception is the kind of workplace culture that recruitment agencies are perceived to have. “I think misconceptions about the work professional recruiters perform perpetuates a stereotype that the workplace culture is cutthroat and fee driven,” says Amanda McCulloch, managing director of Thorpe Molloy Recruitment.  

Joe Moore, operations director of Zenopa, goes further, describing the typical recruitment agency culture as being “insular aggressive, intolerant, Darwinian”, and his colleague, marketing manager, Charlotte Moran, adds: “A stereotypical agency may be thought of as lots of individuals who are out for themselves.”

In a sales and target-driven environment, pressure is high and it’s not easy to provide a great culture because success and failure can come in extreme ways, Anita Holbrow says. “Harmony can sometimes be quite a rare thing when sales and customer are key. However, as we exit recession, there is definitely more emphasis on the value of building and maintaining relationships and less on immediate sales opportunities,” she adds.

The image of the recruitment sector and the reality of the workplace culture are often two different things. “At Career Moves Group, our cultural code is what has made us successful,” says group managing director Caroline Foote. “It’s what keeps us going when perhaps the PR around the industry in general does not work in any recruiter’s favour. Our ethical code holds firm regardless of what is happening around us and is maintained by the actions of our employees.”

Like other businesses, recruitment agencies need a workplace culture that attracts, retains, encourages and rewards is vital for business growth.  “Recruitment is a very demanding job,” says Zenopa’s managing director Mark Denton. “People are going to fall out of love with it, particularly the commitment required to be a consistently good recruiter.”

Which is why workplace culture is becoming such an important issue for recruitment agencies. The number of agencies popping up on lists to celebrate workplaces devised by Best Companies and the Great Place to Work Institute has grown in recent years.

Career Moves Group was ranked sixth in the Best Small Workplaces list this year, and Thorpe Molloy Recruitment was rated number eight. “Set the standard, improve each day and have some fun”, says McCulloch. In practice this manifests itself in a number of ways. Bespoke training for consultants, seeking constructive feedback and operating an “open door” policy, encouraging involvement in socially responsible initiatives and awarding excellent employees at an annual ceremony in which they are nominated by their peers are some of the ways it creates a great workplace.

With a managing director who joined the company as a graduate, advocating the development of in-house talent and career progression comes from the top.  McCulloch said: “In my opinion, creating a great workplace requires trustworthy, strong leadership, an inclusive environment, communication, talented people, a shared commitment to constantly strive to be the best you can be and taking time to celebrate achievements.”

Competitive reward and benefits play the leading role in attracting people to the recruitment profession, and recruiters are more aware of this than most. “We see many agencies with exceptional benefits and rewards packages, not just for individuals but where teams spend time together,” says Holbrow. “A great emphasis is placed on celebrating with time abroad on holiday, themed days, track events, dinners and evenings out all up for grabs.”

But becoming an employer of choice is not just about imaginative rewards and benefits. “Creating a culture of education, focusing on learning and development is extremely important seeing as employees need the skills and abilities to adapt to constantly changing market conditions,” says Caroline Foote. Career Moves Group continually audits its culture via bi-annual employee appraisals.

Collaboration within an informal, inquisitive and knowledge-based culture is also central to the company’s success. “Changing demands on what clients want and how candidates want to connect with us means we have to create a culture of listening,” Foote adds. “Creating a transparent culture encourages collaboration, and a focus on team performance rather than individual performance is important.”

Perhaps that is the most important thing to consider with workplace culture. Even though individual rewards are prevalent in recruitment, it’s the focus on the team which is essential in creating a positive workplace culture. Having a shared pride in what recruiters do will nurture a culture which enables agencies to access top talent in a highly competitive market.