Speakers: Neil Carberry, Chief Executive, REC
Neil Carberry: Hi everyone, it's Neil from the REC here. Hope you're doing well. What a year 2023 has been in recruitment. Of course, not the boom years, post pandemic of 21/22, but certainly member feedback around the country has been while growth has been slower and the market has been harder, it's not necessarily been a bad year and there's certainly opportunities out there. The businesses who've demonstrated, as many of you have, the fleet footedness, the resilience, the awareness of client uncertainty, that is needed to survive in a market like this have actually navigated what has been a slower year better than we've seen in previous downturns. And the REC data suggests that there could be a really significant silver lining for us coming in 2024 as client confidence returns. The role of the REC, of course, in a year like this is to walk by your side through uncertain times. From high quality business advice, like our REC Live event or our fantastic tech enabled recruitment report that helps you look at the tech you can employ now as well as where we're going, to the peer networks and discussions we've been having around the country. So many more in person discussions this year, than in previous years. And we're stepping them up again in 2024 both regionally and bringing REC Live back in person. In these meetings there's a real opportunity to learn from each other, take advice and talk about what's keeping you up at night. And I know it's a network that recruitment business leaders really value. It's a strong room and one with a shared purpose and that purpose is a really strong industry. On staff development, well, we talked a lot earlier in the year about the need for business development skills in this kind of market. And that's why it was great to bring Greg Savage over to talk to over 700 members across September about just that sort of skill development. But that's just a down payment on fantastic new work from the REC on refreshing our professional pathway, which you'll see in 2024 and on making a difference in your business and to client businesses on diversity and inclusion, which is coming before the end of 2023. Finally, of course, in 2024 we need to represent you outside the industry. And some of that is about talking to clients about the value of great recruitment and we're looking forward to representing you on that ground. But also giving you some tools to talk about why you don't hire the cheapest lawyer you hire the best lawyer. Well, we should think about that in the same way in recruitment, some fantastic tools coming for you over the next few months on that as part of our plan. But also of course, we know we face a General Election in 2024 and the way the polls are going, a potential change of government. A Labour government will come to power with a very significant workplace agenda. And it's vital that whatever they do, we can work within and continue to protect a high quality, flexible labour market that delivers for Britain. The REC needs to be at that table and we will be, we are already working closely with the Labour Party on some of their plans and we are going to need to keep close to them throughout the course of the next year. We need your support by our side to be able to do that. So across the business support, the people development, the standards, the legal advice, the networks and our lobbying and campaigning, the REC is your organisation. We're here to support your business, but to do that, we need your support.
Neil Carberry: Make sure you take advantage of all the great things the REC is going to be doing in 2024 to support our fantastic industry. I'll see you at one of our events soon.
