Here's to 2010

First of all – a very happy new year. And it does feel like there’s a very real prospect of that – something I’m not sure I could have said with any certainty this time last year.

Despite a very shaky start to 2009, it feels like, as the year has progressed, we’ve found ourselves on a much more even keel. Some of that is down to the green shoots of confidence which started to appear in the economy. A lot of it is down to the sheer hard work and determination of all at ACR to retain, gain and develop our business.

Throughout 2009 our core business remained strong as we continued to fill permanent, contract and temporary positions, win new contracts and increase our client base. This is despite industry figures showing the recruitment market has contracted by more than 20 per cent during the year.

But some of our proudest moments came from achievements in those areas which we have integrated into the business in our efforts to ensure we employ best practice in everything we do.

Our Paperless Office Project reached its culmination and we didn’t just shout about it, we won an international award for it! Recruitment partner Karen Dykes joined me at a very special ceremony at the Houses of Parliament to receive our Green Apple Award presented by no-less than a former Bond Girl! The contacts we made there have enabled us to become even more green – sourcing new eco-friendly suppliers for much of our office equipment and supplies for instance.

The ties we have with our local community – through business awards, Young Enterprise, Opportunity Peterborough, Chamber of Commerce, CIPD, etc – have been built upon. We were one of the first local businesses to throw in an offer of help to the newly launched Back to Business Club. Our connection with this gave us the ear of our local MP Stewart Jackson. We have used that contact to lobby Mr Jackson about forthcoming legislative changes – something which has been encouraged by our trade body the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

Their last Report on Jobs showed the best numbers for permanent and temporary jobs in the past 18 months – a good sign for all of us.

Communication has always been key for us and that has increased hugely in the last 12 months. We send out regular e-newsletters, post blogs here and use Twitter.com profusely to reach new candidates and keep current ones up to date.

And so here we are – at the end of one of the toughest years anyone in business can remember – and on the threshold of one that, hopefully, can only be better.
Already we are noting a new air of confidence among our clients, a definite positivity which hasn’t been apparent for many months.

And we’re looking forward to helping build on that during 2010.

Let’s hope, that for all of us, this year really does prove to be a happy and prosperous one.