Recruitment Unplugged: Inside Responsive Personnel

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:13:23
Unknown
Is solid still. It's not bad. And I think that was awesome. So, you know, it can last quite a while if it's done while with decent. I have a decent guy. I'm honest, I've never had it. They've never treated us. Really? Yeah. They said never cleaned it. Never treated it. I mean, you know, it don't owe me anything now.

00:00:13:23 - 00:00:33:15
Unknown
But equally, we've then got where it sets that we got like the steps that come down on that side. Yeah. And then there's like, a raised planter area with sleepers and then down at an angle, then at the front wall. I mean, they're just falling apart and literally they're destroyed with the day of lining in them. I don't know.

00:00:33:18 - 00:00:52:09
Unknown
Not sure. Some inside the inside, the planters. They possibly of the plant area itself is absolutely fine. It's the sleepers all the way round it. But now I'm just not understanding. The Timberlake's going to go when people line it with damp. Cause proof to protect the sleeper. Yeah, yeah, but it doesn't protect the sleeper. It rots asleep.

00:00:52:11 - 00:01:09:12
Unknown
Just sweat. Yeah, yeah. You're better off just painting them with bitumen. Yeah. So they still get a chance to breathe a bit. And then what? I mean, you think as well is that it's the grass is there and it's from, it's level with the grass and down is against the banking and all of it's in the soil. Yeah.

00:01:09:15 - 00:01:32:03
Unknown
I'm good guys. I'm good. Yeah. If you could just the the the camera angles. Right. We haven't got Teasdale moving the bloody seat. Oh, you did shift yours when you got your seconds. Oh, well, I didn't tell myself. That's my that's my little adjustment. I just did that. It was that I'm about to move it forward.

00:01:32:05 - 00:01:37:18
Unknown
Chris, can you clap for me, please? Yes, sir.

00:01:37:21 - 00:01:58:19
Unknown
Thanks very much. Everything's recording and rolling. So whenever you're ready, Chris, I'm on you stop with this camera way. Oh, we're on this one. Okay. No problem. We're not switching it to the starting on the group one and can do. But you're going to have to turn quite heavy to look like that because you're quiet. The. Is that enough, though?

00:01:58:20 - 00:02:16:24
Unknown
Just. I would probably suggest starting on you, but that's fine. I'll do a quick. That's what everybody else versus. No way I need to, you know, a bit the fine. Okay. Just for the the opening shot of that, I think it's a little bit for me right at the side. Yeah. Which is why from you guys just ignore the cameras.

00:02:16:27 - 00:02:35:12
Unknown
There. Is Hannah right at that angle? Yeah, absolutely. Fine, fine. Just making sure so we know you're comfortable. That's fine. Yeah. Ignore where we're talking. So it's like, don't I? It doesn't matter if you do look at a camera. Don't panic about it. But it's like, mainly it's us just having a chat. Yeah. Right.

00:02:35:12 - 00:02:55:14
Unknown
Okay. Well, like I said, I don't care. We end on the wide camera. Say, on the end, it's good to look over at that wide camera. Right? So when we're saying goodbye at the end, we do it to that one. Do we have to wave you? You know, Danny's coming. Faces, my fingers. If I can. Do I do that?

00:02:55:16 - 00:03:04:06
Unknown
It's a bit more. No. Does it cost any extra money? Yes, I'm doing it.

00:03:04:08 - 00:03:32:13
Unknown
Right. Sorry. All right. Welcome back to Recruitment unplugged inside responsive personnel. We're now at episode five. And this one's called your recruitment partner. Welcome aboard. Because we're taking this from two different angles. I've got a guest that is new as a responsive personal employee, and we've got a new ish, a recent, customer of responsive personnel. So we're going to be having a look from both of those angles.

00:03:32:13 - 00:03:55:19
Unknown
So I'm going to welcome my guests from Responsive Personnel. We've got the operations manager, Hannah Carter. Hi, Hannah. Hello. Is that right? Operations manager. Yeah. That's right. And I always check myself, make sure, and from IGT landscaping, it's in Teesdale. You know what I mean? Thank you. Obviously, we know with the IGT, presumably. JS the middle name.

00:03:55:19 - 00:04:15:27
Unknown
James. Yeah. See? See over that one, I you see, now I'm going to get this out at the open is that we actually know each other because we both support the same hockey team. We do, we share a beverage together a couple. Yeah, from time to time and ask weird questions of the World Cups players. This is a different story.

00:04:15:29 - 00:04:34:18
Unknown
Yeah. Another full console. Exactly. It's a whole other story. In fact, we touched on that with Danny on the previous one. But, we're going to have a look at the whole, you know, welcome aboard sort of thing from a client perspective, from, a recent acquisition, from an employee perspective. I'm going to start with you, Hannah.

00:04:34:21 - 00:05:02:15
Unknown
What is your background? So now it's an operations manager, but what is your background? So I've been in the recruitment sector for about 20 years. Just over. I actually started off, in agency, did five years with, commercial recruitment agency, absolutely loved it and kind of got the bug. I think recruitment is one of those things that a lot of people fall into.

00:05:02:17 - 00:05:25:29
Unknown
And I would say that that absolutely happened to me. I was working in medical insurance before and, moved to Swindon and walked into an agency holding my CV. Get a phone call. Do you want a job pass. Oh, wow. And that was it. Yeah. And then I did obviously go through the formal recruitment process. But, thoroughly enjoyed the sort of corporate side and getting stuck in.

00:05:25:29 - 00:05:49:13
Unknown
My client started with them, moved on to perms and grew the desk. Then 13 years in the healthcare sector, across three different businesses. So I knew that I wanted to go into more the management side. There wasn't the opportunity to do that in the industry that I was in and the company that I was with. So, yeah, moved into a branch manager role.

00:05:49:15 - 00:06:10:26
Unknown
So I'm in charge of a pal and all of these staff and making money. But it was great. We've got we don't talk here now. Dougie Teasdale. No, no. Okay. We work. We won't talk that we won't talk. No. But it means you've had that that full breadth and haven't you to to be able to bring to the operations side of things.

00:06:10:29 - 00:06:33:16
Unknown
Absolutely. I mean, well, absolutely. Hope so. Within those obviously we went through the pandemic. That was that was a challenge. Yeah. And we had to digitalize everything that we were doing. So that was definitely an eye opener. And there were challenges that none of us knew that we were going to be facing. Within the healthcare side.

00:06:33:18 - 00:06:53:07
Unknown
But it, it really sort of pushed my skillset a bit more to look at processes and, procedures. And I know that's not the most kind of most exciting thing. It's not the most sexy thing, but it was really important. We had to get that right. To keep everyone as safe as we could. So that was a challenging time.

00:06:53:07 - 00:07:14:25
Unknown
But we did it. We did it all from our living rooms or from our spare bedrooms or. Yeah, like dining room table. I actually built an extension and that's when we landscaped the garden, funnily enough. Well, I mean, and yours, your company, IGT landscaping is self-explanatory. From that you do landscaping from houses to business premises and show homes.

00:07:14:25 - 00:07:51:28
Unknown
Yeah. Maintenance of course, off side of it. So yeah, maintenance as well as installs continued maintenance to it's domestic or commercial. Yeah. So yeah, we kind of cover all all aspects which on that same vein during pandemic. What what did that could you still do that. Yeah. So because we, we were working outside, we were allowed to carry on working outside, but we, we kind of lost a day or so just reading the rules and, and the rules coming out so we could, you know, readjust and see what we needed to do them, because presumably you couldn't even do things like two of your workers in a van, though.

00:07:51:29 - 00:08:10:00
Unknown
No. So that's one thing. So we had to, work out who was going to take the van and who had their own vehicle. Yeah, some people have a van, or they get picked up and then, you know, the partner might have a family car. So some don't have a spare vehicle and some did. And so we had a little bit of working out.

00:08:10:00 - 00:08:27:20
Unknown
But in the grand scheme of it, it was a it was a simple fix. And we just had to, you know, roll with it and move the goalposts a few times obviously. But we could mainly just work outside, and get on with what we need to get on with, client interaction was obviously difficult because some people were shielding.

00:08:27:22 - 00:08:50:24
Unknown
Yeah. So they end up talking to us from the bedroom window. Yes. Yeah. So we were a decent distance from them. Of course, construction industries literally fueled by coffee. Yeah. Biscuits. So, so that so that didn't happen. So you know, we went back old school and brought a flask to work. I'm intrigued by a question that I feel like I shouldn't ask, but I have a problem.

00:08:50:24 - 00:09:11:25
Unknown
Once it enters my head, it's got to come out toilet. What the heck did you do? If you guys need to, we always have a portal on site. Up to you. We have a on every site. We have portal for the sort of install side of things because they're there all day, every day. And it's, it's you don't want us, you know, in an outhouse, you know, just it's just not it's just not it's just not ideal.

00:09:11:26 - 00:09:29:03
Unknown
No, we're not we're not going to make a mess and we're not going to, cause any problems, but it's just we're self-sufficient then, and people can lock up and go out and way. We can just crack on, say, you know, Danny Kimber, the boss is going to be delighted with talking toilets on one of his. This is it's kind of, but it's fundamental.

00:09:29:05 - 00:09:53:00
Unknown
I mean, I'm we've all that saying coffee. Absolutely. And it is relevant because obviously we were talking about the operation side of things and I mean there's a prime example. But you you've learned within those roles an awful lot. It's broadened. And that's what presumably you were looking to be able to bring to this role. Absolutely. More recently I was working on RPOs within some corporate businesses.

00:09:53:03 - 00:10:23:15
Unknown
So, it's it's essentially where you're you're working on site is part of the, recruitment program. Okay. But within within the client, if that makes sense. So toyed by someone else? Yes. Go in and work, but integrated as part of their team. Yep. And it's for short periods of time. It's to assist them with, sort of working on their talent strategy, working on their hiring processes, introducing any training that might be needed.

00:10:23:18 - 00:10:47:20
Unknown
But introducing yourself as that person, as that business. And so getting that brand out there. So really working on their, their corporate brand, working on, getting the message out there about what a great place it is to work. And, that, that, that I really enjoyed. I was doing that for, for three years and thoroughly enjoyed doing that within those businesses because you could see the transformation.

00:10:47:22 - 00:11:11:26
Unknown
But essentially you work yourself out of a job. Yes, yes. You know, oh, I'm done now. But then that move on and then you go to work done. It achieved. Absolutely. Yeah. And that's great. And so that's, that's the idea here is that I can bring some of those skills and knowledge into this role. Recruitment. You know, it's on paper it seems really, really simple.

00:11:11:29 - 00:11:40:26
Unknown
You know, it's doing it's doing, it's doing the things like doing the do, but it's about doing it right. I know, and get it in the right order. I know we did some of these earlier episodes we've been talking about and speaking from, and I will come into this in more detail in due course as, as a recruiter, IGC landscape, is that the beauty of of responsive personnel is that they literally take everything away from us, don't they?

00:11:40:26 - 00:12:03:23
Unknown
We just go, look, this is a person I need. They can identify a shortlist. They take care of all of the and I of this of that the other. But you must therefore appreciate the work that they have to put into there and be. Absolutely. Yeah. So we don't have to be absolutely recruit recruitment is difficult especially I think I don't know many other sectors, but it is especially in construction.

00:12:03:26 - 00:12:41:14
Unknown
You know, a lot of people move around, a lot of people get maybe get bored of one trade and then move into another trade or you know, so we we've struggled in the past, getting enough people to keep up with our sort of work load or at least our inquiries and, you know, potential shortening our, lead time because we always have quite a long lead time ahead of us, which is great for us because we've got that security is great for the client, apart from the fact they've got to wait, that they know that that security and who's doing who they've chosen to do the project.

00:12:41:14 - 00:12:59:01
Unknown
But, we do sometimes lose some work based on that because they won't wait. Because they can't wait. Yeah, yeah. You know, it is a balance, isn't it? Because suppose if that if you're busy, we know that because you're good. And also if we're available next week we may not be so good. So which we never are available.

00:12:59:01 - 00:13:19:06
Unknown
Not sure that we use which is great, but there's a let's say there is a balance, isn't there, you know, and some people are planning for next April already because budget constraints or whatever's happening in their life, it's okay. Right. Let's get booked in for April. So we've got all of next time, after you're done, you know, because it's a bigger project.

00:13:19:06 - 00:13:38:15
Unknown
So we need to sort finances. Whatever. Where are some people, planning for the end of July now? And you're like, well, I can't touch anything at the moment, so we won't be ready for you for having. But you can see something. So, you know, it's some people are a bit more reactive, some people a bit more proactive.

00:13:38:15 - 00:14:01:23
Unknown
So, you know, we to shorten our period of timescales would be great. You know, with having more people, and responsive have definitely help with that work. So of ease is it is it people that you are then taking on full time because you know, you've got the projects there, or is there any fluctuations? Do you have seasonal variances and what you need as well?

00:14:01:25 - 00:14:23:03
Unknown
We're all because we're so already so far in advance, but I know how much work we've got ahead of us. And I plan our timescale based on how many people I've got. So doesn't directly answer the question because I can because we can stay as busy, or if I've always got enough work to keep as many people, active.

00:14:23:05 - 00:14:53:13
Unknown
But yes, of course, when the weather's better, it's then people want more stuff done, you know? Or we can be more, you know, efficient. So I guess, therefore the key thing with, with responsive posts now is that you've been able to get those staff that are joining you fully. Yeah, but you still have I know we've been chatting in previous episodes, whether it's events, whether it's things like this where there is that you suddenly go, look, I need yeah, three more people for two months over the summer periods or whatever it might be.

00:14:53:13 - 00:15:15:27
Unknown
Yeah. And we've had that even from day to day, really. So we have, you know, something might get add or change or the weather might or someone off or someone on leave. Yeah, the weather change or someone is on leave. And it might be that I don't specifically need a trade in. I might need an extra pair of hands so that the guys that are, more skilled can get on with putting stuff back.

00:15:15:27 - 00:15:38:24
Unknown
But I might, might literally just need some stuff moving from A to B. Yeah. And you know, we've spoken to responsive in the past and said, could you get me on Wednesday to put two people to do X work from, you know, eight till 430 and it's been great because that time it takes me to find someone is, you know, I need to be doing other things.

00:15:38:24 - 00:15:54:20
Unknown
Absolutely. You know, so yeah, I can farm. Yeah. You could go and do that. I'll have it. It's like I need to be off doing this and have done that. Yeah. But by the time I've done all that, as are the things in running the business that I'm missing. Yeah. Oh I'm doing in the evening. Yeah. Then it's actually family time, I know.

00:15:54:20 - 00:16:17:29
Unknown
So yeah. You know, so it's a good headache to have. Of course it is. But you need that resource that team there. And you know, we were just here in there for the and I think this is why you said that you fell into it and you really enjoy it, is that no two days are the same. They can't be physically cannot be because, your clients are suddenly going, well, I need this.

00:16:18:04 - 00:16:41:11
Unknown
Absolutely, absolutely. And I think that's the nice thing about it is that, you know, we're constantly looking for different people, different personalities, different skill sets, because we've got such a broad range of clients that we're working with. Yeah. And that's what keeps it really interesting. You know, it's not just the same job that you're filling day in, day out.

00:16:41:11 - 00:17:09:07
Unknown
There's so much variety. And as I said, different personalities fit. You know, you could have someone that that goes in somewhere and actually it doesn't work. And sometimes that does happen either way. Exactly. And that's and that's obviously what we manage. You know, we manage that for you because if you hire somebody permanently straight off and you then realize that actually personality isn't going to fit or it's not gelling, then they may or isn't it?

00:17:09:07 - 00:17:30:27
Unknown
They might be even tougher. Aren't they sort of almost, if largely got rid of or tightened up the probation period that you actually need to have more of a reason of going? No, that hasn't worked. Yeah, absolutely. Personalities, you know, that's a protected trait. So, you know, you can't. Correct. Yeah. That was one that I heard someone say.

00:17:30:27 - 00:17:48:27
Unknown
And. Yeah. And as an employer. Yeah. If if a personality doesn't fit I get the argument. But it does make a difference. It can really upset the team. Absolutely. We have yeah. We're not allowed to use that as a reason I'm failing. But it does, as you say, work both ways. Yeah. Because they've got to want to work.

00:17:48:27 - 00:18:08:22
Unknown
They might not like you. Yeah. Yeah absolutely. You know they might look like the thing that fit with. Yes. You know and so it does work both both ways. It is a bit because we're let's say we're fairly new to using response because I've done it all before on my own. And just all with the help, you know, if my wife, who does a lot of, you know, it does a lot within the business as well.

00:18:08:24 - 00:18:25:00
Unknown
So we've done it ourselves. And, we've recruited some great guys and they're still with us. You know, you were telling me some something for five and six years. There's a couple of guys that have left in the last couple of years, but they've left to emigrate, you know? So it's been a nice move so nicely off that mark.

00:18:25:00 - 00:18:48:00
Unknown
Yeah. I've gone to Australia. I'm out of it. We've actually both gone to Australia now. Other side. Any further away from the. But it's nice to know. But I didn't think it I Chris but yeah you think I do know. Let's look at is they had a big change in lifestyle and I didn't just want to go to the competitor.

00:18:48:02 - 00:19:07:28
Unknown
Yeah I'm now going to yeah I, I'm not going to stay awake all night. Think about it. Sorry sorry sorry but I'm going to pick up on that one because. So you've had the experience of trying to manage it yourself. Yeah. And it can be so time consuming. Of course. You know and then and then when it isn't right, you've got to undo that in whatever way that has to be done.

00:19:07:28 - 00:19:31:20
Unknown
And there is, you know, there's so many loopholes and laws to abide by and morally as well, because, you know, you don't want to be that employer that just, you know, hires and fire sort of thing to do, you know, and the guys don't want people in and out. Looks like it's guys. But we do have mainly fellows working, you know, for us, they don't want people going out because it can upset, you know, you need to know how it person.

00:19:31:27 - 00:19:51:08
Unknown
Yeah. People get used to each other and everyone has a video increases don't they. You know. Yeah. They have to have the sandwich at 12. Yeah. And that quarter past. And you know we try not to be so strict but it is. Yes it is people. And that's fine. That's, that's, that's the beauty of it. Yeah. So yeah having a bit of a try before you buy with someone.

00:19:51:10 - 00:20:11:29
Unknown
You know they've done a lot of the vetting. They may well have been working with responsive already. So they've, they know kind of how they get on with other people in a different sector or whatever. And then you bring them in and this is exactly what we've done, is we've brought somebody in, for a couple of days, sporadically over about a months period.

00:20:12:01 - 00:20:32:07
Unknown
And then we were like, you know what, actually graph. Really? Wow. Yeah. We're like, okay, can we have them now for a bit longer? But but only for us for a bit. And we've got that right now that we've got a guy that's with us permanently. Or full time for a period. Yeah. And he's kind of testing us.

00:20:32:07 - 00:20:49:07
Unknown
We're testing him, and it's going great. And, you know, he knows where he's at, we know where we're at. And we can, you know, sign on the dotted line as such in due course when it, when and if and it should go as well as it already has. Yeah. Yeah. So that you know we've kind of it's a, you're a convert.

00:20:49:07 - 00:21:08:27
Unknown
Totally a convert to this way of recruiting. Yes. Yeah I wouldn't say I would ever do something myself. Or I might get, a heads up that someone's available because, you know, people talk in suppliers and talk to each other when they might bump into each other. Oh, you have such and such. I like your stuff. So we have a chat and that's happened today, you know.

00:21:08:29 - 00:21:43:18
Unknown
Yeah. So, you know, and I mean, that is the whole point is not exclusively that they suddenly do all the recruiting necessary. But you know, I think the whole point is that, you know, we're supporting you with your brand and whatever your day to day business is. A recruitment agency isn't just about putting a, you know, on a C or in a Guardian, in your case, but actually, you know, it's about that partnership and, and building that reputation for you, so that, you know, you know, that we're not just in it to gain.

00:21:43:21 - 00:21:59:16
Unknown
Yeah, we're in it to build a partnership with you. Because the thing is, and if you then go away and like you said, your chatting teammates at the ice hockey, they're saying that they're having a tricky time. But you know what I used responsive and they were brilliant. And this is what they did for us. So it's all about that word of mouth.

00:21:59:16 - 00:22:17:17
Unknown
It's about building that sort of local brand, and showing that we're not just just there to, to kind of push, push, push all the time. We just there when you, when you need us. Yeah. And, and as I said, you know, in terms of your brand, like you said, you've got a great reputation because you've been going for so long.

00:22:17:20 - 00:22:39:05
Unknown
There are some businesses that they move into the area. It's a bit more challenging. No one knows who they are. You know, we can get on the phones. We've got the capacity to be able to bring 400 candidates if we need to, to have conversations with them to fill a hundred roles. But they wouldn't have the capacity to do that with their current staff that they've got.

00:22:39:05 - 00:23:04:11
Unknown
So, you know, it can be anything from volume to, to, you know, smaller businesses where they need 1 or 2 people just for old things. I think we can do any size. Yeah, it doesn't matter. And that's the key thing to remember. I know that Danny and I are speaking as well because it's like, yeah, even the small businesses for 1 or 2, it's still just as important as those that are taking on 50 or whatever like it might be.

00:23:04:11 - 00:23:32:03
Unknown
I think the smaller businesses, the person who you recruit, it's probably can be more important because if you've got ten people, you've got a one off or you need an extra one person. Yeah, it's 20% of the workforce. Absolutely. So that's your productivity. It yeah. So you do need the right people to be doing so, you know, putting a shift in and working together and actually being in.

00:23:32:05 - 00:23:54:25
Unknown
So you know you haven't got the resilience around it. Yeah. The numbers we've got going on leads this week one of our supervisors. And we have been preparing for that for at least the week before knowing that right. Where are we going to be at what will we do for what will I me to be available to do away from, you know, pricing or profit or loss of other jobs we've done?

00:23:54:25 - 00:24:12:14
Unknown
And I thought we weren't talking about profit and off. Yeah. Yeah. I don't it again you know in that hoping to make some of it. Yeah yeah yeah yeah. The penal. Yeah yeah. So yeah. You do that. Yeah. So we you know this morning sets out there's 10 to 12 of us that's in a one person off.

00:24:12:14 - 00:24:33:01
Unknown
Can be a big loss. Yeah. We have an apprentice on. So he's off on a Monday every Monday because of course it's planned. Yes. So we have a schedule that suits that you know, but sometimes when we're up against it this in this period because he's, he's on the maintenance side. So of course everything's growing quite rapidly now after lots of rain and sunshine over the last six weeks.

00:24:33:01 - 00:24:53:14
Unknown
So we're, you know, we we feel we feel the knock on that day. Yeah. Because that's that's then one of three in that team off for the whole day every Monday. So it's great because the learning he's getting and bringing to us is and the long term benefits are brilliant. Absolutely. Apprenticeship is actually my first go at it and it's worked well.

00:24:53:14 - 00:25:16:26
Unknown
It's out great. So it's another way of recruiting you know. But that was a bit of a conversation with Dan about shall I shall I not. So there was a bit of a connection there too. But yeah, but yeah, you've kind of gone different avenues only for that. Which makes sense. We're going to turn this conversation and for both of you it turns is, is is almost like a why responsive personnel.

00:25:16:28 - 00:25:42:26
Unknown
And I'm going to start with you, Hannah, is that obviously, you know, you then, because you went through the whole process to join was once a personal of interviews and things like that. Absolutely. And what what what made you choose responsive personnel, Danny, to be honest. Oh, so we got that video now. So that's not to say that.

00:25:42:28 - 00:26:13:15
Unknown
I guess that's the starting point really is, you know, business that it's well-led, and that understands people, understands what people need and you know, where the support is needed. And I felt that I could add value to that. So after speaking to to Danny about what, he was looking for, I said, yeah, that's that's absolutely something that I would like to be able to deliver and be able to support you with.

00:26:13:15 - 00:26:32:26
Unknown
Get the infrastructure right, get everything like clock and clockwork and all that sort of stuff. I think, you know, even even even when you've been running a business for a long time, if you have changes within staff, it's making sure that there's consistency and making sure that the delivery is right. And, you know, making absolutely technology changes.

00:26:32:29 - 00:26:56:09
Unknown
And, and so I, I'm quite focused on those sorts of things. I quite like to kind of look at that detail. I like data as well alongside of, chatting to people. I mean, Chris, I gave you a phone call, just to introduce myself, and I think we ended up on the phone for about 25 minutes. So, I think that's the thing is that we're all different personalities in the office.

00:26:56:09 - 00:27:16:13
Unknown
Yeah. And, and that's what's really nice is that we all bring something slightly different. So when I met the team or met the team before I started and just made sure that there was going to be a good alliance, because like you said, it's it's a small it's a small business. You know, if one person comes in and it doesn't quite fit, then it's not going to be our long term potentially.

00:27:16:15 - 00:27:39:16
Unknown
So making sure that that alliance was there. Yeah. And that they were also bought in to me coming in and helping and supporting. Yeah. Which is going to be a moving thing I'd imagine as you get into I mean, what do you see yourself or your role or the company doing in say, 12 months time or over the next 12 months that you can talk?

00:27:39:16 - 00:28:06:13
Unknown
Absolutely. So in terms of what I'm doing alongside the operational management side is, building up a commercial desk, which is essentially most things that you would find in an office, anything from marketing to customer service to administration. And, the broader spectrum to, you know, project managers. I can go right up to C-suite. I've and all of the different levels previously.

00:28:06:16 - 00:28:29:19
Unknown
So there's no limit to what we can do. Ideally, it would be great to have that at a point within 12 months that I've got a consultant working with me on that commercial desk. So looking at that growth so that actually I'm too busy to manage it myself. Yeah, yeah. And having someone else in there, it's, you know, it's a mixture of temporary and permanent opportunities.

00:28:29:19 - 00:28:48:09
Unknown
We've had some great roles come in already, and I've got brilliant candidates registering. I'm loving interviewing candidates again. Oh, really? Yeah. I think I missed out a little when I was on the RPOs because essentially, you know, you do the the screening calls and things. But when they come in that meeting with the hiring managers because essentially it's their hire.

00:28:48:11 - 00:29:14:29
Unknown
Yeah. So I like building that connection and making a difference to people's lives. You know, finding them something that they actually they really want to do I like it. That makes sense. Ian to yourself. I'm trying to remember, I think. Am I right in saying you were actually, you knew Danny before you became a client, but, yeah, ignore that part, because I know it's going to be hard because I accept that has something to do with it.

00:29:15:01 - 00:29:34:15
Unknown
You know, we've already said because of Danny and because of the team, you know, Dom and all of that a lot. But outside of that, what made you choose responsive personnel? Well, yeah, obviously we've done other for a while, but, that's also one of the reasons you might not use somebody because you have a friendship can be a business.

00:29:34:15 - 00:30:04:26
Unknown
Friendship can't can't work. But they've got a good set up there that in the nicest possible way, that part I don't have to deal with. Done with. Yeah. So that's the friendship or, you know, common ground we had before put to one side. But we said the name around the town. I know people that have used them as a, as a, you know, looking for work, whether they've gone in as a temp and what wherever they've gone or gone in and found a full time job with them.

00:30:04:28 - 00:30:28:26
Unknown
I've been put in place some of like terminology in place into a business. So, you know, I've, I've heard good things. I've seen good things. And it was a case of. Right, there's, there is a bit of security there, you know, I know that I know Dan, so, you know, I could, I could I don't like to, but I could make that phone call if I needed to and say, come on, Mike, help me out.

00:30:28:28 - 00:30:51:08
Unknown
You know, this is not happening or whatever. And I've never had to, and it's peace of mind. Yeah. That's that's it. Yeah. That's good. Yeah. So peace of mind that, you know, I know kind of what I'm getting, even though I've had no idea how it actually was. All work out. You know, the process, I've got an idea that, you know, it's going to be whatever happens is going to be done, right?

00:30:51:09 - 00:31:22:26
Unknown
Yeah. And in a sense, what I will say about response to personnel is that every single member of the team, very much relational business people, which again, which is why you're loving it, that your back to hands on both with the recruiter and the recruiters, whatever. And it doesn't matter who you're dealing with, is that you've always got that feeling that I can pick up the phone and speak to them that either help or, you know, this, I need this or whatever it is.

00:31:22:26 - 00:31:42:19
Unknown
And and that's what they're, they're that's the impression I've always. Yeah. Did you get the same as me? Sorry. Yeah. Did you get the same as me? Where? They're very good at educating you of how, why not just using them, but using a recruitment company in general? Because I was I was a lot more naive to that than I realized.

00:31:42:19 - 00:32:04:11
Unknown
Yeah, we were recruit. We were given the same kind of, you know, not spiel, the wrong word, but we were given the same kind of debrief or brief of what it's going to entail. It was kind of rather than, we're do this, we'll do that, or we do this, but no one else does it kind of conversation, it was just what will happen is, yes, you know, and you realize it's more open to you then.

00:32:04:11 - 00:32:27:14
Unknown
Yeah. And actually, I thought they probably could have sold themselves as a business a bit more because they are doing a few things a bit different. I think, you know, from what I can gather for other, other companies, we've had a couple of questions here, and they're more to do with the paperwork behind the scenes of having someone work, whether they go on for a couple of days here or there, and now come on for an extended period.

00:32:27:17 - 00:32:54:26
Unknown
But whoever we've emailed or rung and spoke to, it's been different a couple of times you've answered, but it's it's always come back to it over the same person. Or that question has been answered because they were on another call or whatever. And we got the information back. So, you know, it's been a fluid process and they've been an easy, you know, getting out, getting an answer on something because it is new to us, you know, and yeah, and the whole H.R.

00:32:54:28 - 00:33:15:11
Unknown
And payroll thing behind the scenes is absolutely why I didn't start doing landscaping. But, but but I now need to do need to do it and know it. But how often does that happen? Again, I can speak from experience here with visual PR productions that, you know, I'm obviously a motorsports commentator presenter, and I wanted to create a video product around that.

00:33:15:12 - 00:33:31:09
Unknown
Speaking to people and finding out about it, and then suddenly go, well, that's what I'm creative at. Oh, I've got to do the accounts, I've got to do the hate job, I've got to do this and this saying to you, you know, lately, I know your story was that you were doing it, weren't you, to start with what you were landscape and back.

00:33:31:09 - 00:33:53:17
Unknown
Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's what you realize you had a plan for. Yeah. And you didn't want to be doing H.R. And. No. And pay an album. Yeah. I didn't do any of that of we got busier and realized we were okay. That's a at the doing as well. Yeah. And you know, then my skill set and my, you know, capabilities were getting stretched.

00:33:53:20 - 00:34:20:18
Unknown
So we started to grow. Yeah. But growing came with other of a of a, you know, spans of control. Yeah. Exactly. Which is where again I mean you look in you lose control of some of them if, if you're trying to do them all spin into one place and have absolutely done now of course I have. So yeah, getting that help where we need it, has taken is, is two fold, three fold.

00:34:20:18 - 00:34:46:15
Unknown
Because I'm not having to do that, that I'm actually. No, no. Probably as good at Yeah. And then I can carry on the other stuff that needs to be done. I am better so. And enjoy more. Yeah. And enjoyable. Yeah. So things happen. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They seem creative flair and everything. And I mean, I guess that's another key thing with you in the team is that your clients evolve ebb and flow of of what they do, what they need, all of that.

00:34:46:15 - 00:35:11:18
Unknown
And so you've got to keep that very open mind, but still be in control of all of the processes. Absolutely. I mean, you know, we've got peaks and troughs within all of the sectors that that we cover at the moment. So obviously we've got the industrial desk and we do see peaks and troughs there. Because if you've got, like an e-commerce business, then they generally sort of busy now in preparation for Christmas.

00:35:11:18 - 00:35:43:18
Unknown
And then actually it's sort of January, February time is is normally that quiet time when they may be doing admin accounts, things like that. So, they might need less bodies at that time of year. So we get peaks and troughs depending on what it is. We're working with multiple different, sort of garden furniture. Manufacturers at the moment or distributors, more distributors actually from manufacturers and, you know, again, this is now the time that everything's going out, maybe, and, you know, they've got waiting lists.

00:35:43:20 - 00:36:00:29
Unknown
So pretty much like me and, you know, they're waiting on containers to come in so they can distribute. And, and when they get a container, it and that has to be it has to be unloaded. You know, if you're forklift drivers off, you need a forklift driver. Yeah. And they are really dependent on those individual skill sets.

00:36:01:01 - 00:36:21:23
Unknown
So it's nice that we've got such a variety of staff available within the team. The hospitality desk obviously at the moment. Well, we went to some of our clients in half term. I've never seen so many kids in one place. It was, so busy everywhere that we went, every hotel, every site we went to visit. But that's the thing.

00:36:21:23 - 00:36:49:01
Unknown
The variety that we're offering, it's it's kitchen staff. It's it's the housekeepers. It's it's the bar managers. We look after different events and obviously that's very much supply and demand, of course. So at the moment it's like prime festival season. So we said we've provided staff at the weekends for a festival and, you know, and you've got to consider all the things like logistics and, the volume that you need in the team.

00:36:49:01 - 00:37:14:21
Unknown
And what happens if someone doesn't turn up. Have we got a backup plan? You know, we forward plan all of that for the client so they can just get on with what they need to at the event. And that staff can just turn up. Yeah, reliable and on time and everything else, which I guess if you're used to that fluctuation within a year, if companies like visual PR productions, IGT landscaping, whoever it might be sort of grow over a period of time, you'll go and that's fine.

00:37:14:21 - 00:37:37:06
Unknown
That's a slower change than what we're used to. But your eyes are wide open to it. And we need to know that, don't we, as business owners? Yeah, I need to know. I've got someone ahead of me. Yeah. You know, and we we, you know, we've been growing for the last few years with more and more people. But we've actually come to a point where that a lot of there's a lot of landscapers and builders and about.

00:37:37:06 - 00:38:08:03
Unknown
So we were struggling with, you know, the kind of more high end skilled people to work for us. So we're at a bit of a stalemate in in numbers, but we're still getting the inquiries. So, you know, I know the responsive a kind of actively is open for, for that. So it's another avenue away from just my connections or links to potentially if someone is available that, you know, we've already got someone, you know, who wants who want someone.

00:38:08:06 - 00:38:28:13
Unknown
Yeah. So a little bit that's happened. So we could, you know, organically grow with that at the same time because we've got the work there. It does make a difference. Yeah. Before I wrap up on this, I want to give you the opportunity because we've been we have been speaking about landscaping. But I have to, I think, on behalf of responsive personnel as well.

00:38:28:13 - 00:38:51:08
Unknown
Thank you for coming on the end. So EJ to landscaping what's your website address? I jt landscaping dot Duke we should have I should have checked that before I took ten minutes. What Facebook Instagram. We're on those as well. And they are good because you then get to see some of your what we put pictures on and updates and you know, some progress reports and, you know, bits and bobs.

00:38:51:08 - 00:39:16:04
Unknown
So it's quite good to see how much work can go into something that can look spectacular or quite simple. Sometimes there is there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. And I saw this quite good to see where the money's going, because nothing in construction is a cheap fix now. No, I mean, I saw a great one from you recently that all it was, was, a new patio.

00:39:16:06 - 00:39:33:29
Unknown
Yeah. And, a reasonable sized one just outside the back of the house. And you it. I don't think you'd landscape any. The rest. They didn't need anything else done. It was a new patio. Yeah. And I was blown away with the difference that that made you go. Well, surely it's the whole picture. Sometimes it doesn't have to be the whole picture.

00:39:34:06 - 00:39:49:11
Unknown
It can be a part of it. And the work that you guys, the slabs that were down, the work that you did on it. Yeah. I'm allowed to blow your trumpet, you know. Thank you. I saw it and this way. That looked incredible. I know the one on the back. And it was. Yeah, it was like a sort of brownie glossy.

00:39:49:13 - 00:40:14:29
Unknown
Yeah, it was a it was a porcelain patio, but it's got a sandstone effect to it. Yes. So and it's multi sizes. So it's like a lot of sandstone comes in a multi size. So it's quite traditional looking obviously. Porcelains a manmade product. So it's not natural but it's a lot hard work, a lot harder wearing it's it's easier to clean but it is a more expensive option to go for.

00:40:14:29 - 00:40:33:01
Unknown
But it can last. Yeah. Pretty well. And it looks, it does it look great. It does. It doesn't suit everyone's taste of course, because it is quite but even the way you did it, it was, it was not just sort of like a square. It was, it was, you know. Yeah, I did the one I did and and everything just looks this is the multi size thing.

00:40:33:01 - 00:40:51:06
Unknown
You put it in a patterns. They came with it. They come with a sort of pattern. But we normally when we ourselves a long way but we put it all together ourselves to, to fit. Yeah. And it had a curve which had a different stone on the outside to, to compliment that. Yeah. Let's say it was as simple as the one patio can be.

00:40:51:08 - 00:41:10:20
Unknown
It, it was still done well. So the nice and I think we did that I think that's quite a big it's about 60m². And that was done in about 5 or 6 days. And that's a really big jigsaw puzzle isn't it. I'm quite a heavy one. Yes. I mean like yeah it's pretty hard. It's not. Yeah. Yeah it's not, it's nice.

00:41:10:20 - 00:41:31:22
Unknown
And you know we'll do a whole garden make over and but we'll see. The most important thing is a single patio. But like you say, it's a single patio on its own. But it can be done while still exactly. No. And to get involved in like, electrics as well. So if you've got like up. Yeah. Yeah. So we yeah we'll get an electrical contractor in to work with us.

00:41:31:24 - 00:41:49:12
Unknown
Still design that, but still part of the design. We'll take that headache off the client, you know, said, well, I would have a single point of contact. Yeah. Just. Will we talk? Yeah. What do you want? If it's not? You know, if you haven't got the full ideas, I'll give ideas of what we can do. I like that, and then I don't always have the idea.

00:41:49:12 - 00:42:04:05
Unknown
I'm like, look, this is a mess. I need to redo it. What do you think? You see the space, you see any limitations my physical space has got and you're able to kind of go either just bring to life what I say or. Okay, what about this one? Yeah. You say like, where are you going to say or not?

00:42:04:10 - 00:42:26:22
Unknown
Yeah. You know, or whatever. And where's the sun? Where's the sun? Oh yeah. Yeah. So yeah. So do you need lighting there or not. And obviously, you know, a bit of software can be a bit more esthetically pleasing. Yeah. You know, and then we get, we get the, the contractor in and we just work with them then and you know, we'll do everything within the groundworks and the channeling and you know basically we'll just get it.

00:42:26:22 - 00:42:47:27
Unknown
So that the wire sticks out at each end of where it needs to be. Yeah. To take the power, to give the power. And then they do that because it's got to be signed off. It's got to be safe. So that's then. That's then on them. You know we've got to fit some of the lights as well. But they'll do the, you know, do the fundamentals, do the safety stuff and the checks and that's hard scape and soft scape.

00:42:48:00 - 00:43:10:18
Unknown
So I, you know, we talk patios or decking or something. Yeah. Or even in plants as. Yeah. Or in some areas. Yeah. Stuff like that. What about, structures I like, whether it's like a bar in the garden or something. Yeah, yeah, we we build, so sometimes you get a flat pack, summerhouse, shed, outdoor something kitchen.

00:43:10:20 - 00:43:40:24
Unknown
Well, we'll, we'll, we'll build that. We've also built bespoke outdoor structures. So we build a pergola or gazebo ourselves, from scratch or even an outdoor kitchen, you know, a metal structure. That would be. We could spec that, and install and, you know, then add things to it. So, yeah, all of the above, you know, we will only the imagination limits it and budget and the budget.

00:43:40:26 - 00:43:58:08
Unknown
All right. So the hot tubs now, the. Yeah, yeah, the hot tubs we've put into gardens and also now taking them out as people go on, a bit of a whim, think of Amazon and don't really use it and then realize that space could be for something else like, oh, would you like for a five? I get that can happen.

00:43:58:08 - 00:44:13:24
Unknown
But we'd always had a hot tub. My parents used to import them from New Zealand too. This was years ago now, but Oh, it was very well used, especially in the winter. I used to love it. I'd be in there with a bubble in the snow. I've sat in the hot tub. It's now outside. It's really even raining.

00:44:13:24 - 00:44:36:07
Unknown
It's quite good. But. But they're not. But they're really expensive to run. Yeah. You know, to keep them at that temperature through the winter. And I think that's that's what I mean. I had underfloor heating put into, an extension that I had done. Yeah. Worked out that it was just that alone was at least 60 pounds a month just to have the heating on in there.

00:44:36:10 - 00:44:54:08
Unknown
Yeah, yeah. Wow. So it's a little spicy. Yeah. But it does make the room usable during the winter months. Obviously it's not on during the summer, but it was that was potentially something that I hadn't realized quite how much it would be. But we live in learn I think you are right. Run in the hot tub. But in essence.

00:44:54:11 - 00:45:24:05
Unknown
And so, yeah, whether it's a small garden up to a large garden. Yeah. Commercial premises. So home. Yeah. So maintenance. So we look, we look after a couple of dealerships. Yeah. So we maintain a couple of dealerships, care homes. There's a decent sized care home company, and we look after, and a total of about eight of our properties, seven of the nine properties and seven of their homes, and then, units, commercial units.

00:45:24:08 - 00:45:44:19
Unknown
So in essence, of every time you go, yeah, big estates, you let them know if you can't or. Yeah, not about not best and you can provide free no obligation. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. We look we look after everything. You know, we're we're building something for you in your garden or, you know, planting a a new showhome, you know, maintaining the grass.

00:45:44:20 - 00:46:10:28
Unknown
It's all, it's all IGT landscaping. So. Co.Uk. Yes. Yes. Got that one right. And again the final one. Responsive personnel, event staff, warehouse staff, admin staff, customer service staff, finance, construction stuff. You know, I don't think you even fully limit yourself, do you? If someone that you were leaving, you came to and said, look, this is what we need.

00:46:11:01 - 00:46:26:18
Unknown
I know that you might not necessarily overtly market that, but from the way I've understood it is that they should come and speak to you guys no matter what. I think the great thing is, is that, for example, the people that we work with, you know, for the events, the staff that we've got for those some of those people are actually our clients.

00:46:26:21 - 00:46:43:18
Unknown
They're our clients. And they say, I'd love to go and do an event, and they'll come and say they register with us. So they then have the opportunity to be a client and a candidate of ours. Yeah, because they know what we do because we talk about it, you know, so that, you know, their warehouse manager, but actually their event staff at the weekend.

00:46:43:21 - 00:47:01:19
Unknown
Yeah, we talked about that. My sister, actually worked at Glastonbury in the bar at one point since she's like a dental nurse, but she's like, no, I want to go and work at that. It's not my cup of tea. I'd be the one that she'd be serving rather than the other way around. But, you know, people do that, so embrace that.

00:47:01:19 - 00:47:21:26
Unknown
So that that makes sense. It's a solution for people all that. Do you need that little bit of extra money as well? You know, it gives. Yes. It gives the candidates that flexibility, to be able to earn a little bit extra, do something a little bit different. You know, they know that they can't afford to do that full time, but it's something they enjoy.

00:47:21:26 - 00:47:39:16
Unknown
So they'll come into do it part time for it. But the interesting one that came up in a previous conversation is that it's not just that, it's also career minded people. Like we were touching on chefs. Yeah, there's a great example that goes, no, no, no, this isn't just part time work I'm looking for. I need to get a work in somewhere.

00:47:39:16 - 00:48:12:28
Unknown
And my intentions to work on it. I mean, you're probably the same as me and within yourself as well. If someone comes in and proves themselves, there is scope for. Oh, yeah, we have exactly that. You, that labor staff and our supervisors know. Exactly. Yeah. One guy was, in removals and he's had some carpentry training. I think he's got a he has he's got a, college course, a level carpentry, but went into removals with a friend of his to have mountains and stuck there for a few years and wanted to change.

00:48:13:00 - 00:48:37:13
Unknown
And we do everything, you know, so we've got, you know, carpentry, building groundworks, electrics until the electrician and he's now he's now a team supervisor on landscaping and is is the very highly skilled and, you know, one of our most highly skilled guys. Wow. You know so it can be his career is 5 or 6 years. Yeah. Careers part time.

00:48:37:16 - 00:48:57:22
Unknown
Yeah. Seasonal whatever comes of it. And that applies whether you're the person looking for work, whether you're the person that needs people. So, yeah, you know, speaking from that angle, it makes sense. And we've got it there. Responsive personnel.com is the place to go there. And obviously hand is now on board to help make sure that the whole thing's working together in harmony.

00:48:57:25 - 00:49:20:14
Unknown
Yeah. And keep Danny, I have it. I'm joking. Sorry. Never keep Danny out of it. Will you? Go, you guys? Exactly. Thank you so much for, for for joining us. Hannah, great to see you at Responsive Person. Out to you to Chris. And, Ian Gray as a client and as I hooking. Yeah, exactly. We'll see a race class bring that season round quick.

00:49:20:15 - 00:49:42:03
Unknown
Yeah, exactly where we're getting stir crazy now, aren't we? Yeah. So that's it from, recruitment unplugged inside responsive person. Now, that was episode five. Join us back here for episode six next month. But if anything from these discussions, conjures up any questions, any thoughts, please reach out and, you know, ask the team, whatever it might be.

00:49:42:07 - 00:49:59:17
Unknown
Equally, if you've got any ideas of things would be beneficial for us to chat any guests that would be useful to cover certain areas that might help you, or you yourself think, a valid information to be share in. Please do get in touch. But from all of us here now, we'll see you next time. Cheers. Bye.