Sanctuary Personnel

Sanctuary Personnel is the umbrella company of leading recruitment specialists, Sanctuary Social Care, Sanctuary Health and Sanctuary Criminal Justice.

  • Impressive work with Rotherham Council following the enquiry in 2014 revealing the sexual exploitation of children. Leadership and frontline staff resigned and it became impossible to attract sufficient social workers to meet service needs. Sanctuary helped transform services to such an extent that it has been able to scale down its support.
  • The judges were also impressed with Sanctuary’s work with rehab charity Turning Point, using its specialised talent pools to source substance misuse nurses where other agencies had struggled to find suitable locum staff.
  • During incredibly tough times for health and social care public sector clients, while its competitors contracted in size during a highly changeable marketplace, Sanctuary proactively identified ways of bringing added value to those clients. It created innovative solutions, enabling clients to make service delivery improvements as well as greater financial efficiencies.
  • Sanctuary’s continued partnership with Enfield Borough Council with its ‘single team’ approach shows a real depth of understanding client challenges.
  • With many of its clients, Sanctuary has worked with incredibly tough briefs – real-world problems solved by effective recruitment. Get it right and change the world.

Judges’ comments: “Sanctuary stands out as a winner in this category for its follow through to impact – providing great, solid customer service. It was refreshing to see an entry boasting of scaling back services/fees.”

Investigo

With four UK offices in London, Guildford, Milton Keynes and St Albans, and an expanding US offering centred in New York, Investigo offers interim and permanent recruitment solutions to a diverse range of blue-chip companies, the public sector and SMEs in the accountancy, banking and finance industries.

  • With its banking and financial service (B&FS) client partnerships stretching over a decade, Investigo is frequently asked to contribute to the recruitment strategies of its B&FS clients by providing targeted market information. A number of the recruiters who navigated the ‘credit crunch’ era are now leading Investigo’s B&FS teams.
  • Investigo supports clients with their diversity & inclusion agendas, working with clients on an individual basis to understand what their strategy is and how to support them with attracting diverse talent. Investigo puts on D&I events that are widely attended by B&FS clients and offers a full D&I Guide to assist our clients in achieving inclusive recruitment.
  • The judges were impressed with clients’ testimonials, such as sourcing hard-to-fill, confidential roles and Investigo’s consultants working together to achieve their clients’ goals.
  • Stand-out candidate care, leading to long relationships that has often progressed to additional work for Investigo as candidates are confident to use the company to resource entire finance teams in their future roles.

Judges’ comments: “A client-focused approach with some fresh ideas differentiating them from many similar entries. They’re making clients feel special with priority consulting access.”

 

NES Global Talent

NES Global Talent delivers international workforce solutions across the energy, life sciences, chemicals and mining sectors, dealing with 12,500 contractors through 66 offices globally.

  • Although there was an impressive calibre of entries in this category, NES Global demonstrated incredible specialist expertise in its service to customers around the world. In particular, the placement that stood out to the judges was the success in sourcing a tri-lingual candidate who could speak Spanish, Chinese and English for a project in the UAE in the solar energy space.
  • NES Global’s ability to support clients in some of the most challenging locations in the world is impressive. Having people on the ground operating in the same time zone, speaking the local language and with a true understanding of local culture provides a strong foundation and confidence among its clients.
  • NES also showed an amazing duty of care, with its consultants going the extra mile for thousands of its contractors who work in places throughout the world that are often in political unrest and extremely unstable.

NES has also used the latest AI technology to free up its recruiters to focus on value-add activities, whilst technology solutions manage the more repetitive tasks. For example, it introduced an AI Chatbot tool called ‘Roborecruiter’ to quickly contact candidates and pre-qualify them, asking them simple questions (using email and SMS) regarding skill levels and visa requirements to build up shortlists of candidates for recruiters to then approach on a personal level.

Judges’ comments: “NES provided excellent examples of meeting complex challenges of its clients across the globe in a clear and comprehensive manner. Adopting key technologies to streamline processes while demonstrating well evidence-based outcomes of success.”

NES Global Talent

NES Global Talent delivers international workforce solutions across the energy, life sciences, chemicals and mining sectors, dealing with 12,500 contractors through 66 offices globally.

  • Impressive on-the-ground knowledge has helped companies NES Global works with to source and mobilise local talent in a timely and efficient manner.
  • The judges were particularly impressed with the way NES Global dealt with a new client who was keen to hire a particular candidate that had been referred to them before the search with NES. NES delved into this candidate’s experience and background, which revealed they would not be suitable for this brand new role in Austria. The approach taken by NES showed great tact, sensitivity and integrity.
  • Showed a real duty of care in looking after its 1,000 contractors working on rotation in Iraq, from onboarding to ensuring their safety when travelling home. At the beginning of the tensions between the US and Iraq in 2018, when President Trump pulled the US out of a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, NES called each contractor individually to address any concerns and reassure them that the recruiter was there to provide support at any time. With 10 new starters, whose assignments were delayed, NES again remained in contact with them throughout the delays, ensuring they were comfortable in neighbouring countries.

Judges’ comments: “Local knowledge of target markets delivered to international clients. Mobility specialists helped candidates adjust to challenging environments.”

Franklin Fitch

Franklin Fitch is a specialist IT infrastructure recruiter operating solely in this space across the UK (London and Cardiff), Germany (Frankfurt) and the US (Austin).

  • To give its clients valuable up-to-date information, building on the traditional salary survey, Franklin Fitch released its Market & Skills Report. Sent to more than 19,000 infrastructure professionals in the UK and Germany, with a diverse response across all demographics, the survey looked into the topics and trends affecting its clients on a daily basis, not just around pay rates, but what talent in the IT Infrastructure space was demanding.
  • Impressive work, finding the right candidate for a hard-to-fill role that had been open for nearly eight months. Franklin Fitch reworked the job description and subsequent job advert, involving three international locations, and filled the role within six weeks.
  • Showed great candidate service when a family tragedy struck in the middle of a recruitment process. The candidate trusted the Franklin Fitch consultant to go above and beyond on their behalf to complete the process on their behalf, which was working in the UK for a US firm when the candidate was based in Greece.
  • Embarked on a brand refresh along with a comprehensive update of its digital presence. This was achieved employing the information and feedback by clients and candidates through regular data-gathering and its Market and Skills Report. As a result there was an increase of 60% in website conversions (job applications and CV registrations) and the company’s social presence across professional networks rose by 44% to more than 9,500.

Judges’ comments: “An excellent understanding of their sector and adding value with data-driven insights (market and skills report). Consultants have to pass a test on sector – Franklin Fitch also trains its staff in skills relevant to the sector. Showed they care and would add value to the process.”

SR2 – Socially Responsible Recruitment

SR2 stands for Socially Responsible Recruitment. Bristol-based SR2 is a community-driven IT recruitment start-up, putting people over profit and making various commitments as a business to ensure CSR is at the heart of everything it does.

  • The judges were impressed by the high level of creativity, innovation, quality of service and differentiation across the entries in this category.
  • SR2 stood out in this category through, for example, in its first two years of business donating over £21k to under-represented local charities in Bristol. It is also very active in the tech community, organising or sponsoring between 5-10 tech events and meet-ups, attracting around 500 people per month.
  • The judges were impressed with SR2’s efforts into improving diversity & inclusion (D&I) in tech via a number of means, including its platform Women Rock https://www.sr2rec.co.uk/womenrock/. Every week the company posts new content on the blog on its website and pushes this out to businesses who have expressed an interest (and via social channels) to keep D&I on everyone’s agenda.
  • Showcased innovations such as creating a group called Bristol Technology Volunteers – a platform that connects charities in need of help with techies who want to help. More than a dozen charities have had tech projects completed for them via the platform.
  • One excellent candidate service in particular demonstrates the company’s willingness to go above and beyond for its clients and candidates. Having secured several final interviews, where diaries had been rejigged to accommodate him, the candidate’s childcare cancelled at the last minute. SR2’s consultant offered to look after his very energetic twin boys, drafting in SR2’s MD to take them to the aquarium. The result was the candidate performed well, and he took one of the jobs he was offered. SR2 even covered the cost of the aquarium visit!

Judges’ comments: “Strong values and ethical recruitment agency that lives by its name. They showcased lots of brilliant examples, including Women Rock and Bristol Technology Volunteers. Driving innovation and engagement across the community.”

RedLaw

RedLaw is an independent executive search consultancy specialising in working with private practice legal professionals in the UK, the US and internationally.

  • RedLaw’s teams consist entirely of ex-lawyers and experts with extensive experience as legal recruiters, which helps attract and retain the best lawyers and legal professionals, making it vital to the firm’s success.
  • RedLaw invests time in understanding the individual needs of every client, such as the firm’s future ambitions, culture and their points of differentiation compared to their competitors. This often leads to future assignments from clients.
  • High levels of customer service, continual communication and feedback enabled RedLaw to deliver the right candidate for a challenging vacancy – the first German role for the client – and clearly demonstrated RedLaw’s skill as a trusted, results-driven leading legal consultancy.
  • A key change to the business was the successful launch of the Business Services division with the key strategic hire of Mark Neal. The team recruits facilities managers, paralegals, IT specialists, HR professionals, marketing managers, and even chefs and gardeners! RedLaw now offers a complete 360-degree recruitment service for clients from one point of call, sourcing anyone who works in a law firm, from a temporary receptionist to a managing partner.

Judges’ comments: “The best agency is not always the biggest – it is about the quality that is delivered and it is clear that RedLaw do exactly this. Their case studies show that they do a fantastic job for both client and candidate.”

TFS Healthcare

Founded in 2010, TFS Healthcare is a UK specialist healthcare recruitment firm placing nurses and healthcare professionals on a permanent and ad-hoc agency basis into the NHS, as well as private hospitals nationwide.

 This was a very closely fought category with many agencies overcoming significant challenges. Each finalist can be very proud of their achievements.

  • TFS Healthcare is clinically-led rather than sales-led, displaying a deep knowledge and understanding of the healthcare sector. The clinical team is led by two very experienced our nurses: Band 7 RGN Mary-Lee Harper, and ex-RGN, client services director, Roland Sheehan, MBA.
  • The clinical team provides continual onsite support to nurses and healthcare assistants through weekly meetings, ensuring they are supported in their role and given help with any concerns or issues.
  • All candidates are screened by the clinical team, and a bespoke competency-based clinical interview is completed face-to-face, enabling TFS to meet the candidate in person and assess their suitability.
  • The judges were impressed with TFS Healthcare’s candidate attraction to find the best talent. TFS career coaches constantly engage with new candidates through its referral scheme to grow its extensive candidate database. In addition, the firm holds extensive marketing campaigns, open days, road shows, and training and revalidation events.

Judges’ comments: “Clinically-led as opposed to sales-led, TFS Healthcare ran some excellent campaigns to attract and look after great candidates. Clearly a ‘people business’ that doesn’t let technology replace the personal touch.”

Also: This was a very closely fought category with many agencies overcoming significant challenges. Each finalist can be very proud of their achievements.

VHR

VHR’s global technical recruitment consultancy serves the aerospace & aviation, automotive, engineering, defence and marine industries across 50 countries.

  • VHR is led by industry experts including a former Formula 2 driver, an America’s Cup sailor and British Airways technician and ensures all its employees truly understand all its markets.
  • VHR’s internal recruitment strategy specifically targets candidates with second and third language fluencies. The company operates in 50 countries, up from 28 in 2017, opening its eighth and ninth global offices during 2019.
  • Working with clients, VHR has designed and implemented new training courses to upskill and migrate workers from around the world in the aviation industry, to help fill a shortage of cabin technicians.
  • VHR sourced and trained all individuals for its training courses, organising medical, flights, accommodation, visas and references, and worked with management to monitor performance. At the end of the intensive training programme, workers were transported to the UAE, all closely supported by VHR staff.
  • VHR arranges all onboarding and logistics for the contractor candidates it sources, even travelling to meet candidates in their home countries and personally transferring them to their new homes and work sites, arranging visas and work permits, providing expert guidance on local tax and healthcare – to protect candidates from any situations that could leave them vulnerable, and ensuring businesses receive the best quality services.

Judges’ comments: “VHR has an excellent way of meeting both customer and candidate needs through training and localisation. Clearly an innovative business.”

Evolve Hospitality

Established in 2012, Evolve provides front and back of house temporary staffing solutions for the hospitality sector, as well as permanent placements.

  • The business is underpinned by a support team comprising a finance department, which looks after temp payroll, staff payroll, invoicing and credit control, as well as an operations team of four – affectionately referred to as Team Slash, as it supports every area within the business (HR/operations/marketing etc).
  • To ensure all candidates have the correct Right to Work documents, the team uses uComply scanning technology, compliance software certified by the Home Office.
  • The team is also responsible for client compliance and ensuring it manages the requirements of each individual client site and their staffing expectations, from food safety and allergen training to uniform requirements and standards.
  • As well as all of the legislative and compliance support, the back office team’s agenda also includes making Evolve the best place to work for its own employees. The team spends a lot of time and effort planning and executing fun training, team building, rewards and events for everyone within the organisation – especially the annual ‘winners party’ to a secret destination.
  • Overall, the judge were impressed with how the back office team helped make Evolve candidates feel an important part of the Evolve team, not only by ensuring they were paid correctly and on time, but through training and the online benefits package – for temp staff as well as permanent.

Judges’ comments: “Evolve stood out from other entries as being focused on people, as well as having great processes and platforms. They brought a personal touch to the lives of everyone that they impact. We were impressed with their innovative use of technology, given the size and scale of the business.”