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London-based talent partner to the tech sector, Scene, have announced the opening of two new US offices in New York and Los Angeles. The new office locations will support Scene’s strategic expansion into the US and enable the company to better serve its US-based clients, as well as clients based elsewhere hoping to conquer the US market. Since its inception in 2019, Scene now serves more than 120 fast-growing startups and scale-ups worldwide, as well as acting as a partner and talent advisor to many of the world’s leading venture capital companies. The addition of two US locations follows on ..read more

A survey conducted by Startups.co.uk has revealed that 71 per cent of UK business leaders think they’ll be able to meet employee wage expectations this year. The National Office for Statistics reported last week that UK wage growth has been high at an average 5.6 per cent over three months from December to February. An overwhelming 92 per cent of business leaders told Startups.co.uk that they feel positively about the year ahead in general. However, optimism varies dramatically depending on the industry. UK tech firms ..read more

The latest Xero Small Business Insights (XSBI) data from global small business platform, Xero, says UK small business hiring has continued to show signs of recovery in the face of a challenging macroeconomic environment. Employment has risen 1.4 per cent year-on-year (y/y) in the first quarter of the year (January-March 2024) representing the largest hiring growth in two years for UK small businesses. Xero’s data also revealed that wage growth rose to 3.3 per cent y/y in the March quarter, from 3.2 per cent in the December quarter. Increasing wages are an indicator that small businesses are w ..read more

Matrix, has appointed Suzi Smith as Chief Strategic Officer as part of their operating board development. In her new role Smith will join the executive team taking on responsibility for leading the company’s customer and product strategy. With a focus on strategic planning and execution, Smith will spearhead the development and implementation of initiatives that drive Matrix’s customer-centric ethos and long-term vision. Mark Inskip, CEO of Matrix, commented on the appointment, saying: “We are thrilled to welcome Suzi to the Matrix team. Her extensive experience and proven track record in res ..read more

Most people reading this post will have had an experience with psychometric testing or personality profiling. For many people, that experience may not have been positive.   There are so many different variations of psychometric profiling or personality questionnaires out there and, used positively; they are a fantastic tool to understand what makes a person tick and how they will approach their work.     However, if they are used in the wrong way, it can be a hugely detrimental experience for the recipient.     One of the biggest misconceptions about persona ..read more

The Q2 HR Bulletin from Make UK found 83 per cent of manufacturers attempted to recruit new staff in Q2 – and more manufacturers (67 per cent) were able to fill most of their vacancies compared to any point since end of 2022. However, the biggest barriers to recruitment remains lack of candidates with the right skills (65.6 per cent) followed by lack of applicants with right qualifications (31.9 per cent). The employment picture on the whole is therefore looking a little healthier, with manufacturers across the board reporting an easing of recruitment pressures with more vacancies being fille ..read more

Zitko Group, a leading provider of talent solutions in the fire and security sector, has announced its expansion into Ireland, marking a significant milestone in the company’s strategic growth initiatives. Industry led and in line with increasing demand in the region, Zitko Group (Ireland) Ltd is bringing its expertise and innovative solutions to new and existing clients and partners across Ireland. The expansion aligns with the company’s mission to continuously enhance its global footprint while delivering exceptional service and multi-region support to customers. Heading up the region is ma ..read more

A poll conducted by HR, payroll, and finance specialists MHR found 71 per cent of employees admitted that they have worked while unwell because of the negative perception of calling in sick. The main concern is it will damage career progression, reported by nearly three quarters (74 per cent) of respondents. The findings spotlight a harmful culture of presenteeism across UK organisations, which senior leaders must address – not only for the wellbeing of their employees, but the wellbeing of the business as a whole. Employees that work while unwell are less productive and more prone ..read more

The Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA) have announced the launch of Diligence Hub, a new high-security matching service for due diligence requirements between recruiters and umbrella companies. The idea behind Diligence Hub is to simplify and streamline the often time-consuming task of information sharing between recruiters and umbrellas, saving both organisations valuable time and resources. With Diligence Hub, recruiters and umbrellas can safely and securely exchange due diligence information when considering commercial agreements. By centralising due diligence informat ..read more