It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.  It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years. Here we speak to Sam Kirk, the CEO of Clockpress Holdings, the parent company of J-Flex Rubber Products and Composites Evolution.

At the end of 2022, the KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: Midlands survey signalled a renewed uplift in temp billings but the second fall in permanent staff placements in three months. Meanwhile, with candidates reportedly reluctant to move positions, supply for both temporary and permanent candidates deteriorated. Wage inflation was sustained in December but displayed tentative signs of easing. The KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: Midlands is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to around 100 recruitment and employment consultancies in the Midlands. Second reduction in permanent staff placements in three months Having increased in November, permanent staff appointments in the Midlands declined in the final month of the year. According to surveyed recruiters, falling demand for permanent staff resulted from recent company budget reviews amid the current tough economic conditions. On a regional level, the reduction was broad-based and led by the South of England. Renewed upturn in temp billings For the first time in four months, billings received from the employment of short-term staff rose in December. Where an expansion was reported, panellists linked this to an increase in client workloads. The rate of increase, however, was only slight and much softer than the rates recorded throughout much of the period following the COVID-19 pandemic. All four monitored English regions registered growth in temporary billings in December with the strongest expansion recorded in the South of England and the weakest in the Midlands. In line with the trend seen over the majority of the past two years, job vacancies at firms in the Midlands increased in the final month of 2022. Permanent job openings rose once again in December, but at the slowest pace since February 2021. A similar increase was registered for temporary job openings which grew at the fastest pace in four months. On a regional level, the Midlands recorded the second-strongest growth in both permanent and temporary job vacancies of the four English regions. Permanent candidate availability declines following increase in November Recruiters in the Midlands signalled a reduction in the availability of permanent staff at the end of 2022. According to anecdotal evidence, nervousness about current economic conditions led to a growing reluctance to move jobs among candidates. Overall, the latest drop in availability was sharp but softer than the average for the past two years as a whole. Led by the Midlands, three of the four monitored English regions registered lower permanent staff availability in December. London bucked the wider trend and recorded the first uplift in 20 months. Supply of temporary staff deteriorates at slowest rate in current 22-month sequence The supply of temporary workers in the Midlands decreased in December. Recruiters mentioned that candidates were seeking more stability in permanent roles amid ongoing economic uncertainty. Notably, the rate of deterioration was the weakest in the current 22-month sequence of reduction. All four monitored English regions registered a reduction in the supply of candidates for temporary positions, with the strongest fall seen in the North of England. Softer rise in permanent starting salaries The seasonally adjusted Permanent Salaries Index posted above the 50.0 no-change mark for the twenty-second month in a row in December to signal further growth in starting salaries in the Midlands. Companies reportedly increased pay in an attempt to attract fresh talent. All four monitored English regions recorded increases, with Midlands-based recruiters seeing the fastest inflation and London the slowest. Slowest increase in temp pay rates since April 2021 As has been the case since December 2020, recruiters in the Midlands registered an increase in temporary pay rates in the final month of 2022. That said, the rate of inflation softened for the fourth month in a row with the latest reading the weakest in 20 months. Temporary pay inflation was sustained across the four monitored English regions in December and led by the North of England. Commenting on the latest survey results, Kate Holt, people consulting partner at KPMG UK, said: “The challenging economic environment continues to constrain the jobs market, as December’s data shows. The ongoing industrial relations turmoil in many sectors, along with the scarcity of available staff in all sectors, means that wage inflation may soften only slightly in the near term. “Yet, at the same time, vacancy growth rates are trending down again this month from a historically high peak in July 2021, as employers continue to rein in permanent hiring and employees choose to stay put. Overall, the jobs market looks less than rosy at the start of 2023, so employers who hold their nerve and continue to invest in skills in particular are likely to benefit most when the economic upturn comes.” Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, said: “A slowdown in permanent placements is not unusual in December. Recruiters tell us that this was because firms pushed hiring activity back into January in the face of high inflation and economic uncertainty. The big test of the labour market will come this month. “Permanent job openings in Midlands rose once again in December, and temporary job openings, in the run up to festive Christmas, grew at the fastest pace in four months. “As we move into 2023, the need to ensure our labour market can deliver economic growth and prosperity should be a critical concern to politicians. People telling recruiters that they are anxious about moving jobs is a concern in this regard – as a move is a great way to boost pay and build up skills. “If people are less willing to move jobs, this could make shortages worse in the near term. That is why a stable economy, and support to address labour and skills shortages – from welfare to work support to immigration and skills reform, need to be major priorities for all the UK governments.”

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A family-run Northamptonshire-based domestic cleaning business is celebrating a milestone moment for the company as their “flagship” territory, in their hometown, has been acquired by a new franchisee. Time For You Cleaning, which has over 150 franchisees across the UK, began in the town with one small territory, run by the co-founder, Freddie Rayner, in 2001. It was then successfully developed as a pilot for the growing franchise and has continued to grow as a business in its own right. Now, the Northampton franchise will be taken forward by a new owner, with Mia Garrod taking the helm. Speaking about her new business, Mia said: “As a friend I’ve been pretty close to the family for many years, in fact I’ve known Sam’s (current MD Sam Stawarz) wife Emma since I was 3 and my husband James has been friends with Sam for years too. “James runs his own firm and we’ve often discussed business opportunities and naturally, one of which has been looking at franchises with Time For You because Emma has run hers for 13 years with great success. “However, until now, the timing hasn’t been right because I’ve been focused on bringing up the kids and even with the work/life balance which is great in this business, the location hasn’t quite been right in terms of available franchises. “My youngest is now 7 though so the time was right and then the ‘home’ franchise became available which was pretty incredible really and I just had to take the opportunity.” Curiously, Time For You franchisees like Emma don’t actually do any cleaning, instead, they access a business model that attracts the cleaners, whilst they focus on running a profitable franchise. Meanwhile, the Team at Time For You’s Northamptonshire franchise headquarters help to drive demand from the local customer base via marketing and administrative support. It was set up by husband and wife team Freddie and Ruth Rayner in 2001 and has grown sustainably ever since, with global expansion now on the cards since son Sam Stawarz took over as Managing Director in the summer of 2022. Speaking about Mia taking over the franchise, Sam comments: “I’m delighted for Mia. To be honest, the Northampton franchise is the big one for us as a family business because this is where it all started. I was speaking to Freddie about it when the franchise was looking like it might become available for a new owner last year and it is a really personal thing for him and for all of us. “We know that it is in safe hands with Mia and we will be right behind her, just as we are with our 150+ franchisees across the UK. Of course, Mia has known our business model, from the outside at least, for many years, so we’re confident that she will have a flying start to her business in the new year.” As for Mia, her focus is now on balancing marketing her cleaning services with attracting and recruiting hard-working cleaners to look after her clientele. “There is plenty of work out there for cleaners who are professional and reliable because now more than ever, people value their time very highly. That’s what we’re actually giving our clients, time. Time to do whatever they want to do that isn’t cleaning! “There are great earning opportunities for our cleaners too. They can work as little or as much as they want with us and we will sort out all of the logistics and paperwork. So if anyone is looking for a new career in the new year or just to supplement their current earnings, they know where I am.”