Helpful insights from our experts

Wage Compression in the United Kingdom. The National Living Wage, Inflation and Reshaping of Pay Structure

As required by the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulation 2017, we have calculated our gender pay gap for 2021 using data taken as a snapshot on 5th April 2022.

The gender pay gap is the difference between the average earnings of men and women, who could be doing very different roles and are not the same as equal pay, which looks at pay rates for men and women who do the same role or roles of equivalent value.

This statement is made as part of RE Recruitment’s commitment to eliminating the exploitation of people under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (the Act). It summarises how we operate, the policies and processes we have in place, how we identify and manage the risks, and how we train our staff.

This statement is published in accordance with section 54 of the Act and relates to the financial year, 1st of August 2022 to 31st July 2023. It was approved by the Board of Directors in December 2022.

The UK is about to make substantial changes to the rules around employing migrant workers. These changes will come into effect amidst some of the most difficult times in generations and at a time when the economic climate is unstable as a result of Covid-19.

RE Recruitment have continually monitored the potential and planned changes. Read all about the key support they are able to offer businesses to support the major considerations that the new migration bill will impose on your business.

How is the pandemic affecting businesses in different ways in the UK? Is it Gloom or Doom? Certainly, the world of work is changing and, if you take the national picture, some sectors and employees have been harder hit than others by the global pandemic. And whilst many businesses have been hit hard, there are plenty of others, including online retail for example, that have done well in these times – and others who have changed their business model to adapt to the circumstances. This is why we conducted our ‘Your Business, Your People Survey 2020’. And we are now ready to share our results.

Following the UK’s divorce from the EU, considerable changes have been made to the rules relating to employing migrant workers. The UK government introduced a vital new permit on December 11 2020 which will enable those EU/EEA Citizens who have previously worked in the UK, to continue to do so for a further 5 years and then renew their right to work on an ongoing basis This White Paper aims to furnish you with the relevant information required to navigate the new rules relating to Frontier Workers and how we can help you secure sustainable resource solutions post-Brexit.

The weather is changing; summer is once again departing and Halloween and Christmas (now that’s another story altogether…) supplies are appearing in shops. For those of us who love wintertime, it’s exciting! For those of us who prefer the long hot days of summer, it’s more of a sad time. For recruiters, it’s a good time to stop and take a look at the fruits of our labour. After all, it is Harvest Festival time!

Jill likes to think of her recruitment style as a beautiful garden. She is very firmly in the ‘old school’ camp with her harvest being a large network, but she understands that this won’t remain a blooming network if she doesn’t continue to put the work in. Regularly keeping in contact with clients and candidates alike, Jill is ready to then leap into action when it’s required. Something not thriving in the place it’s currently in? Jill’s consistent work at maintaining her plot means she can quickly move the ‘plant’ to a more suitable location, and then continue to watch it grow!

Elliott is well-established, steadfast and strong. He is like a cultivated Oak tree, who has endured the weathers of the first few years as a recruiter and now has a strong presence and far-reaching roots. You can’t help but notice him, as he is definitely not a wall flower! He never fails to put in the hard graft, showing up each day and not only toiling but delivering, even in testing conditions. Day by day, the fruits of his labour are growing, and we see new shoots branching out around him with each changing season. Always growing, his steely determination on being the best doesn’t go unnoticed and with his unwavering drive, we have no doubt he’ll be still stood firm when others have uprooted.

Abi is continuously ploughing forward in her ‘recruitment farm’. Always at the forefront of developments within the recruitment industry, she likes to scrutinise and see if they will have an impact. Not everything works – and that’s fine. Sometimes you need to learn from a mistake, and then you can use that knowledge to push forward. Abi will throw herself into a new project, understanding a piece of pending employment legislation, trialling a new piece of software, or getting to grips with AI, and push to to its limits. When we say to its limits, we mean it! If there’s a flaw, she’s going to find it!

As the leader of the team, Abi’s approach to innovation within the recruitment industry is really useful, as she allows the rest of the team to carry on whilst she investigates, before sharing her findings. This is a far more efficient way, utilising team cohesion to trial new approaches without constant process change. Recruiters are often thought of as fiercely competitive, however at RE Recruitment, our Professional Services team work as a team, celebrating and supporting individual success to achieve the shared goals. Collaborative farming, if you will, to come back to our Harvest theme!

On the Temp side of our business, Izzy is more of a large scale ‘farmer’. She has wide areas to cover, and in working with much bigger numbers, she needs to be resilient when one or two crops don’t bear fruit. It’s – sadly – part and parcel of working with people. Sometimes things change, family emergencies, broken down cars, illnesses and a plethora of other reasons! It’s the reason her desk is so successful, as we are able to provide our clients cover (and quickly) when any of these incidences occur, but equally, we’re susceptible to it too, as we’re working with people! It’s important that Izzy maintains the best conditions she can for her ‘crops’ and understands that occasional failure is ok too. It’s more about how you deal with it, if it happens. A crop’s failed? No problem, it’s been accounted for, just in case, so there is always another yield to be gathered!

Looking at the different methods of how each of us reaps what we sow, it’s clear we have very different approaches, and this could cause challenges. It doesn’t though, because we all share the same desire to maximise our team harvest. If one area is struggling or in a drought, those who have a bountiful harvest can reap rewards to keep us united as a team and help ensure we weather all storms.

This – and this is where it sounds a little trite – is what sets us apart from the rest. We’re a genuine team, and we all celebrate one another, because we know we’ll all need one another for support at some point. When we engage with clients, we take a holistic approach, so you might build a relationship with Jill, and her beautiful flowers, but you’ll benefit from Izzy’s acres, Abi’s innovation, and Elliott’s ever-present reliability, or vice versa. As we said, it’s a bit like collaborative farming. Want in on the harvest this year? Give us a shout.

Well, that’s the second of the annual exam results days completed for another year! Well done to all of those who’ve collected their GCSE results, and those last week their A-Levels! We hope you’re all proud of your achievements.

We were talking in the Professional Services team about the importance (or unimportance!) of these big days and how it shaped our lives, discussing what we wanted to be when we grew up… and how it panned out!

Elliott wanted to be a footballer; David Beckham himself to be exact! He spent years training and honing his skills, showing dedication and passion for his sport. Career-wise, it didn’t quite play out that way, however he does play at a semi-pro level, albeit not offering quite the Lamborghini and private jet salary of the top leagues!

What Elliott did learn through his years of training is to never give up, and how to remain focused on a goal. He shows this same focus in his recruitment career, always finding the back of the net with a perfect candidate for even the trickiest of roles.

Growing up, Jill wanted to be a Prison Officer, which if you’ve met her, you’d know she would be absolutely excellent at! (Ask Rachael, who’s been on the receiving end of a telling off many times for talking too much in meetings!)

Kind and caring, but doesn’t take any messing, Jill wants to see the best in everyone. She firmly believes that there is a role for anyone, and that we all have special skills we should be using to their full potential. As a martial arts instructor in her spare time, Jill is big on discipline. She’s first in every morning, ready to seize the day and find roles for her candidates to help them move forward in their career journeys. If you are feeling down and out, Jill is your go-to for helping to find a path out of any dark career moments.

On a similar Militarian theme, Isobel dreamed of being a pilot in the Army when she was little. Requiring excellent attention to detail and with no room for error, Isobel applies this to her recruitment career as she runs a successful, busy temp desk. With candidates out all across the county, some for a single day’s placements, some in the same roles for many months, Isobel must know exactly what’s going on and where at all times in order to avoid clashes, or missed opportunities. Whilst she thinks she could absolutely rock the military uniform, Isobel really enjoys flying in and out of her clients’ businesses to seamlessly provide support where it’s needed.

Rachael dreamed of being a TV presenter as a child. We joke that it’s because she’s always got something to say, and a chat show would have been her ideal role! Unfazed by standing up in front of a crowd, Rachael is the best person in our team to go out to new businesses and introduce us! She loves meeting new people, and learning about them, keeping this knowledge safe to then match up the right people at the right time. Often out at networking events, Rachael would love to say hello and learn more about your business, so if you see (or hear!) her out and about, do stop her for a chat!

Not often seen on social media, the glue of our office, Charlotte wanted to be a Travel Agent when she grew up. She’s kept a passion for travel, and regularly enjoys holidays visiting new countries with her family, but she’s applied her skills to our team rather than potential holidaymakers. Exceptionally organised, Charlotte plans the logistics of the team, making sure everyone is where they need to be at the right time. She’s also the queen of dealing with the unexpected!

Always calm under pressure, Charlotte makes sure the rest of the team know what they’re doing, where they’re going, and that everything runs smoothly.

Forever digging around in the mud as a child, Abi was fascinated by a career in Archaeology. Whilst she’s swapped the sandpit for the office, this hasn’t stopped her getting down in the dirt; she still gets really excited about excavating rare treasures, whether it’s a local business who has only just been unearthed, or bringing an impossible to find candidate to the surface.

Her commitment to supporting the career journeys of young people gives Abi the same buzz when she finds a rare gem, or a diamond in the rough as she was when she was young. She loves this even more when she can then see that gem go on to dazzle in their profession, thanks to her support!

So, whilst there aren’t many people who dream of becoming a recruiter when they grow up, there are lots of childhood dreams that a career in recruitment fulfils the need for! Whilst this is just a bit of fun, we thought it’d be good to demonstrate – with real people – that even if you don’t achieve your childhood ambitions, you can likely find a suitable career path that will allow you to still feel fulfilled! Talk to one of our team today if you’re not feeling fulfilled, and we can help set you on the right path to achieve goals that will satisfy your 7-year old self!

With a summer of sporting excellence well underway – from the British Grand Prix at Silverstone to Wimbledon and The Open – we’ve been enjoying watching seasoned professionals battle it out against upcoming new talents in their fields. It got us thinking about our own industry and what we currently do to recognise and support emerging talent.
With schools out for the summer, students – from those embarking on their first summer jobs to fresh graduates seeking the first rung on the career ladder – are in plentiful supply!
So, what should you look for in a CV that lacks extensive employment experience? Don’t dismiss it immediately if there isn’t a long list of paid roles in the work history section. Take the time to read the opening statement of the CV – or the cover letter if one is attached – and learn more about the person behind the application.

Do they sound like a good fit for your team, personality-wise?
Do they clearly state what they’re looking for, and what transferrable skills they bring?
If they’ve read the job description properly before applying, chances are they’ve identified key attributes they know would be valuable to your team.
While qualifications are always useful, remember that not everyone thrives under exam conditions. It’s good to see the basics – GCSEs or equivalent – but unless you have specific requirements, try not to rely solely on exam results. On both sides of the coin, don’t be dazzled by a straight-A student with little else to write about, and don’t discount the so-called ‘straggler’ who scraped by with a handful of results, yet ran the student committee and volunteered every weekend!

Volunteering and unpaid experience can be just as valuable as paid employment. Key things to look out for (or include, if you’re a candidate reading this!) include Duke of Edinburgh awards, charity fundraising involvement, student union or club membership, and hobby or team sports participation.

These experiences – often unpaid and thought of as ‘just for fun’ – build many transferrable skills young people may not even realise they have. A great example is the students at Hartpury University, a local institution we work closely with. Many of them are studying equestrianism or elite sports and assume that’s the only path for them post-graduation. As part of our commitment to supporting employability across the county, we regularly deliver careers talks and seminars at Hartpury.

Take equestrianism, for example. These candidates may not have office experience, but they do have the work ethic and commitment to get up every morning, rain or shine, and be punctual for horse care duties. They’re detail-oriented – noticing a speck of straw out of place or a horse’s unusual step and taking immediate action. They also understand logistical planning, often working in teams to complete tasks efficiently. When you’ve got 16 stables to supply with water, hay, and straw during a blizzard at 5am on a Sunday, you’re not walking back and forth more than absolutely necessary! These students are practical, hard-working, and full of initiative – ideal for roles in planning, logistics, events, HR, or facilities.
Similarly, sports students often believe they’re headed down a single-track path – until injury or life circumstances force a rethink. In our CV and careers sessions, we encourage them to explore their transferrable skills. Teamwork, for example, is a standout. These students have spent years learning how to collaborate, recognise strengths and weaknesses, and maximise team performance. They’re often excellent communicators and easily trainable for leadership or sales roles, where confidence and charisma are key.

These are just two examples of CVs that may appear limited at first glance but are actually full of hidden potential. With a little deeper digging, you might just uncover a diamond that fits perfectly into your business crown.

We’re currently running a campaign highlighting some of our top upcoming talent. If you’re looking for an entry-level team member you can develop into a prized asset, let us know – we’d love to share some candidate profiles tailored to your needs. We’ve already identified their transferrable skills, so you don’t need to sift through a stack of CVs – we’ll handpick the best-fit, pre-screened individuals for your business. No hassle, just talent.

When the National Minimum Wage rose this April, the most immediate and visible impact was the increased direct cost to employers. However, a less obvious, but equally significant, consequence is wage compression.

So, what is Wage Compression?
Wage compression occurs when increases to the minimum wage narrow the pay gap between lower-paid workers and their more experienced or differently-skilled colleagues who don’t receive a statutory rise. If you consider a supervisor for example, who suddenly earns only marginally more than the team members they manage. That imbalance can feel unfair, especially given the added responsibilities of their role.

To maintain internal equity and keep morale high, employers often feel compelled to raise wages across the board. But doing so significantly increases the overall payroll cost, something many businesses simply can’t afford in today’s challenging economic climate.

How Wage Compression Affects Recruitment and Retention:
Employees typically expect a salary bump when they change roles. If experienced staff feel undercompensated, they may start exploring opportunities elsewhere, and replacing them can be both costly and disruptive. Recruiting skilled talent in a competitive market isn’t easy, especially when pay scales feel compressed.

To counteract this, many businesses have adopted creative approaches to stay attractive to employees. Enhanced benefits such as additional annual leave, private health insurance, flexible hours, or remote work can help. However, let’s be honest, these perks don’t always carry the same weight as a tangible increase in take-home pay, especially for those who are financially motivated.

The Broader Financial Burden on Employers
It’s important to remember that while the government mandates minimum wage increases, it is employers who absorb the financial impact. In addition to higher wages, businesses are now dealing with increased employer National Insurance contributions introduced this April. This means the true cost of employing staff has risen more than many people actually realise.

With that in mind, a more strategic approach to pay and people management is crucial. Employers should regularly communicate the full value of their employment offering incentives of career development, well-being initiatives, extra leave, and other non-monetary perks that may not be reflected in the payslip but do contribute to overall job satisfaction.

Productivity Matters More Than Ever
As payroll costs climb, businesses can no longer afford to carry underperformers. Every team member needs to deliver value. It’s essential to provide support and opportunities for improvement, but if performance doesn’t improve, difficult decisions may need to be made to safeguard the wider team’s productivity and financial efficiency.

Need Support? At RE we’re Here to Help
If you’re re-evaluating your team structure or looking for ways to drive greater efficiency, let’s talk. At RE Recruitment, we have our finger on the pulse of the job market. We can advise on in-demand talent, market trends, and strategic workforce planning, all included within our placement fees.

For a confidential conversation, or just to share your thoughts on the current employment landscape, reach out to our Professional Services team at commercial@rerecruitment.com.

We’re here to support you.