﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>The Sales Director News</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/</link><language>en-gb</language><copyright>&amp;#xA9; 2012 Aaron Wallis Ltd</copyright><author>Aaron Wallis Ltd</author><item><title>UK sickness absence falls again</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801364634-UK-sickness-absence-falls-again.aspx</link><description>The number of UK workers taking sick days fell again last year, according to official figures which continue a gradual trend seen over the last two decades.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that 131 million working days were lost to sickness in 2011, which is down on the 137 million recorded in 2010.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It is also a substantial reduction of the 178 million that were taken in 1993, despite four million more people being in work now than 19 years ago.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; According to the organisation, the average UK worker now takes four-and-a-half days off sick a year, compared with the seven days per employee recorded in 1993.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Overall, the percentage of working hours lost due to sickness was 1.8 per cent in 2011, which is down from 1.9 per cent in 2010 and a significant reduction on the 2.8 per cent seen in 1993.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Commenting on the figures, Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the CIPD, said there was a direct link between sickness leave and the recession, and warned people that working through illness may actually make them more sick.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801364634-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801364634" /&gt;</description><pubDate>18 May 2012 15:11:11</pubDate></item><item><title>Part-time work 'a great stepping stone'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801366290-Part-time-work--a-great-stepping-stone-.aspx</link><description>Taking on a part-time job can open up many new opportunities and should never be disregarded, one expert has noted.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;According to Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, part-time work should not be considered &amp;#39;second class&amp;#39;, and he noted that many people are doing so out of choice.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;It may not be ideal for everyone but it is much better than the alternative of unemployment and benefits. We want as many people contributing to the economy and keeping their skills fresh,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Mr Green said that taking on a part-time job can also be a &amp;quot;stepping stone&amp;quot; to a full-time position that jobseekers really want.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;Workers are increasingly asking their bosses for greater flexibility and we expect this to be a continuing trend in the UK labour market,&amp;quot; the expert added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;His comments followed the publication of new data by the Office for National Statistics, which showed a 45,000 drop in UK unemployment and a 118,000 rise in people entering the labour market in the last quarter, with many taking advantage of part-time working options.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801366290-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801366290" /&gt;</description><pubDate>18 May 2012 10:43:23</pubDate></item><item><title>UK employment figures 'a great step forward'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801365880-UK-employment-figures--a-great-step-forward-.aspx</link><description>New data revealing that there has been an increase in the number of people in employment in the UK is great news for the country and sign that the labour market is travelling in the right direction, the government has claimed.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Employment minister Chris Grayling made the comments after new figures published by the Office for National Statistics showed that employment rose by 105,000 to stand at 29.23 million in the first quarter of 2012.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; According to the data, employment has now been steadily rising since last autumn, and is complemented by another fall in unemployment, which was down by 45,000 on the quarter to stand at 2.63 million.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Mr Grayling said the figures are &amp;quot;a welcome step in the right direction&amp;quot; and noted that there is evidence that the rising numbers of people in employment is starting to feed through into improving unemployment figures.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;However,&amp;nbsp; we still face significant international uncertainty so we need to hold firm on our current economic strategy and continue to do everything we can to ensure unemployment continues to fall,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801365880-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801365880" /&gt;</description><pubDate>17 May 2012 15:55:38</pubDate></item><item><title>Communication skills 'highly sought' in managers</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801365863-Communication-skills--highly-sought--in-managers.aspx</link><description>Companies looking to bring in interim mangers will be on the hunt for strong communication skills in potential candidates, it has been noted.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; According to Sue Smith, a partner at Boyden, companies want strong communication skills and an ability to pass on their knowledge to a business in a way that is right for the client.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It is therefore a case of remaining independent, because often interim managers and directors come in and help the business make some of the tougher decisions, she noted.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The expert explained that interim managers can help a business that is growing fast and meet its needs right away, as it often takes time to find the right people long-term.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;You can also find interim managers and directors are very useful when a business has exploded in growth, but now needs to put some robust processes and structures into a business that haven&amp;#39;t been done before,&amp;quot; she added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/employer_client.php"&gt;sales recruitment services&lt;/a&gt;, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801365863-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801365863" /&gt;</description><pubDate>17 May 2012 15:51:51</pubDate></item><item><title>Talent retention 'is being neglected'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801364636-Talent-retention--is-being-neglected-.aspx</link><description>Companies across the UK are failing to put measures in place to keep hold of their best workers and, as a result, risk losing top talent, a new report has found.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Research carried out by Vodafone shows that, when it comes to business continuity planning, UK businesses are much better prepared for technology and environmental risks than they are for the risk of losing good workers.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The results were the key finding of a new report entitled What if &amp;hellip;? Exploring Attitudes Towards Risk, which interviewed 615 UK senior managers and revealed gaps in their retention strategies.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In spite of the growing need to attract and retain the best talent, only 29 per cent of UK managers say employee defection to another firm is a significant concern.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The report found that one in five employees are reported to be actively considering a job move in the next twelve months, but managers are instead more concerned about IT systems failures (59 per cent) and fire and flood damage (36 per cent).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Commenting on the report, Peter Kelly, enterprise director at Vodafone UK, said it shows that businesses should place a greater emphasis on identifying and managing talent risk as part of a business continuity management strategy.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;This is not only best practice but it will contribute to business excellence - essential in such a tough economic climate. It is imperative that businesses are better prepared than ever,&amp;quot; he explained.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by Richard Esquilant&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801364636-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801364636" /&gt;</description><pubDate>16 May 2012 15:12:33</pubDate></item><item><title>UK unemployment falls</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801364632-UK-unemployment-falls.aspx</link><description>There has been a fall in the number of unemployed people in the UK as more jobs were created across the country, new figures reveal.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the jobless total in the UK was 2.6 million in the quarter to March, which is the lowest since last summer, while the number of people claiming jobseeker&amp;#39;s allowance last month was also down by 13,700 to 1.59 million.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Overall, unemployment fell by 45,000, while the fall in jobseekers is the second month in a row that unemployment rates have dropped.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The data also showed that the number of people in work increased by 105,000 to almost 30 million in the first three months of the year, while average earnings also increased by 0.6 per cent between March 2011 and the same month in 2012.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Commenting on the figures, Ian Brinkley, director at The Work Foundation, said the news is &amp;quot;surprising but very welcome&amp;quot;.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;Claims that further deregulation of the labour market is needed to stimulate job generation look to be unjustified. Private sector employers clearly felt confident enough to hire in large numbers over the three months to March 2012,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801364632-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801364632" /&gt;</description><pubDate>16 May 2012 15:10:29</pubDate></item><item><title>2 in 5 retirees 'would be happy to work on'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801362541-2-in-5-retirees--would-be-happy-to-work-on-.aspx</link><description>Two in five workers who are planning to retire this year would be happy to work past 65 if they were given the chance, it has been claimed.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Prudential&amp;#39;s Class of 2012 study, which looks at the finances and expectations of those planning to retire this year, shows that 48 per cent of men and 32 per cent of women would be happy to continue working past the standard retirement age.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;According to 68 per cent of respondents, their main motivation for staying in the workplace past 65 is a desire to remain physically healthy and mentally active, while 39 per cent do not like the idea of retiring and just staying at home.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Furthermore, 54 per cent say that they enjoy working, noted Vince Smith-Hughes, retirement expert at Prudential.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;He explained that there is a &amp;quot;new retirement reality&amp;quot; taking shape across the UK, with thousands of people actively choosing to work past the traditional retirement age.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;Those retiring at 65 will face an average of nineteen years in retirement which makes the financial and social benefits of working for longer an even bigger draw for a new generation of industrious retirees,&amp;quot; Mr Smith-Hughes concluded.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801362541-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801362541" /&gt;</description><pubDate>14 May 2012 14:42:53</pubDate></item><item><title>Interim managers 'an experienced and immediate resource'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801360443-Interim-managers--an-experienced-and-immediate-resource-.aspx</link><description>Businesses bringing in an interim manager will find that the biggest benefit is that they receive an immediate response, one expert has highlighted.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Sue Smith, partner at Boyden, said that hiring an interim manager is a question of defining the immediate needs, what the key deliverables are and then finding someone suitably sized for that business.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If companies were hiring someone permanently it could take months, whereas if they opt for interim staff then they already have the people with the skills and experience required.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;They tend to be people who are very much more experienced and have wider experience, and therefore they usually cover the piece of work that needs to be delivered,&amp;quot; Ms Smith explained.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; She said there has been a steady increase in interim manager usage, and the understanding and awareness that there are &amp;quot;very good people&amp;quot; who do not necessarily want a role permanently, but can make a major impact.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;They are happy to come in and spend six to 12 months in a business and help that business change for the future,&amp;quot; the expert added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by Richard Esquilant&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801360443-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801360443" /&gt;</description><pubDate>10 May 2012 14:49:08</pubDate></item><item><title>Permanent job placements rise again</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801359538-Permanent-job-placements-rise-again.aspx</link><description>The number of people being placed into new jobs in the UK has risen for the fourth consecutive month, according to the latest Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG Report on Jobs.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Data published by the organisations reveals that permanent staff placements increased at a steady pace in April, continuing the trend seen since the start of 2012, with the placements supported by a further solid increase in demand for staff.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The report also showed that temporary and contract staff availability continued to rise, albeit at a slightly slower rate than in recent months.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, noted that employer and consumer confidence is increasing and he anticipates more private sector jobs being created in the second half of the year.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;During 2011, employers made do with the staff they had, trying to exploit any additional capacity in their existing workforce,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;Having maximised the growth they could achieve in this way, confidence has grown sufficiently for organisations to make the positive decision to take on more staff.&amp;quot;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801359538-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801359538" /&gt;</description><pubDate>09 May 2012 15:41:24</pubDate></item><item><title>Use of interim workers 'is evolving'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801358600-Use-of-interim-workers--is-evolving-.aspx</link><description>The way in which interim workers are utilised by organisations is continuing to evolve as the numerous benefits of this employment model become evident, it has been observed.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Diane Morris, director of InterimWomen, said that interim managers were traditionally only used to fill gaps at senior level business when skills did not exist internally, but their use has broadened over the last few years.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;Interims are being brought in to a business to deliver strategic projects or for a defined period again where skills don&amp;#39;t actually exist internally. They could be there to deliver change management projects or particular finance projects,&amp;quot; she explained.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ms Morris described interim staff as a &amp;quot;good option&amp;quot; for businesses, as they can be hired on a daily rate and there are no overheads such as holidays or pensions.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;It&amp;#39;s a resource that you can turn on and off, which suits businesses, particularly in the uncertain climate that we&amp;#39;ve got at the moment,&amp;quot; she added.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The expert went on to note that they are also hired because they bring a &amp;quot;fresh perspective&amp;quot; to a business.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; As interim workers are independent, they can tell the chief executive what is going on in the business and, unlike an internal staff member, they do not get involved with office politics.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by Richard Esquilant&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801358600-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801358600" /&gt;</description><pubDate>08 May 2012 15:48:17</pubDate></item><item><title>Technology and flexible spaces 'boosting employment market'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801357342-Technology-and-flexible-spaces--boosting-employment-market-.aspx</link><description>The country&amp;#39;s employment market is being boosted by the invention of new technology and the rise of flexible spaces, which has given rise to the &amp;#39;anywhere worker&amp;#39;, a new report has suggested.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Research carried out by Siemens Enterprise Communications reveals that advances in communications mean that staff can work on the move, in the office or at home nowadays, making it far easier for people to land jobs that would have been out of reach ten years ago due to logistical constraints.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The report polled 1,000 people and found that 85 per cent of communication devices used for team collaboration &amp;ndash; including smartphones, laptops and mobile phones - are outside the company headquarters.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; According to the report&amp;#39;s authors, this highlights how workers are increasingly carrying out tasks from different locations across different platforms.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It has enabled them to conduct face-to-face meetings, team collaborations and creative tasks without having to travel to the office, creating an open workplace, noted Rob Keenan, head of UK portfolio management, deployment readiness management at Siemens Enterprise Communications.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;The rise of the anywhere employee has meant the end of the office worker. More than ever, work isn&amp;#39;t where you go, it&amp;#39;s what you do,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801357342-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801357342" /&gt;</description><pubDate>04 May 2012 15:14:33</pubDate></item><item><title>A good skillset 'the most important trait'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801357338-A-good-skillset--the-most-important-trait-.aspx</link><description>Although there are many different factors that play a role in a candidate getting a job, by far the most important is having a good skillset and the tools needed to do the job, one expert has stated.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; John Bell, policy editor at ESF-Works.com, said the key thing that any candidate needs to remember is that they must have the right kind of skills for the sector they are applying for and the tangible qualities employers need.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;There are some employers that are doing quite well and they will begin to start recruiting new people. The issue for them is making sure the right skills are available when people come through,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One of the major problems encountered by job hunters is knowing exactly what those skills are, which makes it important for applicants to thoroughly research the sector and illustrate how they have what it takes to do the job.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Alternatively, people who feel they are underskilled should aim to broaden their skillset to enhance their chances of landing recruitment success.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801357338-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801357338" /&gt;</description><pubDate>04 May 2012 15:12:50</pubDate></item><item><title>UK managers 'overestimating their abilities'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801356372-UK-managers--overestimating-their-abilities-.aspx</link><description>Three-quarters of UK businesses feel there is a lack of leadership and management skills in their organisation and too many managers have an inflated opinion of their ability to manage people, a new report has revealed.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; A survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggested that both government and employers need to recognise that just a small increase in capability amongst the UK&amp;#39;s eight million managers would make a &amp;quot;significant contribution&amp;quot; to productivity and growth.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; More than seven in ten respondents to the Employee Outlook survey reported a deficit of leadership and management skills, with one problem in tackling this problem being that many managers are not aware of their limitations.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Eight out of ten bosses believe their staff are satisfied or very satisfied with them, but only 58 per cent of employees report this is the case.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Despite this, the survey found a clear link between employees who say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their manager and those that are engaged and willing to go the extra mile for their employer.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the CIPD, said that leadership and management capability continues to be an &amp;quot;Achilles heel&amp;quot; for UK plc, despite mounting evidence that these are skills for growth essentials.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;A small increase in capability across this huge population of people managers would have a significant impact on people&amp;rsquo;s engagement, wellbeing and productivity,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801356372-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801356372" /&gt;</description><pubDate>03 May 2012 15:26:47</pubDate></item><item><title>Positivity 'is very important' when job hunting</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801355265-Positivity--is-very-important--when-job-hunting.aspx</link><description>People on the hunt for new jobs need to adopt a positive mindset in order to boost their chances of landing the role they want, it has been advised.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; While this may seem obvious, it is surprising how many people become demoralised if they are rejected for the first role they apply for, noted Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He said that people who are already in a job that they are not particularly enjoying may also encounter this problem, but the challenge can be overcome by staying positive.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;I think it is a very fluid market at the moment, I think it is going to be challenging, but I take the view that if you want to find work and you&amp;#39;re not too precious about what you do, within reason, then you&amp;#39;ve got the right mental attitude to appeal to a future employer,&amp;quot; Mr Flaxton explained.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If candidates simply put their hands in their pockets and think &amp;#39;well, I&amp;#39;m not playing&amp;#39;, then they are unlikely to be attractive to a future employer, he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Aaron Wallis are a Milton Keynes &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; agency with a unique service offering that includes 12 months rebate. Psychometric profiling and online skills testing are also included within a fixed recruitment price.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801355265-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801355265" /&gt;</description><pubDate>02 May 2012 14:45:05</pubDate></item><item><title>Directors plan to scale back appointments</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801354539-Directors-plan-to-scale-back-appointments.aspx</link><description>A significant proportion of the UK&amp;#39;s non-executive directors expect to reduce the number of appointments they hold each day in order to commit more time to carrying out their duties effectively, new research from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has indicated.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; One reason for this may be the increase in risk and regulatory requirements, which has led to more than half of non-executive directors increasing their time commitment by between five to ten days a year, the data indicated.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Sean O&amp;#39;Hare, remuneration partner at PwC, commented: &amp;quot;Following the amendments to the UK Corporate Governance Code in 2010 we&amp;rsquo;ve started to see how the changes are shaping the roles of board members and impacting the duties of individual directors.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Although the increased challenges have made the role more attractive, many feel challenged by the complexity of the business and the demands associated with the increased involvement, influence and responsibility which the new role brings, the expert added.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The survey also found that many NEDs believe the lack of time to debate issues and the volume of paperwork and regulatory requirements impacts their ability to perform the role effectively.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801354539-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801354539" /&gt;</description><pubDate>01 May 2012 16:15:33</pubDate></item><item><title>Investment in skills development 'is essential'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801353052-Investment-in-skills-development--is-essential-.aspx</link><description>It is vital that companies continue to invest in skills development to ensure that they have the tools at their disposal and the appropriately trained workers to progress.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Mark Spelman, managing director of strategy at Accenture, noted that there is something of a &amp;quot;double paradox&amp;quot; in the labour market, as some businesses are cutting back on skills development at the very time when they should invest more.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; His comments followed the publication of an Accenture survey, which showed that skills shortages are persisting in spite of a pool of unused talent in the UK and across the world.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; According to the survey results, 18 per cent of companies and bodies plan to increase spending on skills and training over the next 12 months, but 43 per cent still face skills shortages and 72 per cent believe businesses need to increase their investment in this area.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Mr Spelman commented: &amp;quot;Employers recognise the need for counter-cyclical investment in human capital, but are struggling to find solutions. Getting skills markets to work better would unlock new enterprise, economic growth and job creation.&amp;quot;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801353052-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801353052" /&gt;</description><pubDate>30 April 2012 15:27:52</pubDate></item><item><title>Lack of workplace skills 'holding some workers back'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801351766-Lack-of-workplace-skills--holding-some-workers-back-.aspx</link><description>Many job candidates are being held back by a lack of workplace skills, a new report has found.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Research carried out by learndirect revealed that 88 per cent of employers rate workplace skills as a top priority, yet only ten per cent of jobseekers consider them important.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; It appears that a lack of skills and experience is also holding people back in the application process, with 24 per cent of unemployed jobseekers saying they do not know how to create a good impression and 42 per cent of employers stating that the majority of interviewees fail to impress them.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Additionally, four in ten people say that say poor spelling is top of the list of areas they have been criticised for in previous jobs, with 14 per cent given feedback from previous employers or when applying for jobs on the need to improve their maths and English skills.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Recently, Zena Everett, leading career coach and CV expert at Second Careers, said that people on the hunt for a new job have many options open to them when it comes to boosting their employment prospects.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The expert said that any activity that develops people&amp;#39;s skills and confidence is better than doing nothing, including volunteering, education and training courses, which can all enhance a CV.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801351766-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801351766" /&gt;</description><pubDate>27 April 2012 15:54:18</pubDate></item><item><title>Leadership 'is about paying attention'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801351759-Leadership--is-about-paying-attention-.aspx</link><description>Leadership is all about paying attention to fine details, and managers who fail to do this may be compromising the success of their organisation, it has been claimed.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; James Scouller, executive coach with Thescoullerpartnership.co.uk, said one common leadership mistake is a lack of vision, and this catches up with people after a while when satisfaction levels drop.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He noted that the second big mistake made by managers is assuming that leadership is all about them being brilliant, charismatic and having all the answers, when this is not necessarily the case.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;Realise that leadership is just a process of paying attention to certain things - a sense of destination, making sure there is some kind of plan to turn it into reality [and] making sure there&amp;#39;s a sense of collective spirit,&amp;quot; the expert added.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Mr Scouller said that most people have a vision of leadership that is exalted and &amp;quot;very fuzzy&amp;quot;, and need to remember that every team is made up of individuals who vary in their levels of confidence and know-how.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801351759-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801351759" /&gt;</description><pubDate>27 April 2012 15:53:18</pubDate></item><item><title>'Five key factors' set apart top employers</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801346867--Five-key-factors--set-apart-top-employers.aspx</link><description>The best employers in the UK match up to five key criteria which have a significant impact on the happiness and morale of their staff, according to a new report.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Research carried out by Adecco found that employees are happiest in organisations where managers have a commitment to their staff and there is a connection between people and business strategy.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In addition, the best employers were found to be those with a high-performance culture where importance is placed on outstanding achievement, as well as companies with an association between people practices and business objectives.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Perhaps the most significant factor in worker happiness is the overall employment experience being as promised, Adecco noted.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;All of these factors depend on each other and it is rare to find one without another. In a company of choice, executives have a clear vision and the organisation delivers its promises. It rewards and appreciates hard work, and motivation really makes a difference,&amp;quot; the organisation added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801346867-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801346867" /&gt;</description><pubDate>26 April 2012 15:25:35</pubDate></item><item><title>Employer confidence 'at a 3-year high'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801350383-Employer-confidence--at-a-3-year-high-.aspx</link><description>Confidence levels among UK employers are currently at their highest level in the last three years, according to a new report by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The organisation&amp;#39;s JobsOutlook shows that employer confidence grew throughout the first quarter of 2012 to reach its highest level since the survey began in March 2009.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Businesses reported that they intend to hire more staff in both the short and long term, with a particular emphasis on taking on more permanent workers.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Overall, 72 per cent of employers say they plan to increase the number of permanent employees over the next three months, 78 per cent intend to boost or maintain agency worker numbers over the same period of time and 84 per cent will increase or maintain agency staff numbers in the next 12 months.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The study showed that employers continue to be pleased with the service they receive from recruitment agencies, with 91 per cent rating themselves as satisfied.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Commenting on the data, REC director of research Roger Tweedy said the overall figures from quarter one are &amp;quot;really positive&amp;quot;.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;Our measure of employer confidence has reached a record high point. But the growth in confidence was less than last month so it will be important to track whether increasing employer confidence is a continuing trend or whether it&amp;#39;s peaking,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801350383-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801350383" /&gt;</description><pubDate>26 April 2012 14:56:06</pubDate></item><item><title>Careers advice 'vital for young people'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801350375-Careers-advice--vital-for-young-people-.aspx</link><description>It is essential that young people are given appropriate advice throughout their academic lives so they can make the right choices when moving into a career.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;That is the opinion of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), which has highlighted the need for improved careers advice to help meet employers&amp;#39; needs for more people with appropriate management skills in the coming decade.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;By offering advice to people before they enter the jobs market, the right roles will be filled by the right people and the jobs market can operate at its optimum level, noted Petra Wilton, director of policy and research at CMI.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;According to the government&amp;#39;s own labour market projections, we are set to see a rapid growth in management jobs over the coming decade. It is critical that aspiring managers understand what employers need and are given quality advice about how they can improve their skills to boost their career prospects,&amp;quot; she added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;It comes after a separate CMI poll showed that fewer than one in five young people consult careers advisers, with more than a third having been put off careers by &amp;#39;suited and booted stereotypes&amp;#39;.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801350375-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801350375" /&gt;</description><pubDate>26 April 2012 14:53:26</pubDate></item><item><title>Skills shortages 'making manager recruitment difficult'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801348211-Skills-shortages--making-manager-recruitment-difficult-.aspx</link><description>Skills shortages among people with managerial experience are placing pressure on recruiters to find the right people, it has been found.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;The new 2012 National Management Survey by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR shows that 59 per cent of UK of employers found it difficult to recruit managers in the year to September 2011, which is an increase of ten per cent on the previous 12 month period.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;According to the respondents, a shortage of candidates with specialist skills was the main hurdle they encountered, with 80 per cent of workers finding this to be an issue.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Another problem faced by companies was the struggle to retain managers, with 55 per cent of employers citing this and an average of one manager in ten leaving their post in the past year.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Christopher Kinsella, acting chief executive of the CMI, noted that the UK needs to employ 544,000 new managers by 2020 or the country could be in a &amp;quot;grave situation&amp;quot;.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;A company that does not work hard to retain its employees and invest in its people will find itself in a difficult situation given we already have a shortage of high-quality managers,&amp;quot; he explained.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;Strong managers are the lifeblood of effective organisations and too many employers are realising this too late.&amp;quot;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For Sales Managers Aaron Wallis &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; provide all of the latest news in the UK &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; to help you keep your team in touch with changing trends and developments. For &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales manager jobs&lt;/a&gt; and unique &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; services, backed by a 52 week rebate scheme, visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by Richard Esquilant&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801348211-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801348211" /&gt;</description><pubDate>25 April 2012 15:00:58</pubDate></item><item><title>75% of UK staff 'on the look-out' for a new job</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801348199-75--of-UK-staff--on-the-look-out--for-a-new-job.aspx</link><description>Three-quarters of UK staff are currently on the look-out for new job opportunities, according to a new poll of UK staff which reveals many are not satisfied with their current positions.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;The latest Kelly Global Workforce Index by Kelly Services, which questioned 3,500 workers across the UK, revealed that only half of workers class themselves as committed to their current job, while a third would not voice their potential plans to leave.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;According to the survey, only 35 per cent of employees feel valued by their employer or gain a real sense of purpose from their work, with the majority citing an inability to excel or develop as a reason for this.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Andrew Cook, general manager UK and Ireland at Kelly Services, said that workers have experienced unprecedented economic turmoil and as a result are &amp;quot;seriously questioning&amp;quot; their career goals and looking for new opportunities.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&amp;quot;Unless employees feel engaged in meaningful work and offered ongoing opportunities for growth, many believe it is in their best interest to keep their careers in a perpetual state of motion,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Aaron Wallis are a Milton Keynes &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;Sales Recruitment&lt;/a&gt; agency with a unique service offering that includes 12 months rebate. Psychometric profiling and online skills testing are also included within a fixed recruitment price.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801348199-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801348199" /&gt;</description><pubDate>24 April 2012 15:59:35</pubDate></item><item><title>More UK call centres 'can boost jobs and the economy'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801346863-More-UK-call-centres--can-boost-jobs-and-the-economy-.aspx</link><description>The creation of more call centres in the UK can not only help create many more jobs across the country, but also help to drive the economy in the process, as well as enhancing customer service, it has been noted.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In a recent speech to the Policy Exchange, UK employment minister Chris Grayling argued that firms should repatriate their overseas call centres to boost the number of jobs available in the UK.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; His comment have now been backed by Andrew Gilbert, managing director of Node4, who said overseas call centres are a &amp;quot;false economy&amp;quot; when customers are dissatisfied with customer service staff that do not match their expectations.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; He said that customers now expect their experience to be smoother and to have their queries handled by the right person without being &amp;quot;passed from pillar to post&amp;quot;.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; If companies have the tools to facilitate this without having to pay for the costs upfront, there will be no need for overseas centres that are quickly falling out of favour, Mr Gilbert explained.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;Customer demands have changed drastically over the last few years and so must the way they contact customer service departments. At a time when there is the requirement for improved customer service and a need for jobs in the UK, this presents a fantastic opportunity to take action,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801346863-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801346863" /&gt;</description><pubDate>23 April 2012 15:24:48</pubDate></item><item><title>Improvement in part-time working 'is good news'</title><link>http://www.thesalesdirector.com/news-801344563-Improvement-in-part-time-working--is-good-news-.aspx</link><description>The rise in the number of people being employed in part-time jobs in the UK is good news for both the jobs market and the economy, it has been noted.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, made the comments after new labour market statistics released by the Office for National Statistics showed that the overall unemployment figures in the UK fell by 35,000 over the last quarter.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; In addition, the number of people working part-time has increased, and Mr Green said it correlates with the REC&amp;#39;s monthly data, showing employer demand for permanent staff is at an eight-month high.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;The increase in people working part-time is a good thing. Most people working part-time are doing so out of choice. Taking on a part-time job can be a stepping stone to landing the full-time position they want,&amp;quot; he added.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; The expert said that part-time work and flexible hours provide a means for many people to work around other commitments in their live.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; &amp;quot;People are increasingly asking bosses for greater flexibility in their hours and we believe this is going to be a continuing trend in the UK labour market,&amp;quot; Mr Green added.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;For all of the latest &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk/"&gt;sales industry&lt;/a&gt; news visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk. If you are looking to hire in your sales team Aaron Wallis offer the UK&amp;rsquo;s most inclusive &lt;a href="http://www.aaronwallis.co.uk"&gt;sales recruitment&lt;/a&gt; service which includes skills testing, psychometrics and a 12 month rebate scheme as standard. For Sales Director jobs visit www.aaronwallis.co.uk.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Posted by John Oak and Wayne Bly&lt;img alt="ADNFCR-1617-ID-801344563-ADNFCR" src="http://feeds.directnews.co.uk/feedtrack/justcopyright.gif?feedid=1617&amp;itemid=801344563" /&gt;</description><pubDate>19 April 2012 15:58:33</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
