Our very own Kim De'ath sat down with Debbie Walton, Editor of TALiNT International to discuss the latest market trends and how 3R supports clients to manage these challenges.
Author: Debbie Walton
Publication: TALiNT International UK (April 2023)
3R is one of the most complete recruitment agency start-up providers in the UK offering a unique solution for top-billing recruitment consultants to experience all the financial benefits of owning a business, yet still experience the support and infrastructure that they would expect if they were working for an agency. With a dedicated focus on growing true partnerships with its clients, 3R is proving to be a small tech company that packs a big punch!
Having worked in the recruitment sector for over 12 years, Kim De’ath is passionate about supporting new recruitment start-ups to launch and scale, as well as partnering with SME's to deliver back-office technology and funding solutions.
KD: In some sectors, absolutely. Contract recruiters tend to have an easier ‘ride’ during a recession and can replace short-term business requirements with skilled contract workforce. There’s always pressure on businesses to source the right talent, particularly in highly skilled tech and stem sectors – where in those industries there is still a massive skills shortage.
KD: Recruitment is a people-led industry. We can bring out as much brilliant technology as we want to, but people are at the heart of it. The great thing about the tech we provide to our clients is that it does enable them to have clear visibility of real-time data in relation to their clients and their workforce. They can use that data to help make tiny changes, homing in on every single step to ensure they're being as efficient as possible and cutting costs where you can without losing efficiencies. That’s something we’re good at it.
KD: We’re in partnership with our clients and are experiencing clients coming to us from other providers who are looking for more support from experienced people operating within their industry. With 3R, we’re not just a random person at the end of an inbox, we position ourselves as a partner to their business and the majority of us have worked in recruitment as well. We have a deep understanding of the industry and offer our clients a true partnership, tailored to their needs. We've even attended board meetings with some clients and helped them evaluate new tech and growth areas.
The tech gives you more time and efficiencies within your business. It gives you automation, but relationships are key. The human touch element is so important. We are seeing a real shift in people moving across to work with us because they see value in that level of support and guidance that we can offer for no additional cost. It’s a premium service.
KD: Anything from start-up to SME, so it could be a business at the very beginning of their journey and we are giving them the infrastructure to hit the ground running and create that level playing field within the market. We also partner with multi-million pound recruitment companies with 20+ staff who are looking to continue their growth with a dedicated partner.
KD: Well, we can be very flexible and have a people first approach. So that's key a differentiator for us. We are a growing business which our clients can lean on, the expertise to offer flexibility within our specialist industry, we can move where our clients need us most. We provide a fully outsourced back-office solution for businesses, that deals with the compliance and risk up-front so we can ensure they are operating securely and safely, which is imperative to solid growth.
A big corporation could take a hit of somebody not paying an invoice, but for a small business, it could cause some damage and potentially shut you down. So, we really want our clients to be operating securely and safely. We carry-out credit, compliance and fraud checks early-on before they even get to placement stage, to help our clients to be in a strong position to work with the best of their sector, ensuring that not only the contractors and recruiters are paid, but that we are paid too. In the instances where aged-debt creeps in we provide real-time reporting and recovery.
KD: We're proud to be leading the way with women in technology and in STEM. Within our own business this strategy is reflected as well. We've got a 2:1 female to male ratio of senior members of staff within the company and a 50% female workforce.