Abstracts: September 3rd, 2008

This guide from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development urges organizations to capture talent through building stronger partnerships with recruitment agencies. It provides advice and guidance for HR and recruitment agencies on building and maintaining strong partnership relationships.

The guide was produced in response to the annual Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Survey 2007, which revealed that while there is still a huge demand for recruitment agencies, the way in which HR interact with them could be improved. At the same time, the survey showed that only 36 per cent of employers evaluate agency performance. This finding highlights the need for increased understanding and better working relationships between recruiters and employers.

By offering new insight into developing positive relationships and promoting collaborative working between HR professionals and recruitment consultants, the guide aims to bring about mutual benefits. Practical advice and case study examples demonstrate how HR professionals can build and foster productive partnership relationships with agencies. It also sets out clear advice for agencies on how to become the agency of choice, deliver their clients’ needs and build credibility in the marketplace.

As well as working at the relationship, organizations are encouraged to establish key performance indicators from which agency contribution and their impact on organisational resourcing objectives can be measured.

The Guide is available from CIPD