Just Recruitment is Appointing a New Director
In 2017 Just Recruitment became an Employee Owned Company. A true milestone in our history, in many ways it was an endpoint. The end of an era; what had started as Jenny Wrightson’s dream, 34 years earlier, had come of age. More importantly, though, it was a start point.
| Those who understand it want to be part of it. Why wouldn’t they? But it is counter-cultural. |
The start of a new phase in the life of the company. The transition to Employee Ownership was concluded, in the legal sense, in the very smart city offices of Field Fisher. But the real transition is still taking place, the transition of hearts and minds, of culture. It has taken some time for the actuality of Employee Ownership to sink in, was it too good to be true? Have we really been gifted ownership of the company we work for? Where’s the catch? It is true, it is a gift and there is no catch!
For potential new employees, the concept of employee ownership is often completely new. Those who understand it want to be part of it. Why wouldn’t they? But it is counter-cultural. Most of our local competition are family-owned businesses where the only employees with a real stake in the business bear the family name.
Employee Owned Companies account for over £30 billion of turnover for UK plc. They range in size from very large organisations such as John Lewis or PA consulting to SMEs like Just Recruitment. Yet they are one of the economy’s best-kept secrets.
Today we have announced the next step in our evolution as an Employee Owned Trust (EOT). The shares in Just Recruitment are owned by Just Recruitment Trustee Ltd and it is the responsibility of the Trustee company’s directors to ensure that the business is run for the benefit of its employees. When the EOT was established, the directors of both companies were the same. This is about to change; 2 new directors are to be appointed to Just Recruitment Trustee Ltd. One will be an independent person and we’ll announce the name before the end of March. The second will be an employee, elected by their colleagues. 5 of our owners have put their names forward for election. Hustings will begin next week with the poll taking place on 19th March.
A small but very important step forward in our journey. The first 2 years of that journey have been about Transforming, in 2020 we are going to move into the Performing phase. As our Employee Owners’ aspirations are aligned with the Company’s we will begin to fully realise the Productivity and Performance gains that employee ownership can deliver. The appointment of our first Employee Director is part of a deeper employee engagement programme.
Throughout the year we will let you know about the initiatives that we are rolling out. Meanwhile, we will publish regular updates on the election campaign.
If you would like to be part owner of a growing recruitment business send us your CV and we’ll arrange to chat.
© Copyright Just Recruitment 2020
Published: 4 March 2020
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