Ok, let us get the facts out there. Personnel Selection (PS) is 45 on 9th Feb 2016. Is that special?
For any business to survive 45 years is good going but to survive in the recruitment sector (often likened to estate agencies) is exceptional. Add to that the fact that PS managers have an average length of stay of 11 years and consultants 5.5 years then it becomes clear that this is no ordinary agency or company. My thanks go out to every one of those staff making up those admirable statistics.
I myself have been FD for 15 years and CEO for 5, so I can’t claim the lion’s share of the credit. Certainly one person who takes a lot of credit for developing the culture within PS is Simon Garbett (currently Chairman of The Employment Agencies Movement).
Dog years?
Most of us know that a canine year equates to about 7 human years. So how old is PS in human terms?
Given that most agencies disappear or get swallowed up well before our age of 45 then one might assume that we are in our latter years. The two Directors are grey!
However, there are several pointers to the fact that PS is actually enjoying a second youth.
- Client retention has never been higher = Reduced frown lines
- Client visits continue to rise, preferring direct contact = Walking is healthy
- Despite the recession PS is debt free = Lower blood pressure
- PS has embraced the chaotic world of Social Media = Improved short-term memory
In simple terms, I don’t think PS would have any issue at a wellbeing checkup.
For what it is worth I feel that PS is at a stage where it has been through its troubled teens. It has tried various personas, and it has attempted different ways to motivate its staff and service clients. Now, at the young age of 45 PS is comfortable in its skin. It is a company staffed by decent, hardworking people. They like to make money, but they really like to be recognised and especially by a grateful client. Hence, they will always put the client and candidates first. Sound like a cliché? Certainly but those clichés have arisen for a reason.
When do humans generally start to settle into their skin? About 30 in my view. So PS is a 45 year old company, 30 in human years. Plenty of time before any mid-life crises.
Happy Birthday PS- Cheers and here’s to many more years in business!
We raise a glass to the many we have helped and the many Clients and candidates that have been loyal to PS over so many of those 45 years.