Celebrating the resilience of recruitment: APSCo wraps up 2024

As 2024 comes to a close, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has reminded recruitment businesses to celebrate the resilience of the staffing sector and continue to invest in strategic opportunities in the year ahead.

According to the trade body for the professional staffing sector, while the last year has been tough, there are those who are still supporting recruitment businesses and will continue to do so in the New Year.

In the last year, APSCo has:

• Responded to more than 3,000 legal helpdesk enquiries, ensuring same-day response to its members during a time of legal upheaval for the staffing sector.
• Launched its policy Manifesto in an April Parliamentary member breakfast with the Labour Market Minister, MPs and peers.
• Fought to defend and promote the recruitment sector through a skills campaign on apprenticeship levy reform and consultations sent to the DBT, HMRC, HMT and others in response to proposals from the new and previous Government, most recently on zero hours contracts.
• Hosted sessions with the DBT, DfE, Director of Labour Market Enforcement, HMRC and others allowing members to directly share feedback with policy makers. Attended multiple government and political roundtable events as a representative of the sector.
• Delivered direct savings for staffing firms through discounted training and development programmes and the launch of its Advanced Media Service, which has resulted in an average 18% cost saving on media contracts for APSCo members.
• Worked with its Trusted Partners to give members access to cost savings through a new discount programme, halving costs in some areas.
• Held 114 events on and offline, each giving recruitment businesses access to critical information and exposure to experts to help leaders navigate the uncertainty in the market.
• Hosted a trade delegation to the US, putting recruiters in the room with partners on the ground to aid growth and expansion into the US.
• Produced 35 data-driven reports to help recruitment businesses make informed decisions on sector and geographical investment.

Ann Swain, Global CEO at APSCo comments:

“It’s been a tough year and the staffing sector is facing a lot of change and challenge as 2025 approaches. However, recruitment is resilient, and we mustn’t forget that. We are all facing the biggest changes to employment legislation in decades, and there are proposals that we do not agree with. APSCo members can rest assured that every effort will be made from us and our lobbying teams to ensure any change is in the best interests of the recruitment market.

“We may have a tough fight on our hands, but now really is the time to show what the staffing sector can do and why it is so fundamentally critical to businesses and the economy. I would urge recruitment leaders to join us in strengthening the voice of the professional recruitment market in 2025. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. There are still opportunities out there, recruiters just have to work harder to win them. Training and development will be key in the year ahead so consultants are equipped with the skills they need to truly compete in a tough market, and APSCo will continue to ensure members have access to cost-effective methods of supporting their staff.”