Relay goes to town

Published: November 2002

New Leeds offices to spearhead dramatic expansion programme A clutch of new services, a strategic alliance with Monster.com and key senior appointments have underpinned Relay’s establishment of new central Leeds offices.

Now the consultancy aims to radically change staff supply and personnel practice in the city from its prestigious King Street base, the first in a multi-site expansion programme over the next few months.

Relay, which works across all business sectors, will introduce a raft of unique initiatives such as its Golden Hello and Goodbye scheme - particularly useful for the legal and accounting sectors where skill shortages are acute.

Here, a percentage of Relay’s margin is diverted to a fund, which, after an agreed period of satisfactory employment, is paid to the candidate as a Golden Hello. In theory, they might receive £500 net (the Golden Hello from the client and Golden Goodbye from Relay) on top of well-paid, quality work. Further packages designed to attract and retain top staff are Privileged Contracts, Personal Development Credits and Reward & Recognition Schemes.

Working with Monster.com, the world’s largest web-recruiter, has seen the company take on 2,400 upscale Leeds candidates recently, notably for senior managerial and technical roles.

Relay has gone from strength to strength simply by studying, then not repeating, the mistakes and bad practice of others. Although Leeds has been one of the UK’s foremost economic powerhouses of recent years, it has proved a ‘Skeleton Coast’ for unwary recruiters, says MD Steven Street, “Many companies rushed to the city and got their fingers burnt. We decided to study every aspect of the market and conditions there.

Relay impression

Casting a long shadow. Relay MD, Steven Street, with one of the marketing stencils that has been making its mark on the streets of Leeds for the opening of the new King Street offices.

“Consultancies saw Leeds as some sort of El Dorado. In many cases, though, they found it difficult to compete there. Not only were they hit hard by some of the highest rents in Europe, but they were also scuppered by their own working practices. A willingness to pitch for the lowest rates meant they couldn’t attract top staff for clients, which is ludicrous in an area with such a strong labour market.

While Relay had a modest presence on the outskirts of the city for several years, it was only after much research, including studies by management consultants on both the company and the Leeds market, that it decided the working philosophies and blueprint for success in other areas would justify a major investment. Recently appointed Director of Operations, Alex Golding, will run the centre, while five new consultants have been recruited to work there. Already, it is expected that total staff levels at King Street will double in the upcoming year.

“We’re simply not interested in clients who seek the lowest common denominators. We only appeal to progressive, innovative companies who see the benefits of properly rewarded, engaged workers and who are prepared to attract and retain them by paying realistic salaries and embracing reward and recognition schemes. It’s not as if this even requires sky-high fees - just an uplift on the minimum. With the labour market nationally at its strongest for 26 years and Leeds workers particularly aware of their marketability, any other course is crazy.

Relay outside

Relay founding partners Laurence Elliott (left), and Steven Street (centre) with some of the consultants at the company's new Leeds base, on King Street. Director of Operations, Alex Golding is 2nd right.

“There is a long-term saving for clients anyway, through the reduced costs and raised efficiencies offered by a stable bank of reliable, motivated, well-paid workers.” Relay has an impressive record of capitalising on business opportunities. It routinely identifies areas of clients’ HR operations that are inefficient, and then provides that function on an outsourced basis. In addition, it has often profited by working in depressed areas avoided by competitors, since these zones invariably benefit from grants and other initiatives to attract new employers and labour.

All Relay staff must successfully complete Recruitment Employers Confederation qualifications, which is not a requirement placed on people by most agencies. The full, voluntary adherence to REC working practices will put the company in a strong position when imminent strict re-regulation of the recruitment industry comes into force.

Later in the year, Relay will bring its unique ethos to companies and candidates in several more major UK cities. This growth period coincides with a major re-branding exercise that forms the basis of an imaginative marketing campaign currently intriguing business communities. It involves the mysterious appearance of the group’s new ‘trademark’ shapes, both on billboards and chalked on to pavements and walls by use of specially-commissioned stencils.

Relay through the window

Relay MD, Steven Street, and newly-appointed Director of Operations, Alex Golding, preparing for the group's multi-site expansion programme, which is spearheaded by the opening of new offices on King Street, Leeds.