News & Blogs
05 Dec 2023
by APSCo United Kingdom

A review of 2023 and what’s in store for APSCo members in 2024

2023 has provided a challenging and turbulent backdrop for the professional recruitment market with members reporting tough market conditions. Resilience though has always been a key trait for recruiters, and we look forward with optimism to new opportunities in 2024. Before we say goodbye to 2023, I would like to thank you for being part of APSCo. We have been proud to represent and support you with business-critical services. Please read on for a roundup of 2023 and to find out more about our exciting plans for 2024.

Everyone at APSCo looks forward to working with you next year and supporting your business ambitions. 

Ann Swain 
APSCo Global CEO 
 

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In a year marked by profound challenges in the professional recruitment market, APSCo has been an invaluable pillar of support for its members. Through a blend of expertise, shared experience, market insight, and a genuine passion for excellence, it has proven indispensable in helping to guide businesses through turbulent times, assisting them to make the best and most informed decisions possible, and enabling them to continue to look forwards. In any market, APSCo membership is a must-have for professional recruitment businesses. 

James Wakefield, Chair of the APSCo UK Representative Committee & CEO, RBW Consulting 

 

Events going from strength to strength 

  • APSCo continued to set the bar high with a packed face-to-face and virtual events calendar, covering a whole range of business-critical recruitment topics from the role of artificial intelligence (AI) to the best ED&I practices, and how to grow your business internationally. 

  • APSCo held regular sector-specific meetings that provided not only a wealth of insights from industry experts but also fantastic networking opportunities.  

  • We held an incredible 140 events with over 3,500 attendees. 

  • Our brand-new APSCo Disrupt thought-leadership sessions proved incredibly popular as we seek to shape the future of the recruitment market in the coming years. Look out for the latest report focused on AI, coming soon! 

Invaluable legal resources 

I am super pleased with working APSCo for many reasons, but the legal team is at the top. The support, the responsiveness and the care they put into each enquiry no matter how big, small or complicated is incredible. 

Misra Hanson, Hanson Recruitment 
 

  • APSCo’s legal team continued to provide invaluable services and benefits to members’ businesses. These include the helpdesks covering legal, accountancy, immigration, USA, compliance, plus guidance on contracts, audits and more. 

  • The team has handled over 3,200 queries in 2023.

  • 100% of respondents rated the usefulness of the information given by the helpdesk team as “good” and very good”. 

  • To many members, this service alone is worth the cost of membership with a vast array of guidance, contracts and templates available. 

Supporting International Expansion 

  • Many of our members have seen that recruiting internationally and expanding overseas have provided opportunities in a turbulent year. With research reports, Trusted Partners offering superb advice and our Trade Delegation to the USA, we have helped recruiters realise their expansion ambitions. 

  • We regularly held international events and webinars focussed on key growth markets to give members the best support possible for expanding their operations into new regions. 

Talent Development 

  • APSCo continued to provide extensive training opportunities, conducting over 200 courses, for over 1,600 delegates. Notable additions to our course offerings this year included Personal Effectiveness and Women in Leadership, both aimed at enhancing professional growth and development. 

  • Our CMI Level 5 leadership course is our fastest-growing training programme as more recruitment firms seek to upskill their existing management and leadership teams. Over 200 delegates have completed CMI Management training this year. 

  • 99% of delegates would recommend APSCo training. 

Dedicated Account Management 

  • APSCo provides a dedicated account manager to every member to help you access the right resources, services, guidance and support your business ambitions every step of the way 

Executive Dining 

  • We hosted numerous executive dining experiences across all regions of the UK – connecting members ‘up close and personal’ with senior APSCo representatives.  Open debates, discussion on pressing topics and fabulous networking, with unparalleled business learning opportunities. 

Trusted Partners 

  • With over 125 Trusted Partner and AdvisorLink members, APSCo is your one-stop recruitment market destination to access the best suppliers and advisors for your business, offering expertise and unique discounts. All reference-checked with the APSCo badge of quality. 

APSCo Embrace 

  • APSCo’s brand-new Inside Embrace series further developed our service on ED&I issues. We offer a broad range of guidance, expert advice, and practical information designed to enhance your work in this area. In November we had the pleasure of hosting England rugby international Johnny Lawless who gave a fascinating talk on men’s mental health and how to avoid burnout while reducing the stigma surrounding the subject. 

Market Research & Insights 

  • APSCo produced over 60 pieces of research this year, covering key recruitment sectors and regions. Our data is widely used by APSCo members to help identify and assess the trends in the professional recruitment market.

  • The launch of the Inside Series earlier this year has proved incredibly popular. It is a comprehensive collection of expert analysis, insider knowledge, and cutting-edge strategies designed to inform and empower our members so their businesses can thrive in the dynamic world of professional recruitment. 

Shaping Public Policy  

  • Hiring and skills have remained at the top of the political agenda, leading to considerable interest in our members’ views from senior civil servants, Government and opposition parties. 

  • There were some big policy wins in 2023, including HMRC adopting our recommendations for off-payroll rules and delaying employment status reform pending consultation. 

  • Additionally, our recommendations on reforming apprenticeship levy spend is echoed across business and is part of both Labour and Liberal Democrat manifesto plans. 

APSCo Awards for Excellence  

  • Sponsored by 6CATS International, Qdos, Sonovate, giant, Workwell, Access Group and Brookson, the 2023 entries revealed once again the sheer scale of excellence and high-quality services that our members are committed to delivering for their end user clients and candidates. Congratulations once again to all the finalists and winners.

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Charity Ball - Atlantis 

  • APSCo’s members showed their incredible generosity raising nearly £50,000 for St Christopher’s Hospice at our charity ball back in May. This incredible donation will contribute to essential end-of-life care for so many people. Thank you to everyone who donated and helped to make it a spectacular evening!

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Click here to see 2023 in pictures


Looking ahead to 2024: 

The professional recruitment market has been tough, but I feel a growing sense of optimism as we head into the new year. Here’s a small selection of what we have lined up for 2024: 

  • APSCo turns 25: We will celebrate our 25th anniversary next year. It’s incredible how much we’ve grown in that time. We have lots of exciting plans lined up so stay tuned for what’s in store! 

  • Public Policy: 2024 will be an election year and APSCo’s manifesto will show the major political parties why they must focus on skills, training and talent, technology, AI and appropriate regulation that will benefit the professional recruitment market. 

  • Remuneration, Reward & Retention Survey: The second iteration of our salary survey that we created in 2022 will be published. This data is crucial to better understanding the talent market within the professional recruitment sector and helps to benchmark your business to attract and retain the best people. 

  • Representative Committee Elections: Every two years APSCo members elect a new representative committee to take responsibility for shaping the strategy and direction of your trade association.  We would love to see a truly diverse cross-section of the membership reflected in the nominees this year, so please consider nominating yourself or encouraging a colleague to do so. 

  • Exciting events: Look out for our new calendar of events and conferences, which will include topics we know are key to your business including AI, people strategy and the skills-first agenda.

  • Spotlight Interviews: The Spotlight series, launching in January, will feature exclusive interviews between APSCo and a major industry player. Look out for the first edition with Bev White, CEO of Nash Squared.

Our suite of services is designed to help your business thrive. If you need further information or have questions, please contact your account manager. APSCo is committed to spearheading positive change in the professional recruitment market, supporting you and your business ambitions.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. 

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