Argylestone Consulting Ltd

𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗸, 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – 𝗔 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀! As the Christmas lights brighten my desk, I’m gearing up for an exciting week filled with conversations about shaping recruitment success in 2025. December is the perfect time to reflect, strategise, and set the wheels in motion for the new year. 📞 𝗢𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Calls with prospects looking to strengthen their compliance frameworks and processes. 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: A discussion with a recruitment leader eager to maximise the value of their current systems and reduce inefficiencies. 𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹: A conversation about leveraging AI to reduce admin for front and middle office teams, enabling a focus on business growth in the new year. 2024 has been a busy and fulfilling year, but as projects wind down, I’ll have availability for two new clients from January. If you’re considering how to optimise your recruitment business—whether it’s improving compliance, technology, or growth strategies—this is the perfect time to start the conversation. 𝗜 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟯𝟬-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. It’s a great way to explore how we can work together to achieve your goals. 📩 DM me to book your session today!

I am often asked by recruitment business leaders...... How long will it take to see results? It won’t happen overnight. But if you don’t take that first step, you’ll stay exactly where you are. Every small change leads to bigger gains—and the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see the difference. I help recruitment agencies identify inefficiencies, streamline processes, and optimise their technology to improve productivity and profitability. Whether it’s enhancing compliance, integrating systems, or preparing for MSP or RPO growth, I work collaboratively to deliver tailored solutions that empower teams, improve the candidate experience, and drive results. Ready to make a move? Drop me a DM today!

I'm super excited to share Issue 11 with you as we are focusing on Top Predictions for the Staffing/Recruitment Industry in 2025. Take a read and let me know your thoughts in comments! #changemanagement #staffing #recruitment

🎄 𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱? Many recruitment businesses face similar challenges: • Teams overwhelmed with admin-heavy tasks that slow them down. • Technology systems that don’t integrate, creating duplication and manual errors. • Inefficient workflows that delay hiring and frustrate candidates. • A lack of visibility into what’s working – and what isn’t – across their processes. These issues don’t just cost time; they impact candidate experience, hiring manager satisfaction, and, ultimately, your bottom line. Decorating my Christmas tree each year reminds me of the importance of reviewing and refreshing. Each bauble carries a memory from my travels over the years, but as the tree’s shape changes, I rearrange them to reflect its current beauty and not every bauble makes it to the tree that year. The same is true for recruitment businesses. What worked in the past may no longer serve you effectively—and that’s OK. The key is to recognise the need for change and take steps to realign for today’s challenges. 💡 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽. I work with recruitment businesses to: • Identify inefficiencies through process mapping and workflow analysis. • Streamline operations to reduce admin and improve productivity. • Integrate technology to eliminate errors and create seamless systems. • Deliver actionable insights into training needs and gaps in processes. The results? ✔️ Reduced time to hire. ✔️ Enhanced candidate experience. ✔️ Cost savings by eliminating inefficiencies. ✔️ Increased productivity, enabling teams to focus on high-value tasks. 🎁 Just like a well-decorated Christmas tree, your agency can shine brighter with the right adjustments. Let’s reflect, refresh, and realign for the new year. 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆—𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱. 📩 DM or email me today: Joanna.Oakley@argylestoneconsulting.co.uk #Recruitment #BusinessOptimisation #ChangeManagement

𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀? Many recruitment businesses I work with face the same challenges: • Teams drowning in admin-heavy tasks that slow them down. • Technology systems that don’t integrate, leading to duplication and manual errors. • Inefficient workflows that create bottlenecks, increase time to hire, and frustrate candidates. • A lack of visibility into what’s working – and what isn’t – across their processes. These issues don’t just cost time; they impact candidate experience, hiring manager satisfaction, and, ultimately, your bottom line. 💡 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽. I work alongside recruitment businesses to: • Identify inefficiencies by process mapping, job shadowing, and documenting workflows. • Streamline operations to remove unnecessary admin and improve productivity. • Integrate technology to reduce errors and ensure your systems work together seamlessly. • Deliver actionable insights on training needs, gaps in workflows, and proactive recruitment approaches. The results? ✔️ Reduced time to hire. ✔️ A smoother, more positive candidate experience. ✔️ Cost savings by eliminating inefficiencies. ✔️ Improved productivity, giving your teams more time to focus on high-value activities. If your agency is ready to tackle these challenges, I’d love to help. I currently have availability for new clients starting in January. Whether you need a full transformation project or targeted part time support, I can work flexibly to deliver the outcomes your business needs. Let’s start the new year with a plan to reduce costs, boost productivity, and take your recruitment operations to the next level. 𝗗𝗠 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮.𝗢𝗮𝗸𝗹𝗲𝘆@𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.𝗰𝗼.𝘂𝗸 #Recruitment #BusinessOptimisation #ProcessMapping #TechnologyIntegration #CandidateExperience #CostSavings

Issue 10 of Recruitment Trends & Industry Insights is NOW available and it's a jam packed one! I'd love to hear your thoughts in comments. #recruitment #staffing #changemanagement

“𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗦𝗣 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗣𝗢 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀” Moving from transactional staffing to Managed Service Programmes (MSP) or Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) can be transformative for recruitment firms—but it’s far from simple. Missteps in aligning operations, sales strategies, and technology can derail progress. Here’s where it often goes wrong: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 “We can tweak what we already do.” MSP and RPO require rethinking governance, workflows, and metrics, not just minor adjustments. “MSP and RPO are about high-volume recruiting.” These models go beyond scale, needing expertise in demand planning, stakeholder engagement, sourcing strategies, and data analysis. “Technology will fix it.” CRMs like Bullhorn and Vincere aren’t enough. RPO requires Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for stakeholder access, while MSP relies on Vendor Management Systems (VMS) to manage vacancies across suppliers. Without the right tools, the operational demands can’t be met. “Internal teams can handle the change.” Lacking exposure to best practices and external insights, internal leads often struggle to innovate. 💡 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 Brunel: Scaled RPO globally, created a Centre of Excellence, streamlined operations, and implemented tailored ATS solutions. Maxxima: Transitioned accounts to MSP, delivered bespoke training, and built future-proofing strategies. 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗱𝗶, 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗹: "Joanna’s expertise in streamlining processes and implementing scalable systems was pivotal. Her collaborative approach set us up for long-term success." 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗮: "Her insights and clear methodology made her a true extension of the team." 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗴𝘆𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴? 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗢𝗜: Projects typically recoup costs within six months. 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Flexible strategies to suit any engagement size. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Access to global trends and research. 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲: Relationships with leading tech providers. 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴: Training and tools for lasting success. 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗢𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: I deliver change—not just advice. Whatever operational changes you're considering in your recruitment business, I offer a free 30-minute consultation. Book yours today and let’s explore how to achieve real results.

“𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀.” One of the greatest risks to a successful technology implementation is re-engineering a perfectly good system to match outdated, inefficient processes. Yet, it’s an easy trap to fall into—especially when older systems couldn’t meet the needs of the business so tasks had to be completed a certain way. This is exactly what I encountered during a previous project. A best-in-class CRM system, designed with modern, automated workflows, was unpicked & rewritten to replicate decades old, manual processes. The project faced significant hurdles: no cohesive leadership, unrealistic timelines, and fragmented team collaboration. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁? • The benefits of the new system were completely lost. • Teams became frustrated with unnecessary inefficiencies. • Huge amounts of time and resources were wasted. • Stakeholders at all levels were disengaged. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗱: • Created a continuous improvement tracker to monitor progress across 120+ items. • Unpicked numerous workflows to achieve a concise & streamlined approach to recruiter tasks • Partnered with the vendors Customer Success Team for 90+ days of consultancy support. • Implemented practical workstreams for ongoing optimisation, focusing on data integrity, sales enablement, & candidate attraction. • Delivered tailored recommendations to future-proof the system for long-term business needs. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁?  A clearer roadmap, better team alignment, & cost savings through smarter decision-making. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁, 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁: Best-in-class systems come with tried-and-tested workflows for a reason. Trust the design & resist the urge to force it into old ways of working. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: Before implementing new tech, assess & streamline existing processes to ensure they align with modern best practices. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Teamwork makes the dream work. Technology configuration and implementation should not be an activity for IT only. It's not just about your recruitment teams, remember to involve compliance, marketing & most importantly your finance teams. 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀: Proper training and change management can prevent resistance & build confidence in the new system. 💡 Within 6 months of project initiation, we had reversed approx 70% of the damage by retraining all users, identifying inefficiencies, improving data quality, realigning workflows, & rebuilding trust across teams, through collaboration & the identification of system super users & innovation champions. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁?  A system that finally started to deliver on its promise to improve productivity & efficiency. If your systems feel harder to use than they should, it might be time to reassess whether you’re using them as intended. Let’s talk. Drop me a DM today!

Until the end of 2024, Argylestone Consulting Ltd is offering 5 recruitment agencies a complimentary, three-hour Optimisation Workshop tailored to identify hidden opportunities within your organisation. FREE WORKSHOP for recruitment/staffing businesses looking to reduce operational bottlenecks, streamline processes, and increase productivity. What’s Included: Interactive Workshop (Up to 3 Hours). Join me, Joanna, a seasoned transformation consultant, alongside up to three of your key team members to dive deep into the challenges and pain points facing your recruitment agency. We’ll explore issues around process inefficiencies, obstacles in the sales funnel, tech limitations, and more. Tailored Optimisation Report (between 1-2 hours). Following our session, you’ll receive a concise Optimisation Report. This report will highlight: Initial observations and potential areas of improvement. Recommendations on where to focus your efforts for maximum impact. Insight into optimisation areas such as process refinement, technology alignment, and candidate/hiring manager experience. Why This Workshop? With extensive experience across recruitment, technology, and business transformation, I understand the unique challenges that agencies face. This workshop is a no-strings-attached opportunity to gain fresh and actionable insights and explore how you can elevate your operational efficiency and profitability with targeted strategies. Next steps: Book a complementary 45-minute call to understand how this free workshop for you and your team, can help get you ready for 2025. Either DM me for details or book a call using the link in comments. #staffing #recruitment #changemanagement