Latest Jobs
Job Search
*Enter a value, eg entering PA brings up PA/secretary, Executive PA etc.
Gordon Yates News
Latest News
Recession? What recession?
Executary magazine, January/February 2009 2008 was a challenging year, but there are still some positive signs highlighted by the SecsLife report from Gordon Yates and Guardian Jobs. Richard Grace, co-managing director of Gordon Yates, comments: “In times of economic downturn, people face increased pressure at work. The comments we’ve received suggest that office staff are rising to the challenge and that many of them are grateful they’re still employed and are starting to look at their job in a different light.” He adds, “Employers have long complained that it’s hard to find people with the right work ethic, namely employees who are positive, flexible, dedicated and show plenty of initiative and common sense. It’s good to see that tougher times seem to be translating into a more positive attitude to work.” Family friendly The SecsLife survey has other positive news too. 40% of employers surveyed say that they exceed Statutory Maternity Pay and even more (52%) allow new mothers to take more than the Statutory Maternity Leave. Paternity leave has some way to catch up. A third of employers say that new fathers in their company rarely, or even never, take paternity leave. More bonuses A third positive area comes from the fact that there are signs of more companies awarding bonuses: 56% of companies awarded a bonus in 2008, compared with 51% of companies in 2007. The average bonus value was £1,331, with nearly all bonuses being linked to individual or company performance. In the current climate, you might assume that bonuses are off the radar, but Grace points out, “There are companies we know that are still doing really well and so bonuses are good, although some companies are really suffering. It’s important to remember this it’s a mixed picture. We’re noticing that companies prefer to reward a good year or good performance with a bonus than a pay rise, these days.” High temp demand Fourthly, SecsLife found that temps aren’t getting the raw deal that might be expected in these uncertain times. 72% of companies used temps last year, according to SecsLife, with a third staying longer than a month - dispelling the myth that temping is usually short-term. Worse news comes around job security: only 11% of employers surveyed plan to increase their admin support in the next 12 months - a year ago the equivalent figure was 23%. However, Grace points out that everything is changing so fast at the moment that any data - including secretarial surveys - can feel out of date very quickly. “It’s hard to keep up. If we did the survey now or in another three months time, they’d probably be a different picture again,” he admits. For the full article, by Kate Hilpern, visit www.executaryinternational.com For the SecsLife report findings, visit www.secslife.com