The Huntsman Group

Policy Statement

The Huntsman Group Limited specialises in the recruitment of Business Change and IT personnel and business since 2014. We provide the following services on a UK-wide and European basis:

• Temporary, contract and interim recruitment services
• Permanent and fixed term selection recruitment services
• Retained & executive recruitment services
• Salary surveys and market information
• Career management services
• Payroll services

We remain committed to maintaining a reputation for excellence in the recruitment industry by ensuring our consultants uphold our high standards throughout the recruitment process. This includes pre screening CV’s, obtaining references and verification of qualifications along with statutory checks taking place prior to placing any Candidate with a Client.

Our objective is to provide experienced Candidates, capable of meeting Client specifications and requirements, compliant with prevailing legislation and within agreed service levels. To achieve this, the company operates to stringent quality procedures. We are committed to continuous improvement and have established effective & communicated procedures & processes, which provides a framework for measuring and improving our performance.

Although The Huntsman Group does not currently hold an ISO or equivalent quality accreditation, we do meet all applicable statutory regulations and maintain an effective Quality Management System supported and operated by all members of the staff in order to achieve the specified objectives.

It is the Company’s intention to continually strive for improvement in line with the principles of this policy and objectives set against the said principles.

The Huntsman Group’s approach to quality is based on four fundamental principles;

• Conforming to requirements, having identified very carefully the needs of our Clients, our applicants and our own systems.
• A system that focuses on identifying potential risks/errors in our systems, processes and documentation; and putting in place the necessary preventative actions/contingencies to ensure continuing compliance with legislation and best practice.

QM Policy & Procedures

3. Ensuring quality of service provision is based on the principle of everyone understanding how to do their job to the standard required, and doing it right first time.

4. A 360 degree service review process that encourages and uses feedback from our staff, our Clients and our Candidates to continuously improve our service and provide recognition where appropriate for a job well done.

These principles are attained by:

• Providing dedicated consultants who are experts in their specialist market.
• Treating every vacancy as a priority and ensuring that our Clients need only select suitably qualified, pre-referenced and high calibre Candidates.
• Regular gathering and monitoring of Client and Candidate feedback, including complaints, via a formal complaints procedure.
• Training of staff through in-house training programmes and in conjunction with carefully selected external providers.
• Regular management reviews with all staff, including support staff.
• Clear internal communication through a streamlined management reporting structure.
• An annual, thorough internal and external audit programme.
• Awareness and training as appropriate in relevant changes to employment legislation which affect the delivery of our services.

To ensure that our approach to quality is successfully implemented, staff will be responsible for identifying Client and Candidate requirements and to ensure that correct procedures are adhered to in order to meet those requirements.

• The company’s Management Team is responsible for maintaining quality standards through conducting regular performance reviews / appraisals and providing training in line with staff needs.
• The company’s Management Team will also support processes that make it as easy as possible for all stakeholders to make complaints, provide feedback, make constructive suggestions and recognise good service.
• Targets / objectives to ensure that quality requirements are met and that continual improvement is achieved will be set, determined and monitored by the Recruitment Manager.
• The quality principles and related targets/objectives will be communicated to staff through day-to-day management, formal monthly review meetings and annual appraisals.
• Training will also be an integral part of the strategy to achieve quality policy objectives.
• Scope of the Quality Policy
• This policy applies to all aspects of the company’s processes. All employees are required to comply with this policy when conducting day-to-day operational processes.
• Professional Memberships

QM Policy & Procedures

Quality Assurance

The Huntsman Group is committed to:

• Developing effective and compliant processes and procedures.
• Measuring and continually improving processes and procedures.
• Enhancing Client and Candidate satisfaction.

Authority & Responsibilities

The Recruitment Manager is ultimately responsible for quality but all employees are expected to be responsible for the quality of the service within their direct responsibility.

Company Policies & Processes

A key element of the company’s Quality Management System is the requirement to comply with our documented company policies and procedures which include:

• Business Continuity Policy & Disaster Recovery Plan
• Complaints & Escalation Procedure
• Candidate Registration Process
• Candidate Reference Process
• Candidate Placement Process
• Environmental Policy & Environmental Management Programme
• Equality & Diversity Policy
• Telephone, Internet & Email Policy
• Grievance & Disciplinary Procedure
• Immigration & Visa Status Policy
• Information & Data Security Policy

The Candidate Selection Process

It is our company policy to pre-screen & pre-reference all prospective Candidates prior to submitting them to our Clients.

Candidates to be interviewed face-to-face where possible, (if not possible, a telephone interview must take place) by a suitably trained and experienced member of the recruitment team. This is to ensure that the Candidate is suitable for the position applied for and that they meet the requirements of the relevant job specification. All audit feedback will be made available to Client.

As part of our selection process we carry out the following:

• At least two satisfactory references must be obtained prior to commencement of work
• References must relate to at least the previous two years and are not acceptable from relatives or family

QM Policy & Procedures

• The contractor will validate all necessary qualifications to which a copy will be obtained and can be provided to the Client upon request
• Temporary workers and contractors must be eligible to work in the United Kingdom. Eligibility to work in the UK must be confirmed with original copies of the appropriate documentation before submission of a temporary worker or contractor. Appropriate documentation means a copy of the documents listed by the Home Office guidance as being acceptable for the purposes of claiming a defence against a breach of section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.
• Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks will be obtained where requested by the Client at the point of vacancy registration. As a minimum the Candidate is asked to advise The Huntsman Group of any unspent criminal convictions held
• The Huntsman Group will undertake all the relevant checks to ensure the suitability of each temporary worker submitted, and all relevant checks and proofs must be in place before a temporary worker is placed on assignment with the Client. These will be held by The Huntsman Group and the Contractor

Candidate Management Process

We recognise the importance of treating Candidates appropriately throughout the recruitment process so that irrespective of whether they are placed with the Client, they retain a lasting positive impression of both The Huntsman Group and the Client.

This includes:

• Provision of accurate briefing regarding the vacancy
• Promoting the Client’s employment brand proactively and accurately
• Managing their expectations throughout the process in terms of timescales

Our Consultants provide the Candidate with a full job briefing both verbally and in writing, gaining their commitment to the role prior to submission. Remuneration is discussed with Candidates prior to submitting a CV to the Client to avoid unnecessary negotiations at the point of job offer. In the event of a Candidate’s expectation being above that outlined by the Client, we will advise the Client prior to submitting the Candidates details and act accordingly.

It is our aim to give feedback to our Candidates within two working days of submission and one working day of interview. If the Client does not choose to proceed following interview, we will ask for constructive feedback to relay to the Candidate. It is important that feedback remains constructive, as the Candidate may be suitable for other vacancies within the Client’s organisation or even be or become a customer of the Client.

Minimum Operational Standards

• As a minimum, The Huntsman Group will operate to the following standards:
• Vacancies will be taken by a suitably trained recruiter using our standard pro-forma to ensure that all relevant information is gathered.
• We will provide our terms of business and clearly specify our fees prior to commencing work with a new Client.
• Agree communication channels and timescales for each recruitment campaign with the Client and adhere to these.

QM Policy & Procedures

• Ensure that Candidates are correctly registered in line with the Candidate Selection Process detailed previously.
• Ensure all temporary workers / contractors are aware of their statutory rights at the point of registration.
• Ensure that all information is taken and stored at the appropriate times and copies are available at the request of the Client.
• Inform the Client of any changes to the availability of temporary workers / contractors assigned to a booking within 24hrs
• Ensure all new employees complete the standard company induction training (including training on company policies and procedures) within 4 weeks of commencing their role with The Huntsman Group.
• Provide regular staff training and development via REC approved training providers, internal workshops and the company’s appraisal system.
• Monitoring of temporary / contract assignments, permanent placements and staff / company performance in line with the timescales and processes detailed in the feedback sections below.
• Compliance with the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 and all other relevant legislation and regulations.
• Remain up to date with current legislation and communicate legislative and regulatory changes to staff via work based seminars.
• Maintenance of all contractual and recruitment process documentation in line with current legislation and best practice.
• To meet the minimum requirements of any Client agreed SLA. Management Reviews & Internal Audits

The Recruitment Manager conducts two internal quality audits per annum. The internal audits ensure that The Huntsman Group’s management and staff:

• Adhere to company, legislative, regulatory and Client specific procedures.
• Maximise the effectiveness of service delivered to Clients and Candidates.

Internal audit documents will clearly identify the content of the audit and how the results will be determined and monitored. Further to the completion of the audit, the audit report will be issued, complete with any corrective actions that are required. It is imperative that the corrective actions are completed within the agreed timescale. The outcomes of audits together with any corrective action will be shared with staff to support continuous improvement and compliance.

All internal audits will be documented and relevant audit documentation will be available for inspection by an authorised representative of The Huntsman Group Clients. All audit reports will be kept in the Company audit file.

In addition to the above, themed and spot check audits will take place intermittently throughout the year and these will focus on the specific areas of the operation.

The Recruitment Manager has the overall accountability for quality and the audit process and will be responsible for reporting results to the board of directors.

QM Policy & Procedures

Client Reviews & Feedback

Levels of Client satisfaction will be monitored and reviewed on a quarterly basis in order to identify trends and opportunities for continuous improvement. Client satisfaction will be measured using the following processes:

• First day calls made to the Client on the first day of every new assignment for temporary workers / contractors and on the start date of each permanent placement to ensure that the Candidates have arrived punctually and are settling in.
• End of week calls made to the Client at the end of the first week of the assignment for temporary workers / contractors and once the first week of work has been completed by Candidates who have been permanently placed to confirm performance is meeting the Client’s expectations. These calls also enable The Huntsman Group to identify and resolve any issues at an early stage.
• Ongoing communication with the Client to confirm that performance continues to meet the anticipated standards.
• End of probationary period calls to ensure that permanently placed Candidates continue to perform to the required standards and that they have completed their probationary period successfully.
• Formal service review visits scheduled at a frequency to be agreed with the Client.
• The above calls / visits will be logged on the company’s bespoke database and feedback obtained from this process will be recorded and reviewed on a quarterly basis in order to support continuous improvement.

Candidate Feedback

Candidate feedback calls will reflect the Client calling / visit schedule detailed above for Clients to ensure that each Candidate is settling in to the new assignment / job successfully and that any problems or issues are identified and resolved quickly.

Candidates are encouraged to visit the company’s offices to build relationships with staff and provide constructive feedback and suggestions.

Staff Feedback

The Huntsman Group will ensure that all staff are involved in the process of evaluation and planning for improvements based upon feedback from questionnaires, reviews, monitoring, complaints and/or comments. Staff feedback will be secured through:

• Weekly staff meeting to review the preceding week’s performance and share any relevant information and updates.
• Monthly review meetings with Line Managers which will follow an agreed agenda including reviewing performance against set targets / objectives for the period, identifying any support required by staff members and setting targets / objectives for the forthcoming period.

QM Policy & Procedures

• Formal annual appraisals designed to provide an objective view of performance. These will include discussion with the staff member regarding training needs and agreeing measurable targets / objectives for the forthcoming year. Appraisals are a two-way process where staff are encouraged to share their views and identify the support and training that they require to achieve their targets and objectives as well as receiving feedback from Line Managers.

The above review process is designed to support succession planning, talent management and career development.

Complaints Process

The bulk of service issues will be raised and dealt with operationally on a day-to-day basis, however there may be occasions when a particular issue needs to be raised and handled formally. Formal complaints will be logged, recorded and resolved using the formal complaints and escalation procedure.

The outcome of all formal complaints will be analysed and reviewed on a quarterly basis to identify any trends and to inform the company’s continuous improvement process.

Communication of Quality Processes & Training

The Huntsman Group is committed to providing relevant training to all staff to maximise their ability to undertake their assigned activities effectively.

On commencement of their job, new employees will undertake a full induction to the company and training that is specific to the requirements of their role. This induction will be organised and implemented by the Line Managers.

Ongoing training needs will be identified by the Line Managers through the company’s review and appraisal process detailed previously, taking into account each individual’s education, skills and experience. All staff training is evaluated and recorded in line with the company’s training and development policy.

Review

Our quality policy including all associated company policies are reviewed annually.