Like many businesses within the recruitment industry, Tiger Recruitment, a London-based recruiter of PA and business support roles, has seen a dramatic reduction in the number of new permanent roles coming through as a result of coronavirus. This has been fuelled by a weakening jobs market off the back of the coronavirus lockdown.
The firm has been quick to respond, continuing with a business as usual approach (as far as possible), whilst developing new services and connecting with its clients and candidates in new ways. Here are a few examples of how it has adapted:
New virtual services
Tiger’s Private division works with prestigious households and family offices that require lifestyle and administrative support, such as butlers, private PAs, housekeepers and lifestyle managers. During the lockdown, Tiger Private is continuing to offer its clients the bespoke, high-end service they are used to, by providing access to talented individuals who are now providing their expertise remotely. This ranges from personal trainers who are creating bespoke fitness regimes and online exercise sessions in line with clients’ personal goals to private chefs who are creating personalised meal plans and even cooking and delivering food. Online tutors are also helping clients meet the challenge of homeschooling, by providing lessons and learning support.
Knowledge-sharing
With many businesses putting their hiring plans on hold, Tiger has adapted how it works with its clients. According to David Morel, Tiger Recruitment’s CEO, “Clients don’t want to be bombarded or sold to at this difficult time. It is much more appropriate to share information and advice with them that they will find useful.”
Tiger has been guiding clients through the video interviewing and virtual onboarding process many are having to adopt right now and hosting webinars on topical issues such as supporting employees working remotely and how to encourage team-building online.
The firm is being equally communicative with its candidates. It is offering a free CV review and providing advice and information on useful topics ranging from how to effectively structure a work-from-home day to how to build positive routines while in lockdown.
Remote team-building and soft benefits
The Tiger Recruitment team is very sociable and felt it was important for morale to adapt its usual team-building activities to work remotely. The company now has a group on Strava and runs a weekly competition for staff which encourages them to keep moving. This week, their task was to run or walk a route that would ‘draw’ an interesting shape on the map. The company has also evolved the soft benefits it offers its employees. Regular team drinks have continued, albeit virtually, as has the monthly team lunch; to maintain that perk Tiger has encouraged staff to order lunch online and expense it to the company.
