Time to fight back and improve your work/life balance....says David Leyshon
Greg is a Redhill recruitment consultant who works for CBSbutler - an engineering and technical recruiter. He’s bright,
articulate and highly skilled; in fact he is exactly the sort of person that CBSbutler would give their eye-teeth to employ more of. But unfortunately they can’t, because every weekday morning just like Greg used to do, they are on the 06.56 from Merstham heading for an early start at their jobs in London.
Despite the fact that Redhill has good accommodation, great social life and infrastructure and a thriving local economy, too many of our best people have given up the idea of working here. For companies like my own, the specialist recruitment consultancy, CBSbutler, that desperately need this level of talent to fuel growth, it’s a major headache. So, given the horror stories that pour out of practically any commuter at the slightest provocation, why do so many people spend up to two hours hiking backwards and forwards to the capital every day?
The problem seems to stem from the fact that, Redhill still suffers from the old perception that provincial towns can only offer lower paid, low skill jobs. And, unfortunately statistics seem to back this feeling up. Apart from at a relatively few large companies in the area, there does seem to be a ‘glass ceiling’ for jobs locally.
Yet working in Redhill doesn’t have to mean compromising on your career. Perhaps where employers are going wrong is that they are simply not shouting loud enough about what is on offer.
Until December 2008, Greg worked at a London recruitment consultancy. He lives not far form Redhill - in Caterham - and decided to look for somewhere he could utilise his skills - and work locally. He found it at CBSbutler. “I’m a Surrey boy born and bred. My family is here - and my mates are here. I spent six years travelling three hours a day to get to my job in North London and to have that three hours a day back to yourself is amazing! I can leave home at the same time and get into work an hour earlier. People talk about being able to earn more in London but it’s just not true - I was spending over £2,000 per year on a season ticket - that soon cancels out any ‘so called’ London Weighting.”
To grow CBSbutler, we’ve had to attract and retain precisely the sort of people who are ‘natural’ commuters. Due to the nature of our business – specialist recruitment for companies in such areas as technology, engineering and energy around the world – we look for highly motivated and informed recruitment consultants. And, given everything that I’ve said already, we’re acutely aware that they aren’t exactly hanging around on street corners.
We’ve fought back against the Surrey ‘brain-drain’ by playing London at its own game. That’s meant paying upper quartile salaries, and providing the sort of opportunities for career development normally not seen outside the capital. We’ve developed training programmes, arranged company get-togethers and treat staff like ‘grown ups’ capable of making sensible commercial and career decisions. It’s also meant being imaginative and innovative when it comes 
to hanging on to good people. We recognise, for example that the recruitment business can be a challenging and demanding environment. That’s why we foster a family atmosphere with flexible and part time working options.
If we can do it, why can’t you? Even the most enthusiastic commuter is acknowledging that the trains to London are getting busier all the time, so now is the time for action if you want to make your business more than just another SME. Think what you can offer, your image and how you can tap into the goals and ambitions of that mobile talent pool. It’s time to fight back – Redhill 1, London 0!
David Leyshon,Managing Director
