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Companies could be missing a whole pool of talent if they focus on price when it comes to recruitment, warns Natalie Fraser, operations executive of the Association of Personnel Service Organisations (APSO).

“We all know that good candidates are hard to find,” she says. And those candidates who are looking for change are becoming choosier about the recruitment company which represents them, she adds. “An interesting thing has happened. Candidates have become more aware of their rights, and these include being able to select the recruitment agency which represents them.” Candidates understand that their marketability is influenced by their choice of recruitment agency.

“They are looking at it from the same perspective as a company – they want to know the reputation and professionalism of an agency, and the levels of service provided by the agency.” The perception of the standard of the candidate is affected in the same way that unprofessional and poor service reflects on the reputation of the organisation which has hired the recruiters. Companies lose good candidates because of the way their recruitment agency handles the process. Similarly, candidates may not get the job for which they are best qualified and suited because their recruitment agency provides poor service.

Pic: Natalie Fraser, operations executive of the Association of Personnel Service Organisations (APSO).

APSO is continuously raising the standards of the industry through a carrot and stick approach – the carrot being training and raising the profile of APSO accreditation, and the closely linked stick being the enforcement of standards. Both the client and the candidate have recoursem through APSO if they have complaints about the professionalism and ethics shown by the APSO member, she says.

Multi agencies
APSO also acts as an arbitrator in cases where more than one recruitment agency has been involved – a growing trend, according to Fraser. “We understand that the client – both the candidate and the employer – will want to use more than one agency.” Disputes also sometimes arise when candidates have been recruited through the company’s own internal processes.

In cases like this the APSO code of ethics supersedes any clauses in the contracts of the APSO affiliated agency, to ensure that recommendations and rulings are based on a single set of criteria. This arbitration service is free for both clients and APSO members, she says.

Foreign skills
APSO members are also kept abreast of the latest developments in the recruitment and hiring of foreign nationals. “With the local skills shortage, we are looking at ways to use the highly educated foreigners, such as those from Zimbabwe. It can be done. South Africa is using Thai welders at present because we cannot find enough locally.”

APSO Online
The APSO website has been redeveloped to serve as a resource to employers, candidates and the personnel industry. The website contains the latest news on legislation as it will affect recruitment and human resources, downloadable copies of the various Acts relating to labour and employment, and other government forms. There are also dedicated pages for work seekers and recruiting companies.

Website: www.apso.co.za

The industry by number According to APSO research,

There are around 3500 Private Employment Agencies in SA.
They place approximately 800 000 temporary staff assignees a day.
The size of the industry in terms of Rand worth is R17 billion per annum.
On average, 15% of temporary assignees convert to permanent.
83% of assignees comprise black persons and many of these are youth and female.

Committed to excellence
The Association of Personnel Service Organisations (APSO) is committed to the upliftment and professionalization of the labour recruitment industry in South Africa. With thirty years experience, APSO is well placed to provide guidance to member agencies, client companies an work seekers who want to ensure that their dealings within the labour recruitment sector are legally compliant and operate according to Best Practice Standards.