News

Not business as usual

3rd April 2020

Like many small businesses, Grafton Banks has gone from thriving to fighting, in the space of a few weeks.

Like most we have made difficult decisions, learnt new terms, and made heartbreaking cuts to get us, our business, our employees and their families through to the other side of this crisis - safe, healthy and still employed.

I had planned to write an update outlining contact details and stating we are 'business as usual'. But we aren't - no one is or can be at this time.

There is so much going on outside in the world, that consumed as we are in keeping business coming in and continuing to speak to clients and candidates, I've found the need to step away from it all and get a sense of what is important.

Grafton Banks is still providing a recruitment service. It's the same service we have always provided, and the one we built our reputation upon. It's currently on a smaller scale and our employees are now not just recruiters but home schoolers, entertainers of tiny people and counsellors to worried candidates.

Nigel and I are immensely grateful to our employees, those still working and those currently furloughed. The good grace with which difficult conversations were met, and the positivity to make the most of furloughed time has been overwhelming.

Many are doing their bit for the community outside of Grafton Banks until we can get them all back to us, and back to being the strong team we are.

So rather than put on a brave face and say 'We are business as usual' I would like to paraphrase the words of Ann Swain, Global CEO of Apsco, with whom we had a webinar this morning.

Grafton Banks would like to come out of this crisis proud of the way in which we have behaved to our clients, candidates, employers and suppliers. The business we are during this Coronavirus epidemic will be the one we are remembered as being on the way out of this crisis.

We are here to deal with any recruitment business you may have; the work of our furloughed colleagues is being handled by remaining staff. We are all very aware that not all conversations will be positive ones, but we are here to talk.