Most of you know if you read my articles I’m a “remoaner”! I am a committed European and to my eye this close to D-Day of Brexit we are walking, eyes open, headlong into a disaster area. I won’t dwell on this otherwise you’ll get 500 words on why Brexit shouldn’t be happening!

BUT I need to eat my words with regards to not getting British people to do low paid roles.

We were recently looking for 150 temporary workers to harvest grapes for a stunningly beautiful vineyard in Sussex. It was only three weeks work, but long days outside, 7.30am starts, active work at £8.97 an hour. Breaks during the day but three weeks of solid work. Time & good weather is of the essence.

The client – unusual in wanting local workers – had 20 of their own and we had three weeks to find the others.

You needed to be physically fit and, aged 17-80, able to get to the location as it is in the middle of nowhere. My team worked a lot of overtime, many hours speaking with people, registering them, meeting them. Of the 150 they found, there were two Italians, one French, one Norwegian and a Canadian, but other than that they were all British. Every single one. The youngest was 17, the oldest was 84! (you wouldn’t have known it to look at him, he was very fit & could easily pass for mid 60’s – I want some of whatever he is on!)

They all started and they all – without exception – LOVED IT!

Now I realise this is a lovely job when the sun is shining, I’d have done it if I could have taken three weeks out of work; honestly, the venue was stunning, the commadarie I understand is great. But my point is they found them, they didn’t let us down, they turned up, they were committed. Albeit the job was a lovely one.

I’m not sure if this would have worked quite so well if we were recruiting for pretty much anything else? I’d be interested to know your thoughts on this?

But do you know what helped? Our client. They created an environment where people want to work, they looked after these staff like they were full-timers, not transient workers, they gave them an experience where they wanted them to succeed and in doing so these temps worked hard, they delivered and some. Does this sound like your company? Is this an environment that you create for your workers? If not, why not?

So, I was impressed, by the client’s needs, by the temps that did the work, by my team knocking it out of the park, in terms of delivery.

Can we help you achieve the impossible? Do you need a temporary workforce? Are you worried that as your foreign workforce decreases you won’t be able to fulfil orders? Maybe we should have a chat? Call me on 01323 353283 or email me at mandy@rsegroup.agency