Dan Bond

⚖️ The TA Capacity Planning Guide. Created from interviews with 72 Heads of People & Talent, capturing 600+ data points. A strategic resource for TA and People leaders in tech who need to: - Understand recruiter productivity - Understand capacity calculation - Benchmark against peers - Prioritise where to invest (or defend) capacity What’s inside: - Benchmarks by Company Size Live reqs hires/rec/month sourcing mix tech / AI maturity - Tooling Trends + Automation ROI What's adopted, what’s working, and where time is actually saved - Top Bottlenecks The constraints holding most teams back - Strategic Plays for 2025 AI-native workflows, skills-first hiring, dynamic planning models 🎯 Want the full report ? Comment "CAP REPORT" and I'll share access

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Positive momentum in the UK job market! 📈 Recent data shows a clear improvement in employer confidence and hiring intentions across the UK. After a period of uncertainty, businesses are feeling more optimistic about the economy and are ready to invest in their people. Here are some key takeaways: • Confidence is on the rise: Employer confidence in the UK economy and in making new hires is at its highest point in over two years. • Hiring is bouncing back: The number of new job postings has shown modest but consistent growth, a signal of increasing activity. • Key sectors are thriving: The demand for talent remains strong in critical areas like tech, healthcare, green energy, and construction, driving opportunities and innovation. This positive shift is a great sign for both job seekers and businesses looking to grow. It highlights the resilience of the UK economy and the ongoing need for skilled professionals. #UKJobs #Recruitment #JobMarket #Hiring #Economy

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When we founded Alexander Daniels 15 years ago, we couldn't have imagined we’d build such a loyal team. Many of our colleagues have been with us for over a decade — which in recruitment, and in business generally, is something I feel incredibly fortunate to say. It seems strange to call them colleagues, because in truth, so many are now our friends. But here’s the reality: along the way, we’ve also lost some truly great people I would have loved to keep. Not because they weren’t performing, or because the culture didn’t fit — but because they needed new challenges we simply couldn’t offer at the time. And that’s okay. One of the hardest lessons as a leader is understanding that retention isn’t about holding on to everyone at all costs. It’s about building an environment where people want to stay — and also recognising when someone needs to spread their wings elsewhere. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a talented colleague is to let them grow beyond your business. When it is right for someone to stay, here’s what I’ve learned about keeping your best people engaged for the long haul, not just through my own journey, but also from the many great CEO's and Leader I get to work with: ✨ Clarity of mission – People stay when they’re connected to the bigger “why”. ✨ Growth opportunities – Even in a startup, you can give space for learning and stretch. ✨ Recognition – A genuine thank-you is more powerful than a bonus. ✨ Flexibility and trust – In today’s world, this isn’t a perk, it’s a baseline. ✨ Listening – Not just at review time, but through ongoing, honest conversations. Retention isn’t about perks, although we've had some great ones! It’s about creating an environment where people feel valued, trusted, and challenged. And when they do move on, it’s about celebrating their growth, not resenting it. What’s the one thing your company does that makes great people stay — and how do you handle it when they choose to leave? Do you measure retention? #Leadership #Retention #Startups #ScaleUp #Talent #Culture #Team

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The UK HR job market in 2025 is more complex than ever. We’re seeing fewer vacancies, sharper competition, and rising expectations on HR teams, all against a backdrop of economic pressures, regulatory change, and inconsistent adoption of AI. In my latest blog, I explore the greatest challenges reshaping HR recruitment today, and what they mean for employers, candidates, and consultants navigating this landscape. Link is in the comments, and leave your thoughts as well. #hrrecruitment

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Brace Yourselves, HR - A Rights Revolution Is Landing! Hello, start-up & scale-up HR heroes 😍 Imagine learning that employment rights are being supercharged overnight, like upgrading your entire HR toolkit while you're still sipping your morning coffee. Well, pinch yourselves. It's real, and it’s UK-sized. Here’s your low-stress, high-value playbook: 1. Gig Economy, Meet Guaranteed Hours Zero-hours contracts are getting their comeuppance. If someone works regular shifts, they can now ask for a contract that reflects those hours - even if they're agency workers. Time to stop spreadsheets that look like guard-of-honour lists. 2. Day One Perks Aren’t Just for Executives The idea of waiting months (or years!) for unfair dismissal protection, sick pay, or parental leave? That’s so last decade. These protections -SSP, family leave, flexible working, are heading to “Day One” status. But don’t recycle your welcome pack just yet - this takes effect in phases (mostly 2026–2027). 3. Brave New World of Paid Neonatal Leave From 6 April 2025 (yes, that soon), parents of newborns needing neonatal care (stay of 7+ days in hospital) can access up to 12 weeks paid leave as a Day One right. Cue the applause. 4. Sick Pay: No More Waiting Games Say goodbye to the dreaded 3-day SSP waiting period. All eligible workers will eventually qualify for sick pay from Day One, and basic statutory rates rise in April 2025 (e.g. SSP from £116.75 to £118.75/week; many family-related pays also increase) 5. NDAs Can’t Muzzle Harassment NDAs used to silence harassment or discrimination victims will be invalid. Survivor voices? Protected. Corporate hush-money? Not so much. 6. Fair Play Enforcement on the Rise Enter the Fair Work Agency, making sure the good employers don’t get undercut by the cowboy ones. That includes tribunals being able to act on behalf of employees, even if they don’t sue. The Times 7. The Tipping Point: Tips Must Go to Workers Tipping for your team, not the house. It's now law that tips, service charges, and gratuities must be shared with workers, including agency staff. Make sure your tip-splitting spreadsheet is up to code. 8. A Smarter Tax Landscape (Sort of) Employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) are rising ( again) secondary threshold drops from £9,100 to £5,000 and rate goes up from 13.8% to 15%. But there’s a lifeline, the employment allowance doubles to £10,500, and is now available to all employers. It’s like getting a bigger slice of cake… but that cake costs more. So, HR veterans of start-ups and scale-ups - are you ready to ride this 🌊 (with your sanity intact)? Drop a “Yes, already on it!” or “Help, how do I even start?!” in the comments 🚀

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Recruiters, don’t be blasé about your billings & commission structure when you are interviewing for a Recruitment position. When you’re interviewing with an agency, your numbers matter. So if you don't know them before you meet an Agency or speak to someone like me: find out. Or if you are a temp recruiter that isn't measured on revenue, it could be number of hours billed per week or day, or temps out. But know them. Be armed with that information. Because it helps you. It also helps you build your desk. We know you aren't billing/placing what you were 18 months ago. If you share your billings and are able to explain your commission structure and how much you have earned in comms, (or not earned) every Leader and Manager in the room will do the maths. Because we work it out backwards, starting with the comms you have earned. If you've earned a certain amount of commission, and your structure pays, for example 30% monthly and your salary is $80k, we can work out what you've billed. If the figures don’t add up, it’s obvious and it damages your credibility and honesty. Instead, approach it like this: Be transparent. The market has shifted. No one expects you to be billing what you were two years ago. Owning that reality shows maturity. Know your structure. Understand your commission scheme and be ready to explain how your earnings were calculated. Highlight your value. If your numbers dipped, explain what you did to adapt whether that’s client development, smarter sourcing, or candidate care. Agencies don’t want a fairy tale version of your billings. They want an honest recruiter who understands their desk and can talk about performance with confidence. 🥰 check out my list of recruitment jobs here. https://lnkd.in/gyyscyX

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⭐ UK Startup & Scaleup Growth ⭐ What a week for the UK startup and scaleup market! 🚀 📈 As a recruiter focused on high-growth tech and finance ventures, the recent surge of £961m in tech investment and record-breaking AI funding underscores the urgent need for top-tier talent to fuel innovation and scale operations. Founders now have more opportunities to access capital, develop robust business models, and attract experienced leaders who can drive growth in data, AI, and sustainability. 🔦 This week, the spotlight is on diversity, especially female-led founders, and an expanding network of free events demonstrates how collaboration and inclusion are shaping the next generation of market leaders. For those of us building teams, it’s crucial to tap into this talent pool, invest in ongoing development, and connect candidates who thrive in fast-paced environments. 💲 Alternative financing and new policy frameworks mean the barrier to entry for founders and talent is lower than ever before. The businesses succeeding today are those that secure the right mix of skills and mindset for both commercial creativity and operational excellence. 👉 If you’re exploring your next challenge or scaling your startup workforce, let’s connect.

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