About Us
The Reed Family of Companies, with a combined turnover of over US$1 billion, has been established for over 47 years and is the largest private recruitment and HR services company in the UK.
Reed began on the 7th May 1960 when Alec Reed opened the first Reed branch in Hounslow, West London - with an initial investment of just £75. During the 1960s Reed expanded rapidly with its strategy to secure prominent, prime site locations to attract the best candidates for its clients.
The creator of specialisation in recruitment
Reed was the first recruitment company to offer specialist recruitment services in the UK, a move which fundamentally changed the UK recruitment market, and it was this early combination of presence, innovation and specialisation that made the brand instantly recognisable to a wide audience. With over 40 years' of recruitment experience, Reed has developed specialist businesses to provide recruitment solutions across 18 industry sectors. These businesses offer recruitment services tailored to specific client needs, with a range of specialised services.
Organic growth
Perhaps our greatest achievement is that from modest beginnings the company has grown organically, and not by acquisition, into a business with over 3,000 Co-Members (staff) and over 400 recruitment branches in the UK, Ireland, Central Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Reed's success has been a result of giving customers what they want - the right people, or the best job - and we have won a growing number of clients by continually innovating and improving the services we offer.
Quality: Candidate screening and assessments
Reed's qualified consultants rigorously screen and assess all candidates before submitting their details to a client. All candidates undergo a pre-interview with a Reed consultant, as well as in many cases being tested for the role they are applying for.
In addition, all candidates will be referenced prior to the commencement of a temporary assignment with a client, with special reference checking being offered for temporary workers placed in banks and financial organisations.
Online leadership
In 1995, Reed became the first UK recruitment agency to establish a site on the Internet (www.reed.co.uk). By listening to suggestions from clients and visitors, Reed has continually developed the site's clarity of design and ease of use since its launch. Today it is not only one of the most user-friendly sites on the web, but also one of the most popular - with over one million unique visitors and 50,000 new candidate registrations each month, and 2.5 million registered jobseekers in our database.
Building on the success of reed.co.uk, Reed have now launched reedjobs.com as it's international recruitment site. Reedjobs.com now offers recruitment solutions to countries including Australia, Bulgaria, Ireland, Poland, Malta and Qatar with further expansion planned.
Full range of HR services
With a dynamic spirit and entrepreneurial culture, Reed has grown into much more than a recruitment business - we deliver the full range of HR solutions, encompassing the full employee lifecycle. From attraction and recruitment by Reed Employment and Reed Personnel Services, to induction and ongoing training by Reed Learning, back-office payroll and employee services by Reed Managed Services, through to the full range of HR Consultancy including reward analysis, retention and release by Reed Consulting.
Government partnerships
Furthermore, through Reed in Partnership we work with Governments to provide solutions for the long-term unemployed. Established in 1998, this business is designed to break down the barriers to employment. Reed in Partnership was the first private company in the UK to deliver New Deal programmes, and is now developing new services with Government partners across Europe. Working with employers, specialist agencies and local partners, Reed helps the long-term unemployed overcome whatever obstacles they face getting a job, helping them achieve real, positive and lasting change in their lives.
Technology and business process innovation
Reed has always endeavoured to be a groundbreaker in recruitment technology. For example, the company was the first major recruiter in the UK to successfully introduce the facility for timesheets to be completed via the Internet (more than 10,000 timesheets every week are now completed and authorised using Reed's OnTime� internet timesheet system). We were also one of the first companies to provide Managed Service solutions to clients with our innovative online recruitment ordering and management system, and we have extended this service to deliver end-to-end e-procurement of staff, and e-billing for services.
Starburst strategy
To reflect our diversity and continue to build upon this strength, in April 2004 the Reed group de-merged into five separate companies. This allows each company greater flexibility of service while intensifying our focus on each sector. The Reed Group of Companies continues to co-operate and work together under the Reed name to provide leading recruitment, training and HR services across the globe
Corporate social responsibility
Reed's aim is to be the 'First Choice for People' and as such we take our responsibilities as a �Corporate Citizen' seriously.
