5y
Hello, Thank you for your comments.
If I may deal with each one by one:
1) Training is given both at a group level, and at an individual level consultant level and at a team level. In fact, just this week there was a training session held with several of our new starters and people who have re-joined Parkside.
2) Communication: Whereas we are always open to constructive feedback, and always open to improve how we do things, I feel that the communication is strong. For example, where there are new starters who join the business, this is communicated to individuals and small groups, in addition to weekly office meetings.
3) Management: Whilst this is a subjective matter, and you may have your own opinion, the feedback we get from within the business is that the management of the business has improved substantially. However, as with any company that is receptive to feedback, constructive advice is always welcome. That said, whereas it is up to other people to judge me personally, I can say with great conviction that the other members of the management team are first class individuals, utterly professional, and extremely accomplished.
4) Micromanagement: This, again, is subjective. What one person sees as micromanagement; another sees as helpful coaching. It is true to say that we do and will continue to coach closely people who are not performing, in good faith, because they are valued team members and we want everyone to succeed.
5) Long Serving Staff: ALL long serving staff, of which we have a large number have my greatest personal respect. As you put at the beginning of your review, Parkside is an excellent agency, and I agree with that. This is largely due to the loyalty, service and ‘above and beyond’ attitude of some of our longest serving staff.
6) KPIs/’Reinventing the wheel’: There is plenty of space at Parkside for well established consultants, and new consultants. All we require is performance. KPIs are used relatively ‘lightly’ compared to other recruitment agencies, and indeed if you look at the recruitment companies listed on the FTSE 100, they all make significant use of KPIs. In addition, KPIs are not unique to recruitment companies: Accountants and lawyers are measured on their billable hours; pilots on their competence in a simulator, schoolteachers on their pupils’ grades. Etc. It is my experience that the most successful recruiters embrace KPIs as fundamentally they are there to show people what they need to do more or less of to be successful. Nothing more, nothing less.
7) Working Hours: Like all roles in professional services, sometimes people will need to go the extra mile to deliver results for their clients. Lawyers, for example, often work late into the night. Accountants work 14-hour days during Audit season. It’s the nature of the beast. That said, under no circumstances has Parkside ever, or would ever compel a colleague to work hours beyond their contracted hours, and indeed we have historically actively promoted, and once the world is back to normal, will actively promote a healthy work-life balance, and during the current lockdown have regular meetings to support each other during what is a difficult time for everyone.
Finally, if I may say so, respectfully: writing such scathing reviews speaks much more to the reviewer than to the company or person being reviewed, and tends to leave the reader pitying the author for finding it necessary to ‘rant’ in such a public arena. Once again, the business, and I, am personally open to any feedback good, bad or otherwise. My only proviso is that it is professional, constructive and calm.
I wish you all the best in your future career.
Robert Parkinson
