Congratulations to our winner Erika! Erika has come out on top with an incredible 104 votes!!  A huge well done Erika, you should be really proud of yourself! Keep up the fab work. Candidate Name: ErikaBranch: Worksop Nomination Statement: “A huge congratulations to Erika, our Vernacare Hero of the Month nominee . Erika has been…

Industrial recruitment isn’t just about filling shifts — it’s about keeping production moving, meeting deadlines and protecting your reputation. When a line stops or a shift is short, the impact is immediate. That’s why businesses across the Midlands and South Yorkshire rely on Essential Recruitment for fast, reliable and work‑ready industrial staff. From urgent same‑day…

Local expertise is one of the biggest advantages an employer gains when partnering with Essential Recruitment. With branches across the Midlands and South Yorkshire – including Burton-on-Trent, Barnsley, Doncaster, Chesterfield, Worksop and J27 Nottingham – we’re embedded in the communities we serve. This gives us a level of insight, speed and accuracy that national agencies…

At Essential Recruitment, we’re proud to be supporting the incredible work of the Burton YMCA Food Bank – and we’re inviting local businesses and community members to join us in making a real difference. The Food Bank provides vital support to individuals and families across Burton who are facing hardship. With 2,225 emergency food parcels…

“It’s Coming Home” But will your employees stay at home? Google searches for “reasons to call in sick at work” rose by 54% during the England vs Belgium World Cup match in 2018 34.2 million Brits admit to skipping work or responsibilities to watch sporting events. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and…

Congratulations to our winner Leighton! Leighton smashed the competition with an incredible 108 votes – well done, and keep up the brilliant work 🙂 Name: Leighton Branch: Chesterfield Nomination Statement: “We have nominated Leighton for Hero of the Month as he is extremely hardworking and very reliable. He’s been brilliant!” Huge well done to our…

The cost to employ someone has got more expensive. Recent increases in the living and minimum wage, plus changes to statutory sick pay and other compliance costs are putting extra financial pressure on employers. Traditional approaches of a fixed permanent workforce may strain your cash flow and limit your flexibility – especially if you have…

Two of our team laced up their trainers to go the distance for Anti-Slavery International This year, we were lucky to receive two more charity places on the London Landmarks Half Marathon. On the 12th April, our Operations Director Lauren and Barnsley Branch Manager Summer completed the 13 mile run in our capital city, raising…

Congratulations to our winner Collins! Well done Collins – keep up the brilliant work! Name: Collins Branch: Burton Nomination Statement: “I would like to recognise Collins for his outstanding work ethic in production. His performance this week has been exemplary. He consistently supports his team, not only by excelling in his own role, but also…

Congratulations to our winner… Huge congratulations to our Heroes of the Month – Kristian and James!! They received a huge 97 votes across Facebook & LinkedIn – well done guys!!!! You should be super proud! Name: Kristian and James Branch: Junction 27 Nomination Statement: “Both Kristian and James have been nominated as they are extremely…

From April 2026, major changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) under the Employment Rights Act will fundamentally alter how sickness absence impacts employers. While the intention is to create fairer access to sick pay, could absence become more frequent? And more expensive? What is changing? Day-one entitlement: SSP will be payable from the first day…

Major Legal Changes on the Horizon! The Employment Rights Bill has become law, formally agreed to make the Bill into an Act of Parliament. The employment law changes in this Act will take place over a 2 year period, with most changes happening in 2026 and 2027*, including:  *Some of these changes are still going…

Congratulations to our winner McGill! Massive well done McGill, keep up the great work – you should be really proud of yourself! Name: McGillBranch: Doncaster Nomination Statement:“We have nominated McGill for his excellent attendance and always going above and beyond. He gives his all to the job and has never let us down!” Huge well…

Congratulations to our winner Rachel! Rachel beat the competition with an amazing 190 votes! Huge well done Rachel, keep up the brilliant work 🙂  Name: Rachel Riley Branch: Worksop   Nomination Statement: “Rachel has only been with us for such a short amount of time but in that time shes got on cracking with our…

Unemployment in Nottingham is rising – but what does that really mean for local employers? UK unemployment has risen to 5% – but what does that really look like locally? National figures only tell part of the story. When we look closer at our key recruiting areas, the picture changes – with higher unemployment rates…

Our annual awards night was held on the 11th October and brought all the glitz and glamour we have come to expect from recent years! We hosted our event at the Casa Hotel in Chesterfield, with entertainment provided by The Fun Experts – including Dance Mats, a selfie mirror and a Mario Kart station! As…

MODERN SLAVERY STILL EXISTS IN 2025 What have we been up to? During Anti-Slavery Week (13th–19th October 2025), we’ve been onsite with some of our GLAA clients, including Griffith Foods, IVC Brunel Healthcare and PPS, delivering delicious goodies alongside important information about the signs of modern slavery. For context, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)…

2025 In April this year our Operations Managers Rob and Lauren took on the challenge of the London Landmarks Half Marathon for Anti Slavery International: Raising over £1700! 2025/2026 Our Compliance Officer Frankie and Training & Development Director Lisa have signed up for a fitness challenge fundraiser, to reach 80km, throughout October in order to…

In 2024, over 19,125 potential victims of modern slavery in the UK were referred to the authorities. 31% of all of these were children Most common forms of slavery in the UK: Sources: Anti-Slavery International / UK Government Read about recent cases of modern slavery in the UK:

We recently welcomed Molly to the Chesterfield / Mansfield team – and the marketing team were eager to grab her for a chat! Here’s what they found out after a quick grilling 5 minute interview… What made you apply for the role at Essential Recruitment? “I applied to Essential because I was ready to build a career,…

Spice Up Your Career in Somercotes! We’re thrilled to be cooking up opportunities with our long-term partner, Griffith Foods – a flavourful force in the world of sauces and seasonings, supplying some of the UK’s biggest names in retail and fast food. Based in Somercotes, Derbyshire, this site is easily reachable if you’re driving from…

Considering a role at Holland & Barrett?  With this many great incentives, we’re not surprised!  This well known British brand was formed in Hertfordshire in 1870, but now boast over 1,500 stores in 16 countries across Europe and Asia.  We’re recruiting for their main distribution centre in Burton on Trent, which the company call ‘the…

Back in December 2021 we became a 100% Employee Owned business. Now, as we celebrate our third EO day, it feels like a good time to reflect on what we’ve learned, what’s changed, and what’s still to come Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulv A…

If you’re in HR, there’s a strong chance you will know this phrase already… but for everyone else – especially those looking to venture deeper into the culture side of things – here’s a breakdown of what EVP is, how you can build a great package for your company, and importantly, what NOT to do!…