Doing good for the world, embracing change, and leading with a positive mindset
Rob Zandbergen Managing Corporate Executive Officer, Head of Staffing SBU CEO of RGF Staffing B.V.
Recruit Group's Staffing SBU is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of both job seekers and employers by leveraging decades of relationship-building experience. During these trying times, we are actively working to help our clients, partners, candidates and employees address staffing concerns caused by the ongoing global health crisis.
The Staffing SBU conducts business across many countries and regions, and one key element of our success is our ability to localize products and services to fit the needs of individual markets. Our group companies have the autonomy and flexibility to decide and execute business based on their deep-rooted local market knowledge. Our local entities know their clients, candidates, and job markets well, allowing them to deeply understand and respond to their communities' unique issues.
This is why, at RGF Staffing, our support efforts are primarily focused on the communities in which we operate. For example, during the total lockdown in France, many companies and job candidates lost contact with their staffing partners. We knew our clients and candidates were worried and struggling, so we made sure we remained available to them. Because we were there for them when they couldn't reach anyone else, we are currently winning their trust.
Likewise, in Japan, Recruit Staffing Co., Ltd., is supporting initiatives to expand remote work options for temporary staff. Staffmark Group LLC in North America and USG People's companies in Europe are publishing FAQs, webinars, and other useful information through their websites to help dispatched staff and corporate clients with their staffing concerns.
I've learned from experience that companies can emerge successfully from global crises with the right leadership and creative strategy. I entered the staffing industry in 2002, when Europe began experiencing an economic slowdown, and I worked through the 2008 global recession and the 2011 European financial crisis. Those experiences taught me the importance of having a creative and agile organization that can react quickly and decisively to unforeseen circumstances.
Business always comes with ebbs and flows, but you can't hold back-you must consistently communicate your expectations and keep your team closely aligned. In difficult, high-stress situations, it's important for leaders to step up and provide guidance and reassurance to their employees. Sometimes business performance drops due to factors outside of our control. Leadership must communicate honestly, proactively address employee concerns, and devise a realistic action plan to steer the company back on track. Doing so requires a high level of trust that everyone will act in the best interests of the company and society. As part of the Recruit Group Staffing SBU, which encourages innovation and community-building, our companies are at an advantage while the global staffing industry struggles to adapt to the rapidly changing economic climate.
Despite global economic downturns and uncertain market climates, we must continue to push boundaries and reach for growth. We've been impacted by COVID-19, but we've never lost sight of our core mission to add value to society. This driving purpose is at the heart of our staffing businesses as we aim to provide employment opportunities to people from all walks of life. We strive to introduce job seekers to opportunities in which they are safe, happy, rewarded, and properly trained. This way, we can meaningfully impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who currently face barriers to employment. Regardless of the challenges we face today, our goal remains to help people find suitable employment and live comfortably. We will continue to connect companies and candidates in pursuit of that goal.