Getting back into work isn’t always easy, but the right opportunity can make a real difference.
At Churchill, our teams foster partnerships with charity and employment organisations, supporting people to take that next step into work, rebuild confidence, create stability and access opportunities across our business.
We’ve been working with Reed in Partnership for over five years. The partnership has created positive outcomes for everyone involved, especially the candidates we’ve welcomed into our teams. While this is a national partnership, our team in East Anglia has seen particularly strong results, showing what can be achieved when a partnership is embraced in a collaborative, proactive and consistent way.
Many of the people we meet through Reed in Partnership have been out of work for some time or are facing barriers to employment. With the right support, they go on to become valued members of our team, and, in many cases, build long-term careers with us. In the past two years alone, 114 colleagues have joined Churchill through this partnership, with a significant number based in East Anglia.
How we work together
Over time, we’ve developed a way of working that is joined up and focused on making the process as smooth as possible for everyone involved, especially the candidates.
When our teams have a vacancy, they share the details with Reed in Partnership, including the location and what the role involves. Reed in Partnership then identify suitable candidates, focusing on people who live nearby so that the role is accessible and sustainable for them.
Candidates are supported and prepared ahead of time, with Reed in Partnership carrying out initial screening so that when we meet them, they are ready for interview.
Our teams then hold interviews in Reed in Partnership’s local offices, which are familiar environments for candidates. That sense of familiarity helps people feel more at ease and more confident going into the interview, as they don’t have to navigate different sites or worry about transport. For some, that can be the deciding factor in whether they’re able to attend an interview at all. This approach also works well for our teams, allowing us to meet a number of candidates in one place, move quickly where vacancies are time-sensitive and keep the recruitment process running smoothly.
Once we’ve found the right people for the role, we move into onboarding straight away. By this stage, Reed in Partnership have often already provided all necessary documentation and supported with pre-employment requirements, which means new colleagues can often start within a day.
Reed in Partnership continue to stay in touch during those early weeks, checking in with both our teams and new colleagues to make sure everything is going well. They remain on hand whenever needed and continue to support our new colleagues with training during their first few weeks. That ongoing support makes all the difference to how colleagues settle into their new roles.
East Anglia recruitment day success
Our East Anglia operations team have really embraced working with Reed in Partnership over the years and often go straight to Reed in Partnership for support when filling vacancies, without needing to rely heavily on traditional advertising. Over time, this has helped the team to build strong relationships, create a stead pipeline of candidates and reduce the time it takes to fill roles.
It has also meant we’ve been able to support more people back into work, particularly those who might otherwise have struggled to access opportunities. A recent recruitment day held in Reed in Partnership’s Cambridge office is a strong example of the synergy between both teams in action, resulting in all eight of our cleaning vacancies being offered and accepted on the same day, with several additional candidates identified for upcoming opportunities.
Reed in Partnership played a key role in preparing for the day, coordinating 17 candidates and making sure they arrived ready for the day ahead. This gave our East Anglia team a strong group of people to meet, all keen to take the next step into work.
The day began with a warm welcome and an introduction to Churchill, with our team talking through our values, the roles available and what candidates could expect as part of our team. From there, interviews took place, allowing each person the time and space to talk about their experience and strengths.
What made the day so effective was the simplicity of the approach. Candidates were well prepared, decisions could be made quickly, and people were able to meet our teams directly and ask questions in person. It created a positive experience for candidates and an efficient process for both our team and Reed in Partnership’s team. This was one of the most efficient and successful hiring sessions to date for our East Anglia team, with plans already in place for similar sessions.
Amber – Cleaning Team Leader, Churchill
Amber joined us through Reed in Partnership and has been a valued member of our team since February 2022.
“I lost my job during Covid and spent nearly two years trying to get back into work. I was referred to Reed in Partnership through the Jobcentre, and that’s what led me to Churchill.
The initial role was close to home, which really appealed to me, and the interview process was simple and friendly.
When I started, the support was brilliant. My manager trained me across all areas and checked in regularly to make sure I was settling in.
I now work as a Team Leader at a primary school. I make sure everything runs smoothly and support my team to keep our quality standards high. I enjoy the independence, and it’s good knowing my manager trusts me to do a good job.
Having a steady income again has made a big difference.”
“Working with Reed in Partnership has made a real difference to the way we recruit. They understand the roles, the locations and the type of support people may need to take that next step into work, which means the candidates we meet are often well suited to the opportunities we have available.
Sharon Cresswell – Account Manager, Churchill
What works particularly well is how joined up the process feels. Communication is always strong, candidates are prepared ahead of interviews, and using Reed in Partnership’s local offices helps remove barriers such as travel or uncertainty about where to go. That creates a better experience for candidates and helps us move quickly when vacancies need to be filled.
Most importantly, the partnership has helped us welcome great people into our teams who may otherwise have been overlooked. We’ve seen first-hand the positive difference the right opportunity can make, and we’re looking forward to building on that success in the future.”
Matt Sales – Recruitment Manager, Reed in Partnership
“The Churchill team is always supportive, engaged and easy to work with. They take time to talk things through and make the process feel very straightforward for us.
The impact of our partnership has been significant. Churchill has given opportunities to people who have often struggled to find employers willing to offer a fresh start. That has helped many participants rebuild confidence, regain stability and move back into work in a meaningful way.
Employer days have worked particularly well, giving our participants the change to meet and engage with the Churchill team directly, which is where many of them really shine. Overall, I’m thoroughly enjoying this partnership and look forward to continuing our work together.”
“I’ve been working with Churchill for just over a year now and it’s been a really smooth and positive partnership. In that time, around 15 Restart Scheme participants have gone into jobs across the Peterborough area.
Nathan Reed – Senior Recruitment Manager, Reed in Partnership
The team are great to work with – vacancies are shared quickly, interviews are carried out in our office, and we’re kept updated throughout onboarding and DBS checks. We’ve built a simple process that works well for both sides and helps us fill roles quickly with the right people.
The impact for our participants has been really positive. We’ve been able to support people facing barriers such as childcare or limited English into roles that work for their circumstances. Having an employer who is flexible and open to those conversations makes a real difference, and because of the way we work together, I’m always confident we can support the Churchill team when vacancies come in.”