HRM Search Partners Ireland is the largest independent search agency in Ireland. They know how important it is to hire the best talent and provide the best HR tool for staff. The executives of the executive recruiting firm shared their secrets to success, their collaborative culture and how they have reduced leave admin by 75%.
Michael O’Leary is the founder of HRM search Partners. The company was established in 1992 and has been leading the way in professional and executive talent acquisition in Ireland for more than 30 years.
They provide support for all sizes of clients with their recruitment challenges, from small businesses to large corporations. Clients include global leaders, local champions, and global innovators in a variety of industries, such as biotechnology.
The difference between the firm and others is their knowledge. Their deep knowledge of the Irish marketplace, which is a result from over three decades in executive, professional, and staff search, makes them unique. They combine their local market expertise with strong research networks, data analyses, innovative assessment, as well as an international reach to ensure that they deliver the most qualified candidates to their clients.
A team of 40 Irish researchers and consultants work across three highly specialized areas. This allows for industry-specific expertise. IIC Partners also has an Irish representative. The network includes over 450 consultants from around the globe.
We are everything
“Our team is everything. It’s a great culture of collaboration. Everyone works together. It’s fast-paced. It’s dynamic. But everyone gets along brilliantly. This is the nature of recruiting. It’s an environment that rewards high performance. It’s an extremely challenging environment, but everyone works hard. “Shane Brosnan, business accountant, said that it’s also a great place for fun.
Shane says that the company values people. There’s a wellness team that works with employees each week to set up book clubs, buddy systems and online yoga classes. There’s also an organized social team that organises gatherings (when time and budget allow). The company is very focused on learning and development.
“It’s very people-centric. They really stay connected and look after their people.”
This applies to annual leave. Shane says the firm has a generous approach to annual leave. Shane states that they value employees actually using their time off. “They encourage everyone take a 2-week break every year, and managers ensure that everyone gets the breaks he or she needs. The pandemic caused a lot of hardship for people, but it has been helped by the emphasis placed on work-life integration. You are encouraged to send out emails after normal hours to allow it to reach the next morning instead of being sent at 7 o’clock in bed.
The company offers flexible working arrangements that can be adapted to family needs. They have set up “gatherings” where everyone can come together at the office. Flexible days allow staff to work from home. “The idea, and that is the nature of business, is to collaborate. It’s very helpful to have people working together in one place, at least for a few days per week, and then 3 days away from home. There’s flexibility, if you need it. Everyone is happy with that.
They also offer recognition programs. Some prizes give you a half-day or even a full day off.
Deadline for Leaves
Shane explains that the staff used to manage their leave manually, before Leave Dates was invented. “It was time-consuming, and the staff didn’t know where they were on their own leave. It was a lot email back-and forth. The main problem was the time spent managing it.
Just like research plays an integral part in a person’s hiring process, so did it when it came down to selecting Leave Dates.
“Our systems manger did some research into leave system options and returned with all the options. Leave Dates appeared to be the best for ease-of-use, how it felt and looked, and value for the money. Phil offered to demo it, and we were impressed with the results.
The set-up was easy. We completed the initial information in a spreadsheet. Then we uploaded it. Although this can take months to set up, I’ve never had to do it again. Leave Dates is extremely easy to use.
100% solving
Shane claims that the system is “essentially self-governing” day to day. “We set up email notifications so that senior management receives an email in morning to flag down leave for the day. We also pull reports for payroll. Social team reports are used to check whether they’re organizing an event. Anybody can access the system day to day and send them requests, or check the absence of others.
It solved their problem with managing leave.
“It’s been fantastic. It has 100% solved the problems that we faced. The main problems were staff not being able to see how much time they had left and the tedious admin involved. I took a look at all the emails I had received prior to setting Leave Dates. I found 75% less than in the first year.
Wow! Shane adds, “It was a life-saver.”
The best thing? “The ease and speed of use. Everyone is happy with it. It runs on its own, any query that you have is not related to the system, it’s about holiday, so that’s awesome. The support is great. Phil has been extremely helpful from the very beginning. He gets back to you quickly and they are always improving it. It’s an excellent value and it looks amazing. It’s excellent.”
“I would have no hesitation in recommending this product to anyone. It doesn’t matter in what sector or industry you are, it is perfect and does exactly as it should. We recommend it highly. Phil would love to show you the software. It’s unbeatable in terms of ease of use, value for money, and price.
They are difficult to beat – just like the best candidates.