The recruiter who knows how to keep a supportive eye on his team
RECRUITMENT
Managing with care – Imperial Recruitment Group director Jason D ’ Silva , who started his career as an optometrist .
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136 | Tees Business
The recruiter who knows how to keep a supportive eye on his team
Imperial Recruitment Group director Jason D ’ Silva started his career as an optometrist . Now he casts a careful eye over the recruitment industry , ensuring his workforce are supported .
The recruitment industry has faced several challenges over the last couple of years , particularly in the temporary labour market , but Imperial Workforce has sailed the stormy seas to a sunnier future . Imperial Workforce is the workforce arm of Imperial Recruitment Group , specialising in industrial recruitment from entry level to skilled workers in all disciplines , supplying industries in the North-East area , and nationally .
Originally established in 2005 , there are now two main arms of the business – Imperial Workforce and Imperial Professionals .
Imperial Recruitment Group , based out of the Imperial Centre in Darlington , with satellite offices around the North-East , has three directors : Jason D ’ Silva , managing director of Imperial Workforce , Anthony Antoniou , managing director of Imperial Professionals , and Patricia Dodsworth , who is the finance director for the overall group .
Imperial Workforce counts SK Foods , a manufacturer of savoury foods to national supermarkets , as one of its major clients , along with ABP UK , another food manufacturer in Leeming Bar . They also provide recruitment services to a varied array of North-East companies including businesses in the
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automotive and pharmaceutical sectors . Jason says the three main challenges the company has faced in recent times have been the Covid pandemic , Brexit and the cost-ofliving crisis .
“ It ’ s been a tough journey ,” says Jason , as he recalls the difficulties of working diligently to keep , in particular , the food and pharmaceutical industries fully staffed while navigating through what was the ever-changing Covid landscape .
“ We have been through the Covid experience when the food industry – one of our main sectors – continued to work . Despite the challenges facing us , we put a metaphorical arm around everyone who needed it . That was important and that brought out our strengths . There is a lot of face-to-face interaction in our world and , as directors , we ensured that we were sharing this with our teams . We never asked anyone to do anything that we wouldn ’ t do .”
“ Brexit changed our landscape ,” adds Jason . “ Historically , we have offered employment opportunities to many European workers , the majority being from Eastern Europe . In 2005 , we were one of the first businesses in the North-East to bring people here from overseas . When they had to leave with such urgency ,