Head of Britain’s largest recruitment website calls on companies to sacrifice profits and slash bonuses to save jobs
The head of Britain’s largest recruitment website has called on companies to sacrifice profits and slash bonuses to save jobs.
James Reed, chief executive of Reed, said bosses must do everything they can to keep people in work amid fears that two million workers could lose their jobs due to the lockdown.
He has launched a campaign backed by business heavyweights Lord Sugar, Lord Bamford of JCB and Timpson chief executive James Timpson to ask bosses to ‘Keep Britain Working’.
Speaking out: James Reed said bosses must do everything they can to keep people in work
Borrowing a footballing analogy, Reed said: ‘A lot of our best players are on the bench and we need to get them on to the pitch.
‘My business will forgo profits to keep as many people in employment as possible. Our own workforce has reduced hours by 25 per cent and that has also saved jobs in the business.
‘A lot of business leaders are very highly paid. If they take a pay cut they can save a lot of jobs personally by doing that.
‘That’s one of the reasons I’ve decided to forgo my salary during the crisis. ‘When times are good, you do well, but during a crisis you step up, so I hope many other business leaders do that.’
Reed has redesigned his website to highlight the types of jobs that are in need of applicants due to the coronavirus crisis.
Delivery drivers, supermarket workers and farm labourers are all urgently required.
The site has also created a new section for healthcare jobs – including NHS assistants and temporary work in social care.