In recruitment, it’s all about people. The people you want to employ, the people looking for employment, and those whose innovation and imagination bring the two together. At Mixxos Group in Milton Keynes there’s a strong vision for what the recruitment process should look like, and Directors Chris Mapp and Gemma Downing have spent years building a team that feels as passionate about getting it right as they do.
Both from working class backgrounds and, by their own admission, having had to work hard for everything they have achieved, Chris and Gemma are pro-opportunity. Great significance is placed on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) at Mixxos in a bid to open up options for both the client and the candidate.
Originally focusing on permanent hire, Mixxos has expanded to include temporary and contract hire, with two specialised divisions: one covering the head office and commercial sector, and the other industrial and warehousing.
Founded by Chris in 2018 as Somnium Recruitment – Somnium being the Latin word for dream and the ethos being making recruitment a dream not a nightmare – before rebranding as Mixxos, which Chris and Gemma feel better sums up the approach to diversity and opportunity. Chris said:
“Our aim is to drive innovation through diversity, whether that’s gender, race, age or disability, and make sure that everything we do on our side gives people a fair chance,”
“It’s important for candidates to know we’re doing that, but it’s also something we’re working hard at through our business development strategy and passing on our knowledge and expertise to employers. Unconscious bias is still all too common in recruitment, we don’t think we can change the world but we do think we can have some influence.
“We enjoy working with like-minded businesses, helping them shape what they are offering – too many employers take a narrow view and it’s important in the current workplace to embrace DE&I and look past the obvious.”
In order to free themselves up more to develop the business, Chris and Gemma have gone to great lengths to put together a team of recruiters who understand the Mixxos values and who are equally passionate about recruitment.
Experience isn’t necessarily top of the list when it comes to joining the Mixxos team – recruiters can learn from the knowledge and expertise that Chris and Gemma have gained over the years. Soft skills are valued equally highly and the ability to relate to people, to want to do the best for them and apply ethics and morals to a process that can all too often be about simply filling a vacancy. Gemma said:
“One of our biggest challenges is to find the right people for our business. If we get that right, then we are in a good position to get it right for our clients. It means we can go out and champion our business and show how much we can offer to both clients and candidates, positioning ourselves as thought leaders in this industry and staging events and passing on knowledge that both clients and candidates find valuable.”
Candidates are offered advice on CVs and job searches, making use of LinkedIn and job boards, and approaching the process in the right way – keeping a list of applications and follow-ups, thinking about a strategy for which roles to apply for.
Mixxos also works with a number of charities in the region, particularly with the YMCA, and has recently been successful in placing a resident in a permanent job. The firm also attends as many job fairs as possible, and holds events that help it put its stamp on the local employment landscape. Gemma said:
“I’m very invested in the role of women in the workplace, particularly women returning to work after having a baby – it can be a barrier for a lot of employers but it doesn’t need to be. Similarly, with the YMCA situation – a lot of employers would dismiss the idea of a homeless person filling a role but there’s no reason why that can’t work. It just needs a shift in approach, to look past the obvious.”
In order to address some of this unconscious bias, and to provide the best possible service, Mixxos prides itself on taking time to build relationships with clients, so that it understands exactly what the role involves and what the business is looking for in order to offer candidates that are the right fit. A financial guarantee means that if a client is not happy with the new recruit within the first 100 days, their fee will be fully refunded. Similarly, if a client isn’t happy with a temp, Mixxos will cover the cost.
Mixxos has become a corporate member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and has gained its full support. This affiliation enhances Mixxos Group’s credibility and demonstrates the commitment to industry standards. Chris said:
“Everything we do is based on honesty and trust and we are confident that if the client understands the way we work, that we’re not just providing people and charging them for it, but we are working hard to make sure the candidate is the right fit for them, they will get the result they are looking for. If they don’t, then we won’t charge them. At the same time, we’ll walk away if we don’t feel a prospective client buys into our ethos.
“We are about to start working with the UK CEO of a global company who feels their recruitment strategy is not as effective as it could be. We won’t be charging at that stage, just providing the good service that Mixxos is all about.
“It’s down to how you make people feel, and we won’t compromise on that. We’ve grown into a successful business and we’re not going to risk all that for the sake of just taking a fee.”
To find out more about Mixxos Group, call 01525 304600, email enquiries@mixxos.com or visit the website
