At Mixxos Group, there is no secret as to what is important – people are at the heart of the recruitment firm, whether that’s client, candidate, members of the team or those in the wider community that need help in one form or another.
Directors Chris Mapp and Gemma Downing are passionate about doing what they can to share their time, knowledge and experience to benefit Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas.
Originally a permanent hire business, 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.
With a strong vision of what the recruitment process should look like, and with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, Gemma and Chris go to great lengths to ensure everyone is as prepared as possible for the ever-changing world of employment.
On a practical level, that might be organising events that encompass thought leadership, advice, or simply a chance to get to know the team better – like the rebrand event at Cicchetti in Ampthill that gave the Mixxos team the chance to explain their business values to existing, new and potential clients.
Charity work is equally important, and valuable – and took a significant leap forward last year when Gemma set herself a goal of her own. She explains:
“I had major surgery in March last year and while I was recovering, and feeling pretty awful, I read about the YMCA’s CEO Sleepout, which was due to be held in November to raise awareness for homelessness,”
“It was heavy going for me as I was on a long road to recovery.
“I have always been interested in the YMCA and how they help young people from many different and difficult backgrounds.”
Mixxos then teamed up with the YMCA in Milton Keynes to bring ten individuals together to talk about employment tips and opportunities, leading to one young man being offered a role that has transformed his life. Gemma said:
“He went very quickly from Stage One on the YMCA’s campus, which is total dependence, to Stage 2, which has put him back on track for independence.
“It is amazing to see something like that. He was open and said he wanted to work, and he was taken on by a company and it has made all the difference. The world can be very quick to pass judgement, but everyone’s story is different. Anyone can go down the wrong path at any point in their lives and be derailed by circumstances.
“Since finding that role he has taken part in a Voice of the Temp interview with our governing body, REC, about the importance of temporary workers. There is a lot of discussion about temporary work, but for a lot of people it is the chance they need to do a full-time role around other aspects of their lives.”
Gemma is now an accredited and trained mentor and will be working with the YMCA on a regular basis to help mentor young people.
Mixxos also arranged a football match that saw 12 businesses enter teams to take part in a rain-soaked competition, where Chris worked hard for four hours refereeing, to raise £2,000 for the Franklins £50 Challenge. The firm is also going to be involved in the Milton Keynes SoupFest later this year.
On the local employment scene, the Mixxos team attends networking groups and job fairs, taking their message out as far and wide as possible. Chris said:
“We do as much as we can to help charities,”
“Being part of the community and getting involved is what we are all about and that is what we feel sets us apart from the rest.
“We held an event recently on the Five Fundamentals in the Workplace, focusing on wellbeing, with an ex-professional foot- baller in attendance to speak and answer questions, and just giving businesses some reminders about fairly simple things you can do to promote wellbeing in the workplace, from providing drinks bottles to encouraging mindfulness.
“Then there was our Employee Value Proposition event where we got around 75 HR and recruitment leaders, business leaders and CEOs together to look at how to attract and retain the best talent. There were some fantastic discussions and topics raised, and the atmosphere in the room was electric.
“We want to give people a reason to take time out of their busy days – it has to be worthwhile for them, they need to get something from it, and that’s what we aim to provide.”
The next Mixxos event will be on the subject of Demystifying AI within HR, how it can be used as a tool but should not be solely relied on and that will be held on September 19 at Aimii in Milton Keynes. Chris said:
“That is another massive topic, and we hope we can address some of the issues for those in the HR sector. Places will be limited, but we would love to hear from anyone who wants to register their interest.”
To find out more about Mixxos Group, call 01525 304600, email enquiries@mixxos.com or visit the website
