Indeed Flex

More Than Words

A company that lives and breathes its guiding principles

In some organizations, the company’s values are little more than words displayed on a wall or in the pages of the company handbook. That couldn’t be further from the case for recruitment tech firm Indeed Flex.

As an employer, Indeed Flex puts its guiding principles at the heart of everything it does:

• People first,
• Every interaction matters,
• One team strengthened by uniqueness,
• Fast and flexible (obviously), and
• Trusted to deliver.

Headquartered in London, with offices throughout the UK and in some US states, Indeed Flex connects job seekers with temporary work to deliver an engaged and consistent workforce for clients. The Indeed Flex online job marketplace offers job seekers instant access to roles in sectors like hospitality, industrial services and facilities management.

Senior Account Manager Oliver Hedgley points out that these values have been part of the company’s DNA since the beginning. Founded by Jack Beaman and Novo Constare in 2015, the company was originally called Syft. It was acquired by Indeed, a business unit of global staffing giant Recruit, in 2019. Hedgley, who joined the firm before the acquisition, says the company has remained true to its values throughout its journey. “I’ve always felt that people in the business have been an absolute priority,” he says.

Indeed Flex’s guiding principles are fundamental to the work of Vice President of HR Natasha Mitchell and her team. In the last 12 months, Mitchell has led the creation of two new departments — employee experience and learning and development — to help the company act on its commitment to its values. She counts these achievements among the proudest moments of her leadership career.

Prioritizing Wellness

With a dedicated department now in place, Indeed Flex has doubled down on its commitment to the employee experience. “Our employee experience team is 100% focused on hearing the employee voice,” Mitchell explains. In addition to the company’s established annual employee engagement surveys, Mitchell and her team have introduced “stay interviews” — as opposed to exit interviews — to seek feedback from employees throughout their tenure, as well as other approaches to hear its employees voice throughout the year.

The company also clear routes for staff to share their thoughts and ideas with senior management. “Our senior leadership team has an open-door policy,” Mitchell shares. “And Novo, our CEO, is amazing. He has his door open for anyone to talk to him in terms of feedback and engagement.” Hedgley agrees: “We’ve got hundreds of people who work with us now, but I could still go up to [Novo] today and have a great chat. There’s no distance or authority that’s getting in the way of having that relationship.”

Since the pandemic, Indeed Flex has increased its focus on providing support for mental health and employee well-being. The company participates in the UK-based Mental Health First Aid initiative for organizations. Team members receive training so they can operate as mental health “first responders” for colleagues who need support at work. Indeed Flex also runs regular webinars on mental health topics.

“I think we’re really, really well looked after,” Hedgley remarks. “The business goes above and beyond to support us, and they’re open to suggestions if there’s anything else we need. I don’t think there’s much more that can be done to make us happy in our roles.”

Professional Growth for Everyone

With a dedicated learning and development function now in place, Indeed Flex is making a statement. “We’re here for your career development,” Mitchell explains. “We want you to progress in the business.”

Hedgley has experienced the benefits of this commitment firsthand. Hedgley joined the company straight out of university, initially as a telesales rep. Since then, his role has evolved several times. Today, he looks after Indeed Flex’s account with one of the UK’s largest FMCG companies. Summing up his journey so far, Hedgley, who was named Indeed Flex’s Employee of the Year for 2023, says, “I’ve grown with the business.”

Sam Price, senior flexer experience executive, had a similar experience. Since joining Indeed Flex as a call agent two and a half years ago, he has been promoted twice. “It’s a company where you can develop as much as you want to,” he observes. Price points out that Indeed Flex is relatively unique in its approach to career development within the recruitment and tech space. “You’d be hard pressed to go to a different company in the industry and have the same level of career progression,” he says.

Indeed Flex’s commitment to supporting employees’ professional growth isn’t only about helping them rise through the ranks of the company. Team members are invited to study for apprenticeships, and employees have the space to have time away from work to focus on their studies. Hedgley, who is currently studying for a project management apprenticeship, explains that employees are actively encouraged to pursue these opportunities. He describes the support he’s received from both the business and his manager as he’s progressed through his apprenticeship as “quite special.”

The company also runs an internal mentorship scheme and regular leadership development training for existing and aspiring leaders across the company. Price has taken advantage of both these opportunities. He remarks that there’s now “quite a lot to get your teeth stuck into” when it comes to learning and development at Indeed Flex.

The ultimate goal of all these initiatives? “We’re working toward being an employer of choice,” Mitchell explains. With Indeed Flex named an SIA Best Staffing Firm to Work For two years in a row, the company is well on its way to achieving its goal. Reflecting on the impact of the achievement, Mitchell explains, “It’s helped us attract top talent, and employees feel proud. It tells us that we’re doing the right things — and what we’re doing is working.”