Grey Hair Management's Blog

Öpik requests SME inclusion in redeployment challenge 2010/08/05

Staff redeployment firm Grey Hair Management Ltd (GHM) has teamed up with former Lib Dem MP Lembit Öpik to call for a Government policy change over the support given to public sector workers facing redundancy.  They’re encouraging Ministers to work with Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) which provide redeployment assistance to help outplace up to 600,000 people who could be losing their jobs.

GHM Managing Director, Paul Kelly, said “Many highly competent individuals will lose their jobs due to the cuts agenda. Our ethos is to quickly get them back into employment, so they continue in economically and socially significant roles, instead of finding themselves sidelined in society.  Given the size of the task, SMEs have a vital role here.”

“But smaller companies like us, even though we can provide a nationwide capability, fear big training businesses will be used instead, maintaining the status quo and pushing many far more economical and often higher quality providers out of the sector altogether” said Kelly.

Lembit Öpik

Former Lib Dem MP, and GHM Director of Coaching, Lembit Öpik said “The Government mustn’t create a redeployment ‘closed shop,’ excluding SMEs from the tendering and procurement process.  There’s no easy way for smaller providers to get in as we can prove time and again from our recent efforts.  This could cost taxpayers up to £350 million more, because often small firms can do it much more cost effectively and tailor their support precisely to Departmental and organisational needs.

“That can be a lot harder for larger companies with bigger overheads and who have in many instances standardised their products.   We just want to ensure the SMEs don’t get left out in the corporate cold by a Lib Dem/Conservative Government which promised to look out for the little guys, but risks leaving the giants to rule the roost” he continued.

“Given the current uncertainty all this creates in the Public Sector, we’ve asked for information before the Party Conference season in September, regarding each Department’s provisional plans.  Forewarned is forearmed.  The Prime Minister is pressing his Ministers to act fast and we agree.  We’ll share the responses from all Departments on 21st September, 2010 ” concluded Öpik.