Gary Ashworth

London, EC1N 8TS

Executive chairman

The media hype around the looming recession merely serves to perpetuate the problem. And while the economy is under increasing scrutiny, we have yet to experience a lull. In fact, salaries are higher than ever and the demand for skilled workers is still strong.

However, recruitment in particular has been rattled by the reports – with many HR managers making cuts as a knee-jerk reaction. But this is a cycle we have seen before and will no doubt see again. And whilst speculation is unlikely to die down just yet, when it eventually does, the scramble to recruit the best will begin again.

Instead of panicking, companies need to alleviate future recruitment issues by snapping up rare skills while the market takes a downward turn. Companies should learn their lesson from this inexorable cycle and think proactively about the future.