Overview:
When Queen Mary University prepared to temporarily transition its Mile End campus into a hotel for summer visitors, OCS was awarded the contract to deliver housekeeping and portering services. Recognising this as an exceptional chance to uplift the local community, OCS committed to recruiting from disadvantaged groups across the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
OCS formed key partnerships with employment support organisations Employment4All, Maximus, Ingeus, Springboard, and Hackney Quest. Together, we organised a volume recruitment event on site to interview candidates and offer immediate summer roles at the living wage of £13.50 per hour – above the Real London Living Wage.
OCS formed key partnerships with employment support organisations Employment4All, Maximus, Ingeus, Springboard, and Hackney Quest. Together, we organised a volume recruitment event on site to interview candidates and offer immediate summer roles at the living wage of £13.50 per hour – above the Real London Living Wage.
“We really enjoyed collaborating with the social value team to deliver this localised recruitment project. TTheir connections to community partners were invaluable for reaching candidates who may have otherwise slipped through the cracks.”
Ross Johnston
Facilities Operations Director at OCS
This summer not only provides them with steady income and valuable housekeeping skills, but a foot in the door at OCS. At the conclusion of the university contract, OCS intends to redeploy as many team members as possible across other sites, facilitating lasting career opportunities.
By tapping into established community organisations, OCS unlocked access to talent pools too often overlooked. The partnerships allowed OCS to extend a meaningful hand up to Tower Hamlets residents facing disadvantages such as long-term unemployment, lack of skills training, and other socioeconomic barriers. In providing well-paying roles and potential paths to permanent work, OCS delivered significant social value through economic empowerment and inclusion.
Looking ahead, OCS aims to replicate this localised recruitment model to make a positive impact in other boroughs where we operate.
