As one of the largest providers of specialist employment services, Maximus is committed to ensuring that people facing barriers to work can access the tailored support they need to thrive in the labour market.
Forging strong relationships with more than 400 employer partners across the UK is crucial to our success. We work with employers with shared values and a passion for creating diverse teams. Together, we are driving meaningful change – supporting individuals from underrepresented backgrounds into work, while contributing to inclusive local economic growth.
A strong example of this is our partnership with Arcus FM, a facilities management company that has grown rapidly to achieve national reach. Since October 2022, Maximus has supported Arcus with inclusive recruitment strategies. This includes offering our participants guaranteed interviews and training to prepare them for long-term employment.
The value of a collaborative approach
Steve Hurle, Senior Operations Manager at Arcus FM Ltd, explained: “Working collaboratively and in partnership with Maximus allows us to recruit efficiently and engage with individuals who may have struggled to access employment.
“By creating opportunities for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds enables us to build a stronger, more inclusive diverse workforce. At Arcus we are a family, committed to providing lasting sustainable career opportunities.”
Our partnership with Arcus has already led to over 35 individuals moving into sustainable employment. 10 of these were in the last 12 months alone. These outcomes reflect the impact of strong employer engagement, aligned closely with business needs and the capabilities of our participants.
Jonathan Slater, Strategic Engagement Manager at Maximus, commented: “We have a long history of transforming people’s lives by helping them overcome their barriers. It’s extremely important to build strong relationships with our employer partners, so we fully understand their requirements and expectations. This ensures we give our participants the best possible chance of securing sustainable employment that aligns with their skills, and career ambitions.
“Our partnership with Arcus is not only helping individuals but supporting local growth by enabling more people to enter and progress in work.”
The impact for service users
For individuals like Barry, the support has been life-changing. Following a five-year gap in employment, 55-year-old Barry had growing doubts about his prospects. He joined the Restart Scheme for tailored guidance, and soon secured an Area Support Manager position with Arcus.
Recalling the challenges he encountered, Barry shared: “I knew I couldn’t go back into the finance sector. I had a big gap in my CV, my age was against me, and I was totally inept of any practical skills to offer an employer whatsoever.
“Maximus changed everything for me. I thought I was on the scrap heap, but they helped me to feel confident about myself and gave me the opportunity to work again.”
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Pearl spent a year unemployed before she joined the Restart Scheme in February 2023. After just three months on the scheme, she was offered a cleaner role, before being promoted to a managerial position within a year.
Reflecting on her experience, Pearl said: “I come from the gypsy and traveller community. It’s uncommon for women and girls to go out to work but I wanted to do more with my life. I didn’t just want to be a wife and mother; I wanted a career and my own independence.
“Maximus provided me with one-to-one support which helped me understand what was needed to progress into work. Without them I wouldn’t have known about Arcus and wouldn’t have a job. A job that I love, really love.”
Helping people thrive
Barry added: “Thanks to Maximus and Arcus I’ve been given a golden opportunity. If I’d known 20 years ago how much I would love my job, I would have joined the industry sooner.”
The impact of our partnership is evident not only in the number of people supported in work, but in the quality and sustainability of those employment outcomes.
We collaborate with employers committed to inclusion, helping to build more representative workforces and deliver improved outcomes for communities.
Steve concluded: “Arcus is committed to helping our people thrive into a career. We’re proud of our retention figure to date and that’s down to the hard work of Maximus. We couldn’t have done it without their expertise, support and understanding of our requirements.”
