Accountancy, finance, legal and public sector recruiter Badenoch & Clark is to cut its UK workforce by up to 8% due to the tough economic conditions.

Neil Wilson, managing director of Badenoch & Clark, which has around 600 employees, told Recruiter: “A sharp decline in economic conditions over the last quarter has affected the flow of business.”

Wilson said that though the decision was regrettable, it “was a necessary step to ensure the business remains strong for the future”. The reduction will be through a combination of natural wastage and a limited redundancy programme. “All members of staff whose roles are affected are currently being consulted. Efforts are also being made to find alternative employment within the group,” added Wilson.

Meanwhile, executive search recruiter Whitehead Mann announced it had made a “limited number” of staff redundant (less than 10% of its global workforce, which is between 250-300 staff).

A Whitehead Mann spokesperson told Recruiter: “We have made a limited number of redundancies, predominantly in the UK with a few in Hong Kong. Over two-thirds come from back office and support roles, as we streamline our service offerings and integrate our business services and financial services teams.

“As part of our response to the turmoil in global financial markets, we have undertaken a review of our business to ensure we have the appropriate cost base and resource allocation for the different business environment likely to prevail over the next 12-18 months.”

WMP was taken into private ownership last year and last month it opened its new headquarters in Singapore, twinned with London. The firm is also redeploying staff from London to its Middle East and Asian centres.