Democracy is key to the successful implementation of Grafton Recruitment’s growth plan, according to the group’s chief executive.

Jason Kennedy, who joined the international multi-sector recruiter in May, with a remit to grow the business, told Recruiter that the key to introducing changes which have included office closures and job losses was that the programme was “owned by the staff” and not “imposed from the top down”.

Grafton’s growth plan consists of several themes; communication; clients; costs and cash, with the first four all feeding into the fifth: growth.

Kennedy said the change mandate “was owned” by teams of project leaders and project members, which he had put together from among Grafton’s 600 employees around the world.

“I have not built what the change programmes are. I have created some scope for what ought to be considered, but the change mandate is coming from the business, so it’s what the business wants and perceives to be the best. The business leaders and staff have become my change evangelists,” said Kennedy.

“This is not ‘top down’ change, imposing an £8m cost take out, the change is coming from within, so the deciders of the change is the democracy of the staff and management.”

“The implementers are tom campbellthe staff and the management, it’s just done under my governance,” Kennedy added.