Reed

What Reed does

Reed is a UK-headquartered, family-owned recruitment and workforce solutions provider founded in 1960, operating across 20 specialist sectors with physical offices in 12+ UK cities and international offices in 15 countries. The company serves both employers and job candidates through a multi-brand platform that includes Reed.co.uk (the UK's leading digital recruitment service), Reed Talent Solutions (RPO/MSP/BPO), Reed Screening (24/7 pre-employment background checks), Reed Learning (professional qualifications and apprenticeships), Reed Professional Services, and a Flexi-Job Apprenticeship programme approved by the Department for Education. The business combines self-serve digital tools with specialist recruitment consultants organised into sector verticals, supported by a proprietary database of more than 22 million candidate CVs and approximately 390,000 pre-screened temporary workers.

The technology stack centres on the Reed.co.uk platform, which exposes AI-powered generative tools for job description creation and interview question generation, alongside salary benchmarking guides and online screening purchase flows. Underlying assets include the 65-year-old CV database and the screening operations, while distribution is hybrid: digital self-service for SMBs and individuals, specialist consultants and dedicated account teams for mid-market and enterprise, and a franchise partner network for extended UK reach. Reed processes approximately 37 million temporary working hours each year and serves over 30,000 businesses annually.

Reed generates revenue through transaction-based fees on permanent placements (with up to six-month guarantees), temporary and contract staffing margin on bill rates, retained executive search engagements (up to 12-month guarantees), managed screening subscriptions, apprenticeship levy-funded training programmes, and subscription/managed learning services. Ownership is concentrated with founder James Reed as Chair, supplemented by a unique structure in which 18% of the company is held by the Reed Foundation, underwriting charitable activity as part of the operating model. In May 2024, Reed acquired Code Nation to integrate tech training and talent sourcing, reflecting a shift toward vertical integration of recruitment and skills development.

Name

Reed

Legal name

Reed

Website

https://reed.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Reed is a UK-based, family-owned recruitment and workforce solutions firm providing permanent, temporary, executive, and apprenticeship hiring services across 20 specialist sectors to over 30,000 businesses annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Staffing & Recruitment Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Temporary Help Services (56132)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Contractor Management Systems (CMS) & Workforce Management (BPACAGAE)

Keywords

• Permanent recruitment services
• Temporary staffing solutions
• Executive search services
• Pre-employment screening
• Flexi-job apprenticeships

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Permanent Recruitment Services: Fee-based permanent placement services where employers engage Reed to source and place permanent employees. The company provides expert advice on job descriptions, salary recommendations, featured advertising on Reed.co.uk, compliance checks, interview support, and post-placement reviews. Services include guarantees of up to six months.
2. Temporary and Contract Staffing: Provision of temporary, interim, and contract workers across 20 specialist sectors. Services include access to 390,000 pre-screened temporary candidates, right to work checks, candidate referencing, and ongoing compliance checks including Agency Workers Regulations.
3. Executive Search Services: Specialist retained executive search for c-suite positions, director-level roles, and senior management. Services include psychometric testing, short and long-listing, director-level screening, executive coaching, and bespoke executive advertising. Market-leading guarantees of up to 12 months.
4. Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Program: Department for Education approved flexi-job apprenticeship agency providing tech and digital apprentices. Reed employs apprentices and manages recruitment, training, HR, payroll, and wellbeing support. Training funded through Reed's apprenticeship levy with no training costs to host employers.
5. Pre-employment Screening Services: Comprehensive background checking services including identity verification, right to work checks, criminal record checks, adverse financial checks, and reference checking. Services available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
6. Learning and Development: Professional qualifications, apprenticeships, in-company training, executive coaching, and managed learning services. Includes CIPD qualifications, AAT qualifications, and Microsoft certification courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Reed provides permanent, temporary, contract, and executive recruitment services across 20 specialist sectors, supported by AI-powered hiring tools, pre-employment screening, managed-service talent solutions (RPO/MSP/BPO), professional learning and apprenticeships, and the Reed.co.uk digital job board. The company serves over 30,000 businesses annually in the UK and operates in 15 countries with a 22-million CV database and a 390,000-strong temporary workforce.

Product overview

Reed is a comprehensive recruitment and workforce solutions platform offering permanent, temporary, and executive recruitment services across 20 specialist sectors in the UK and internationally. The portfolio includes core recruitment services (Permanent Recruitment, Temporary & Interim Recruitment, Senior & Executive Search, Global Recruitment Solutions) complemented by specialized modules including Reed Screening (employee background checks), Reed Talent Solutions (RPO, MSP, BPO), Reed Learning (professional qualifications, apprenticeships, Microsoft certifications), and AI-powered tools (Job Description Generator, Interview Question Generator). The Tech & Digital Academy provides flexi-job apprenticeships, while Salary Guides offer market intelligence. Reed.co.uk serves as the company's job board platform. Additional services include HR Consultancy, Project Delivery, Services Procurement, and Employee Wellbeing support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Reed Talent Solutions: Scalable talent solutions that transform how clients procure, acquire, and manage talent.
• Reed Screening
• Reed Learning
• Reed.co.uk
• Reed Professional Services

Products and services

• Permanent Recruitment

Quantifiable outcome

• Every 5 minutes someone starts a Reed job
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Code NationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2024Reed Global acquired Code Nation, a UK-based digital and technical training provider based in Cheshire, on May 17, 2024. The acquisition enhances Reed's tech training and talent sourcing capabilities to address the tech skills gap. It enables faster recruitment and upskilling of tech talent, focusing on software engineering, data, cybersecurity, and robotic process automation. The deal aims to improve inclusivity and reskill underrepresented groups in the technology sector.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hays: Hays is a UK-listed global specialist recruitment company operating across multiple sectors including technology, healthcare, and finance. It is one of the most direct competitors to Reed's specialist recruitment model and operates a similar office network plus digital job board.
• PageGroup: PageGroup is a UK-listed recruitment firm with brands like Michael Page and Page Personnel covering permanent, temporary, and executive recruitment. Its mid-to-senior placement focus and UK heritage make it directly comparable to Reed's permanent and executive search services.
• SThree: SThree is a UK-listed specialist STEM recruitment company placing contract and permanent professionals in technology, engineering, and life sciences. Its specialist sector focus mirrors Reed's 20-sector model and overlaps significantly in tech staffing.
• Hays Talent Solutions: Hays Talent Solutions is the RPO/MSP arm of Hays providing managed workforce services. It directly competes with Reed Talent Solutions for enterprise workforce outsourcing contracts in the UK and internationally.
• Pertemps: Pertemps is one of the UK's largest independent recruitment agencies, offering permanent, temporary, and contract staffing across multiple sectors. Its UK focus and broad service offering make it a closely comparable domestic recruitment peer to Reed.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Half: Robert Half is a global staffing and consulting firm specialising in finance, technology, and office support recruitment. Its broad staffing portfolio and international presence make it a broader incumbent competitor, particularly in Reed's finance and tech verticals.
• Randstad: Randstad is one of the world's largest staffing companies offering temporary, permanent, and workforce solutions globally. As a broad incumbent with significant UK presence, it competes with Reed across temporary staffing, RPO, and managed services.
• Adecco Group: Adecco Group is a global HR solutions leader offering staffing, career transition, and workforce solutions. Its scale in temporary staffing and RPO/MSP overlaps with Reed Talent Solutions, making it a relevant broad incumbent peer.
• ManpowerGroup: ManpowerGroup is a global staffing and workforce solutions provider operating in over 70 countries. Its comprehensive permanent and temporary placement services, plus RPO capabilities, position it as a broad incumbent peer to Reed's full-service model.
• Indeed: Indeed is the world's largest digital job board and recruitment platform. While not a direct recruiter, it competes for placement-related traffic and employer spend that otherwise flows to Reed.co.uk and Reed's placement services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reed
• Xx.com/reedglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reed