Angel sends successful staff home

Staff who succeed are sent home early by a Birmingham-based recruitment consultancy firm.

The move, for those who meet their daily targets, is believed to be an industry first for the UK.

Angel Services Group Ltd said the initiative had not only boosted morale but improved the work/life balance of employees.

The firm, based in trendy Brindleyplace in the heart of the city, allows staff who hit daily targets to go at 5pm instead of 6pm.

It follows a successful pilot scheme that allowed early finishes on Fridays for those who hit weekly targets ñ which will continue.

It also follows a record month for the company.

The latest employee incentive was introduced in response to staff who asked for time in return for performance, not just cash, in their individual appraisals.

The idea is expected to attract new staff to the expanding company who seek to divide their time better between work, social and personal lives.

Partner James Ball said: ìOur staff are our greatest asset and we want them to succeed, so incentives based on what they have asked us for are the best way forward.

ìRather than spread the day out unnecessarily, we believe itís possible to achieve the same output in a more focused and shorter period - and the idea has already proved popular.î