A Bradford-based recruitment firm has bounced back from the recession following a programme of cultural and organisational changes.

Relay Recruitment boss Steven Street says the remodelling is a major leap forward for the Salem Street firm.

It has resulted in new client wins, a return to the black and improved margins, which are now outpacing its competitors.

Mr Street said the award-winning company, which has branches in Leeds, York and Wakefield, needed to change to secure its future.

While some recruiters had reduced their fees to win business, Relay focused on developing closer relationships with clients and providing continuous service and support for candidates and employers.

Investment in the internet also put Relay in a good position to benefit from a huge growth in online recruitment which has seen footfall in its branches fall by 90 per cent.

Mr Street said: “ I now regard our first 14 years in business as a honeymoon following the recent recession which made life tough for all recruiters.

“For the first 38 weeks of our financial year we were operating in the red with margins squeezed. We have now turned that around, are back in the black with a trend that shows us exceeding business targets “We had to grasp the nettle to ensure continued success and survival and the only way forward was a complete remodelling of our operating methods and systems and a changed culture.”