Thorn Baker Group: Behind the Scenes: A Day in

No two days in industrial recruitment are ever the same - and that’s exactly why we love it.

From the 24/7 nature of food production lines to last-minute shifts in warehouse rotas, being a recruiter in this sector means staying sharp, adaptable, and always one step ahead. It’s a fast-paced, people-first profession that’s about far more than filling jobs – it’s about keeping factories moving, orders going out on time, and businesses running smoothly.

To give you a real look behind the scenes, we caught up with our team, and it’s safe to say, this job isn’t your standard 9 to 5.

Early Starts, Late Nights, and Round-the-Clock Support

The phone can start ringing as early as 4 am, with check-ins, last-minute shift confirmations, and client updates. In fact, just last night one of our consultants was still giving interview feedback at 11:30 pm (albeit from the sofa!). When your clients run 24-hour operations, you have to offer 24-hour support - and that’s exactly what we do.

Our branch network is based in Leicester, Nottingham and Chesterfield, but on any given day our consultants could be helping someone get to their shift in Caerphilly, organising PPE for a new starter in Cheltenham, or arranging emergency holiday cover at a food production site in Northampton. Our reach is wide. We’ve got consultants covering much of the UK, responding quickly, professionally, and always with a personal touch.

It's much more than a desk job...

Our consultants don’t sit still. This week alone, we’ve:

Coordinated over 20 interviews and site tours
Taken part in daily Ops calls with on-site teams
Visited and consulted on-site with a Birmingham client and designed a tailored recruitment plan to meet their growing workforce needs
Sorted timesheets for 350+ temps, making sure everyone is paid correctly and on time

And that’s just one week. Every day brings something new, and our team thrives on that energy. It’s a fast-moving industry, driven by deadlines and seasonal peaks, such as the pre- Christmas rush and summer holiday shortages, to the unpredictable factors like last-minute sickness or increased order volumes. Our job? To make sure our clients never feel the pressure alone.

We’ve Got Compliance Covered

Behind the scenes, we handle everything from Right to Work checks and licence verification, to reference checks and site inductions. Whether it’s a FLT licence, a food hygiene certificate, or ensuring a worker’s cleared for night shifts – we take care of the detail, so our clients don’t have to.

Getting Stuck In, On Site

We regularly visit our clients on-site, whether it’s a recycling facility in Nottingham, a food factory in Bristol, or a warehouse hub in London. Seeing the operation in action helps us understand the work environment, identify gaps, and recommend the right people for the job. It also helps us build proper partnerships, not just supplier relationships.

While we’re there, we’ll review rotas, help plan shift cover, and check in with workers face-to-face. These visits make a difference. We’re not just sending CVs – we’re sending people who genuinely fit.

Vetting, Planning, and Proven Results

Back at our desks (or sometimes on the go) we're always looking ahead. We’re vetting new candidates, prepping people for interviews, reviewing client needs, and planning cover for next week’s shifts. Our 6-stage Proven Process means we don’t cut corners, we take the time to match the right person to the right role, check all qualifications and licences, and ensure candidates align with site culture and pace.

Thanks to consistent communication – including weekly check-ins – we’ve built a strong pool of trusted workers and achieved a 98% attendance rate across our sites. That’s reliability our clients can count on.

This is what Industrial Recruitment really looks like…

Some people think we simply spend our days posting jobs and scrolling through CVs with a cuppa in hand (don’t worry, we do love a brew). But in reality, this role means fast decisions, building trust, fixing problems before they start, and doing it all with empathy and energy.

We’ve supported clients and candidates across the UK for over 35 years, helping everyone from SMEs to national brands stay fully staffed and fully operational.

As one of our managers put it perfectly: “We’re the solution – not just for our clients, but for the candidates too.”

Need help with shift cover or looking for work yourself? Get in touch with our Industrial team today – we’re ready when you are.