About us
People first, since 2009
PeopleForward started with three people and a phone in Leeds. Today we have 14 branches and 180 colleagues, and we place more than 12,000 people into work every year.
- founded in Leeds
- 2009
- branches across Great Britain
- 14
- colleagues
- 180
- people placed in 2025
- 12,800
Our story
Built on picking up the phone
Our founders had worked for big agencies where candidates were numbers and clients waited days for a call back. They started PeopleForward to do the opposite: know every person we place, and answer every call.
That promise still shapes how we work. Every branch is run by people who live locally, know the employers and understand the shifts. Every candidate has a consultant who calls them back, and every client has a name — not a ticket number.
Join our teamWhat we stand for
Our values
Straight talking
We tell candidates and clients the truth, even when it’s not what they want to hear.
Fast, not rushed
Speed matters in staffing — but never more than getting it right.
Local knowledge
Our consultants live and work in the communities they recruit in.
Fair work
Weekly pay, holiday pay and safe workplaces for every person we place.
Milestones
Seventeen years of moving people forward
From one office in Leeds to 14 branches across England, Scotland and Wales — growing by opening where our clients needed us.
- 2009
Founded in Leeds by three consultants and a phone, above a café on Park Square.
- 2012
Opened Manchester and Sheffield, and placed our 1,000th person in a year.
- 2015
Launched our healthcare division to bring safe, consistent staffing to care homes.
- 2018
Achieved ISO 9001 and placed more than 5,000 people in a single year.
- 2021
Introduced managed services for multi-site clients.
- 2024
Edinburgh became our 14th branch.
- 2026
12,800 people placed into work — and still answering the phone the same way.
Leadership
The team behind the team
Helen Marsh
Chief Executive
Abena Asante
Chief Operating Officer
Laurence Bennett
Finance Director
Jonathan Lim
Director of Healthcare
Accreditations
- ISO 9001:2015 quality management
- ISO 27001 information security
- Cyber Essentials Plus
- Real Living Wage commitment
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