Into the Spotlight, sponsored by Huddersfield-based Scriba PR, is a weekly business feature – online every Thursday – which highlights some of the best businesses in Huddersfield. Here we highlight recruitment company Stafflex

Family-run recruitment firm Stafflex has been a people business at the heart of the Huddersfield community for the last two decades.

The Chapel Hill-based company, founded by Brian Stahelin, celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.

The company supplies staff to the industrial, engineering, education and office sectors across West Yorkshire. Over the years it has helped thousands of people into work.

“Treating people as we would want to be treated is key to Stafflex’s growth,” said managing director Mr Stahelin.

“Well trained staff perform better and we believe it is important to support them in all aspects of work and life.

“We always make sure that the people we employ fit the Stafflex culture. We’re not a high street recruiter, but instead a family business that is here to help people and this is reflected in our staff.”

Last week Stafflex presented its annual Employee of the Year award and there were huge congratulations to joint winners Poppy Stahelin and Yvonne Reilly.

The award is given to the employee – or employees! – who have shown outstanding performance, dedication and a positive attitude throughout the past year.

READ MORE: Stafflex at the heart of the community

It was decided that this year, there will be two winners of the award since there was simply no way to split the two stand out individuals.

Yvonne joined Stafflex back in 2014 as a receptionist and has risen through the career ladder to her current role as business support manager, responsible for payroll and operations support. She is currently working towards an AAT Accounting Level 2 qualification.

Poppy has been with Stafflex since 2013 having also started out as a receptionist. She then began to help out in other areas of the business, showing promise and eventually taking up a role as a consultant on the education team in which she has flourished for a number of years.

Mr Stahelin said: “Both Poppy and Yvonne are well deserved winners this year – they’ve had first class attendance and their attitude has always been exceptional. They’re both always reliable and have performed fantastically under difficult circumstances.

“An interesting fact is that Poppy and Yvonne worked on reception together, before following different career paths.

“There are more of these examples of this throughout Stafflex which reinforces our continued commitment to professional development amongst our staff.

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“We are always looking to identify opportunities to grow and develop the teams to ensure we’re making the most of their skillset and knowledge across the business.”

In recognition of their efforts, Poppy and Yvonne have both received high street vouchers and an engraved crystal award.