Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEconomics, government & businessHR strategyJob creation and lossesOutsourcing

Zeda’s collapse sparks fears for Midland HR’s future

by Greg Pitcher 12 Feb 2008
by Greg Pitcher 12 Feb 2008

Fears over the future of personnel services firm Midland HR grew last week after sister company Zeda was put into liquidation.

The firm’s management refused to deny that jobs were at risk at Midland HR, which provides payroll and people management services to organisations including Virgin, Shelter and several local councils. The company refused several requests for comment.

Many Zeda employees logged on to internet forums after being made redundant to express their anger and warn staff at its sister firm of the dangers.

One who had worked for both firms told Personnel Today that Midland HR had showed “disregard for its employees”, and that he was “seriously concerned” for its staff.

Another wrote on the Nottingham Evening Post website: “I hope every one of the Zeda employees now gets a job working for a company that appreciates their efforts. People of Midland HR should leave now before the same thing is done to them.”

IT outsourcer Zeda, also owned by Midland HR chairman and chief executive John Mills, was suddenly placed into liquidation on 31 January. In a statement, Zeda blamed its demise on the tough economic conditions.

“The significant loss of business as a result of the impact of the credit crunch on many of our financial sector customers meant that there was no realistic alternative to placing the company into liquidation,” it said.

But many of the 120 employees who lost their jobs overnight were highly critical of the way the business was run. Everything from recruitment processes to the dress code was slammed.

“They said earlier this month that the future for Zeda was looking good,” said one angry ex-worker. “This does not happen overnight. The people remaining in the group may as well bin their contracts as this has set the precedent.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Founded in 1984, Nottingham-based Midland HR employs 300 people, and had a turnover of £21m in 2007.

Following publication of this story, Midland HR has declared that no redundancies will be made as a direct result of Zeda’s closure.
 
Managing director Lawrence Knowles said: “MidlandHR is stable, profitable and financially secure. The company has no borrowings and no debt. We have a proven and sustainable business, with over 300 customers, while our software rental model means our long-term repeatable revenues are very strong.”

Greg Pitcher

previous post
Treasury redundancies cost taxpayer over £430m
next post
2012 Olympics IT supplier defends human resources employee’s unfair dismissal claim

You may also like

Company director wins £15k after being told to...

4 Jul 2025

Skills shortfall in construction threatens housing target

4 Jul 2025

MPs demand Home Office tightens visas to protect...

4 Jul 2025

It’s all about the Monet: how art transforms...

3 Jul 2025

Stop chasing quick fixes: return to the office...

3 Jul 2025

Asda hails major upgrade in employees’ benefits

3 Jul 2025

100% success for latest large-scale four-day week trial

3 Jul 2025

NHS 10-year Health Plan sets out vision for...

3 Jul 2025

Microsoft to cut 9,000 jobs globally as role...

3 Jul 2025

Decline in workplace deaths: falls from height remain...

3 Jul 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+