Receptionist numbers drop 40% in past three years

RECEPTIONISTS have been one of the quieter casualties of the recession, with their numbers dropping 40% since 2008.

Jobs agency Recruitment Plus has found that cost-conscious companies are delegating responsibilities of a receptionist to current staff members. The findings are based on data compiled from live job-boards in the firm’s three nationwide offices.

Recruitment Plus director Anne Fanthom said: “What was formerly an invaluable role for the daily operations of a business has become the first corner to cut. A receptionist is the first point of contact for a company yet some companies seem to have lost sight of their importance.