• The increase in the need for staff may be for a number of reasons including:

    • to cover the current workforces’ holidays;
    • a large event or one-off task taking place; or
    • fluctuations in your business during the summer, for example in the tourism industry.

    However, this need for more staff is likely to be temporary and therefore a range of relationships have been created to allow for flexibility. These include employing staff through agencies, on a fixed term contract or on a zero hours contract to name a few. It is important that these relationships retain a level of informality in order to serve their purpose but it is equally as important that this informality does not turn into uncertainty.

    What can businesses, therefore, do to ensure that atypical worker is managed effectively? Here are some suggested top tips:

    1. Invest time in recruitment – do not fast forward the recruitment process solely because the work may be temporary. Ensure that you have the right people doing the right jobs. If you are seeking staff through an agency, ensure that you have an up to date agency agreement.
    2. Be clear why you want the working relationship – do you want to be under no obligation to provide work, in which case a zero hour contract may be suited or is it a full time member of staff that you need but only for June – August, in which case a fixed term contract may be suited?
    3. Ensure contracts reflect the true nature of the working relationship – there are many areas in a contract which need extra thought for atypical workers. For example, how will holiday pay work if the working times are ad-hoc? How will hours of work be arranged if they are not set hours? Will bonuses be applicable if the work is for a fixed duration?
    4. Finally, assess how long you are likely to want the worker for – If the new recruit is good, do you want to be able to offer them a permanent role in the long run? It is important that you do not misrepresent the role to those coming in. Consider whether your job descriptions are wide enough to allow for movement within the business should you wish to keep the worker.

    If you would like any advice on any of the matters raised in this article, please contact Sarah Wimsett or another member of the employment team on 01622 690691 and they would be happy to assist you.

    This content is correct at time of publication

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