According to the new EU Regulations coming into force this October, agency staff who have worked for 12 consecutive weeks at a company will be entitled to the same pay, overtime and breaks as permanent staff doing the same job. (for more information on the new regulations see my previous article ‘Agency Workers Regulations explained’).
Over 1.3 million agency workers make up about 4% of the UK workforce: the highest proportion in Europe.
Yet, a recent research conducted by recruitment company ‘Randstad’ revealed that only 7% of employers have conducted an impact assessment, while 37% are completely unfamiliar with the regulations.
Brian Wilkinson, head of Randstad UK, said: “It is a concern that such a high proportion of organisations are so unprepared. We urge all users of agency workers to conduct a thorough assessment of their human capital resources and the impact of the Regulations. Doing this properly will enable organisations to optimise the structure and efficiency of their workforces.”
The impact of the AWR will vary across industries, depending on their use of temporary workers, with sectors such as construction, education and healthcare likely to face some of the greatest challenges.
Rosemary Weatherhead from Chase Mouldande, reports that many recruiters and hirers have been waiting for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) guidelines on interpreting the Regulations before they start deciding how to address AWR, whereas more proactive businesses have already started to make detailed plans for future supply arrangements.
Having a modern time and attendance system in place allows you to adapt to changing law regulations quicker and more effectively. The system provides an accurate cost analysis of separate projects and jobs currently being undertaken.
Careful and detailed planning of your workforce will help you to reduce the cost of temporary staff, whereas having one, central information base on your employees’ skills and availability allows you to assess more accurately whether you need to employ additional staff or not.
Prepare yourself for the changes in employment law! Download our free guide on how to choose the right time and attendance system now!
