Knowledge Zone

Legislation Update: June 2012

There has been quite a few changes in the Employment Law implemented in April 2012 which have affected the procedures of unfair dismissal and actions at Employment Tribunals. Additionally to this, there has been changes regarding health and safety at the workplace which came into force from 6th April 2012. Since then, the qualifying period for unfair dismissal has increased from one to two years, resulting in new hires having to wait longer to receive statuary protection against unfair dismissal.

The value of procurement control

Managing temporary agency labour spend is a complicated process in a largely unregulated recruitment industry. Organisations, now more than ever, seek both direct & indirect costing solutions, and with the added pressures of a double dip recession and calls for sustainability, the importance of implementing effective management strategies take on a new level of urgency.

Expert procurement involves 3 key aspects:

1. Gaining visibility

2. Gaining control

3. Maintaining control

Taking control of temporary agency labour spend

Managing temporary agency labour spend is never easy.  Indirect costs need to be considered along with those of a direct nature when gathering marketplace spend data.  Implementing effective recruitment agency management strategies is paramount in an economy that is still struggling with recession and sustainability issues to prevent even further businesses going into administration.

Key steps to managing agency labour supply

Recruitment agencies are responsible for selecting and providing temporary agency workers that are the most appropriate candidates for the job.  

Organisations need to involve all relevant departments when determining which recruitment agencies will appear on their panel list of preferred agencies rather than the head office being the sole decision maker.  Detailed input from operations, procurement, finance and HR will all need to be obtained when considering which agencies are best placed to supply agency labour.

The importance of recruitment agency management

The recruitment industry is both highly fragmented and unregulated, this means temporary agency workers are provided by multiple agencies with varying business terms and quality standards across numerous locations.  Successful recruitment agency management is essential for organisations using temporary agency labour.  Inefficient management of recruitment agencies can result in poor quality spend, legal exposure and limited control over ongoing agency performance.

Margins and rate standardisation made easy

Market-driven pay averages for specific jobs are an essential element for consideration when it comes to recruitment agency management.  The job-specific margins, like the pay rate, will also need to be balanced in relation to industry trends. A margin that is too low will invite poor quality suppliers, whilst a margin that is too high is likely to attract the more unscrupulous agencies.

Adhering to legal temp requirements

An essential component of managing temporary agen­cy recruitment spend boils down to keeping on top of incoming legislation when outsourcing recruitment. de Poel helps set up the implementation of the formal terms and manage the relationships between businesses and their suppliers.  Adhering to legal requirements can only be achieved through the development of a two-way communication process which clarifies employer and agency responsibilities.

Effective recruitment agency management

As businesses strive to become leaner and fitter, more and more emphasis is being placed on recruitment agency management. Site specific operations, skill-set requirements, market and geographical dynamics are just some of the many elements to consider during the management of recruitment agencies. de Poel empowers organisations with where, how and why workers are being allocated, resulting in maximised existing resource and operational effectiveness as well efficient future budgeting.

Managing temporary agency labour spend efficiently

Many firms are unaware as to what they are spending on temporary agency labour, where it is being allocated or how costs are being calculated.  de Poel allow businesses of all sizes to analyse and manage temporary agency labour spend through the revelation of visibility and con­trol of costs at all levels.

Temporary agency labour solutions for large firms

de Poel also cater for large firms who use a large amount of temporary agency workers to supplement their work­force in response to seasonal and market shifts. Despite regularly planning for taking on extra staff to cope with increased demand firms still incur extra avoidable costs through additional administration, legal compliance and supplier performance costs.

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