Recruiters’ voices should be heard

Anna Scott

The party conference season is well underway. Despite the underwhelming atmosphere at the Liberal Democrat annual gathering in Glasgow, there were rallying speeches from the coalition party, including leader Nick Clegg’s call for the electorate to put his beleaguered party back in power to cement the economy’s road to repair.

From a political standpoint, now is the time for our statesmen to set out their stall on issues close to their hearts before the wheels of government grind into action.

There has been plenty for recruiters to think about. Not least is business secretary Vince Cable’s reiteration that a formal consultation will examine the best mechanisms to tackle abusive zero-hours contracts.

The Labour Party have already got in on the act. Leader Ed Milliband asked Norman Pickavance, former HR director of supermarket chain Morrisons, to lead an investigation into the fair use of such contracts and examine the areas where they are exploited. He also outlined measures his party would enact, including a ban the misuse of contracts where employees are working regular hours over a sustained period, but without the rights or benefits that full-time workers enjoy.

Announcing probes into these sorts of issues makes political sense for Labour and the Lib Dems. The General Election is fewer than two years away, and appeasing workers in light of a slew of negative headlines about zero-hours contracts is a no-brainer. For the Conservative Party – which has remained relatively quiet on the issue – assuaging employers’ fears of more regulation at the expense of enhanced flexibility could yet be an issue.

In the world away from Westminster, the reality of zero-hours contracts is flexibility – if they are managed correctly and fairly – for both employer and employee. The Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development has stated that zero-hours contracts can offer flexible working opportunities that keep people in work, particularly those who need to fit employment around children, caring responsibilities and education. From the employer’s perspective, the healthcare and professional education sectors in particular tend to benefit from these contracts, according to the Association of Professional Staffing Companies.

The consensus within the industry is that abuses of zero-hours contracts must be addressed, and guidelines should be in place to develop and manage the workers affected. Aside from the political rhetoric we will hear in Brighton and Manchester over the next fortnight, the reality for recruiters is that they must not miss the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and experience of this matter to the important national debate.