Not sure whether to hire for 2020? Think fixed-term contract.

A new year beckons, and for businesses, that means recruitment is likely to be high on the agenda. Yet with so much political and economic uncertainty, many companies are stalling to recruit for staff. It could be time to hire staff on a fixed term contract.

Our flexible recruitment agency, Ten2Two, is seeing an uplift in employers recruiting for fixed term contracts. It gives them the staff they need, without the long-term commitment. In fact, we’re finding that now is the perfect time to get recruitment ready for a successful year ahead. Here’s why…

Combat candidate shortage with flex

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation reports that organisations are seeking to recruit for staff in the near future, rather than reducing their current workforce. In addition, half of all employers are concerned about a shortage of candidates in the coming months.

Yet, we are still seeing most job advertisements refusing to offer flexible working from the outset. If employers do this, they can seek to attract the talent they need. If financial uncertainty is a barrier, flexible workers on fixed term contracts can make excellent recruits for the interim, as businesses wait to see how the year unfolds. We are positive that Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC is right when he says, “The months’ figures show there is a great deal of potential in Britain’s businesses, just waiting to be unleashed.”

Flexible hires give employers options

Many of our clients have recognised that they can’t delay key business decisions while Parliament sorts itself out and are continuing to press on with their recruitment plans.

Jane O’Gorman, Director at Ten2Two, says “In addition to our permanent part-time and flexible roles, at Ten2Two we are seeing a slight increase in the demand for flexible interim support from businesses who are reluctant to make long-term commitments in this current climate.”

Jane adds, “That said, part-time and flexible permanent support can be the key to unlocking or retaining experienced talent, that’s affordable, productive and loyal – all essential ingredients, particularly in times of economic uncertainty. There’s a great talent pool out there ready and willing to help if businesses are open to thinking differently about how they recruit.”

Plus, with not long until the Christmas break, if businesses want a new starter in 2020, there’s no time to waste in kicking off the recruitment process.  For those worried about uncertain times, we’re finding that some of our clients are reducing their risk by opting for either fixed term or temporary contracts providing valuable business support with a low ongoing commitment.

Choose a fixed term contract

It’s our view that employers would do well to recruit temporary workers on a fixed term contract. That’s a contract where businesses have an amount of work to be done within a specific period with an end date. It could be seasonal, maternity cover, long-term sickness cover or where funding has been approved for a specific project. Sometimes, the relationship extends beyond the fixed term, with employees going on to work permanently for the organisation.

Temporary candidates, ready to go

There is no guarantee that Brexit uncertainty will be solved any time soon, but if you recruit for flexible or temporary staff, or staff on a fixed term contract, you can secure extra workers to help build your business in the year ahead.

Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC also states, “The labour market is strong, but permanent placements have now dropped for eight months in a row. One bright spark is the temporary labour market, which continues to provide flexible work to people and businesses that need it during troubled times.”

Here at Ten2Two, we have countless employees on our books, all seeking a little flexibility to help them balance family and work commitments. It could be a part-time role, or it could be as simple as offering remote working one or two days a week. Either way, if you recruit for staff flexibly by hiring a candidate on compressed or part-time hours, you can attract talent, often with less outlay than you would for a permanent full-time worker.

If you’d like to find out more about recruiting for a fixed term contract or to hire temporary workers, please contact Ten2Two today. We look forward to hearing from you.