Guest Comment: Flexible working ? the flexible future

Guest Comment by Julia Feuell, managing director, New Frontiers

Thomas Cook?s decision to employ Key Time Workers or Zero Hour Staff ? also known as ?temps should be welcomed by all.

The virtues of a flexible workforce are finally making the headlines and solving many staffing headaches for large and small travel companies. Flexible workers were used greatly after September 11 and in the run up to the Gulf War. Companies weren?t sure of the future and having a temp meant they weren?t committing.

Temps are not difficult to manage. For temps, hourly rates are now totally inclusive ? one charge covers wages, holiday pay, payroll and admin and you only pay people for the hours they work. The challenge Thomas Cook will face is the management of its flexible workforce ? Will they be available when called? What back ups will it have when flexible staff are not available? How will it administrate hours and commission?

Just how prevalent is the flexible workforce today? Well, a New Frontiers average temp works up to six months solidly for one company and some temps are working years. These temps are being used to top up busy sales team?s peak periods, to cover maternity, or to staff business travel accounts when won/ lost.

Temps are also being used to plug skills gaps around the country and for training projects, as well as being used to staff unpopular shifts. If you think creatively, you can solve a lot of headaches.

However, there are drawbacks to a flexible workforce and it is in the definition of ?temp?. It does appear that temps do start to acquire rights after 12 months continuous employment begging the question ? When is a temp, not a temp?

You have to be very careful in terminating a temp?s assignment after one year in order to avoid an unfair dismissal complaint. Be careful too with Fixed Terms Contracts, as these are Contracts of Employment and the temp is entitled to permanent staff benefits (regardless of the length of contract).

Before long I think flexible working will become the norm ? especially as women returning from maternity leave will demand more flexible hours. How this will affect the normal ?career paths? is less clear. However I do feel that it opens up many more possibilities for people to work any way they want to and for companies to make use of such labour flexibility to maximise their productivity and profitability. It is not something to be feared, but welcomed for all.