Travel industry ‘behind curve’ on flexible working

Executive recruitment firm HARP wallen has created a database of interim, contract and non-executive positions, due to increased demand from the industry and candidates.

The FlexExec Register is designed to allow businesses to search for potential employees who are specifically interested in fixed term contracts, either to oversee an interim role or to complete a project.

From an individual’s point of view register will allow them to use their specialism to its best potential by working with different businesses on an interim or project basis, according to the company

The travel industry is behind the curve on flexible working, according to the company’s managing director Kristina Wallen.

“In travel all too often it’s seen as a cop out or as an option only taken up by women returning from maternity leave,” she said.

“But the reality is that successful businesses are going to have to embrace flexible working patterns in the future which is why we’ve launched The FlexExec Register.

“We’ve already seen that companies who have adopted flexible methods of working for full-time employees have a workforce which is more loyal. When someone is looking after a particular project they will have that same loyalty and drive for that piece of work, and they will be specialists in their field, whether it be marketing or contracting for example,” she said.

When there is a recruitment freeze, a common scenario in the industry today, or a company is waiting for an incoming executive to finish their six-month notice period or gardening leave, an interim caretaker for the role could be the answer to keep things ticking over, Wallen added.

“With the immense change in our industry, the need for a flexible workforce has never been greater. For example, the two mega mergers mean that there are a number of new types of role available, whether it’s overseeing integration projects or businesses looking for interim support from personnel.”

She added: “The most important thing to realise is that flexible working is not solely for the candidate’s sake, it’s beneficial to business.

“Employing someone to complete a particular project often means that they are recruited and working within the business far faster than getting in a high-level executive on a permanent basis due to notice periods etc. Usually people looking for interim work are available more quickly.”

For start-ups or companies going through growth for example, the option of having a knowledgeable and credible non-executive director can often prove invaluable when it comes to advice and contacts, the company believes.

Wallen said: “I believe that the non-exec side of The FlexExec Register could really take off in the future. This is a soft launch for this part of our business, to date we’ve made non-exec introductions on an informal basis but are confident of the demand moving forward.”

HARP wallen has appointed recruitment and marketing consultant Ian Nash to oversee the launch of The FlexExec Register, on a project basis.

Nash said: “It’s important that we are not seen as preaching one thing and doing another. I’ve been brought in to launch this by Kristina, as she knows my skill set is suited to the project, and it leaves the team at HARP wallen free to continue their day jobs.”

by Phil Davies

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