What type of employee do I need? [Advertorial]

Before you begin recruiting, it's vital to establish what type of staff your business needs. Here's a look at the options

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RecruitmentRevolution.com has put together a recruitment toolkit to save you time by summarising all the legal guidelines, best practises and document templates you need to start recruiting new staff.

Over the forthcoming months, RecruitmentRevolution.com will provide you with some useful tips and guidance on navigating the recruitment process. From the point at which you realise you need help, to when the new employee joins your company, this comprehensive toolkit will guide you through the various procedures and summarise some of the key tasks that need to be carried out in order to ensure the best possible result. Effective recruitment is a time-consuming business and getting the correct people into the correct roles is a task not to be undertaken lightly.

Indeed, the benefits, long-term, of taking on the right staff, not least in terms of employee retention, should never be underestimated. The aim, therefore, of this recruitment toolkit is to give you the best chance of success at this important time.

Pre-recruitment

Types of employee relationships

Before getting involved in the advertising and shortlisting process, it is critically important to decide what type of employee you want to recruit.

As potential recruits want to gain more from their working life and, equally, employers want to increase flexibility, it is a mistake to assume that everyone is automatically a standard ‘9 to 5 type’ employee in their aspirations. Most individuals have so much more to offer and it is up to the savvy recruiter to identify such potential where different types of employee relationships are concerned.

An open mind and a willingness to consider different ‘types’ of candidates in personal terms, rather than merely ticking the boxes during the recruitment process, may pay dividends in the long-run.

However, the following broad definitions of the various types of employee relationships offer a useful guideline and an essential starting point, particularly from a legal perspective, when recruiting the right person for the post.

Employed / self-employed

This distinction largely turns on the actual facts of the relationship. Typically, if a direct and personal relationship is involved (i.e. a replacement cannot undertake the work) and the employer controls the
working methods of the employee, it is an employee-employer relationship.

Employed individuals have greater legal rights, such as redundancy payments, than those who are self-employed; therefore, this distinction can be important and needs to be considered at the outset.

Fixed term / temporary contracts

Unless otherwise specified, an employment contract will continue, indefinitely, subject to the termination rights contained within the employment contract (or by law, if they are not defined).
Where an employee is recruited for a specific task or to cover a specific period, it may be appropriate to recruit on a fixed term or temporary contract. Care needs to be taken as renewing a temporary or fixed term contract several times can result in the individual being viewed as continuously employed in the same way as a traditional employee.

Full time / part time / zero hours

At times it is appropriate to recruit staff for part time hours or even for no hours but they will be paid for any hours that they do work. Where these types of arrangements are in place this does not automatically mean that an individual is not an employee; therefore, particular advice should be taken when using unusual employment relationships.

Person and jobs’ specifications – need analysis

An individual is recruited in order to meet a specific need. As such, it is necessary for a job description and personal specification to be carefully thought out. This is important, not only in order to ensure that the correct skills are sought out, but also to provide a solid foundation for the
shortlisting process.

First, it is helpful to produce a job analysis which looks at the wider context of the vacancy:

• Job purpose: What is the main reason for the job and how will it fit into the existing business structure?

• Job role: What are the key duties and responsibilities of the role?

• Job result: To whom will the new recruit be answerable and how will they be held accountable?

• Performance: How is performance measured?

• Practical issues: What resources are going to be required and where will the new recruit be located?

Care needs to be taken when creating a personal specification and job description to ensure that you are not accidentally discriminating against a protected group of people. Guidelines have been produced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

About us:

Created in 2005, RecruitmentRevolution.com pioneered a “first-to-market” low cost online recruitment agency concept enabling companies of all sizes to secure their new recruit before paying a fixed low hire fee. Having developed a client portfolio over 900 companies, largely via word of mouth referrals, the company is a trusted supplier to some of the UK’s fastest growing enterprises.