Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Sign our petition
The Agency Workers Bill goes before the House on the 22nd. If you have not already registered your disapproval, there is still time to do so by signing our petition.
Good news for small agencies
The good news is that Google is devoting a lot of its energies of late to providing search results that are relevant to the searcher's location. Now, of course, it has always done this to some degree - if you were a UK user, you tended to get UK results.
However, just recently we have found that search results are varying to a surprising degree. We discuss search engine results quite a lot with clients, normally over the phone and have suddenly found that a client in Manchester, say, or even on the other side of London, can be seeing significantly different results in a Google search.
Locally biassed search results have to be excellent news for smaller agencies. You see, you really can compete with the big players.
However, just recently we have found that search results are varying to a surprising degree. We discuss search engine results quite a lot with clients, normally over the phone and have suddenly found that a client in Manchester, say, or even on the other side of London, can be seeing significantly different results in a Google search.
Locally biassed search results have to be excellent news for smaller agencies. You see, you really can compete with the big players.
Here's an interesting thing...
We posted Nathan's 'rant' on the Jobshout website a few days ago. Do a Google search today for 'employment agencies bill' and you'll find it at 6th out of 6.75 million results. Not bad! A good example of how well Jobshout's search engine optimization techniques work.
Incidentally REC Members who have been loyally paying their subscriptions could be justifiably miffed that the REC are nowhere near top rankings, despite its claims to have been vigorously campaigning on this topic. Interestingly pages about recruitment agencies in Fort William seem to do well. William... Bill... - geddit?
Incidentally REC Members who have been loyally paying their subscriptions could be justifiably miffed that the REC are nowhere near top rankings, despite its claims to have been vigorously campaigning on this topic. Interestingly pages about recruitment agencies in Fort William seem to do well. William... Bill... - geddit?
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Small but deadly - The Agency Workers Bill
Here's what Jobshout's Nathan Mayatt has to say about the Bill. He describes as a "rant", but it's a rant with a lot of sense.
The Agency Workers Bill will have a wide sweeping effect on the welfare of everyone in society in one way or another. The Bill and what it appears to aim at sounds fine, but it will do the complete opposite. The Bill should target the problem and not create worse conditions for people who benefit from flexible working. The Bill as it stands will affect people looking for work, employers (particularly small businesses), recruitment agencies and the economy as a whole.
Any Member of Parliament should assess the negative impacts of this Bill on their constituency.
Assumptions
This Bill is based on a number of assumptions that are not true.
○ That all recruitment agencies condone unfair treatment of people
○ That all temporary workers want the exactly the same rights as permanent people
○ That all temporary workers are paid less
○ That all temporary workers are forced to work in unfair condition
○ That all the power and control is with the employer or employment agency
In the digital and creative industry, which is the sector I know most about, temporary and freelance people are paid more than full-timers, control the bookings they take and work in exactly the same conditions as permanent staff. People are moving from permanent into freelance and temporary roles, as it gives them greater control over their lives, better pay and a better work life balance.
There are already a number of laws in place to protect temporary workers, from the Employment Agencies Act, Working Time Directive, Minimum Wage and many more. Cases in law have given temporary staff permanent employment status.
Who the bill will affect:
Recruitment agencies
The Bill states that nothing should come in the way of a temporary worker taking up direct employment with the same employer and that any contract that seeks to prevent this, or has the effect of doing so, will be void. This would mean that an employer who was using an agency for temporary or freelance staff would be able to take on that individual without being charged a fee - a gross infringement of the legitimate rights of the agency. There is no restriction on the length of time that individual has been with them or if they operate as a limited company contractor or are on PAYE.
This may sound fine, but companies use employment agencies as they do not have the resources or money to pay temporary staff immediately and do not have the time to find talented temporary workers. As all permanent roles will need to be offered to temporary workers then a company may see this as an opportunity to get a free placement. This would make it economically unviable to offer a service on a temporary basis. The impact on small to medium sized recruitment companies would be dramatic, making it impossible to operate. As a consequence it would drive large numbers of people out of work.
This Bill would drive a lot of recruitment to large recruitment agencies as smaller agencies would not be able to survive. This would force large numbers of people out of work and create worse working conditions for many people.
The niche recruitment market focuses on offering a tailored professional service to both candidates and clients, as by definition it is niche and must work on quality and word of mouth. By forcing those out of business will mean that there will not be the same level of specialist service to both candidates and clients in niche markets.
Direct employers
All businesses need the ability to offer people work on a temporary basis, as a way of managing seasonal peaks, fluctuations in client activity and the economy changing. Without this companies will not be able to react to market changes, making them less competitive on a global scale. This would mean that in the medium to long-term the economy will not be able to grow, fewer roles will be created and working conditions will decline.
Small businesses now are the major employers of the future. Many organisations that started 20 years ago as small companies now employ large numbers of people but they would be stifled in their early stages without the ability to adapt to market changes, thus effecting the long-term viability of the economy.
As large organisations have the ability to sustain certain changes in the market and by their nature do not survive on flexibility but on long term strategies, means that this Bill will play right in to the hands of multi-national and major corporate groups.
People looking for work
Many people need flexible work to be able to manage their life style. The idea that everyone wants to work on a permanent basis at one company or institution is not correct. With the potential that recruitment employment businesses are unable to offer the service of temporary work would directly impact upon them.
If you’re in your twenties and you need work between jobs or university, or for any other reason, what you what is more money, not higher sick pay.
Many people like the control of being able to work on a temporary basis. We have people that have been freelancing with us for many years, as we pay them on time, protect them and find them work. This could all be lost if this Bill came into effect.
Economy
The economy needs the ability to have a flexible work force. This does not mean that they are exploited but are treated fairly. If someone receives increased pay to compensate for less benefits and the lack of security that is not a bad thing.
If this Bill were to come into effect now it would drive many people out of work in permanent and temporary roles. Stifle the economy from being able to adapt and push itself out of any downturn, making the UK less competitive on a global scale.
Summary
I agree with the Unions that people who are exploited should be protected. But the Unions want power and influence. Driving the workforce, at any cost, towards permanent rather than temporary status will tend to give them that..
The Agency Workers Bill will have a wide sweeping effect on the welfare of everyone in society in one way or another. The Bill and what it appears to aim at sounds fine, but it will do the complete opposite. The Bill should target the problem and not create worse conditions for people who benefit from flexible working. The Bill as it stands will affect people looking for work, employers (particularly small businesses), recruitment agencies and the economy as a whole.
Any Member of Parliament should assess the negative impacts of this Bill on their constituency.
Assumptions
This Bill is based on a number of assumptions that are not true.
○ That all recruitment agencies condone unfair treatment of people
○ That all temporary workers want the exactly the same rights as permanent people
○ That all temporary workers are paid less
○ That all temporary workers are forced to work in unfair condition
○ That all the power and control is with the employer or employment agency
In the digital and creative industry, which is the sector I know most about, temporary and freelance people are paid more than full-timers, control the bookings they take and work in exactly the same conditions as permanent staff. People are moving from permanent into freelance and temporary roles, as it gives them greater control over their lives, better pay and a better work life balance.
There are already a number of laws in place to protect temporary workers, from the Employment Agencies Act, Working Time Directive, Minimum Wage and many more. Cases in law have given temporary staff permanent employment status.
Who the bill will affect:
Recruitment agencies
The Bill states that nothing should come in the way of a temporary worker taking up direct employment with the same employer and that any contract that seeks to prevent this, or has the effect of doing so, will be void. This would mean that an employer who was using an agency for temporary or freelance staff would be able to take on that individual without being charged a fee - a gross infringement of the legitimate rights of the agency. There is no restriction on the length of time that individual has been with them or if they operate as a limited company contractor or are on PAYE.
This may sound fine, but companies use employment agencies as they do not have the resources or money to pay temporary staff immediately and do not have the time to find talented temporary workers. As all permanent roles will need to be offered to temporary workers then a company may see this as an opportunity to get a free placement. This would make it economically unviable to offer a service on a temporary basis. The impact on small to medium sized recruitment companies would be dramatic, making it impossible to operate. As a consequence it would drive large numbers of people out of work.
This Bill would drive a lot of recruitment to large recruitment agencies as smaller agencies would not be able to survive. This would force large numbers of people out of work and create worse working conditions for many people.
The niche recruitment market focuses on offering a tailored professional service to both candidates and clients, as by definition it is niche and must work on quality and word of mouth. By forcing those out of business will mean that there will not be the same level of specialist service to both candidates and clients in niche markets.
Direct employers
All businesses need the ability to offer people work on a temporary basis, as a way of managing seasonal peaks, fluctuations in client activity and the economy changing. Without this companies will not be able to react to market changes, making them less competitive on a global scale. This would mean that in the medium to long-term the economy will not be able to grow, fewer roles will be created and working conditions will decline.
Small businesses now are the major employers of the future. Many organisations that started 20 years ago as small companies now employ large numbers of people but they would be stifled in their early stages without the ability to adapt to market changes, thus effecting the long-term viability of the economy.
As large organisations have the ability to sustain certain changes in the market and by their nature do not survive on flexibility but on long term strategies, means that this Bill will play right in to the hands of multi-national and major corporate groups.
People looking for work
Many people need flexible work to be able to manage their life style. The idea that everyone wants to work on a permanent basis at one company or institution is not correct. With the potential that recruitment employment businesses are unable to offer the service of temporary work would directly impact upon them.
If you’re in your twenties and you need work between jobs or university, or for any other reason, what you what is more money, not higher sick pay.
Many people like the control of being able to work on a temporary basis. We have people that have been freelancing with us for many years, as we pay them on time, protect them and find them work. This could all be lost if this Bill came into effect.
Economy
The economy needs the ability to have a flexible work force. This does not mean that they are exploited but are treated fairly. If someone receives increased pay to compensate for less benefits and the lack of security that is not a bad thing.
If this Bill were to come into effect now it would drive many people out of work in permanent and temporary roles. Stifle the economy from being able to adapt and push itself out of any downturn, making the UK less competitive on a global scale.
Summary
I agree with the Unions that people who are exploited should be protected. But the Unions want power and influence. Driving the workforce, at any cost, towards permanent rather than temporary status will tend to give them that..
8 days and counting...
If you are likely to be affected by the Agency Workers Bill, there are just eight days to lobby your MP. It looks like a disaster waiting to happen to the temporary recruitment industry.
Here's an article on personneltoday.com.
And here's the thing itself
Here's an article on personneltoday.com.
And here's the thing itself
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
More crazyegg
Well, I've been running a test on crazyegg.com on the workstation.co.uk's homepage, the longest-running Jobshout account, for 17 days now, and said I'd be back, so here I am.I've just been showing the results around the office, and you have to say that they pretty impressive. This screenshot, for instance, shows a colour-coded map of who came from which referrer and where they clicked on the page. Then you've got 'heatmaps' showing the hotspots on your page, stats showing the most clicked links, and an overlay showing how many people clicked which link, and which you can drill down into to get referrer information.
It's the topographical information (who clicked exactly where), and the ability to see this graphically that gives crazyegg its impact. And impact it does have - definitely the 'wow' factor. Christine our marketer is getting very excited - "probably", she says, "a little too excited."
You can try it out free. Well worth it.
www.crazyegg.com
Friday, 1 February 2008
Going for redundancy
Back in December I said that we had started the process of separating out content management (all the work you do in the Jobshout back end, in other words) and the business of publishing pages on the web. The idea is to improve performance and provide a more resilient system. I'm pleased to say that we have now done this and it is now live on www.workstation.co.uk, where it can be tested in a live environment. It has certainly been successful in speeding up performance.
If you want to compare speed of job searching, you can use the "unseparated" system at jobs2.workstation.co.uk.
Ultimately we are aiming for a completely mirrored system which will mean "redundancy". While this may not be a great thing in the world of employment, it is greatly to be desired in computer systems - it means that if one thing fails there's always another to take over.
If you want to compare speed of job searching, you can use the "unseparated" system at jobs2.workstation.co.uk.
Ultimately we are aiming for a completely mirrored system which will mean "redundancy". While this may not be a great thing in the world of employment, it is greatly to be desired in computer systems - it means that if one thing fails there's always another to take over.
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