The warning comes as a greater number of professionals choose to work outside of traditional PAYE arrangements. Recent figures indicate that around 14 per cent of UK workers are now self-employed and Companies House data shows that, during 2020 to 2021, new company registrations increased by 21 per cent.
Furthermore, acute talent scarcity has created a market in which candidates have more choice than ever before about where they deploy their sought-after skills. Organisations in a wide variety of sectors have found themselves in a tough competition for talent, with previously effective attraction strategies no longer enough to secure – and retain – the top contingent talent.
Advertisement Simon Blockley, CEO of Guidant Global, said: “The age when non-permanent workers were viewed as an expendable or replaceable commodity are now well and truly over. Today, HR strategists realise that temporary workers are an important part of their organisation’s long-term talent strategy – and retaining in-demand skills in a talent-scarce market is crucial.
“The UK’s contingent workforce is growing rapidly. Trends that were already evident in 2019 have accelerated, and advanced workforce plans now typically include gig workers, independent contractors, freelancers, and project-based workers as well as permanent staff.
“In order to ensure these workers stick around for as long as they are required – and perform to the best of their ability while they are in situ – organisations must actively engage these individuals. While retention strategies may differ slightly from those applied to full time employees, the principles remain the same. Their experience should be one of support, openness and transparency.
"Businesses that ignore this important segment of the workforce risk losing access to valuable skills, while simultaneously wasting resources in an effort to repeatedly refill the same posts.”
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Susie Hughes © Shout99 2021
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