Temporary employment is a great way to get your foot in the door with one of our clients and occasional shift work is an ever-expanding business. We tell you how to get the most out of a short-term contract.
Flexibility
One of the biggest perks to temporary work is the flexibility it gives you to take complete control of your working life. You won’t have to worry about taking your responsibilities from work home with temporary employment, allowing you to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Short-term employment gives you the option to build your work life around other commitments.
Building skills
You already have a plethora of skills that you may not even know about, and with each role you work, you will improve certain aptitudes. From communication to project management, everyone in the workforce can learn on the job. It may only be temporary work, but going into a job with an open mind and being proactive in learning all you can will go on to benefit you in the long run.
Upgrade your CV
Each time you start a new role include this on your CV, regardless of the length of time spent with a business. We pride ourselves on working with some of the leading organisations in the UK, having these names on your CV is always going to look good. Keeping your CV updated will also give you the chance to reflect on the skills you have learned within each role.
Networking
Short-term work within organisations at the top of their industries means you can build your contacts. Connecting with colleagues during temporary employment is key: the people you meet may be able to act as a reference, managers who are looking to hire permanent staff, or it could simply be an opportunity to make new friends.
In the money
When you start working, it is important to know that this may impact the amount of benefits you can claim. As you start to earn more, the Universal Credit you are eligible for will gradually reduce. Unlike Jobseeker’s Allowance, your payment won’t stop just because you work more than 16 hours a week. In some cases, you may be eligible for a work allowance. A work allowance is the amount that you can earn before your Universal Credit payment is affected. Turn2Us have a free benefit calculator to help you calculate not only what benefits you are entitled to, but how much you can expect your monthly income to be.
Positive attitude
You may only be working in your short-term or temporary contract for several days or weeks, it might only be a couple of shifts, but if you go in with the right attitude then the potential is limitless. If you are regularly doing shifts with a company and a similar role arises, they might consider you first for the position. When you are known, reliable and understand the business, the potential for permanent work is always there during temp roles.
Understand your rights
From the day you start work, you’ve got a worker’s employment rights, and the same rights as your permanent colleagues to use shared facilities provided by th employer. After 12-weeks in the job, you’ll qualify for the same rights as someone employed directly, also known as ‘equal treatment’, which includes the same pay as a permanent colleague doing the same job, automatic pension enrollment and paid annual leave.
A tailored workforce
If you are an employer, temporary workers supplied by an agency could be the answer to any demanding or busy periods within your company. Making an immediate difference to any role they are placed in; temporary workers are also fast to hire. In the past we have had clients call us on the day requiring staff to start at 9am – we are committed to making sure this happens.
Whether you have had an unexpected job come through, or you have absences to cover, temporary workers can make a real difference. Sourcing temporary workers during busy periods can be extremely efficient and offers flexibility to ensure tasks are completed. Bringing skills, experience and knowledge to your workforce, temporary workers can even provide new industry information to current, permanent members of staff.
When a permanent position is required to be filled temporary workers can slot into this role during the set recruitment period. If you want to find out more about how temporary workers can boost your business, call your nearest Connect Appointments office now.
