In your corner - REC Campaigns and Policy news - 26 Jan

The REC campaigns team has kicked off the year on a high note, after throwing a successful reception in Parliament. On Tuesday 24 January, REC members, MPs, peers and industry representatives gathered at the Churchill Room in the House of Commons to officially launch our Overcoming Shortages report and celebrate the value of the industry and its importance to economic growth – the government’s biggest priority right now.  

We heard from some great speakers, including Employment Minister, Guy Opperman MP, Justin Madders MP, Shadow Employment Rights Minister and Lord Bridges, the Chair of the Economic Affairs Committee, who shared their views and outlined their ambitions to work with the REC, our members and the industry. Mr Opperman confirmed he agreed with the report’s recommendations which talked about the need for a joined-up government approach working with our industry to tackle labour shortages. You can read more about the event in our blog.  

It hasn’t all been canapes and wine though - more on what else we’ve been up to so far this year below.   

Government launches Holiday Pay Consultation 

As a result of REC campaigning, BEIS has announced a consultation on the calculation of holiday entitlement received by part-year and irregular hours workers. This follows the recent Supreme Court judgment in the Harpur Trust v Brazel case. BEIS has recognised REC members’ concerns about the ambiguity created by this ruling and the need to provide clarity. We encourage you to take the opportunity to feed into that. If you are interested in sharing your views as part of this, please email them to policy@rec.uk.com. You can also respond to the consultation directly. 

The DWP invites recruiters to Job Centre Plus (JCP) Jobs Fairs  

Recruiters understand their local job markets better than most. Many REC members have expressed their interest in working more closely with the DWP to help find candidates and get people into work. The DWP are also keen for JCP to work more with their local recruiters which is why they are encouraging members to participate in upcoming Jobs Fairs across the UK. More information on locations across the UK and dates can be found here and you will find it a useful source for new candidates.  

Guidance on working with neurodiverse candidates 

Working with neurodiversity specialists Uptimize, the REC has recently published new guidance for our members on engaging neurodiverse candidates. This guidance includes the results of a survey of REC members, setting out current understanding and the perceptions of neurodiversity during the recruitment process. The guide contains practical tips and advice for employers on becoming more inclusive in their day-to-day working practices. 

REC calls for an NHS workforce planning and a framework reform to Wes Streeting  

The Labour Party has launched their campaign to reform the NHS, with workforce planning at the heart of its agenda. In response, the REC wrote to the Shadow Health Secretary, Wes Streeting MP, to outline our vision for a long-term workforce strategy, staff retention plans, and better training in the NHS and care sector. Also set out in the letter are the reasons why people choose to work via an agency with positive testimonials from agency nurses and doctors. You can view the letter here.   

Research corner  

The REC’s latest JobsOutlook found that employers’ confidence in both the UK economy and their ability to make hiring and investment decisions fell in October to December 2022. However, forecast demand for both permanent and temporary workers remained strongly in positive territory, especially for temporary workers. Our Labour Market Tracker showed that there were 184,335 new job adverts in the first week of January – this is a 24.5% increase from 148,032 in the first week of January 2022, suggesting that demand remains very high. 

Next Monday (30 January), we will be publishing our third employee engagement guide with the Involvement and Participation Association (IPA). Keep an eye out for some advice on how to retain and attract talent. 

Media corner  

REC CEO Neil Carberry appeared on the BBC Six O’clock News to provide expert analysis of the REC’s latest Labour Market Tracker (LMT). Neil explained that, while businesses are being a notch more cautious in the face of economic uncertainty, the scale of the shortages we face mean many firms still need to hire. Neil was on TV again, this time on CNBC, to comment on the Labour Market Tracker (LMT), explaining that the UK government needs to tackle labour shortages with reform across our welfare support, skills and immigration systems. The LMT was reported on by other media such as LBC, Bloomberg and Reuters. We have also provided comment on the need for a negotiated settlement to the ongoing strikes in some public services to the Financial Times and Press Association.