Agency Workforce TUPE - A change to embrace, not fear!

By Ed Bryant – Senior Account Manager, Onsite Division.

One of the biggest hurdles we face in onsite recruitment is the perception by clients and the temporary workforce around switching agency workers from the outgoing supplier to the new.  And there’s good reason to be!  The horror stories and reputational impact caused by a poorly managed TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)) process will have caused enough damage to last a generation, but they shouldn’t be something to fear.

Having worked with some of Gloucestershire’s leading manufacturers over the last five years, I’ve been fortunate to be responsible operationally for successfully transferring over 300 workers to RE Recruitment as their new agency.

I’ve been equally fortunate to have the support and knowledge behind the scenes from the RE Recruitment central support network, where our team of Directors, HR Management, Finance, Compliance, and Tech have collaborated to design a method of success to follow.

What does success mean, and how is it measured?

The beneficiary of any change to supply has typically been viewed as the client, and in principle, this is correct.

Ultimately, they are the ones that have decided to change suppliers, and the investment that comes with a tender process should, in the long-term, pay dividends with a supplier who provides better performance and “value for money” than their predecessor.

But the short-term impact and key measure to success are down to the minimal impact caused to the transferring agency workforce, who have seamlessly migrated without any issues. After all, the workers are not the ones choosing to change agency but are those who will be impacted the most should that handover turn sour.

At a time when sourcing good workers can come at a premium, the impact on the business if the transfer is poorly executed is significant.  So, our primary focus on the candidate journey and getting the basics right at ground level should, in turn, deliver “value for money” for our client in both the short and long term.

How do we do it?

We are confident that our method is efficient. It’s been tried and tested, and our experience gives us the knowledge of what we need to do to succeed.

The intricacies behind each contract will differ, but the principles behind being efficient remain the same, and the key to success is always down to three basic principles:

• Collaborative

Collaboration between client, outgoing agency and worker is critical! The more communicative we can be with all three, the better it will be for all. Although this can sometimes be awkward, the more frequent meetings/briefings and updates can be, the lower the risk is that something has been overlooked throughout the TUPE process.

• Authentic

By being open and honest from the start, we build our level of trust with the workers and client alike.

Clear briefings and updates must be in layman’s terms, jargon needs to be broken down, and reassurance needs to be earned.

Following detailed worker briefings and updates for all transferring workers and inviting the client to be part of this allows us to demonstrate a small insight into what can be expected moving forward. Some will want to voice concerns, and the challenges posed are positive as it allows us to listen and act accordingly to more personalised issues.

• Preparation

We take pride in the level of detail we prepare; by utilising our experience by following the candidate pathway throughout our process, we can predict and foresee issues before they arise.

Important considerations include:

• Payroll processing expectations for workers
• Tax implications
• Right to work/Registration process
• Pensions
• Holiday calculations
• Final payments from the former supplier
• Handover time/date
• Accounts/invoice processing for client
• Customised KPI reporting (Daily/Weekly/Monthly/etc.)

By drawing from the experience gained in previous transfers, we know so many details hide behind these points. Only by taking the time to understand all sides affected and adjusting our process accordingly will we give ourselves the firm footing to step into the TUPE Process, knowing we will deliver.

If you’d like further information on what good looks like or are interested in discussing concerns around changing suppliers, please get in touch to discuss more.

Edwardb@rerecruitment.com  – 01242 505400