Labour Hire Staff - the Qs and As

Q: What area do you provide work?

A: Labour hire agencies provide work anywhere in almost every area in your city and country and sometimes internationally as well. The labour hire companies are flexible and aim to meet the needs of the individual labour hire and their families.

Q: Do labour hire staff work on a roster?

A: The roster of the staff will depend on the client’s needs, but work on an even time roster with the flexibility for overtime and other allowances such as site transfer etc.

Q: What is the earning capacity of labour hire staff?

A: Competitive wages are paid depending on the experience level of the staff, also a good working condition is offered if the staff is competent and apt in their work. In most cases the permanent staffs receive recognized entitlements such as sick pay, annual leave and superannuation benefits.

Q: Would staff that is recruited work on a permanent basis or a part-time basis?

A: There are opportunities for both permanent and casual employees depending on the employers and employees requirements.

Q: What should I do to register for employment?

A: You should submit your detailed and updated resume along with a cover letter that tells the labour hire company why you stand out from the rest of the job; state your skills, achievements and experience.

Q: Should I follow up with the labour hire agency?

A: You should follow up with a quick call to the labour hire agency as there are plenty of labour hire staff in the database a call will defiantly help to refresh the minds of the agency. If there is work available and you have called in it is most likely that you will be the prefer choice as a candidate.

Q: How would my work hours be tracked?

A: Work hours are monitored using time sheets which should be submitted by the respective employee at the beginning of the week. Submitting time sheets are your responsibility as submitting them in a timely manner will make sure that you are paid on time.

Q: How often is my salary processed?

A: This will depend on the employer; there are employers who pay their wages at the end of each week, fortnightly and at the end of each month etc.

Q: How else would a labour hire company find work for a job hunter?

A: The labour hire company will ask you to make sure that their contact details are saved and that you always pick up their calls make sure you are readily available and keep in touch constantly help to find you a job very quickly.

Q: What the best way to submit my resume?

A: As a candidate who is looking to register oneself, make sure to send in your resume online or you can walk into to the office with your documentation and submit them.

Q: How do candidates apply for a respective job?

A: The labour hire would usually advertise the jobs that are available if they don’t seem to have suitable candidates in their database. They are always on the lookout for experienced and suitable candidates. All you need to do is follow the online registration process.

Q: What sort of candidates are employed or recommended by the labour hire company?

A: Usually White Collar, Industrial and Trades candidates are employed. Some examples of the available roles in each sector is as follows,

Industrial

• Packers
• Forklift Drivers,
• Warehouse Staff
• Process Workers
• Machine Operators
• Supervisors
• Store men
• Labourers

Construction

• Toolmakers
• Fitters
• Welders
• Boiler Makers
• Electrical and Mechanical
• Carpentry
• Labourers

Transportation and Logistics

• Long Distance, Short Distance
•  Loaders  
• Supervisors and Managers

Corporate

• Merchandisers,
•  Sales Staff,
• Store Managers,
• Team Leaders, 
• Accounts,
• Administration,
• Customer Service,
• Call  Centres

Q: How does the recruitment process work?

A: Once the application is received the database is checked for a matching job that suits your experience and skills. Thereafter, an interview is scheduled and if the agency is happy with you they will check your references and refer you to the respective employer with the most suitable job. 

All you need to know about labour recruitment agencies

A company will seek the services of a good labour hire to find a suitable candidate for their job requirements. While many recruitment labour hire companies function from an office, today there are several reliable labour hires that conduct their operations via the internet and an online based environment using their company website.

Labour hires are also search through job vacancy websites for suitable candidate for a fee. They use keywords to  search and select the candidates they are looking for and based on the criteria a list of candidates are generated with their contact details. This can save a lot of time as opposed to going through thousands of jobs profiles and resumes that were received from placing a job advertisement.

One should remember that recruitment labour hire services providers do not work for the job hunter but for the employer. Therefore, if you think the labour hire will promote you, look after your job requirements or look into your interests then you will be badly disappointed, as this will never happen. You should make it as simple as possible for the labour hire to recommend you to an employer. But if you are not clear about your goals then you may find yourself and your resume being sent to the end of the stack of potential candidates for a job.

Here are some useful tips on how to deal with a labour hire which will recommend you as the most likely candidate for a suitable job in your line of work,

·         You should be quick and timely when responding to a telephone call or emails from the labour hire company. The labour hire is most often competing with other agencies to get their candidate hired for the job, therefore if you are slow to respond and act, then you are not only jeopardizing yourself but also recruitment hire loses an opportunity with their reputation at stake. If you neglect these small things a labour hire may ignore you and may not recommend you for some time for a potential job.

·         Labour hires are on the lookout for candidates that are looking for positions that are consistent with their work history, which makes them a likely candidate to promote to an employer. Make sure that your resume sells you as the most likely candidate for the job.

·         If you are looking at changing your career, this may seem a little unlikely with a labour hire as they most often match an employee with an employer from the relevant industry. It is most often tedious to match an employee from a different industry to the existing job roles. Of course as an employee who is open to challenges you may convince the labour hire to consider your resume and that you are the better candidate than candidates with the relevant work experience. This will make the labour hire recommend you even if you are not suitable for the particular job industry.

·         Make sure that your resume has all the relevant key words for the job, especially for what is advertised in the online job advertisement. The keywords help with selecting candidates for the right job description and profile.

·         Don’t expect the labour hire agency to promote you or work on your behalf, even though you have paid a fee, this is not going to help. You will have to take your turn and wait just like the missions of other people in their database until they fix you up with the correct job.

·         You should never pay exorbitant amounts of fee to the labour hire agency. Legally it is not correct to charge a fee or a commission. However, due to the overwhelming cost of applicant there may be a very small processing fee involved and that’s all to it, you should never feel obliged to pay any other fee or bare any other costs.

·         Always make sure you are happy with the job that you are fixed up with, never go for a job that you are unhappy with and you feel pressured to take by the labour hire company.

·       Be honest with information you provide such as school grades and employment dates etc are accurate.  Inaccurate information and inconsistencies can reflect badly on your resume and a potential employer may lose trust in you. 

How Recruitment Agencies Work

How often do you hear “a good employee is hard to find?”, while job hunters say “I cannot find a decent, well payed job”. No matter whether you are an employer or an employee, finding good workers and work is a very difficult process.

If you’re an employer and advertise a post, you may receive hundreds and thousands of job applications, most often half of them are not qualified for the job, and sifting through hundreds of these applications is no easy task for an employer. On the other hand if you are a potential candidate for a job and send out many resume’s you may finding yourself thinking if your outbox or the mail never sent out your resume’s or have they disappeared altogether  as you never to a response.

Well how can employers and employees avoid this red tape in the hiring process? Today most employers and employees seek the help of a recruitment agency. These agencies help companies and individuals seeking jobs with their needs. They find people to suit all the job profiles of the employer, from permanent jobs to temporary jobs and in various different industries. Whether it’s a construction worker, a personal assistant, a nurse and carpenters, the recruitment agency will find the best qualified individual for the job.

Public and private recruitment agencies help with the staffing process. Some of the fields that these agencies specialize in are, a personal and customized placement services, setting up temporary staffing facilities and executive search or headhunting firms.

Here is a look at some of the general functions of a recruitment agency,

·         Take the away the hassle and stress of human resources. Employers will no longer need to spend time going through resumes and the interview process to recruit staff; the agency will look after everything from the interview process to the recruitment process.

·         The agency will look after the entire process from matching the correct person for the job and line up potential candidates for the company to interview, if the company requires candidate to be interviewed.

·         A senior level candidate can also be hired through an agency that specializes in executive search firms.

·         The agency is also able to provide for temporary staffing needs of the employer.

·         For a job hunter the agency can be the only sources of getting an all inclusive full time job. These agencies can introduce job hunters to job openings that they could not find on their own. These agencies are a great way of looking for a new job in a new industry or a long term or short terms job as well.

·         These agencies are a good source for obtaining free training. They offer a variety of free training and skill building and development from how to face a successful interview to the use of computer software or hardware.

Job hunters and employers value a good employment agency. Even though the agencies are not in a position to always guarantee a successful job or a good job match they will always give you  the opportunity to find the right job or the right employee.

If you are seeking the services of an employment agency you will need to follow these steps,

·         Find the right agency and register with them, you may need to pay a onetime fee or a retainer if you’re an employer, you can also register with multiple agencies.

·         Complete the application along with the correct and relevant information

·         Provide a detailed and professional resume

·         Sit for the qualifying test or evaluation process

·         Face an initial interview so that the agency can see what your strengths and weaknesses are and your requirements

·         Follow a training program if you feel that it is necessary and you can benefit from it

·         As a job hunter you need to choose the best agency that specialize in and industry or field that is related to your job function.

·         Make sure that the agency you choose a reputed one.

·         Signup with more than once agency. Since it is rare that two agencies will work with the same firm, chances are that you will be able to have a better opportunity at securing the right job with a reputed employer.

·         Never rush the agency as they will need to take their time with placing you with the right job. 

FAQs of a labour hire company

Q: What do Labour hire companies specialize in? 

A:Labour hire companies specialise in providing labour for clients in a host of organizations from different trades or businesses. This arrangement is pigeon-holed by a formal agreement between the client and the employer for the payment of wages and the performance of the contract to the full. Some of the job categories that a labour hire is commonly providing is for pick packers, store-men, forklift operators, production workers, tradespeople, administrative staff, customer service and sales representatives.

Q: What services does a labour hire company provide?

A: Labour hire agencies would provide casual labour hire, temporary to permanent placement, contract fulfillment, permanent placements, training services and pre–employment screening services.

Q: What does the hourly rate include?

A: An employee’s hourly pay rate will be based under the relevant payroll, superannuation, workers compensation insurance and administration costs. Also pay will be made based on the submission of the relevant time sheets, which should be submitted by the worker on time. Payment will made every month or every two weeks depending on the payment cycle of the establishment.

Q: What are the duties of the agent and client?

A: The duties of the agent will include the verification and matching of training, skills and experience of the job hunter to the needs of the task, provide an induction in relation to the tasks to be undertaken and the job function,  make sure that any change in duties does not pose as a hazard to the worker , provide training to make sure the workers know how to carry out their job safely, make sure the work environment is safe , mare sure that enough supervision is provided on-site and report any injuries or safety hazards.

The duties of the client will include, ensuring the work environment meet all safety standards, provide necessary training so that worker knows how to carry out his or her activities, report any significant injuries, provide supervision on site and  make sure protective equipment is provided to the worker.

Q: What are the duties of a worker?

A: Labour hire workers have the same duties that are applicable to all employees. They should make sure to perform their job to the best of their ability and as per the responsibilities set out in the contract.

Q: Is there a guarantee on permanent placements?

A: The guarantee for permanent placement is about 2 – 3 months. This will again depend on the Labour hire agencies that is retained by the company.

Q: Is the fees paid to the labour hire tax deductible?

A: Yes the fees that are paid are tax deductible.

Q: If I am an employer, how long will you take to provide a worker?

A: Labour hire will ask for a 24 hour notice period. In certain instances workers can be provided within one hour’s notice.

Q: Can an employer recruit a worker from the agency to the company’s permanent cadre?

A: After 2 – 3 months a company can recruit a worker to their own company once the agency fees are all settled in full.

Q: Are the reference of the workers checked by the agency thoroughly?

A: Reference checks are conducted prior to employment of the worker and can be provided to the client on request.

Q: Can you guarantee the reliability and performance of your worker?

A: It is very difficult to provide a guarantee when there is a human person involved. However since there are standard rules in place then there could be a higher success rate or reliable workers.

Q: What happens if there is an injury by a casual worker?

A: The incident is investigated and an incident report is filed. Medical costs and claims will be bourne by the labour hire company.

Q: Is the labour hire agency contactable at any time?

A: Usually Labour hire agencies do have a call center and will provide 24 hour customer service.

Q: Does the labour hire agency have experienced workers?

A: All our recruits are screened for prior experience, good reference,  proven track records and with industry related qualifications.

Q: Who will be responsible for the workers compensation?

A: The labour hire agency will take responsibility for the Workers Compensation Insurance and included in the agency rates.

All you need to know about a franchise recruitment agency

Most franchise labour hire NSW agencies provide support to recruiters that want to start up on their own and start earning financial benefits and making profits from all their hard work.

Here’s a list of some of the standard functions of a franchise labour hire NSW:

• Provide back-office support which includes credit collections and  processing the payroll
• Funding of all debtors accounts
• Establishing a good brand and providing marketing support
• Use the latest technology especially industry-specific software
• Set up connections with existing national recruitment and labour hire franchisees
• No restrictions on geographic or a market segment
• Continuously maintain and updating operations manuals.

A franchise will initially provide the recruitment business with initial training, ongoing support and business coaching. This sort of franchise can even be started up from home as you have the ability to manage your own time to run the business successfully.

The objective of a franchisor is to support recruiters to take a chance and start up and run their own recruitment agency. Usually franchises are for the benefit of the business and to assist business owners to succeed. This attitude is the sole reason for the basis of the support systems as the franchisor.

Franchise programs are able to give the recruiter the freedom and flexibility of owning their own business, with the support and assurance that there is someone to ‘watch your back’ and provide support as you progress.

Here are some of the benefits of starting your own franchise:

• Back office support is available so that you can focus on sales and servicing clients
• Franchises offer a very low initial investment
• You can start your business from the comfort of your own home
• You can set up and run your own business within 30 days
• Funding for all your temps.
• Collecting your funding, drafting invoices and handling you are funding.
• No territory restrictions.
• Offers ongoing training
• Access to industry-specific software.
• Be interested in providing human resources services to a plethora of industries

If you are interested in a franchise, then you need to check if you qualify for it, here is a look at some of the attributes that one needs to posses to qualify as a franchise,

• You need to have experience working in a recruitment firm, a human resources firm, or any other employment or head hunting company. If you do have this sort of experience and knowledge of how a basic recruitment company works, then the franchise is able to offer an upfront investment and offer a franchise opportunity. If you are inexperienced in the human resources sector, then you should obtain the relevant experience and qualifications in order to qualify for the franchise opportunity.
• Passion, energy and a can do attitude is needed to run a franchise business and drive sales, manage a team and service client promptly.
• Have relevant knowledge of the sector or industry that you hope to supply labour and recruitment.
• You should understand and identify your target market and the clientele that you will be servicing.
• You should be enthusiastic and willing to support the establishment of a brand.  
• You should be able to work together with the existing support team of experts, network and build up a good communication channel with the existing recruitment franchisees, share and swap information for the benefit of all and  promote the  franchises way of thinking and doing things
• You should be able to take a chance and a risk to leave your employment and becomes a business owner. You should be able to commit yourself 100% to the business in order to take it off the ground and see that it succeeds.

If you are ready to take that leap of faith and drive your recruitment business in a new direction and develop your very own client and managing your own business then register with a viable franchise so that you can make your dream of owning your own business a reality.

Labour hire franchises rarely stumble and run into financial problems, therefore you don’t have to worry about losing your money on such an investment. 

Choosing a good employment agency

Traditional recruitment companies only assist a job seeker find the right job for a nominal fee. Some agencies may charge the recruitment company but it’s always best to find a recruitment company that the jobs seeker has to pay, then you are sure that the employment agency will find a job that suits your criteria and requirement.

These agencies, function on two levels, one is when they provide low or mid-level candidates with a choice of employees since they do maintain a large data base. They also provide a retainer service where the employer will only source employees from the particular employment agency, due to its good quality service and relationship. The agency is paid a percentage of the employee’s salary even if the employee has not been hired.

If you are looking for the right job you will have to work with the recruiter, headhunter, and search consultant. You will most often be approached by headhunters who will try to convince you to apply for a job with the firm they are working with and provide manpower to. This can be very beneficial to you if  are looking for a good break with a reputed firm.

There are also temporary recruitment agencies as well, they provide jobs for those who are looking for temporary work. This is often in good demand during the seasonal months or during periods where workers are on sabbatical leave or maternity leave.  These temporary agencies also provide permanent jobs as well.

If you have just lost your job or want a career change and is looking to change your job then you should broaden your horizons in your job search by seeking the services or professional head-hunter or recruiter.  This is especially a good choice if you are looking for a senior managerial or a high level position as those jobs don’t get advertised but are often headhunted. A recruitment company can help you market your resume to companies you never thought of approaching.

These recruitment and headhunting agencies often spend time looking for good employers. Some employers are highly convinced when a resume is being sent through them through a formal recruitment agency as opposed to a candidate applying on their own. The headhunter or the recruitment agency will also be in better position to offer you very competitive compensation package.

If you seek the services of may recruitment agencies, you should make sure that you inform them prior about the recruitment company they are working with, as in instances where your resume is sent to same employer by two recruitment agencies, there may be an issue with the collection of the recruiters fees.

You should select a recruiter that can effectively work with you. If you are looking for a company in a certain industry then you should contract a recruitment company that specializes in that industry. Usually professional association will be able to give a list of recruitment companies they work with, so that you can enlist them in your job search.You can search for online recruitment agencies as well as to make direct contact with colleagues or acquaintances for any jobs opportunities.

At the interview make sure that you do ask as many questions from the recruiter as well, so that you know you are not wasting your time on a company that cannot deliver or provide a quality service. This relationship is really important. Questions you should ideally ask are , how long they being in the industry , how many employees they have recruited, what sort of companies they deal with, what sort of fees are involved and do they provide you with another option if the job does not work out after a couple of months. Check the reference of the recruiter and make sure you pursue those references to find out the type of employment agency you are dealing with and its authenticity.

Check on the process, from the time you register and handover your application to the point where you secure a job with the employer. Make sure you are extremely happy with the company and the individual as the type of people that represent you can also give your potential employer some insight into the person you are and your style.

Using recruitment agency brings you one step closer to finding a job, but it does not guarantee a job. 

How to reduce labour hire contractor risks

Safety is the most important element

Safety should be the most important element when it comes to your workforce. It does not matter if your workforce consists of direct employees, contract labour hire workers. It applies to everyone in every industry. In order to mitigate risks the proper risk management guidelines need to be identified and implemented to make sure the workplace is safe and accident free.

Inform and train your employees on labour hire & contractor risks

There is wealth of resources when it comes to training labour hires on safety related issues and responsibilities of supervisors in the workplace. Special officers should be appointed within the organization to overlook safety related matters.

The general perception is that it is not the host employer’s responsibility to cover contract labour hire  worker accidents and injuries as they do not belong to the permanent cadre of employees. Due to this the company will not care much about the safety matters of its staff leading to almost ignoring risk management practices. However, this is not true, you should provide labour hire workers with the same amount of safety at the work place, like you would do with your own employees.

Document your contract terms and maintain a record

You should draft a contract and have it signed and dated so that in case something goes wrong you always have a document to prove that all terms and conditions were mutually agreed upon by both parties and that the workers understands their rights and obligations very clearly. These contracts are also useful to prove that the responsibilities were agreed upon in case there is a claim. Not having proper documentation, can prove fatal when it comes to making a claim.

Agree on a documented indemnity clause

Adocumented indemnity clause is designed so that one party agrees to indemnify the other, when it comes liabilities that areincurred by various circumstances. The most effective outcome from this should be to shift the risk onto the contract labour hire. These clauses should always be drafted by a lawyer and legal counsel should be sought should a problem arise.

Discuss other terms relating to the contract based on the labour hire worker’s fitness and work capacity

Other than the indemnity clauses, other clauses such as that the labour hire company warrants the fitness of the workers should be agreed upon as well as the capacity of the worker to complete the assigned task accurately and in a timely manner, should also be agreed upon. This becomes very beneficial when you have a hugelabour hire workforce. It is viable to have your workers assessed for fitness and medical performed, then  you know they can take on jobs that requires being physically fit. Having this document is very important.

Encourage the labour hire company to be responsible for safety

You should ideally have the labour hire company be responsible for the safety of the workers.

You should make the labour hire company commit to take on the task of maintaining and upholding all safety regulations in the workplace or the work site. This will help to establish that the labour hire company should take on most of the liability, should something go wrong in the workplace.

Look into any risk or safety issues that is raised by the labour hire company

The Labour hire company should conduct an inspection on the ‘host’ work sites, and have an open discussion on health and safety issues. This will help to improve safety in the work place and the well-being of the worker. This helps when there is an accident as it will help the labour hire company protect itself against claims by injured workers. Make sure to act on any safety issues or health hazards that are raised by the labour hire company and have it documented. Always maintain a regular report with dates, facts and figures as to when the inspections were done and the action taken to mitigate work place accidents. Have regular feedback and communicate with the labour hire company so that you build up a good relationship with them.

Make sure that you establish good risk management practices.

This becomes very helpful during an accident as you know what to do and what protocol should be followed such as the filling of the relevant forms related to incident reports, retention of worker and witness details, collation and preservation of evidence through  photos etc. Make sure to provide all copies of the relevant documentation related to the worker.