A Guide to Flexible Working

The demand for temporary and contract workers continues to rise as flexible working becomes a way of life in many companies. Temporary staff are becoming an integral part of many organisations across the UK. Whilst growing support from Government and EU legislation has made temporary work an increasingly attractive option with employers prepared to offer competitive rates of pay and benefits to secure the best employees. So whether you are a student looking for holiday work, a college leaver just setting out into the workplace or you simply like the sound of flexible working and want to find out more, you may have quite a few questions that need answering. We have compiled this Fact Sheet which covers the essential points.

What is temporary work?
Temporary work means that you are not employed on a permanent basis by anyone. You have the freedom and flexibility to decide when you want to work and for how long. Kelly has a vast range of different temporary assignments on offer and they can range from a couple of days to a six month assignment or a three year contract, and from part-time (just a few hours a day) to full time.

In today’s competitive business environment employers are turning increasingly to temporary and contract help to provide additional resources as and when they are needed as well as to cover for holidays and sickness. Temporary help is the most buoyant sector of the employment market - in fact there is a real shortage of talent and that’s where you come in.

What skills and qualifications do I need?
Whatever sector you work in, it is important to keep your skills up to date as many employers will use temporary staff to bring specific skills into the company. If you are an office worker using computers then you will find that some agencies offer training. At Kelly we have developed our own computer based training system PinPoint which is a very effective and fast way to learn new software which is free to Kelly temporaries.

If you have keyboard and other general office skills and you want to use them, then you will probably find yourself working in an office environment and even if you haven’t you may be able to take on a clerical role.
Whatever your skills and experience Kelly can help make the most of them by matching you to the right job.

Will there be a chance to make progress?
Your performance at work is carefully monitored both by Kelly and by the employer. In many cases we can offer free training programmes which will extend and improve your skills. For instance if you have very basic keyboard skills we can help you improve your speed and accuracy, you may also be eligible for training in word-processing, database or spreadsheets. Kelly’s system PinPoint can train in over 50 software packages including the latest Windows applications. Kelly is committed to equipping its temporaries with the best and most up to date skills in the marketplace.
Temping offers you the perfect opportunity to try a variety of working environments before you commit yourself. It can be a good way to start your career or a way of changing direction.

Can I rely on Kelly?
Kelly Services has a network of branches throughout the UK. Each one is ISO 9001:2000 registered which means that whichever branch you use you can be sure of a consistently professional service and a warm welcome.
A Kelly consultant will spend time with you, not only ensuring that we have your correct details but finding out what makes you tick and what sort of working environment you would like to be in.  We guarantee to treat you as an individual and to actively market you to our clients.

How will I be paid?
As a leading employment agency we pay top rates for all types of work. Before any assignment your hourly rate will be agreed and you will be given a time sheet - at the end of the assignment or end of each week you then send this to Kelly’s payroll department and you can choose either to have your cheque sent to you or paid directly into your bank account. Your tax and National Insurance contributions will all be taken care of and everything is fully explained in the Kelly Temporary Handbook, a copy of which will be given to you when you register.

How will I know what to do on my first day?
Most companies will assign someone to show you the ropes on your first day but just in case you feel a bit lost then you might like to use the following checklist to make sure you know the essentials before starting work.

• Office geography - find out where you will be sitting, where the loos are, if there is a special eating area etc.
• Key personnel - make sure you are introduced to the people with whom you will be working and that you also know the names of the key people within the organisation.
• Company style - if you will be answering the telephone ask how the company like it to be done, how they like messages taken, how the internal telephone system works and for an internal telephone list.
• Ask for examples of letters and reports etc. to show you the house style. Photocopier/Fax - make sure you know how to use both and find out if you need to keep a record.
• Time Sheet - find out who is responsible for signing yours.

Whatever type of work you are doing, everyone has their own way of doing things so it is important that you are absolutely clear on the following points:

• What is the deadline?
• What should the work look like when it is finished?
• Do you have all the information/resources to complete the task?
• If you have any queries who will be available to ask?

Remember - good communication is the key to a successful working relationship.

Why should I choose Kelly?
There are lots of reasons why Kelly Services should be your number one choice for temporary work. First of all we will look after you properly. That means we will pay you top rates, give you regular work and access to free training, together with a range of flexible benefits. We are keen to recognise and reward excellence and every month our most outstanding temporaries receive the Kelly Elite Award. You are entitled to four weeks paid leave every year and you can also join the Kelly Services Stakeholder Pension Plan - designed with the needs of temporary and contract workers in mind. Finally there is much more to your local Kelly branch than just finding you work - they will invite you to regular social events where you can make new friends and have a chance to get to know your local team better.

Something for everyone
Kelly Services handle a wide range of different roles across the general business and commercial sectors as well as having specialist divisions for teachers, engineers, scientists, accountants and financial staff, both in temporary assignments and in permanent roles.