Making welfare reform work for recruiters ñ REC responds to Government

The REC has issued its latest position on the Governmentís agenda to outsource services that move people from benefits into work.

Commenting on the latest developments Anne Fairweather, the RECís Head of Public Policy, said: ìThere are great opportunities for the recruitment sector in winning Government contracts to place benefit claimants into work. We all know that candidate shortages persist in the industry. If recruiters engage with the upskilling of those who are out of work they could be creating the candidate pools of tomorrow.î

But whilst the opportunities are great, there are still many barriers to overcome. Anne Fairweather continues: ìFeedback from our members has highlighted many existing barriers to work. Most importantly the benefits system needs to be reformed so that it is easier to move on and off benefits. This would take away the risk from accepting a temporary assignment, which is often the stepping stone to longer term employment.î

The REC position paper entitled ìWelfare Reform: harnessing the potential of the recruitment industryî also considers the Department of Work and Pensionsí commissioning strategy. Contracts for the delivery of welfare to work services will be handed out on a regional basis. These prime contractors will then engage voluntary and private sector sub-contractors, such as rehabilitation charities, training organisations and recruitment agencies, to get people job ready and into work.

On this strategy, Anne Fairweather comments: ìThe REC is pleased to see that the delivery of personalised services specific to the needs of each individual claimant is at the heart of the commissioning strategy. However the Department needs to make sure that their strategy does not run into the same problems that some managed service procurement practices have.

ìThe REC is sharing its experience of procurement practices in recruitment with the Department to ensure that prime contractors can access the skills and experience of small recruitment agencies as well as some of the larger players who are already contributing to this agenda.î

Anne Fairweather concludes ìGetting the benefits systems to work with temporary assignments and a commissioning strategy which is open to small recruiters are essential if a further one million people are to be moved from benefits into work. The REC will continue to work with the Department of Work and Pensions to get this right.î

A copy of the REC position paper is available at: