New Work Patterns: Putting Policy into Practice

Networking, job sharing, homeworking, sub-contracting, freelancing. These new words reflect the rapid changes taking place in modern patterns of employment. "Flexible" workers now account for between a third and a half of the total UK workforce. This book aimed at practising personnel and line managers in both the public and private sectors provides a practical guide to the effective use and management of this new workforce, it challenges many of the myths surrounding their use in organizations, and covers the implementation of policies to maximise the effective use of such staff. Contrary to current thinking on the subject, the authors contend that part-time, temporary and contract staff should and will be increasingly used in "core", firm-specific activites and they discuss the far reaching implications that this will have for every aspect of internal personnel and organizational structure. The authors provide managers with practical information on the problems and opportunities of implementing new work patterns. Aspects such as recruitment, pay, benefits, staff developments, industrial relations, disputes and termination of contracts are covered in detail. Examples of current practice and legislation are included throughout the book.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 New work patterns - concept and reality: core periphery staff - the IMS model; government policy and legislation; management communication and control; categories of work patterns. Part 2 Assessing employment needs: organizational goals; key issues. Part 3 Preparing for different work patterns: changes to management systems and procedures; gaining the support of the organization; issues raised by specific work patterns. Part 4 Redeployment and recruitment - the management of change: restraints on change; consultation, negotiation and notificaton of change; recruitment. Part 5 Employment law and workers contracts: employee or self-employed?; the contract document; incorporating work characteristics; contracts for category A,B, and C workers. Part 6 Management and development: central administration versus local discretion; communication and control; changes to internal relationships; changes to external relationships; appraisals; promotion and training; the manager's role - changes, training and preparation; the balance between close supervision and "hands-off" management. Part 7 Pay, pensions, and benefits: topics for consideration; the approach and demands of the law; areas of special treatment and similiar treatment; pay, benefits and category B workers. Part 8 The work environment: the general legal framework; responsibilities to the workforce - some specific topics; responsibility for the conduct of workers. Part 9 Industrial relations: responses to different work patterns; responses by different unions. Part 10 Disputes and termination of contracts: ending contracts with category A and B workers; breaches and termination of contracts - the courts and tribunals; ending contracts with category C workers.