Stafforce Inside Track - Winter Newsletter

Stafforce enhances serviceswith CenFRA acquisition

INTHIS ISSUE

2 3 4

Issue 03Winter 2011

All the latest news anddetails of legislation andissues which affectprofessional recruiters…

Getting EmployersFit 4 Business

Introducing theSales team

"Law Talk"Legislation updatelooking at the riseof Social Media

Stafforce acquiresTEK Consultancy

Branch network

Issue 03Winter 2011 www.stafforce.co.uk

INSIDETRACKSTAFFORCE

In November Stafforce Personnel announced the acquisition of CenFRA (theCentre for food robotics and automation).CenFRA was formed with assistance from YorkshireForward in 2007 as the UK’s Centre of Excellence for allrobotic and automation activities relating to the food anddrink industry. The organisation provides consultancy andresearch and development services to support andpromote business growth and sustainability for food anddrink manufacturers across the UK.

Ian Anderson, Chief Executive of Stafforce, said: “Ourbusiness is moving from strength to strength and acquiringCenFRA will give us the opportunity to add even more valueto the services we offer to our clients. Specifically, thisstrategic acquisition will enhance our existing consultancyservices and help us to improve the profitability ofbusinesses in the food, drink and other industries.”

Steve Cann, General Manager of CenFRA, said: “There is avery close strategic fit between CenFRA and Stafforce.Over the past four years, we have pioneered continuousbusiness improvement in the food and drink industry andhelped to create and safeguard a large number of jobs. Aspart of a larger group, we see many opportunities toextend our expertise within the sector and enable evenmore food and drink businesses to benefit.”

CenFRA will retain its established brand and its services willbe integrated into the Stafforce portfolio.

The organisation provides support through extensiveindustry knowledge, engineering expertise and projectsupport skills. It is unique as it is driven by industry expertsfor the benefit of the industry and counts seniormanagement from ARLA Foods and Guenther Bakeries UKamongst its board directors.

CenFRA, which is the National Skills’ Academy’s UK StrategicChampion for robotics and automation within Food andDrinks Manufacture, has close links with academicinstitutions and universities, which can help with access togrant funding and leading edge automation solutions.

One of the organisation’s major achievements is indeveloping a fully interactive learning package, whichsupports the upskilling of operatives engaged in automatedfood manufacture on the shop floor/production area.

Since CenFRA was established in 2007, the organisationhas created 50 jobs in the food and drink industry,safeguarded 243 positions, helped 117 businesses toimprove their performance and engaged 74 businesses inworthwhile collaborations with partners.

To find out more about CenFRA, visit their website atwww.cenfra.co.uk

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MEETTHE SALES

Lucy WattsSales and ContractBusiness Manager

Beth Capper Account andImplementation Manager

Amy Ewens Recruitment SalesExecutive

Issue 03Winter 2011

At our first event in Octoberit was clear that there werestill many questions aroundthe new Agency WorkersRegulations (AWR) and howthese affected businessesand recently there has beena surge in publicity aroundAWR. These events are well-timed to discuss this hottopic; shortly after the first12-week qualifying period.

TEAMOur Central Sales Team is led by LucyWatts and they work closely withbranches and sites to ensure that weare talking to the right people.

Anyone wanting to attend Fit 4 Business should call thecentral team on (0114) 384 0105

Our Fit 4 Business Breakfast Events help employers and clients to makepositive changes, reduce costs, minimise risk, increase productivity andimprove their competitive advantage. The events focus on three keythemes: employment legislation and compliance; business improvementand lean operations; and workplace health and financial wellbeing.

Fit for Business Breakfast EventsThursday 2nd February –South Yorkshire Workshop

Thursday 9th February – Hull Workshop

Wednesday 29th February –South Bank LincolnshireSeminar

Thursday 29th March –Midlands Seminar

More dates to follow

Getting Employers

Gemma Birch Recruitment SalesExecutive

Colin Miller Recruitment SalesExecutive

People Management reports that the six months tribunal time limit is under thespotlight. A Court of Appeal decision involving Birmingham City Council employeescould open the door for employers to be hit with equal pay claims from staffstretching back several years. A ruling gave 174 female ex-employees of the councilthe right to have their cases heard in the High Court, despite the fact that theirclaims were made outside the usual time limit for tribunal cases. The women, whoworked as cooks, cleaners, care staff and caterers, claimed they were not paidbonuses that were paid to men in equivalent-level jobs.

Frances Slack Projects Co-ordinator

Fit 4 Business breakfast event, Charlton>

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LEGISLATION UPDATE

ACAS recently published some interesting figures:• 91% of businesses with 10+ employees have access

to the internet• 61% of employees use the internet whilst at work• 55% of employees use social networking sites

There are business benefits to be gained, including:• More opportunity to promote your business• Promotion of internal cohesion amongst employees• Extended networks and promotional opportunities• Chance to improve employer “appeal” and this

could result in becoming an employer of choice

However, running parallel to these benefits are risks thatmust be carefully managed, including:• Increased risk of discrimination due to inappropriate

posts on social media channels• Possible disclosure of sensitive and / or confidential

information that could be damaging to the business• Loss of productivity due to employees spending too

much time on the various social media sites• Damage to business reputation in the marketplace

due to inappropriate use and communication

Recruitment:When you are recruiting new staff for your company, it isnot unlawful to look at the online profiles of applicantsbefore offering employment, however, be mindful of thefact that there is a risk of being accused of discrimination.

During employment:Every employer needs set parameters around the use ofsocial media in the workplace. Use of media such asFacebook has the potential for an employer to be liable forsuch things as employee versus employee claims forharassment and discrimination. A clear policy is needed toset out what is and is not acceptable and this must be clearlycommunicated to staff, including training. The Equality Act2010 covers employers against claims of discrimination if

Issue 03Winter 2011

they have done everything reasonably possible to preventdiscrimination. Companies should consider disciplinaryaction for employees who misuse / abuse social media sites

Disciplinary action:The usual misconduct principles apply when dealing withsocial media. The key issue that is considered in tribunals isthe effect of misconduct and actions on the employmentrelationship i.e. does it breach confidentiality, or does itdestroy relationships between the business and itsemployees or its clients? A well-drafted social media policywill help.There is currently no case law involving LinkedIn and it isunclear as to who holds the intellectual properties.

Recent Employment Tribunals:

Whitham v Club 24 t/a VenturaAn employee posted derogatory comments on Facebookand she was dismissed for causing extreme embarrassmentwith clients but a tribunal concluded that the commentswere mild and could not damage the relationship betweenClub 24 and its customers. It stated that negativecomments about work by an employee do not instantlyjustify a dismissal; Mrs Witham also had a clean disciplinaryrecord and the tribunal decided she was unfairly dismissed.

Taylor v SomerfieldTaylor was dismissed for posting a YouTube clip of him anda colleague fighting with plastic bags. A tribunal decidedthis was unfair dismissal as there was only a low level ofrisk of damage to the business reputation. The clip onlyreceived 8 views.

Preece v JD Wetherspoons plcA bar manager posted repugnant comments about abusivecustomers on Facebook whilst at work and was dismissedwhen a customer’s daughter read the comments andcomplained to Wetherspoons. Wetherspoons relied on asocial media policy which includes “no comments aboutwork”. A tribunal upheld their action, but also commentedthat under the Human Rights Act; freedom of expression,if Miss Preece had made the comments whilst not at workthen the outcome may have been different.

Benning v British Airways plcA pilot plotted against other pilots who did not strike byposting offensive footage on YouTube, threatening to visittheir homes and poison their food. He later claimed thathis brother had posted the clip. A tribunal upheld a decisionto dismiss as this claim had not been raised at thedisciplinary investigation meeting.

@stafforcenews

SOCIAL MEDIAMANAGING THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE!

Follow us on Twitter andkeep up to date with what’shappening at Stafforce andin the recruitment world

People Management report that a magistrate’s courtclerk, who accepted a bribe to “get rid” of a speeding fine,has become the first person to be sentenced under theBribery Act 2010. Munir Patel, 22, who worked atRedbridge Magistrates Court, was prosecuted under section2 of the Act for requesting and receiving a bribe,and has been sentenced to three years for briberyand six years for misconduct in a public office. Hissentences will be served concurrently, and so hewill serve six years in total.

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© C i ht St ff R it t 2011

www.stafforce.co.uk

BRANCHNETWORKCONTACT YOURLOCAL BRANCHCentral Sales0114 384 0105Bexley01322 555 599

Bradford [Relay Recruitment]01274 777 973Charlton0208 858 6888

Derby01332 294 294

Grimsby[Commercial/Industrial]01472 351 555

Grimsby [Food Office]01472 350 120Hull01482 226 262

Leeds [Relay Recruitment]0113 218 6262

Lincoln01522 785 720

Loughborough01509 210 222

Norwich01603 360 260

Oxford01865 771 234

Port of Liverpool0151 920 2318

Rotherham01709 377 177

Scunthorpe01724 278 455

Sheffield0114 384 0105

South Wales01633 224 460

Wakefield01924 640 300

Wolverhampton [TEK Construction] 01902 810 010

York [Relay Recruitment]01904 613 213

Recruitment ManagedServices

SoftwareSolutions

BusinessConsultancyand Training

INTHE NEXT ISSUE

Ian Anderson, Chief Executive ofStafforce, said: “This is a very excitingtime for our company. TEK Personnel isa great addition to our portfolio andthere are many synergies between thetwo businesses. The company hasspecialisms in many industrial andcommercial areas, which complementand enhance our own and will enableus to further extend our services to themarket. The company also has a strongtrack record in permanent recruitment,which will help to support our growthbeyond our traditional temporary andindustrial sectors. The acquisition willfurther enhance our presence in SouthYorkshire and in the Midlands region.”

TEK Personnel was established in 1984and currently employs 24 staff across itsthree offices – Sheffield, Derby and

Wolverhampton. The company has alongstanding UK-wide client basepredominantly in the manufacturing,engineering, technical, construction,sales & marketing and IT sectors.

To find out more about TEK pleasevisit www.tekpersonnel.co.uk

Stafforce acquires TEKPersonnel ConsultantsStafforce Personnel has acquired specialistprovider TEK Personnel Consultants, as part ofits ambitious expansion plans.

Association of Labour Providers

ALP

Read about the new web-enabled customer relationshipmanagement system thatStafforce is launching in 2012. Thislatest technology will support us inimproving client profitability andrevolutionise how we work...

Wishing everyone a Happy New Yearfrom all at Stafforce

Ian Anderson, Stafforce Chief Executive with Mike Childs

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