The Recruitment and Employment Confederation published its election manifesto today, ‘Making Great Work Happen’.

The manifesto calls for a modern and flexible outlook to drive growth and opportunity. The REC stated that the next government will need a new approach to work if it is to boost the economy and support workers.

The 2019 General Election in the UK is set to take place on 12 December 2019.

Through the ‘Making Great Work Happen’ manifesto, the REC and its members will be calling on candidates and party HQs to back key policy recommendations.

Among these recommendations include:

• Accepting that people work in a range of different, more flexible ways because it works for them, and designing policy that reflects this new normal. A priority would be to ensure the apprenticeship levy works for flexible workers too.

• Acknowledging that people need to be at the heart of the industrial strategy, with a new focus on staff engagement and to promote productivity growth, opportunity and inclusion. The REC wants to work with government on a new ‘Good Recruitment Taskforce’ to help drive good recruitment.

• Ensuring regulation is fit for purpose, by delaying IR35 changes until it’s clear that compliant firms won’t lose out, with effective regulation of umbrella companies a necessity.

• Building an immigration policy that works for our economy and public services by addressing skills and labour shortages. A temporary visa designed to address key shortages at all pay levels is essential, as well as a clear and well-run work permits system.

Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, commented, “Our call on broadening the apprenticeship levy to support the UK’s flexible workforce is a measure of how serious any government is about work. Policies which are designed to exclude temporary and part-time workers need to be consigned to history – a much more flexible approach is needed.”

“Delaying IR35 implementation is not about avoiding change – it is about making sure change is effective. Without adequate time for businesses and HMRC to prepare, there is a huge risk that compliant firms and contractors will lose out to the non-compliant,” Carberry said.

The REC added that it continues to campaign for broadening the apprenticeship levy to work for flexible staff.

The REC also stated that the next government should increase support for those affected by collapses such as Thomas Cook by building on the existing Rapid Response Unit within the Department for Work & Pensions.

“An all-age work advice service that harnesses the expertise of businesses and recruitment professionals could really help job seekers,” the REC stated.