Notwithstanding the changing nature of the workplace and workforce, secure employment remains a key focus for many.
Whilst organisations need to embrace the change in workplace and workforce structures, organisations can still do so in a manner that recognises the value of employment and training for every individual.
Organisations should at all times avoid constructing arrangements to disguise relationships that would otherwise be recognised as an employment relationship under the law. Such arrangements undermine the relationship between the individual and the organisation, disadvantage the individual and evinces a clear intention of the organisation’s view on compliance with the country’s laws.
It is recognised however that there is also a need for the legislative landscape to be improved to permit organisations to ‘invest’ in those individuals who are in a ‘true’ non-employment relationship without fear of those individuals being classified as employees. Surely, any investment, training and development by an organisation is better than no training, investment or development.
If your organisation has not recently undertaken a review of arrangements with non-employee individuals, it is suggested that one should be done. In making the assessment, be open and true to yourself as to whether the arrangement is truly that which it has been classified, is it beneficial to the individual or is the organisation seeking to take advantage of, for example, a disparity in bargaining power or knowledge of benefits and detriments of such an arrangement.