Over the past 30 years, the UK has seen levels of direct employment decline steeply – significantly higher than in any other comparable European countries. Direct employment improves productivity, protects the industry against future threats and underpins a safer and healthier workforce. It also allows for investment in people and results in better jobs and careers. It is for this reason that direct employment is a key foundation of the JIB agreement and why JIB membership is recognised as the mark of a quality employer.
JIB members have a commercial advantage over their competitors as joining the JIB is considered by industry as a positive investment in an organisation’s workforce and seen as a mark of good employers delivering high quality results.
In a JIB membership survey the top three membership benefits were listed as:
- Providing benefit and health schemes (including private healthcare and occupational training)
- Employment law, guidance and advice
- Training: Skills Development Fund and support for apprentices
Benefits such as these and many others, including discounts on a number of services, are exclusively available to JIB members and are just one of the reasons why the JIB has been urging clients and large contractors to award contracts to firms that directly employ their skilled workforce, delivering a more productive and safer environment for the future.
The JIB has produced a comprehensive report on Direct Employment which highlights the negative impact the steady growth in non-direct, off-payroll working is having on the UK electrical contracting and construction industries. Download the full report here.
