Member

There is another key consideration for many businesses—particularly small businesses—in areas such as retail and hospitality. Temporary or flexible workers are often an essential part of the workforce. The requirement to offer guaranteed hours to these employees may seem like a positive step for job security. However, in practice, many businesses will be left with a stark choice: either scale back on hiring or risk running into financial difficulties if they cannot adjust staffing levels to meet real-time demand. In sectors where business is often unpredictable, such as retail or hospitality, small businesses simply may not have the same resources or capacity as larger enterprises to absorb the costs of guaranteed hours. We fear that the incentives the Government are creating could well lead to fewer opportunities for temporary workers, fewer hires and, ultimately, less job security overall.