Is temporary work right for me?

Working in a permanent full-time role doesn’t always suit every lifestyle.

Whether you need flexible hours to fit around the school run or you’re not a fan of the routine 9-5 hours, there are plenty of reasons why you may want to venture into temporary work.

Luckily, KPI can offer these kinds of opportunities in abundance. You just need to register with one of our branches and let us know when you are available to work and we find a job that suits your needs.

Generally speaking, you’ll be working shifts on a contracted basis. So if a certain role doesn’t quite work for you, at least you know you can find something fresh in the next few weeks or months.

However, when you’re new to the temp industry the grass isn’t always greener. So it’s important to identify whether that kind of role is perfectly suited to your personality, requirements and mindset.

Here’s everything you need to know before you make an informed decision.

What is temporary work?

When you work on a temporary basis, you are technically employed.

However, this is on a contracted basis either directly via the company/organisation or through a recruitment agency.

Here at KPI Recruiting, temporary work can range from a matter of days to months, with the rate of pay usually calculated on an hourly basis.

Although you may find some positions offer a pro-rata salary which is an annual salary divided by the number of hours that you work every week/month.

You may find that working in certain areas of the country will pay you differently as well.

For instance, temp warehouse jobs based in London will usually offer slightly more to compensate for the high living costs in the capital city.

The pros of becoming a temporary worker

1. You’ll quickly realise how simple it is to get a new position as a temp.
2. If you’re looking to work flexibly around your lifestyle, this type of contract is absolutely ideal for you.
3. Another plus point is the fact that no day is ever the same with temporary work, as you can easily change roles once the contract is up.
4. Similar to freelancing in other industries, you essentially have more control over your career, instead of being tied up in long-term permanent roles.
5. If all the HR and payroll is dealt with by the recruitment company, you’ll have the added benefit of having someone proactively working on your behalf to ensure you’re paid on time and your needs are adhered to. This is an added peace of mind, especially when you’re new to the temping world.

The cons of becoming a temporary worker

1. On the flip side, one of the biggest challenges with contracting is the uncertainty it can bring jumping from one role to another.
2. Plus, you must accept that you might not always jump straight back into back-to-back roles. Therefore, this requires a particular mindset to keep yourself motivated again and again.
3. The only other real con to temping is that you don’t always get the added benefits of permanent care workers.

The main element to consider is just evaluating the pros and cons.

Do the pros of a more flexible lifestyle outweigh the slight uncertainty you can get with shorter-term contracts?

You will need to bring with you:

• Up to date CV to help us identify your skills and experience.
• relevant certificates or licences
• Passport or full birth certificate

If you are looking for temporary work you will also need to provide the additional information:

• National Insurance Number
• Bank Details
• Reference contacts would also be useful and help us to place you into work quicker if you are seeking temporary work.

You will also be asked to complete an application form, your registration may take 45 minutes to an hour so please allow this time so our consultants can really find out what kind of roles you are seeking.

To register with KPI you will need:
– Proof of ID – full passport or birth certificate ( we do not accept driving licences)
– Proof of address
– Your National Insurance Number
– Your right to work in the UK
– Bank Details

Yes of course! You can put yourself forward for as many roles, that we believe are suitable for you, as you want. If you get offered more than one position then the choice is yours!

No, Never! Our KPI team will always ask your permission first and make sure that you are happy to be put forward to a company before sending your CV over to a client. If you don’t want us to, then we won’t. It is as simple as that!

We acknowledge all applications via e-mail, if we think that you are suitable for the role then we will contact you to discuss the role within 2 to 3 working days. If we have not contacted you by then it could be that we felt you were unsuitable for the role or that we have not received your CV.

Here at KPI we take complaints seriously. You can raise any complaints you have by emailing marketing@kpir.co.uk and one of our managers will be in touch to help resolve the issue.

Yes you do! We can tell you how much holiday entitlement you have accrued if you email your local consultant. In accordance with the Governments Working Time Regulations, you are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday each leave year (the holiday year runs from when you join KPI). A weeks’ holiday will be the equivalent to your ‘normal’ working week. We can tell you how much holiday entitlement you have accrued if you email your local consultant.  Please note holiday pay cannot be carried over to the next year.

Bank Holidays are part of your holiday accrual and if you wish to be paid for a Bank holiday then you need to request a paid holiday.  Contact your local branch.

Yes you will receive a pension contribution whilst work through KPI Recruiting.  KPI has chosen to use NEST to help you save for your retirement. After 12 weeks in employment with KPI and depending on your age and earnings you may be automatically enrolled into NEST. If you’re enrolled into NEST you’ll receive an information pack in the post. You and KPI will pay minimum contributions based on a percentage of your pay, but if you want, you can add more to your pot.

Don’t worry, you can complete a P46, which we use to inform the tax office of your status.  this usually means you will be on a basic rate tax code so if you do get your P45 then let us have it as soon as possible.

The current National living and minimum wages are as follows;

Wage band	Current rate (from 1 April 2023)
Age 23 or over (National Living Wage)	£10.42
Age 21 to 22	£10.18
Age 18 to 20	£7.49
Under 18	£5.28