IR35 – Now isn’t the time to shift away from your brand culture

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Organisations work hard to define and demonstrate their culture and the values that their brand encompasses – whether that’s through targeted marketing activity, or a dedicated corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

That’s because how people perceive a brand’s culture is important across a wide range of stakeholders – from their own workforce, to their clients, suppliers and potential candidates.

According to Wonderful Workplaces’ research, 94% of jobseekers consider an employer’s reputation when applying for jobs. Clients and suppliers equally look for aligned business values that will demonstrate a good fit for a potential partnership. When businesses begin to consider their approach for ensuring IR35 compliance with HMRC, it’s crucial the actions they take are consistent with the brand experience they have worked hard to achieve.

“Clients, Hiring Managers, supply chain partners and candidates will be looking to your organisation for a consistent and fair experience of IR35 – one that’s true to your business values.”

– Richard Hanson, Linx Client Services Director

IR35 and Limited Company workers

IR35 heading into the Private Sector in April 2021 means that businesses will need to make tough decisions around how they continue to engage Limited Company contractors moving forward.

Whilst organisations should not see these off-payroll workers as part of their own workforce, these contractors are operating within their sector, interacting with their clients and by all purposes will still gain a perception of their brand and values. Tough conversations around in scope IR35 assignments therefore will need to be carefully managed to ensure contractors perceive this exchange as fair and aligned to their expectations of how the company will operate.

IR35 and your supply chain

For organisations utilising a workforce solutions provider to manage their contingent labour on their behalf, there is a clear structure for managing stakeholders in the supply chain. This single point of control provides the ideal platform to ensure the organisation’s approach to IR35 and how it aligns to business values, is consistent throughout the recruitment process and across all supply chain stakeholders.

As recruitment agencies engage with contractors, it should be the responsibility of the workforce solutions provider to ensure that these conversations reflect the brand experience and that recruitment processes do not deviate from the overall IR35 strategy.

Reference: Talent Management report, Raconteur, 11/03/2020