Partner Article

Biometrics eases Christmas rush for retailers

Tim Sutcliffe, managing director at Barker Ross, one of the UK’s biggest recruiters of temporary labour, explains how biometrics systems are essential for retailers dealing with the Christmas rush.

This year, as ever retailers are recruiting large numbers of temporary staff for the busy Christmas period. Argos has announced it will hire 12,000, Amazon and Matalan will be taking on an extra 10,000 and 5,000 staff respectively and discount retailer Poundland needs up to 2,000.

It would not be an understatement to say that the massive influx of temporary staff at Christmas puts a massive strain on finance, HR and administrative departments. Staff will be working different shifts and times, in response to shifting demand, and companies have to keep track of hours and accurately calculate pay. Calculations are even more complex as staff are moved from one department to another in response to shifting sales patterns.

It doesn’t take much to imagine the huge amount of back office work the influx generates. We’ve got large retail clients and over the years we’ve worked with them, not to just supply people, but also to help ease the administrative burden and control costs. And I’ve not doubt that the best way to do the job is to use biometrics.

Biometrics is technology that makes possible the recognition of people, through their fingerprints or faces. Today, biometrics technology acts as a modern ‘clocking in and out’ service.

It works quite simply. When we register a temporary worker at our offices, we record their bio data and this data is stored on a time and attendance system. When a worker ’clocks ’in at one of our clients, that biometric data triggers the system to track hours worked, including any lunch breaks or other absences from the workplace. This data can then be automatically matched with the charge rate, so staff are paid accurately and companies can control their costs with the minimum of effort.

As well as eliminating queries, biometric units can also be used for access control, so only candidates with authorisation can enter a site or area. Only people who have been thoroughly trained and vetted will be ‘clocked’ on, so you can ensure all health and safety considerations are met.

In addition, the data works together with existing recruitment payroll software to produce accurate reports by site, department or area. This enables analysis of work patterns to help with planning, profitability and productivity.

It’s a great technology that really delivers. We are encouraging all our clients to get involved with it, and those that have are really appreciated the multiple benefits, especially over the demanding Christmas period.

Ends

Contact:

Suzanne Orsler, Tel 07813 131350, smorsler@gmail.com

Jackie Moore, Tel 07595 893476, jackiemoore@barkerross.co.uk

Note to editors:

The Barker Ross Group has dedicated recruitment teams operating in the food, agriculture, waste, industrial, logistics, construction, civil engineering, energy, technical, engineering and housing sectors.

The group also includes Cardea, a recruitment business serving the health and social care sectors.

The Barker Ross Group has offices across the UK in Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Manchester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Northampton, & London.

www.barkerross.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Suzanne Orsler .