Guidance For Employers

We've compiled answers to the most common questions we get from employers below. Can't find the answer you need? Drop us an email at employers@workfinder.com

• Getting Started
• Types Of Roles
• Payment
• Under 18s

Getting Started

• What are the key benefits to using Workfinder?

  Workfinder connects you with the best and brightest candidates for high impact remote roles in your business. Whether you need more hands for marketing, data, or tech based projects, you can access talented candidates to help you.

  Our intelligent algorithm matches the best candidates with your role. We provide practical tips, guidance, and regular check-ins needed to keep the project on track and deliver value, without the burden of it all falling on you.

• What is the cost of using your service?

  Candidates: FREE - We strongly believe that opportunities should be open to all candidates, that is why Workfinder will always be free for our candidates to use.

  Organisations are charged subscription fees and role fees where applicable. This is determined by the package they select and the opportunities they offer. More details can be found here.

  You can access our full terms and conditions here.

• Is your service open to all candidates?

  Yes, all candidates are welcome to use the Workfinder service. The service is most suited to 16 to 24 year olds.

• Can we use the Workfinder service at any time?

  Workfinder is an on-demand service, meaning businesses and candidates can access the platform at any point in time. We want to encourage candidates to engage with companies for work experience at a time that is suitable for them.

• As an employer making an offer of work experience role, am I required to carry out Right to Work checks?

  Yes. The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 does not distinguish between paid and unpaid work, therefore the applicant must satisfy these checks prior to starting work. We recommend you examine the documents proving ‘right to work’ as part of the on-boarding procedure on the first day.

• What hours would a candidate be expected to work?

  The working hours for this would be decided between you and candidate. We ask that you encourage candidates to keep to set working hours, take regular breaks and to use a good working environment i.e. using a desk and chair where possible rather than a less supportive sofa to sit at all day, and if possible encouraging candidates to work in a space where they get natural light.

• How many candidates should be in a particular project?

  We recommend you work with a team of candidates, so they can separate the workload and utilise their skills and talents appropriately. We also find that candidates who work in groups of two or more are able to ‘buddy up’ and solve challenges between them which reduces the demand on the current team.

  Collaboration is a key skill needed in industry, the projects will provide an excellent opportunity for candidates to work in partnership with others they have not met before.

• How are duties managed to deliver a whole project?

  The project is managed by you and you will ultimately be the person who decides on the number of candidates, mix of candidates and the delivery of the project. We recommend the ideal skill set mixture for a project, but the final decision is yours.

• How is Workfinder responding to Covid-19?

  Like many businesses, the team at Workfinder are now working remotely and continue to support both businesses and students to make meaningful connections.

  We have launched a new programme to enable the flexibility that both candidates and employers need.

  We offer remote work experience projects which are designed to be short and intensive two-week activity that will provide value to both sides. Our intelligent algorithm matches the best candidates with their role. We provide practical tips, guidance, and regular check-ins needed to keep the project on track and deliver value.

Types Of Roles

• What projects will the candidates work on?

  You have the option to post opportunities of various types and lengths. These can range from a few days of shadowing to a sandwich year role or multi-month internship.

  We have a selection of relevant and valuable project templates to choose from that have been created based on feedback from businesses around what most benefit them. They are customisable o allow you to make amendments to fit your specific situation and need. View them here

• What do you mean by Work Experience?

  The Department for Education describes three patterns that work experience for 16-19 year old study programmes are expected to follow. You can read the full departmental advice for post-16 education and training providers here.

  • Experiential work experience is ‘one or two short periods of work experience or other work-related learning to test out vocational ideas connected to future study or employment options, such as study visits, projects and engagement with local enterprise’
  • The vocational model is ‘focused on a particular vocational area to contribute directly to a study programme’
  • Finally, the extended model focuses on “developing employability skills, with maths and English covering the majority of the study programme time” and will apply to candidates on a traineeship, who need additional support to prepare them for apprenticeships or a Supported Internship

  We anticipate that candidates will use Workfinder for experiential and vocation reasons as they explore the paths that will be open to them when they complete their formal education.

• What is a high quality work experience role?

  The common principles of a high quality work experience role are that it:

  • is purposeful, substantial, offers challenge and is relevant to the candidates' study programme and career aspirations;
  • is managed under the direction of a supervisor to ensure the candidates obtains a genuine learning experience suited to their needs;
  • has a structured plan for the duration of the role which provides tangible outcomes for the candidates and employer;
  • focuses on the skills required for that occupational sector;
  • has clear roles, responsibilities and expectations for the candidates and employer;
  • is followed by some form of reference or feedback from the employer based on the candidate performance.

  Ofsted state that work experience must be purposeful and planned. It should give candidates the opportunity to develop vocational and employability skills in real working conditions.

  Work experience should contribute to candidate overall development. For example, when considering outcomes for candidates, inspectors will explore how well they can develop their employability and vocational skills and personal effectiveness (e.g. attendance, attitudes, punctuality, and behaviour) in relation to their starting points while on work experience.

Payment

• Do we pay the candidates for roles?

  We absolutely believe candidates should be paid for the work they do for a company. We strongly advocate that companies pay living wage for all candidates. The current rates are:-

  National Minimum Wage
  Age 18-20 - £6.56
  Age 21-22 - £8.36
  Age 23+ - £8.91
  National Living Wage
  Age 25+ - £8.72
  The Living Wage - 18+
  £10.85 in London
  £9.50 across the UK
  

  Companies can offer voluntary roles as a learning experience. These can range from virtual work experience roles to specific roles which give candidates an insight into a role, career, company or sector. It is important to note that unpaid opportunities with companies are voluntary. Candidates should not be asked fill an existing or potential vacancy, be offered incentives (e.g. future work or bonuses) or for the role to be long term in nature. Charities and roles linked to university degrees do not have to follow this guidance.

• How will I reimburse the candidate?

  This is up to you, however we recommend that if the role is less that 4 weeks that they simply invoice you, for anything longer than 4 weeks you should process via your payroll in the usual way.

• Will candidates know if a project is paid before applying?

  Absolutely, they will receive details of the project, the company, the suggested activities and the expected outcomes before they decide to apply to be part of the remote team.

Under 18

• Is guardian / parental consent required for candidates to use the service?

  No. Much the same way that parental consent is not needed for Google or other apps, parental consent is not needed to use Workfinder.

  The obligation to obtain parental consent in order to download an app from the app store is dependent on whether or not any information is being required from the person downloading. We do not require the user to disclose any information to us in order to use the search aspect of the services.

• Is guardian or parental consent required for candidates to apply for a Work Experience role?

  No. The requirement to obtain parental consent in order to transmit an application to an employer is dependent on the type of personal data being transmitted.

  Where the data is used for any of the following, it is advised that parental/guardian consent is obtained:

  • disclosure of the child's name to a third party;
  • use of the child's details for marketing;
  • publication of the child's image on a website that anyone can see; or
  • the collection of personal data about third parties, for example where a child is asked to provide information about his or her family members or friends

  In order to protect candidates from inadvertent discrimination, Workfinder does not transmit the applicant's name or personal data to the employer, nor do we use their details for any marketing activity, or to display pictures on any public website, and we do not collect information about the candidates' families and friends.

  Much the same way that Royal Mail does not have an obligation to read a letter between a candidate and a CEO, and BT does not have the obligation to listen to the dialogue between a candidate and a business employer, we also don’t have the obligation to monitor this transaction.

  We collect the date of birth after the candidate has applied for work experience. The date of birth is then used to determine if the candidate needs parental consent before accepting the offer of a work role.

• At what age is a candidate able to legally accept an offer of a Work Experience role?

  Employers can offer Work Experience to any candidate using the app, but must be aware that any contract entered into between them and a candidate under the age of 18 in England and Wales (or under the age of 16 in Scotland) is voidable at the candidates' option. This means that the candidate can still enforce the contract against the employer, but the employer may not be able to enforce the contract against the candidate (for example, any confidentiality obligations agreed between you and the candidate could be unenforceable, so please manage these relationships more carefully).

  If the applicant is under 16 we recommend that the employer gain parent or guardian consent before the role starts.

• Do I need to have a health and safety policy in order to offer work experience role?

  Yes. If organisations already employ candidate, risk assessments won’t need to be repeated for work experience candidates. Employers with fewer than 5 employees won’t need a written risk assessment. For more information, visit the Health and Safety Executive’s website and read the guidance on work experience here. http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/index.htm

  Read the brief guide to health and safety for employers for candidate and work experience

  Provided the company holds employer’s liability insurance and the insurer is a member of the Association of British Insurers or Lloyds (the vast majority are) then it automatically includes candidate on work experience and treats them as employees for the duration of their role. The Health and Safety Executive advise that employers inform their insurer that they will have candidates on roles but they should be automatically covered.

  There are very few work activities a candidate cannot do due to health and safety law. However, it’s important to remember that the employer has the primary responsibility for the health and safety of the candidate and should be managing any significant risks. This can be done by explaining the risks and how they are controlled when inducting any individual undertaking work experience, checking that they understand what they have been told and know how to raise health and safety concerns.

  The following guidelines from ABI reinforce this: https://www.abi.org.uk/~/media/Files/Documents/Publications/Public/Migrated/Liability/ABI%20guide%20to%20insurance%20and%20work%20experience.pdf

• Do I need to have a Safeguarding policy in order to offer work experience role?

  Yes

  If the applicant is younger than 16, we encourage the employer making an offer over our service to confirm that they have a safeguarding policy in our terms and conditions.

  Some of the best advice can be find found on the health and safety executive website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/placeprovide.htm

  There is an excellent guide on what needs to go into a safeguarding policy and sample policy statements on the NSPCC website if you do not yet have one.

• Do I need to have employer’s liability insurance in order to offer work experience roles?

  Yes.

  We work to the guidelines laid down by the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for Education. There are no restrictions relating to whether a child is over or under 16.

  We ask the employer to confirm that they have employer’s liability insurance in our terms and conditions and this is indicated in the employer briefing we make available to the candidate and their parent guardian (if consent required).

  Provided the company holds employer’s liability insurance and the insurer is a member of the Association of British Insurers or Lloyds (the vast majority are) then it automatically includes candidate on work experience and treats them as employees for the duration of their role.

  The Health and Safety Executive advises that employers inform their insurer that they will have candidates on roles but they should be automatically covered. Please see HSE advice: http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/placeprovide.htm Read the brief guide to health and safety for employers for candidate and work experience here.

  The following guidelines from ABI reinforce this: https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Products/Business-insurance/Liability-insurance/Employers-liability-insurance https://www.abi.org.uk/~/media/Files/Documents/Publications/Public/Migrated/Liability/ABI%20guide%20to%20insurance%20and%20work%20experience.pdf

• Do I need to undergo DBS check in order to host work experience?

  There is no requirement to DBS check employees although some schools prefer to avoid candidates working with a sole trader. The responsibility is that of the applicant or the person giving permission to the candidate to accept the work role on offer.

  If the candidate or the person the applicant seeks permission from asks for a DBS check in order to grant permission, they can indicate this by messaging to the employer, outlining the reason. If the employer does not provide what the consent-provider needs, then the job offer will lapse.

• Will my premises be visited before candidates are allowed to work?

  It is not a legal requirement, but if the candidate requires permission in order to work for you, then the school or parent may wish to insist on visiting your workplace in order to convince themselves that it is safe and secure. After you make the offer, if this is required by the parent, then we will let you know via email.

  If you would like more information, please follow the link below:
  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/534922/Post_16_work_experience_guidance.pdf

• Are the candidates' contact details shared with the employer?

  The candidates' contact information is passed on to you after the candidate accepts your offer of a work experience role.

  We understand and make clear in our terms and conditions that the offer of employment is subject to the candidate producing proof of age and proof of ability to work in the UK which the employer examines as part of the on-boarding procedure on the first day.

• As an employer making an offer of work experience role, am I required to carry out Right to Work checks for candidates aged 16 years or over?

  Yes. The immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 does not distinguish between paid and unpaid work, therefore the applicant must satisfy these checks prior to starting work. We recommend you examine the documents proving ‘right to work’ as part of the on-boarding procedure on the first day.

• Can candidate undertake Work Experience during school days or Sunday?

  Our service allows both the candidate and the employer to agree the times and dates of work experience role.

  The role is up to you and whether or not it is convenient to you to host a candidate on a regular school day or at the weekend. The concept of ‘a Saturday Job’ has been around a long time and is transformative to candidates. Some schools encourage candidates to do work experience every other Friday in the afternoon. Others for the first couple of weeks in July. Parents often help their children find a work experience role during half-term break or at Easter / Summer break.

• What do I do if something happens to the candidate during the work experience role we are hosting?

  If an incident occurs during the work experience role, please inform us (incident@workfinder.com) as soon as possible.

• What are the Terms and Conditions of making an offer to candidate?

  The full terms and conditions for the work experience role service can be found here , but we summarise the most important points for employers:

  • You agree to take full responsibility of the candidate when you are hosting them
  • You have Employer Liability Insurance and can provide proof of this
  • You have ensured all health and safety issues are addressed for a person this age
  • You will provide an induction into your company on the first day of the role
  • You will contact Workfinder if there are any issues
  • You will provide feedback to the candidate after the work experience role ends