Umbrella companies often get a bad press and it seems like we’re constantly making the same arguments in their defence. It can feel like we’re being ignored, that we’re a fragile voice of reason being drowned out by the rabid mob. It’s tempting to ask why they hate us, why they’re lying, and what’s so very bad about employing contractors anyway?
As a leading UK umbrella company, Orange Genie believe we have a responsibility to look after our contractors. You can see this in some of the services we’ve included in our contractor benefits and rewards platform, Orange Genie Edge. But while we spend a lot of time talking about what those services do, we haven’t paid so much attention to what they mean to the people using them. In this article we’ll examine the impact of two of our most important services, Personal Doctor, and Support and Counselling.
When we ask recruiters what their biggest challenge is, attracting and retaining high quality contractors is always at the top of the list. It’s a challenge that’s getting more difficult all the time, particularly in sectors where key skills are in short supply, and contractor engagement could be the answer.
Recruiter's Guide to the Benefits of Orange Genie Edge: click here to download >>
According to mental health charity Mind, poor mental health is now the number one reason for staff absence from UK workplaces. Surprising as that is, there’s more. Here are some other statistics from Mind’s research:
One of the most common areas of confusion for umbrella company contractors is employment status. It’s easy to understand why, when so many in the industry also seem to be confused. If you’re working for an umbrella company, you can be forgiven for assuming you’re self-employed, or that you have some mysterious and complex “other” status.
