With the UK logistics industry preparing for the busiest time of year, many companies are facing more pressure around ensuring their business and workforce are set for the inevitable annual spike in demand. Typically, recruiting new self-employed delivery drivers involves advertising, finding the best-suited candidates, contacting them and manually sorting out all required documentation such as driving licences, ID, toxicology, tax and right-to-work documents.
All of this can take considerable amounts of time throughout the year, but this becomes even more of a burden during peak period. Now, as we move towards the end of summer, UK businesses are harnessing software to improve their processes around personnel and make sure they’re in the best position to manage this year’s Christmas peak.
Taking on Technology
In order to maximise efforts ahead of the peak period, many last-mile delivery firms have opted to use innovative workforce management technology to streamline their processes around onboarding, payments and much more. This use of cutting-edge technology allows business owners to drastically cut down on paperwork whilst freeing them up to focus on growing their businesses.
These workforce management systems, such as Wise, provide improved clarity to main contractors so that they can see a complete overview of their subcontractors as well as their pipeline of incoming drivers.
Conquering Compliance
Managing compliance around self-employment is essential for any thriving delivery business and managing everything from contracts to documentation is an integral part of this.
Traditionally, many firms have spent vast amounts of time worrying about everything from IR35 to employment status and potential readiness for an upcoming HMRC audit. Now, with the introduction of user-friendly software, these firms are able to receive expert legal support, sign and share contracts digitally and keep an online record of all documentation.
All of this combines to not only provide stress-relief, but means the subcontractor drivers can be confident that they’re also protected.
Bringing in Benefits
Traditionally, self-employed individuals haven’t been able to get some of the perks that are often given to full-time employees. Now, through third party software, many delivery businesses can offer their subcontractors access to essential products such as accountancy and invoicing support, whilst even getting them access to unique high-street discounts. By providing these different facets, logistics business owners are able to not only create a more attractive offer than their competitors, but increase driver retention rates.
James Orton is Chief Technology Officer at Wise, a tech firm specialising in improving self-employment within the UK delivery sector. He said: “We have seen the key areas main contractors have been struggling with for years in terms of engaging with a self-employed workforce and know how this is only exacerbated during peak period.
“Now, with the free Wise platform easing these stress-points for over 250 UK delivery firms, we’re seeing how business owners can not only save time, money and stress for themselves, but create a vastly improved self-employment experience for their drivers at the same time.”
To find out more about the Wise platform and how it’s revolutionising self-employment, head to www.withwise.com
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