King’s College London
Around half of workers in electrical contracting industry work falsely as self-employed or on a “gig” basis.
Image courtesy of Ivan Bandura @unsplash
A report by Howard Gospel, Emeritus Professor of Management, on behalf of the electrical contracting industry’s Joint Industry Board says that the steady growth in the use of non-direct, off-payroll working has a negative impact on productivity, skills, and safety in the sector, as well as implications for UK tax receipts.
Drawing on interviews with over 50 industry leaders, published and unpublished materials, government reports, and peer-reviewed academic research, Professor Gospel’s report concludes that while subcontracting and self-employment are essential features of electrical contracting and other parts of the construction industry, the balance has been allowed to tip too far away from direct employment, with currently only half the workforce in directly employment.