Recruitment and selection of employees - AQAContracts of employment

A contract of employment should be given to every employee within two months of starting work. It is a legal agreement between the employer and employee, which sets out the terms and conditions of employment, including:

• working hours
• pay
• holidays
• duties
• place of work
• notice period

There are a number of different types of contract that an employee could be given. The main ones include full time, part time, job share and zero hours contracts. Often, a business will have a mixture of employees with a range of different employment contracts.

Full time

A full-time employee works a full working week, usually between 35-40 hours over five days each week. Full-time staff are beneficial to a business as they are likely to be more skilled and committed to the long-term success of the business. There is also better communication as full-time staff are more likely to be at work at the same time and can speak directly to each other.

Full-time contracts are beneficial to employees as they will receive a higher wage than part-time employees. They are also likely to have more training opportunities, and are more likely to gain promotion because they spend more time at work.

Part time

A part-time employee works fewer hours than the normal working week, usually between 10 and 30 hours. Part-time employees are beneficial to a business as they help during busy periods, or they may complete a role that does not require them to work full time. For example, restaurants and bars may employ more staff at the weekend.

Part-time contracts are beneficial to employees as it allows them to work around other commitments, such as childcare. Some older employees may not want to retire but may no longer want to work full-time.

Job share

A job share is when two or more employees combine to fill one job role. This is good for employees who want to work part time hours and can bring more skills into the business.

Zero hours contracts

Zero hours contracts mean that an employee has no set or guaranteed hours of work, so for example one week they may work for five hours and the next they may work for 30 hours. This gives the business flexibility to meet increases in demand without having to pay staff when they are not needed. However, employees will not have job security or a regular level of income, which could make them less loyal to the business.