In May a new training platform became the latest addition to the benefits we provide to our contractors.
We’re proud to offer our contractors who work with us on a Pay As You Earn pay model a range of support through our contractor benefits portal, which includes access to telephone and virtual GP appointments and private prescriptions, as well as wellbeing support and retail perks.
The introduction of a new training platform now allows PAYE contractors to access two new training courses free of charge.
What training courses are provided?
We know our contractors have already worked hard to undertake extensive training and assessment to gain technical qualifications to help them secure a broad range of contracting work – and we’re always keen to work with them to match these skills with rewarding roles.
Permanent employees within a business often have access to softer skills training through their employers, so we’re delighted to be introducing these to our PAYE contractors as well through our benefits portal.
Two training courses are available to complete free of charge – Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion; and Mental Health Awareness. We selected these topics because we know they are important focus areas within the sectors we support, as well as being of top priority for the NRL Group.
Learning more about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We’re committed to working with clients and industry stakeholders to champion diversity and understand that a key factor in this is ensuring people are given the opportunity to learn more about equality and the benefits of embracing different cultures and people’s personal beliefs.
The training course explains the Equality Act and protected characteristics, discusses discrimination, and provides practical tools to help deliver positive action.
NRL’s Regional Director Emma Lowden is passionate about working with clients to build diverse workforces, she explains why access to training is crucial.
“Whether you’re in a role responsible for hiring people or you work within a team, we can all benefit from training to help us better understand how to be more inclusive.
Colleagues across the NRL Group have taken specialist equality, diversity and inclusion training in recent years with the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) to help us recruit inclusively, and we’ve found it extremely beneficial for starting conversations and thinking differently.
Learning more about equality, diversity and inclusion helps everyone to self-reflect and ensure they can confidentially navigate the workplace and play their part in delivering change.”
Raising mental health awareness
Mental health is just as important as physical health, but it’s still often overlooked by people. Sometimes that comes from stigmas, in particular with men who don’t want to talk about how they’re feeling.
Thanks to awareness campaigns across the industry sectors we support, this is starting to change, which is why we felt it was crucial to include a mental health course within our training platform. It’s another topic that hits home with colleagues across the NRL Group, as Recruitment Consultant and volunteer Mental Health First Aider Georgia Coates explains.
“Changes in our mental health impacts our lives both inside and outside of work, so it’s important that everyone has the tools to be able to help us stay healthy and recognise when we need to take action.
Last year I was lucky enough to be able to undertake Mental Health First Aider training, as NRL are company supporters of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. Through the course, and the fantastic work the Lighthouse team do, I’m able to see the positive impact when people focus on their mental health – and in the construction and engineering sectors we support, this focus is crucial.
Training also helps us to recognise when our coworkers may need help and support, so I urge everyone to take up the opportunity to learn more about mental health when training is available.”
Accessing these training modules
Contractors who work with NRL on a Pay As You Earn (PAYE) pay model already have access to these modules through their contractor benefits portal. The new training feature automatically assigns the courses to them, and they are available to complete whenever they wish to do so.
If you’re interested in contracting with NRL on a PAYE basis, then register below to send us your CV and set-up job alerts to hear about the latest temporary contract work that matches your skills.