This newsletter is distributed to anyone selling in a Slivers-Of-Time
marketplace. Also, to those waiting for a market to start in their area who have registered at www.sliversoftime.com
It will keep you posted on developments in this exciting new way of working. |
 |
IN THIS ISSUE |
| |
- SELLER IN THE SPOLIGHT: £11.00 AN HOUR!
- SLIVERS FUTURES: DERBY RACE
-
TIP: GO PITCH YOURSELF!
-
CASE STUDY: SLIVERS HQ | |
|
| |
 |
SELLER IN THE SPOLIGHT |
| |
£11.00 an hour! |
| |
|
|
|
Rubbers ready: James
in mid booking.
|
We have to keep saying it: employers are desperate for extra workers who are reliable and eager. It doesn't matter if you have formal skills, it's about your attitude. Now, for the first time ever, we're beginning to see the day-to-day market value of willingness-to-work.
Take 19 year old James Dennis [Bookings: 74, Hours Sold: 384, Buyers 8]. He's reached Market Level 5 (out of 6) in our East London market. As James has risen up the market – showing he's constantly dependable for a range of employers - he's progressively bumped up his basic rate. He has no formal skills, he only works odd hours around his college commitments, but he now commands £11.00 an hour, plus his personal mark-ups for travel, short notice or short shifts.
“I tried a bit of shop work and a bit of waiting in a restaurant on minimum wage before I discovered Slivers” says James. “But neither of them could be made to fit in with my study patterns.” He signed up for Slivers-of-Time Working and has now gained experience in call centres, office refurbishments, recycling, data-entry and archiving. His advice for anyone selling Slivers? “You've got to do your bookings. Last week I was lying in bed when I got a booking. I had to rush off and do it, I want to keep my rate rising.”
What do James' buyers think? “Slivers allows a kind of performance-related pay” says his most recent hirer. “There's plenty of other sellers available, if he's getting that it's because our managers think he's worth it”.
|
| | |
|
| |
|
SLIVERS FUTURES: |
| |
Derby race |
| |
|
|
|
On the Wicket: Slivers
event at cricket club. |
Organisations around the country are staging events to introduce Slivers to their community. Two weeks ago, it was Derby's turn. Local agency, Prepared to Work took over a room at the City's cricket club for two hours and invited employers and work seekers to look at interacting in this new way.
“It was incredibly positive” says Sarah Tunnicliffe of P-to-W. “We had about 50 employers and press coverage in the Evening Telegraph and Radio Derby.” Now leads are being followed up.“We have a grounds maintenance company who want a lot of workers just for sunny days in the summer and a furniture company who need assemblers”. What about potential sellers in the city? “We have an active Single Father's club here” Sarah explains. “Many of them want to work but can't get truly child-friendly hours”.
The event was hard work to run. But that should change in the future. Slivers should be launched in Derby by end of the year. After that, two hour events can be staffed instantly and effortlessly!
|
| | |
|
| |
|
TIP: |
| |
Go pitch yourself! |
| |
|
|
|
Cartoon by Shamima Aktar Koli, Slivers-
of-Time seller [Bookings: 60, Hours Sold:
172, Buyers: 4]
|
When you get into a Slivers market, think about how to describe yourself in your “About Me” page. List anything you've done which involved getting along with other people, working reliably or getting lots of tasks done. School achievements are a good place to start. |
| | |
|
| |
|
CASE STUDY: |
| |
Slivers HQ |
| |
It takes time for organisations to work out how to really make use of Slivers-of-Time sellers. Here at Slivers HQ in East London we've had plenty of time to think about it. We use Slivers sellers to maintain a serviced office environment….for about a fifth of the normal cost.
Our Office Manager Leo Andrade explains “I book a seller for 90 minutes starting at 8.00 every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They clean everything each time and empty the bins. On Friday they also take out the recycling then replenish the kitchen and stationery cupboard.” That's all basic stuff. But we also have touches like a fruit bowl in reception. It's replenished every other day; at supermarket prices.
We could use a small number of sellers over and over again. But Leo keeps costs down – and spreads opportunity around the local area – by buying people who are new to the market. He gives each one a clipboard with a list of tasks at the start of a booking. There's another reason for using market newbies: talent spotting. Leo knows all about that. He was a Slivers seller [Bookings: 13, Hours Sold: 152, Buyers: 7] when we spotted his potential doing data entry bookings and offered him a full time job.
|
| | | |
|
June 2007
Published on the last Friday of the month |
|
|
Slivers-of-Time: the basics
Marketplaces for Slivers-of-Time are for:
who wants to work around other things in their life, such as:
-childcare
-studying
-part-time work
-caring for adult
-medical commitments
- Organisations who need top-up workers at short notice, for short periods:
-councils
-caterers
-retailers
-logistics supplier
Benefits:
- Sellers: do whatever odd hours of work they want and quickly build skills, experience and a track record they can print at any time.
- Buyers: access a self-selecting pool of local people who choose to work in a way that demands flexibility and rewards reliability.
Signing up:
Anyone who wants to know when a market-place is starting in their area should enter their details at:
www.sliversoftime.com
| |
