Midlands and North-West recruitment firm Extra Personnel has announced it will directly employ 6,000 temporary workers, giving them job security and employment benefits.

The workers will be known as ’flexi-workers’ and will have guaranteed hours of work and full benefits, including personal accident insurance, pension scheme, holiday club and maternity/paternity pay.

The scheme will apply to all workers across Extra Personnel’s 17 offices from semi-skilled to management.

Extra is one of the first independent recruitment agencies in the UK to directly employ its temporary workforce and managing director Jeremy McGrail believes it is a “win-win” situation for clients and staff.

He added: “It gives employees much more secured status, enabling them access to mortgage applications and creating a greater work-life balance, while receiving the benefits normally reserved for those in full time employment.

“We anticipate improved levels of client loyalty and commitment. Another significant benefit is that clients will no longer be responsible for the employment rights of the flexi-worker. This will be undertaken by Extra Personnel at no extra cost to the client.”

However, Daniel Naftalin, a partner in law firm Mishcon de Reya, said the move may be counter-productive for some temps.

He told Recruiter: “I can see the benefits for unskilled or semi-skilled employees because of the protection that contractual benefits allows. However, I cannot see it being an advantage for skilled part-time workers, who often enjoy the flexibility of working with different companies and sectors and not tied to one organisation.

“Extra Personnel will probably gain in terms of a larger retained temp pool, but may lose some of their skilled labour.”