Procurer of temporary agency labour de Poel has issued advice on how retailers can avoid employee theft in the run up to Christmas.

A report by the Centre for Retail Research suggests that employee theft is increasing in the retail sector and that workers are the most prolific of shoplifters in the UK.

The shocking figures, which suggested that employee theft accounted for a loss of almost £1,600 per incident compared with £80 for thieves from outside the business, was put down to people trying to maintain a high-standard of living during the recession.

The solution, says de Poel, is not necessarily expensive CCTV or security guards, but effective management of agency suppliers and increased support for temporary workers.

As well as urging retailers to keep close tabs on the agencies they work with, de Poel suggest optimising the rates paid to workers and ensuring they receive proper inductions irrespective of transient employment arrangements.

Matthew Sanders (pictured), chief executive of de Poel, says: “What companies need to do is effectively manage their agency suppliers to ensure that quality staff are provided, and keep close tabs on agencies to ensure they carry out all the necessary checks on workers.

“They also need to make sure workers are paid the optimum amount for the job they’re doing and that they receive proper company inductions.

“Agencies can get away with paying the candidate less and taking more for themselves, which means temps are sometimes undercut where pay rates and margins aren’t transparent to the employer. Inductions can often be forgotten about where workers are only in a position for a matter of weeks.”