Seeing full value in work that’s temporary

There’s been a fundamental shift in the way companies do business today as staffing services have become a more vital part of business and hiring strategies. Since the great recession, U.S. staffing firms have created more jobs than any other industry and are expected to grow faster and add more new jobs in the next decade, according to American Staffing Association (ASA). Business owners are increasingly using temporary and contract staffing as a means to help them quickly react to changing market conditions.

This change in hiring preference can be seen in recent data from ASA, which confirms the number of Americans employed by staffing companies rose 6 percent in the first quarter of 2012 to an average of 2.78 million daily.

And according to the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS), the Canadian Staffing Index, which measures the hours of labor performed by temporary and contract staff, increased 21 percent in June, year to date.

Express Employment Professionals recently conducted a survey of 665 employers throughout the U.S. and Canada and found that many planned on adding temporary workers in the third quarter, especially in the commercial and light industrial sectors.

Staffing agencies are allowing businesses the flexibility to expand and decrease their workforces to meet demand. Like employers, workers are also seeing the benefits of flexible employment. According to a recent story by National Public Radio, temporary employment is a good way to get a foot in the door with a company in a down economy. Contingent workers also have the freedom to travel and work in different fields. Working on a temporary basis for different employers allows individuals an opportunity to increase their skill sets, widen networking circles, and have flexibility in their work life. Because of this freedom, more workers are using temporary work to stay effective in their specific fields.

By working in different environments, social settings and businesses, workers have to adapt their specific skills and training to fit in the ever-changing company cultures. This is one reason contingent workers are becoming more effective and experienced in the workplace.

Another trend in this industry is staffing employees are working for firms longer than ever before. The staffing industry lately has seen an increase in tenure compared to previous years. While employers cautiously wait to see if the economic growth will be sustained, they are keeping contract workers for extended periods. Workers are seeing this as a great way to potentially be hired on full time with companies later.

A study by ASA in 2011 found that when the economy is growing at a normal rate, 53 percent of staffing employees who remain in the workforce bridge to full-time employment. This is why temporary work is becoming so attractive to top talent. It provides them more opportunities while giving employers a first-hand look at their potential to thrive in a company.

In the next 10 years, the U.S. staffing industry is expected to grow faster and add more new jobs than nearly any other industry, according to ASA. And to solidify its proper place, the BLS believes the demand for temporary help will generate a significant amount of employment growth during this next decade.

The staffing industry is growing and becoming a more vital aspect of the business environment, and temporary workers are on the front end leading the change.

Mike Epsztein is owner of Express Employment Professionals, a Chelmsford- and Nashua-based provider of staffing and employment services for an array of industries. Contact him at mike.epsztein@expresspros.com or (978)-256-1101.