There are over 1.45 million people now working in temporary contracts (according to the Office for National Statistics Sept 2020). If you are considering temporary work (or even if you are currently on a temporary contract) it’s a good idea to understand why companies hire temps, so we have put together a brief overview for you below:
Companies utilise temporary staff for a number of reasons and it can be a fantastic way to provide flexibility and support for businesses through times of uncertainty, boosting productivity, managing heavy workloads, projects and generally getting them back up and running in order to allow them the time to make more informed decisions when confidence returns.
Temporary staffing benefits to businesses:
- Provides companies greater flexibility to manage fluctuations in workloads, large projects and tight deadlines.
- It allows companies the opportunity to create new teams, open new areas or expand their markets.
- Generates cost savings, both in time and money over recruiting permanently. With temporary staff, businesses only pay for a worker when they actually need them which creates greater efficiencies.
- Cover for holidays, absence due to illness, or sudden departures in staff allowing companies to carry on as normal.
- For most companies the major benefit of temporary staffing solutions is that they are able to see if workers fit into the company and if they can do the role before they commit on a permanent basis. Workers may start in a temporary role and the company see a number of transferable skills that could be utilised in an open vacancy they have elsewhere in the business or they just didn’t know what they did without you. There are lots of benefits for clients.
Of the 1.45million temps currently working approximately 375,200 people work on a temporary basis because they could not find a permanent job; 363,300 did not want a permanent job; 112,800 had a contract with a period of training; and 603,990 cited other reasons.
But what are the benefits for you?
Quick Turnaround
You could be out of work due to economic uncertainty, be between jobs, or just want to try something new, temporary roles can offer immediate starts. Sometimes you might need to start in a role that is not quite your usual level or it might not be your ideal position or be in the industry you prefer to work in, but it’s a great stepping stone or chance to get your foot in the door and earn some money while you consider your options.
Experience New Industries
Adding a variety of industry experience to your CV can be a huge benefit, it shows diverse industry experience, versatility or could give you an inroad to companies that are notoriously hard to get into. It will also help you assess whether they are industries you want to be involved in longer term, you’ll find that after just a few temporary placements, you will be more adaptable, able to pick things up quickly and settle into roles and environments much easier than before, making you appear more adaptable and confident to employers.
Try a New Role
You may not know what your next step on the career ladders is, we are great at finding transferable skills for roles and offering clients solutions to their recruitment needs. You may want to try your hand at a new role, or we may suggest roles that you never thought of or even knew existed. Notice periods for temporary work are usually pretty short so if the roles not right for you, you can finish the contract and move on to the next role and the nice thing is it won’t reflect badly on your CV as you have been temping rather than starting and leaving permanent roles in short periods of time which can be off putting to future employers.
Find your Permanent home
One of the real benefits for both employers and temporary staff is the temporary to permanent solution, we have seen a huge rise in this area particularly in times of uncertainty. Temp to perm roles give both parties the opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ so to speak. It could be you start in the temporary role and the client sees an opening on a permanent basis, you could be covering maternity, it could be a whole host of reasons so don’t rule out temporary work as you never know what opportunities may present themselves during the process!!
As you can see there are a number of reasons to consider temporary work and if you are still unsure, temporary staff are now entitled to the same benefits as permanent staff, with training, holiday, pensions and maternity pay. You can see all of the latest Bond Williams temporary roles on our website or by clicking here.
Alternatively, contact our temporary teams in each branch to discuss our current opportunities.
