From stopgaps to must-haves: The rise of temporary work

While temporary work has existed for a long time, temporary workers have traditionally been viewed as possessing inferior skills or unable to hold down a permanent, full-time job.

Yet in today’s business landscape filled with rapid technological progress and workforce transformation, temporary work has grown in importance. While temporary workers were once seen as stopgaps filling in for an increase in workload or maternity cover, the temporary workforce is gradually becoming must-haves for more companies and the wider economy.

Keep costs under control

With the need to transform and streamline business models, companies are keeping an even closer eye on their costs. Headcount and employee salaries are usually one of the first to be looked at.

Engaging temporary workers is one way to ensure that any increase in personnel-related expenses is matched by growing business needs and revenues.

This way, companies can scale up supply of their products or services only when required, leading to greater efficiency and productivity gains, without their payroll spiralling out of control.

Ensure organisational cultural fit

With a greater need to retain a coherent organisational culture, hiring permanent talent only to realise a cultural misfit a few months or years later will prove costly to the company.

Hiring temps can be beneficial for companies seeking to hire permanent employees. That short and finite period gives employers the time and space to properly evaluate a candidate’s fit within the wider team, one that even five rounds of interviews could never achieve.

Even if the temp staff is not hired permanently due to one of a myriad of reasons, all is not lost. Previous temps who already fit into the organisation’s culture serve as a proven talent pool for companies to re-engage again when required, without worry.

Upskill your permanent workforce

With skills being created and refreshed at an increasingly rapid rate, a skilled temporary workforce can be a way for companies to keep up with the market.

Whether to cater for seasonal demand or a specific project, companies can access skills which they might not need all year round.

Accessing these hot skills can also help organisations in upskilling their existing workforce, with skilled temp staff integrated within the rest of the workforce. However, such knowledge and skill transfer can only happen when temporary employees feel part of the team and eager to contribute.

Temp staff allows your organisation to focus on your employees and core business. As temp staff manage the “less important” or non-revenue-generating parts of your business, you and your permanent team will be able to focus on achieving your targets and goals.

With the future workforce gradually transforming to one that is likely to favour flexible work, it is time your organisation views temporary workers as integral members at the workplace.

Looking to grow your temporary workforce? Reach out us today!