2015: The Year of the Temporary Employee

So it looks like 2015 will be the Year of the Temp. According to a recent job forecast by CareerBuilder, 46% of US employers plan to add temporary workers to their teams in 2015, up from 42% last year. For comparison, only 36% of employers say then plan to add full-time, permanent positions to their staffs this year. Hiring temporary workers instead of permanent employees has been a growing trend over the past decade. As companies scramble to save money in 2015, adding short-term, per-project employees is a way to save costs and use staffing resources more efficiently. Permanent hires cost companies money. Recruiting talent, completing the interview and selection process, and training a new employee can cost a company tens of thousands of dollars. If that employee doesn't work out, that money's gone.

Who Is a Temporary Worker?

A temporary worker, or temp, is any employee who is hired for a time period of one year or less with a specific end date. Temps can work full-time or part-time and may receive benefits like vacation time and healthcare coverage, though this is not mandatory. Last year, approximately 3.26 million temporary workers were employed through US staffing agencies and even more accepted this type of work directly from the companies that sought them.

Temporary workers can be found in fields from medical technology to automotive repair and software development. The stereotype of the unskilled, underemployed temporary worker is gone. Today's temp is skilled, savvy, and ready to work.

Why Temps? Why Now?

Because of the flexibility they offer to employers. With a temporary employee, a company can evaluate the ways individuals and their roles work into their business plans without having to commit to permanent, full-time hires and all they require like benefits, severance packages, and crisply-defined job descriptions. If a position needs some tweaking, it can be tweaked after the temp's stint at the company is over. If it's a good fit, the temp can be hired for a permanent position. 

Take the Temp Job

Accepting temporary work isn't beneath you. If you're looking for work in 2015, look for those temp jobs in your field and beyond. Although companies hire temporary workers to "try before they buy," accepting a temporary job is your chance to do the same. Try something new and apply to a job you might not have considered before. Temp jobs open doors to permanent jobs and if one isn't working out, you know you're not there forever. Think of it as dating a company instead of having to make an immediate commitment.

Contact Labor Finders today to learn more adding temporary positions to your job search plan.