45 per cent US firms consider hiring temp workers: Survey

Restructuring workforce seems to be another lesson taught by the economic slowdown as a large number of American companies are expecting to hire temporary workers as IT and professional staff in the near future, a survey has found.

Forty five per cent of the polled organisations anticipate hiring temporary workers as part of their present and future workforce, according to a report by staffing services provider Veritude. The research also found that 25 per cent of the organisations polled plan to increase temporary IT and professional hiring in the near future.

“The present economy has forced almost every company to re-examine and restructure their hiring and staffing models,” Veritude executive vice-president Tom Hart said.

“Hiring qualified temporary knowledge workers gives companies more flexibility as well as opportunities to reduce costs, which are important factors in any economy. Our research uncovered that many organisations have used the
current economic lull to redefine the composition of their workforces,” Hart added.

Recognising the benefits of a temporary staff strategy, 33 per cent organisations discern more flexibility to scale workforce to match demand and 30 per cent recognise the ability to handle seasonal fluctuations and the ability to use a “try before you buy” approach.

Besides, one in five executives also reported that high unemployment rate has resulted in more qualified temporary workers.

“Hiring temporary workers can reduce overall hiring risk and augment a company’s core workforce with specialised skills. This is critical among professional and IT job categories, where the abundance of available job candidates has done little to quell the need for the right talent,” Hart added.

Temporary workers are a fundamental part of the re-evaluation of how work gets done, but companies are still most concerned with making the right hire, not just any hire, Hart said.

Many companies are moving away from the fragmented model of working with multiple agencies to using a managed service programme (MSP).

MSP providers can streamline processes, reduce costs, and alleviate substantial risks and administrative burdens.