A new survey by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has revealed that chief executives continue to avoid permanent staff in favour of employing short-term workers. The data will be something that recruitment agencies need to take under advisement, enabling agents to provide companies with the right staff for their needs as the era of low employer confidence continues.
In the latest data, it was shown that the number of permanent placements on offer has shrunk by 5% when compared to data for 2011. In contrast, the demand for contractors and short-term workers has risen by 7%, indicating that employers want to avoid permanent staff expense liabilities and utilise contactors instead.
APSCo’s chief executive, Ann Swain, said that the British temporary workforce continued to offer a flexible and varied skill market, providing businesses with everything that they needed. “This switch from permanent to temporary recruitment demonstrates how the UK’s professional recruitment market can respond flexibly to changes in the broader UK economy,” she explained, adding that many employers had “turned to temporary workers in order to maintain their capacity, whilst not yet committing to any longer term increase in their overheads.”
For recruitment agencies, taking note of the latest findings will be important to ensure that they can continually offer the right candidates to clients. With more employers wanting short-term workers, having skilled temporary staff on the books will be vital for the coming months.
As featured in
