New figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) have shown that the temporary workers sector has grown for a second consecutive month, with September’s numbers resulting in a 13-month high. Whilst permanent job numbers stabilised, demand for short-term employees soared, with recruitment agencies set to see a larger need from companies seeking to bolster their workforce with short-term personnel.
Temporary workers come with many advantages, including the fact that firms can plug skills gaps by hiring individuals with the right expertise without having to make costly permanent staff hires. In the four weeks of September, short-term worker demand continued to grow, with significant demand noticed in the medical, nursing and carer’s field.
Talking of the significant upturn in short term worker use, the REC’s chief executive, Kevin Green, said: “The resilience of the UK labour market in the face of what official figures class as a double dip recession continues to be remarkable. This increase in the use of temps for the second month in a row could be a sign of optimism among employers, and that they are gearing up for future growth.”
Individuals looking for work in the lead up to Christmas could be well advised to search the temporary jobs market instead of only looking for permanent positions. For recruitment agencies wanting to maximise the number of placements they make, offering temporary workers to clients could offer a great deal.
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