The Rise of Temporary Work and Flexible Work: The Opportunity It Provides for Staffing
It is hard to believe that we have now lived almost a full year in the pandemic. Since March, I’ve been writing articles on ways to adjust business strategy, adapt to changing times, use technology to stay successful, and more. When I wrote my first article related to the pandemic in March, I never thought that almost a year later the pandemic would still be as present as it is in our lives today.
However, what has changed in the last 10 months are the opportunities that the pandemic has brought to the staffing industry. Much has changed since March and companies have adapted to this change. We have seen significant increases and decreases in industry demand. We have also seen a significant increase in working from home, among many other changes. Now, we are beginning to see some of the long-term effects that these changes in the industry have brought to the workforce. The rise of temporary help and flexible jobs for the foreseeable future is among these changes.
Cause of the increase in temporary jobs
There are several reasons why experts predict that there will be an increase in contract jobs in the future. In general, the staffing industry has seen temporary jobs recover faster than direct hire jobs.
COVID-19 has actually added a lot of the jobs to the temporary workforce, such as temperature checkers and contact tracers. There is currently a high demand for jobs helping with the deployment of the vaccine, which could be a great opportunity for staffing companies if they can get the trained staff that is needed.
In addition to the addition of COVID-19 jobs, the pandemic has caused a surge in demand for contract work in other areas. Some companies are still afloat and cautious about bringing back full-time employees. Outsourced workers are a minor investment, which is best in times of uncertainty and when businesses are recovering. The work can still be done without the added expense of benefits packages and other costs associated with a full-time new hire.
More workers have also turned to freelancing as it helped generate income for jobs that were lost during the pandemic. According to a survey conducted by Upwork between June and July 2020, 36% of the US workforce had been self-employed in the previous 12 months. 12% started freelancing during the pandemic (54% out of necessity) and 75% in search of financial stability. Of those who were surveyed, 88% said they are likely to be self-employed in the future.
In general, workers are also looking for a flexible work environment. More people are interested in doing a variety of jobs and are looking to be able to control their schedule. According to a recent Monster poll, 92% of respondents said they think now is a good time to study a gig economy. 57% of respondents also said they would take a temporary job between jobs and 52% said they would like a long-term contract with flexible hours.
All these reasons are the cause of the increase in the demand for temporary help. Whether it’s the demand for jobs related to COVID-19 or the way the pandemic has caused the workforce and employers to change the way they’re used to doing things. In the process, we have adapted to these changes and it has brought new opportunities for both workers and employers.
Cause of the rise of remote work
As we all know and have probably experienced at one time or another, there has been a rise in remote work. Personally, I never worked remotely full-time, until March. I have now been working remotely for the last 10 months and it has truly become the new normal. When I think back to the days, we all went to the office, it seems like a long time ago. Workers and employers are starting to feel the same way, if they don’t already. Remote work has become a new normal and it is here to stay in a way.
From an employer standpoint, companies have seen that working from home can work. They have seen employees still able to complete their tasks and, in some cases, have seen an increase in productivity. Operating costs are likely down as well, as they’re spending less money with employees working remotely (no more coffee breaks, employee lunches, etc.). With this, employers will think about adding more work-at-home opportunities in the future and/or eliminating an office altogether. According to a survey conducted by Verizon, 86% of global companies believe that the digital workplace will co-exist with the physical workplace after COVID-19, and 78% expect to increase remote work.
Employees have also become accustomed to working from home and prefer to maintain it in some form. This may include going to the office a few days a week or working remotely full time. In a survey conducted by PWC, more than half of employees (55%) want to work remotely three days a week or more.
However, remote work is not just for permanent employees. The staffing industry has seen an increase in remote work by temporary workers since the pandemic began and it is predicted that more temporary workers will continue to work remotely after the pandemic. Employers who are used to temporary workers being on-site have learned that this is not necessarily the case. Not all temporary jobs require the employee to work on-site, and the pandemic has shown that. This opens up significant opportunities for employers hiring temporary staff.
Opportunities it brings for staffing
So what does the rise in temporary help and flex jobs really mean for the staffing industry? Open the door to new horizons. Now is the time to start planning your short and long term strategy. Statistics show that the workforce will make this change for the foreseeable future. By adapting to change now, staffing companies can stay ahead of the curve. So where can you start?
Discuss temporary opportunities with employers who typically hire full-time
The boom in temporary help isn’t just for companies that employ contract workers. It may be a new opportunity for companies normally looking to hire full-time. If a client would be open to the idea of contract work, it might be a good opportunity to discuss the increase and benefits of contract work compared to hiring a full-time employee. Not only is it less expensive, as discussed above, but it opens the door to explore more qualified candidates seeking contract work. Not all positions may be suitable for contract work, but it is certainly an avenue that can be explored if the client is open to it. To test the waters, you could even offer a temporary hiring plan. If the outsourced worker ends up working out and wants to stay with the company, he can join full time.
Flexible jobs add another layer of opportunity
As temp jobs are no longer just for companies looking to hire, flex jobs are no longer just for permanent placements. As statistics have shown, more workers are looking for the opportunity to work remotely. This brings new opportunities for both contracts and permanent placements. It allows staffing companies to expand their search for qualified candidates outside of the state. It also offers the opportunity to find more qualified candidates based on your preference to work at home. There may be highly qualified people that you could miss out on if they prefer not to work in a physical location.
The opportunity to offer more flexible jobs will ultimately help increase the pool of candidates. If a client would be open to remote work, now is a good time to discuss the increased interest in it and also the benefits. Not all jobs can be done from home, but think about the jobs that could be done and the opportunity it brings for the client.
Take Advantage of Industries in Demand
There are several industries in demand now that will continue to be in demand and offer the opportunity to employ contract and/or remote workers. Below are some of these industries that could provide new opportunities for staffing companies.
As mentioned above, there has been an increase in jobs related to COVID-19. The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries are booming and in desperate need of assistance. to meet the demand for vaccine launches. This is a great opportunity to partner with these industries and help them employ contract workers.
The information technology industry also boomed in 2020 and will continue to spiral upward. These jobs have been more stable during the pandemic because they have not been dependent on having a physical location. Most IT jobs can be done online and offer a streamlined work-at-home environment. There has also been an increase in PC helpdesk/support jobs as more organizations work from home. With the rise of IT jobs and the flexible work environment they bring, it’s another great industry for staffing companies to explore.
Customer service representatives and call center agents have also seen an increase in demand in healthcare, IT and online retail.. As more businesses go virtual, there is a greater need for customer service help related to software and apps to help manage computers remotely. More people are also shopping online, which is why there is a higher demand for online retail customer service representatives. Customer service representatives may also offer the opportunity to work remotely.
Industrial and Manufacturing have also seen increases in demand.. Manufacturers producing essential goods have needed to significantly increase staff since the start of the pandemic. If staffing companies have not yet sought out essential goods manufacturing companies, this could be an opportunity to hire contract workers. Manufacturers of non-essential goods are also starting to ramp up production. Business orders for durable goods such as tools, appliances and new cars rose for eight straight months. This shows that manufacturers are ramping up their production of goods in anticipation of strong sales in 2021 and may need to hire more staff now or in the near future.
These are just a few of the industries in demand now and for the foreseeable future. By researching industries that are booming and expected to grow, staffing firms will set themselves up for future success. If they can incorporate contract and/or remote work into these industries, it will be a win, win.
running with the opportunity
The pandemic has certainly brought its challenges in the past year, but the silver lining is that it has brought some new opportunities for the staffing industry to take advantage of. Change can be scary, but now is the time to seize the opportunities that present themselves and prepare for the changing future.
References:
UpWork Survey
monster survey
Verizon Survey
PWC Survey