Is Temporary Work the New Normal?

Friday, February 22, 2013

Is it possible that many workers in today’s workforce can look forward to temporary work as a career? Has more traditional modes of employment been replaced by “on-demand” labor requested only when needed for only as long as the current need exists? Has the company employee been replaced with a rental?

According to a 2010 study titled, “The expanding role of temporary help services from 1990 to 2008”, authored by Tian Luo, Amar Mann, and Richard Holden and published in the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Monthly Labor Review for August 2010; the temporary worker segment of the US workforce expanded from 1,125,459 to 2,303,408 or 104% over the 18 year period.. This represents a significantly higher rate of workforce growth as compared to traditional employment.

Employment of temporary workers allows organizations to adjust their goods-producing capacities without increasing or decreasing their permanent labor force. This means that employers can attract and retain a small core of highly trained and talented workers while still having the flexibility to expand and contract their workforce as economic variations demand.

While the concept of temporary workers may evoke individuals between jobs or those just entering or exiting the labor force; many persons actually seek out temporary assignments as a means of managing their work-life demands. Temporary worker recruiting for professional, technical, and skilled jobs has become as valid a business segment just as filling office and clerical positions once was. I once worked a HR data base design project in which one of the developers only worked temporary assignments in the Perimeter area of North Atlanta. She knew that after each assignment she would have a couple of weeks off to do whatever and temporary work fit into her life style.

Temporary work has often been touted as a means to explore and test out new career opportunities before investing in a lifelong commitment. That rationale works for both sides of the interview table. Job seekers may want to determine if the position fits them and employers what to know if a worker is going to fit into their culture and can demonstrate the skills required. Both parties have much to gain and lose in a poor job placement. A bad hire can cost an employer thousands of dollars and months of lost production. Accepting a position for which an employee is not suited can side tract an otherwise progressive career.

A temporary job assignment can be a stressful situation. It is just such an environment in which top performing talent can distinguish themselves and show their potential value to an organization. Consider a large pending customer order, production is behind, shipping is a problem, and this is a critical must deliver customer. For top performers, failure is not even in their vocabulary. A high performer will find a way to meet or even exceed production, shipping, and delivery requirements. They will push themselves and their fellow workers such that others will perform equally well.