The truth behind the myths of using Temporary Staff

Posted by Andrew on September 19, 2016

Late last year, Workpro released their findings from a survey of 8,157 Temporary and Contract workers. Over recent years, there has been a substantial increase in temporary working arrangements. The survey was designed to ask about peoples motivation for taking temporary work, their understanding of the employment relationship and their experiences working at clients.

More than 72% of those surveyed had been in temporary employment arrangements for less than a year, although a significant number had been doing so for more than 5 years. The survey found people that worked in temporary employment liked the:

  • Flexibility (36%)
  • Variety of Work (30%)
  • Pay rates (12%)

While the responses were primarily positive, some surveyed said they were in these arrangements more by necessity, than choice:

  • It's a temporary job while they look for permanent employment (40%)
  • They couldn't find anything else (16%)
1 in 5 responded that temporary work suited their lifestyle and personal preferences and that they were comfortable with the arrangement because of the extra money and benefits. On the flip side, it was recognised that 65% of respondents would be interested in moving to a permanent role, even if it meant a reduction in pay.
 
Critically, 96% of those surveyed were aware of their employment rights and responsibilities. This is particularly important as there are three parties in the work relationship: (1) The worker, (2) the recruitment firm e.g. Superior Personnel and (3) the host organisation or client. 90% of workers surveyed felt that they were given the right level of information about workplace Health and Safety. They also commented that they felt that they were not at any greater risk of injury than other employees in the workplace. 
 

What the survey shows, is that temporary staff shouldn't be seen as "second-class" staff, but are often hard working and dedicated staff who enjoy the temporary employment benefits.