In an ever-changing economy, adaptability is often the key to business growth and success. Recently, several of our clients have expressed interest in hiring a temporary worker as a bespoke solution to support in a variety of situations.Â
Short-term temp workers can bring a range of benefits; from cost-saving to extra support in busy periods, utilising their specialist skills in niche projects and beyond. For these reasons, professional temporary workers often provide many businesses with an extra edge that enables them to thrive.
As specialists in temporary recruitment, we’ve created a short guide which includes our expert advice on the advantages that temporary workers can bring to a business.
How many temporary workers are in the UK market?
In July 2023, an estimated 1.62 million temporary workers were available to support businesses.
As of April 2024, the temporary market is the fourth largest industry in UK employment; only surpassed in quantity by the hospital, charity and supermarket sectors.
These figures evidence a vast pool of professional talent, ready and available for employers who consider temporary hires.
Types of temporary worker
In this guide, we’ll use the term ‘temporary worker’ interchangeably to keep things simple. However, there are three types of temp worker that we recruit; temporary, interim and contract.
All are employed until a project or specified length of time is completed, but have slight differences:
- Temporary worker: hired for short periods of time to assist with specific tasks or projects, cover absent employees, or help during busy periods. They are often paid an hourly rate.
- Interim worker: tend to have specialised skills and experience, therefore they often fill senior-level roles. They can temporarily fill a role while a business seeks a permanent hire, which we’ll explain further on. Their contracts can last anywhere from a few months to over a year.
- Fixed Term Contract (FTC) worker: hired for a set period of time to assist with specific projects. They can work part-time or full-time, with contracts lasting anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of years. Paid a fixed rate which can be hourly, daily or on a by-project basis. Their exposure from different contacts means that they have specialist skills and experience. Employed and paid directly by the business.
What are the benefits of hiring a temporary worker?
1. Cost-effectiveness
Hiring temp workers can prove to be a cost-effective resource for employers. Unlike a full-time hire, no benefit packages need to be provided. The only outgoing fee will be their hourly/daily rate to the supplier. In the case of interim workers, their benefit entitlement may vary depending on their contract and the terms of your business.
2. Flexibility and short-term commitment
When hiring a temp worker, employers will have complete flexibility in the length of their contract, allowing them to avoid long-term salary commitments. This also empowers businesses to hire talent in response to demanding projects or workloads.
When the agreed contract period comes to an end, there is no expectation for a temp worker to continue with the business. If there are more projects to complete, businesses can often rehire the same temp to continue on another contract.
3. Quick hiring process
Many temp candidates are immediately available to start. This often makes the hiring process much faster. In the event of a staffing or skills gap, an interim or temporary worker can join a team promptly; seamlessly maintaining productivity and balancing workloads.
4. Specialist and niche skills
Temporary workers are highly skilled professionals, with experience across a much greater variety of organisations than permanent employees. Their increased exposure allows temp workers to become specialists in their field; addressing specific project requirements and supporting niche areas.
This brings the added perk of saving training time, costs and resources during onboarding.
5. Temp-to-perm
If the temporary worker is a great fit for the company, employers have the option to offer them a full-time position. A number of our temporary finance candidates have made this transition into permanent employment after finding a business with a culture and work they enjoy.
Bonus point
6. Filling a gap whilst searching for a permanent hire
While an employer is searching to fill a permanent position, hiring a temp worker can allow them to employ an individual with the desired experience and skill set during the interim period.
This eases the pressure and need to make a quick, permanent hire; allowing more time to find the perfect person and therefore have the utmost confidence in their choice.
Work with our temporary recruitment specialists at Distinct
If you are considering whether a temporary worker could be the right resource for your business, our team of specialists will be happy to discuss the current market with you and provide expert advice. Contact us today.
