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Contract workers keep overhead costs low in fluctuating economy

Posted on June 23rd, 2011 Read time: 1 minutes

As the economy continues its slow but steady recovery, businesses are turning to contract workers to help them address their employment needs while also continuing to keep overhead costs low.

"A lot of companies have recognized it's a tremendous, time-consuming challenge to hire people," Paul LaFrance, an employment expert, told Crain's Detroit Business. "We're having a recruiting crunch where you have difficulties meeting all of the needs of your clients so people will use a 'contract to hire' type of process."

Contract workers have the benefit of also providing business owners with a degree of flexibility. Rather than making a commitment to a sizable full-size staff or even spending the time to fill a full-time position, owners can seek out employment outsourcing companies to help them find the veritable "needle-in-a-haystack," the source added.

Employment of contract workers may continue to accelerate as small business owners gradually grow more optimistic and decide to test the economic waters by investing in more support.

In fact, a recent study from U.S. Bank noted that over the next 12 months, 22 percent of small businesses said they plan to hire more workers. 

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