Businesses often require temporary help, whether because of seasonal volume changes or large projects with a defined time limit. Some companies also prefer to hire temporary workers rather than permanent staff because of the still-uncertain economy. Temporary staff do not require the long-term commitment that permanent employees do, and are therefore very appealing.
The number of workers provided by staffing agencies has increased 57 percent since August 2009, according to Investor's Business Daily using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Staffing industry leaders assert the increases have come from all sectors, from industrial to health care temporary workers. Statistics show the industries with the highest share of temporary workers are the professional and managerial field and the industrial sector.
While the economy has without a doubt played a role in this trend, analysts see the increase in temporary work as part of an overarching change in the working world toward flexible positions, as more Americans are employed as temporary or contract workers.
"All the research that we've done (shows) the trends are pointing towards the flexible workforce," Jeff Tavangar, CEO of staffing company the Armada Group, told Investor's Business Daily.