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Temporary jobs are the new normal in manufacturing

Posted on August 21st, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

According to USA Today, temporary workers are increasingly common in the manufacturing sector. As the economy's recovery continues, manufacturers are still unsure of the wisdom of adding permanent staff members. The pace of the recovery plays into this, as do seasonal cycles of supply and demand.

Using temporary or contract workers allows companies to meet demand when it is high and maintain a sensible amount of staff when it is low. This is advantageous to the bottom line of many manufacturers.

Contingent workers in the manufacturing industry are hired on a permanent basis approximately 30 percent of the time, according to Staffing Industry Analysts. This is one of the major attractions for employees who take on temporary work, and companies too may be more willing to hire someone they know and trust. Even in those instances when temporary workers are not hired on a permanent basis, they can access benefits through staffing agencies, according to USA Today. This is enough for many contingent workers to remain satisfied with their positions, regardless of whether they are eventually hired to a company's full-time staff.

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