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More companies relying on temporary workers

Posted on December 30th, 2014 Read time: 2 minutes

The Great Recession had a crippling effect on economies around the world. In the U.S., many people lost their jobs and have since been scrambling to find new, permanent opportunities in today's job market. However, as the economy continues to rebound, many of those who are experienced temporary workers are having virtually no trouble when it comes to finding work.

According to Forbes, the contract workforce is stronger than it has ever been and this trend is expected to continue.

"More than five years into a recovery marked by halting growth, many businesses are still adding temp jobs rather than permanent ones," Steven Berchem, the American Staffing Association's chief operating officer told the magazine. "This is a reflection of business uncertainty, that businesses need to be more responsive, and part of that is keeping their work force flexible."

In fact, flexibility is what many of today's employees desire the most. Temporary workers would ideally like to be placed in permanent positions. However, the ability to work at a wide range of companies allows these individuals to not only make an impression and prove their worth, but it gives them an opportunity to identify the business that will fit them best.

Hartford area best place for temporary workers
As companies continue adding to their payrolls without making a commitment to bringing in an individual on full-time basis, contract workers will be in high demand. Many areas in the U.S. rely on this kind of labor, but Hartford, Connecticut may be the ideal place for temps to look for work.

The Hartford Business Journal, citing data from Economic Modeling Specialists International, wrote that there were 6,253 contract opportunities available in 2009. Five years later, that number ballooned to 8,830, an increase of 41 percent. In addition, between 2014 and 2018, temporary jobs will experience an annual growth in the Hartford area of 16 percent.

"There's an increasing demand for temps," Paul Campion, Adecco's northeast regional vice president told the newspaper. "Companies are having a difficult time hiring on their own. We are kind of the matchmakers of the employment world these days."

The business sectors that will use temporary workers at a higher rate than others will likely? be electrical assembly and manufacturing. These are the two areas where labor shortages will be felt the most, forcing these businesses to turn to an employer of record for help in filling certain positions.

The Hartford Business Journal also highlighted other areas where the need for contract workers will be great, such as information technology and nursing. Many people think of temporary workers as low wage individuals, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

The workforce is comprised of a wide range of individuals, many of which are highly skilled and posseses an aptitude that equals that of their full-time counterparts. As the economy continues to show gradual improvement, a number of companies will need to use the services of temporary workers to perform day-to-day operations.

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