Temporary Help Hiring is Increasing

The Staffing View

On business, the workplace and employee relations

_December, 2009

Staffing Employment Turns a Corner

Temporary employment rose for the third consecutive month nationally in October, including an increase of 34,000 that month That’s usually a good sign for the economy, since employers often begin their post-recession rehiring with temporary workers to maintain payroll flexibility

How much of a harbinger of good times to come it will be is uncertain considering the depth of the recession The fact is many employers have been able to achieve strong productivity gains compared to a year ago with smaller staffs With economists expecting gross domestic product to grow at about 35 percent for the year, the economy might actually emerge from its downturn with a slow increase in jobs and not an expansion surge

Still, when employment has taken the pounding it has during the past 18 months it’s worth it to put together signs that show a foundation forming The staffing industry is one of those building blocks The American Staffing Association index of weekly changes in temporary and contract work continues to rise, for example, reaching an index figure of 85 in early November compared to 77 in July It’s not breathtaking, but it is an improvement

We think a recovery marked by high productivity and slow job growth will highlight the usefulness of temporary staffing firms for both employers and job seekers Companies that are moving cautiously, mixing temporary and permanent employees to manage their overhead, will be highly selective when filling positions They have that luxury given the large number of highly qualified professionals who have been displaced during this downturn Quality staffing firms are connected with those professionals because they continued to recruit even as business conditions worsened They’ve maintained their screening programs and they’re able to match the right professional to a company’s needs

Meanwhile, as employment growth moves at a slow pace, job seekers will be wise to connect with staffing firms While personnel networking and independent job hunting should remain a part of an overall strategy to return to work, a staffing firm can act as a third approach Aggressive staffing firms are in regular contact with employers in their area, finding out who is hiring, determining the skill profiles they need and serving as another set of eyes and ears for job seekers If you aren’t engaged with a staffing firm, you can’t be placed with an employer

 

Employee Communication with the Boss

Studies have shown that only about one-third of employees at companies are happy with the level of communications they have with their employers Much of the responsibility for such a low number lies with the employer He or she needs to be approachable, open to ideas from employees and someone who values two-way communication with the team

But employees need to be proactive as well in trying to develop an environment from the ground up in which the channels are open and managers are hearing what they need to know That might seem difficult after more than a year of layoffs at many firms and generally low morale due to the recession But not only will becoming more proactive help employees to feel as though they have some say in the way their company is run, it often provides managers with a better understanding of what customers are saying and how he or she can respond

Most companies can easily direct information downward But what about upward communication? That’s where the exchange frequently breaks down If employees are mum about what they need, a number of bad things can occur Projects can slow down or flounder; new ideas are outlined but never nurtured; and opportunities that could grow the business are lost

Speak up Not all companies are the same, but employees have as much responsibility as management for communicating issues in the workplace and opportunities for the firm The more ways that employees can improve dialogue with management, the more likely it is managers will respond

Keep it professional We’re talking about collective ways employees can contribute by improving north-south communications, not about resolving personality conflicts Certainly when a manager and an employee can’t click it can put the employee in a stressful situation The company is then less likely to benefit from the employee’s best work and the problem needs to be fixed When the goal is to find new ways for everyone to prosper, improving communication is essential

Be sure your manager understands your work By making sure that your manager understands all that goes into a project you’re working on, such as the skills required, time needed for completion, a breakdown of activities and other details, they become more aware of what’s happening within their area of responsibility Draw up a memo or send an email at the outset of a new undertaking, then keep them updated as time goes on

Hold regular employee brown-bag meetings and invite a manager to attend Informal, drop-in lunch time gatherings are a great way for employees to share their work, brainstorm and overcome common obstacles among themselves Invite a manager to attend on occasion so he or she can hear more about what is happening at your level It might put a cramp in any office gossip that often gets mixed in brown-bag lunches, but you’ll improve the dialogue with your manager

 

Job Searching Over 50

There’s a moment of terror that sometimes hits unemployed Fiftysomethings looking for a job It’s basically this: why would anyone hire someone my age for a permanent or a temporary position? They see negatives that they assume will discourage employers, such as the fact that they’re closer to retirement than younger hires, or that they are accustomed to higher pay than those less experienced Gen-Xers and Millenials

But take heart if you’re among those older workers While some companies will never target mature workers to fill their openings, it has become a priority for many others It’s been well documented that Baby Boomers are a huge population bulge Younger generations are smaller in number, so employers face a shrinking supply of workers Rather than wait for a crisis, many companies are looking ahead and seeing how they can incorporate older workers within their staffs

Keep one point in mind: technology has reshaped so many industries that stressing what you’ve done in your cover letters and job interviews isn’t enough Employers are interested in what you can do in the future If your skills aren’t current, make an upgrade a priority It shows you’re open to change and aren’t falling behind the times

Keep the following points in mind as you go about your search:

Find “50-friendly” employers The American Association of Retired People (AARP) publishes a biannual list of “Best Employers for People Over 50” The list includes companies and nonprofits ranging from Cornell University to Intel Corporations to the Georgia Department of Human Resources

Think about the customers Good companies have people who understand their market It’s not likely that a maker of video games for teenagers will think that someone over age 50 can relate to their customers But companies that cater to a more mature market might Think about your activities and interests and those of your peers and scout out companies that provide those products and services

Network Not a novel suggestion, but a solid one Older workers have a much better network of colleagues than younger workers to call upon when looking for employment In this economy it is likely many people with whom you’ve worked through the years are also between jobs Reach out to them and offer advice What you give may come back to you

Consider staffing firms In the current economy you should be open to all opportunities and that means entering new industries and shifting your career Staffing firms can be a way to explore different jobs and learn about new companies from the inside The millions of layoffs that have occurred dry home the point that workers need to think as free agents Employment through a temporary staffing agency fits that mindset