Product details

By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies as described in our privacy policy unless you have disabled them.
You can change your cookie settings at any time but parts of our site will not function correctly without them.
Management article
-
Reference no. U9903B
Authors: Edward Prewitt
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Published in: "Harvard Management Update", 1999

Abstract

The average proportion of temps employed in industrial nations has doubled in the past few years to 2% of the work force. There are 2.25 million temporary workers in the United States, which represents about half of the world''s temp employment. Some 98% of U.S. companies use temp labor. What''s going on? Temps themselves aren''t what they used to be, and companies are using them in different ways. In addition to the traditional use of temps as emergency replacements, hiring temps also allows companies to respond quickly to changing market conditions, and to deal with product cycles and the uncertainty of new-product launches. Another advantage is that employers can conduct an on-the-job screening of potential permanent employees. This article discusses the use of temp firms as strategic partners, the increased use of temps in skilled technical jobs, and issues to consider when using temps as part of your work force.

About

Abstract

The average proportion of temps employed in industrial nations has doubled in the past few years to 2% of the work force. There are 2.25 million temporary workers in the United States, which represents about half of the world''s temp employment. Some 98% of U.S. companies use temp labor. What''s going on? Temps themselves aren''t what they used to be, and companies are using them in different ways. In addition to the traditional use of temps as emergency replacements, hiring temps also allows companies to respond quickly to changing market conditions, and to deal with product cycles and the uncertainty of new-product launches. Another advantage is that employers can conduct an on-the-job screening of potential permanent employees. This article discusses the use of temp firms as strategic partners, the increased use of temps in skilled technical jobs, and issues to consider when using temps as part of your work force.

Related