Temporary employees satisfy a variety of needs for businesses, according to a recent survey by Accountemps.
The job search website polled 116 chief financial officers and found 90 percent of respondents said using temporary workers is very or somewhat beneficial in maintaining productivity. In addition, 89 percent said hiring contract workers is an effective way to evaluate prospective employees.
"Given the uptick in demand for temporary professionals in the current market, more employers are feeling the need to rely more heavily on the flexible workforce," said Greg Scileppi, president of international staffing operations at Robert Half.
Supplementing departments and teams with contract employees is cost effective and allows firms to access specialized skilled quickly, Scileppi said.
Since the economic downturn, the U.S. has seen the vast majority of the temp jobs it lost during the recession return to 2006 levels, according to U.S. News.
In 1983, temporary workers made up just 0.5 percent of the workforce. That portion has since risen to 2.3 percent. While the number seems small, the increase is very substantial, the newspaper states.
In recent years, global economic uncertainty and a constantly transforming business environment have made contract workers particularly valuable assets.
