As the U.S. entered 2013 with positive employment numbers, a major portion of jobs created last year were contract positions. An estimated 1.3 million people in the country are temporary employees, according to NPR. It’s no surprise this number is expected to continue growing, as temporary positions present a variety of benefits for employers and workers.
Having temporary employees can be a significant cost-saver, especially for small businesses when it comes to payroll taxes. In addition, the Houston Chronicle points out hiring, training and providing benefits to full-time employees can cost thousands of dollars.
Another major benefit the newspaper highlights is how quickly employers can access a specific skill set for an immediate or indefinite project. By hiring someone who is specialized in a certain area of expertise, businesses don’t need to spend time or money training him or her and can start work on timely tasks immediately.
Meanwhile, many workers favor temporary positions over permanent ones. ABC News explains being able to work on several projects or for different employers over a specific period of time allows professionals to fine tune their skills and pick up new talents. In addition, many contract workers appreciate not having to go through periodic performance reviews or face office politics.
