Recruitment has always been a tumultuous industry, and this isn’t helped by the fact that it’s also one of the most competitive. If your agency doesn’t adapt to changes, you’ll quickly be left behind. This makes it tougher to retain your existing clients and the workers you provide for them, and it’ll be even more of a challenge to replace them.

If this feels familiar, it might be time for your recruitment agency to start down a new path. Although the word ‘temporary’ might be in the name, temporary recruitment isn’t going anywhere, and is in fact the most lucrative way to work in recruiting nowadays.

What is Temporary Recruitment?

When you provide temporary workers instead of helping your clients find permanent hires, those workers will be on a fixed contract, or on a more flexible one depending on the clients’ needs and their own preferences.

Temporary workers are often used to fill vacancies. If a member of staff is ill, on holiday, or is expecting a baby, you can bring in a worker who can pick up where they left off and keep things running smoothly. Temp staff can also be brought in to reinforce your team; if you expect high seasonal demands, or are undertaking an ambitious new project, temporary workers can strengthen your ranks, making sure you hit your targets.

By working with a temporary recruitment agency, the client can be specific about what they need, and you can use your extensive database to find the perfect candidates.

Temporary Recruitment Vs Traditional Recruitment

Permanent or temporary? That’s long been a familiar question in recruitment, and for years many agencies were either one or the other. But in the last few years, there has been a sharp rise in demand for temporary staff. Companies now see the clear benefits of hiring temporary workers.

It makes a great deal of sense: temporary recruitment saves money, as they don’t need the same training as permanent staff, and it gives them access to a pool of talent with different strengths; temporary staff can also be more efficient, as they’re not tied down to everyday duties, being usually recruited for a specific project and focusing solely on that.

The recruitment process itself is often quicker and more flexible too, as temporary staff will have been generally tried and tested by other companies or agencies and are known to be reliable. Another advantage for employers is being able to ‘try before they buy’ – a temporary role is a great way to test a candidate’s skills before committing to them on a more long-term basis.

It’s an advantage for the workers themselves too. Instead of being tied to one role, they can be more selective about when, how, and where they work, applying their skills in ways that better suit their lives. By working with multiple companies, sometimes a few in the same year, they build up a lot of experience very quickly, as well as skills that let them integrate quickly into new environments – something your clients will always appreciate.

Why Switch to Temporary Recruiting?

So we’ve covered why it’s better for your clients, and the workers themselves, but what about your agency?

It’s long been the case that recruitment agencies with a strong temp/contracting arm have an advantage – as we’ve seen for ourselves at Back Office Support Services in the last 25+ years.

A few years ago, it was estimated that between 80 and 90% of UK recruitment industry revenue came from temporary workers and contractors. While permanent fees may be valuable, income from temp workers provides an ongoing revenue stream with fewer peaks and troughs – keeping your income consistent no matter how markets shift. This is especially important if your agency works within a specific industry. If there is a low demand for healthcare workers next year, the fact that you provide them on a temporary basis will keep you in business, and busier than ever.

This can help you to build a more profitable and sustainable business model for your agency, and therefore future proof your business; and if you choose to have a mix of temp and permanent, it means the one-off perm fees will make a bigger difference to your bottom line.

Support for Temporary Recruitment Agencies

Deciding to switch from permanent to temporary recruitment is a bold decision, not one to be taken lightly, even if the benefits are crystal clear.

To make sure the transition is as smooth as possible, you need a team of professionals backing you up. Our all-in-one service covers all of the following:

All for one transparent price!

When the admin is being handled by some of the best in the business, you can focus on what you do best: sourcing new temporary workers and setting them up with your clients. All your invoices will be spot on, and we’ll be in regular contact with you and your clients, keeping everyone in the loop and doing all we can to build a professional relationship.

If you’d like to find out more about us or our service, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.