The Advantages of Temporary Employment Explained

When searching for a job online, you may notice many job boards and recruitment websites offer the option to search for Part-Time, Permanent and Temporary Jobs (also known as Contracting or Freelance). 

Today we will be diving into what ‘Temporary employment’ is, the benefits for you as an employee, why it could be the right job type for you along with a summary as to why we believe Temporary jobs are here to stay for the foreseeable.

In the UK, temporary jobs are becoming increasingly popular since the days of COVID, with demand increasing from employers to hire staff on a temporary basis. The number of temporary or contract workers has risen considerably over the last few years, with temp jobs now starting to overtake permanent roles in terms of popularity. 

The main benefits of temporary work include freedom and flexibility to workers whilst employees can save time, and money, whilst allowing a more flexible team of resources at hand for the business.

Temporary employment explained

Temporary work or temporary employment refers to an employment situation where the working arrangement is limited to a certain period of time-based on the needs of the employing organisation. This allows a company to hire a candidate to complete a specific project or cover a busy period. 

There are instances where some organisations use temporary employment as a trial position to ascertain if the temporary employee is right for the position and the organisation in the long term. Also, this helps the temporary employee to fully understand the duties of the job position.

It is important to note that there are two different types of temporary employment, where both work under the same premise that the employee is not a permanent member of staff.

– Fixed-term contracts

The term “fixed-term contract” refers to the term of the employment contract that specifies the length of time an individual will work. This could be any time frame but typically ranges from around 1-6 months to a year, depending on the project. 

This type of contract is often used when a company has a specific task that needs to be completed and would benefit from a temporary, outside hire to work on the project. 

– Temporary contracts

Temporary employment is on a more informal basis and doesn’t usually require a specific, contractual agreement. This could be in the form of a one-off, short period of work or a specified number of hours a week focusing on a particular task until its completion. 

This type of work isn’t as common as fixed-term contracts, but can still be beneficial for employers and employees. For example, freelance workers often pick up temporary, hourly-paid work, though they may still create contracts in order to protect their and the company’s rights.

Benefits of Temporary Employment

If you’re struggling to find a permanent job or don’t want to tie yourself down to one role for a long period of time, temping could be the answer for you. Temping can also be an excellent way to gain experience and get a foot in the door with a great company. Below we have highlighted some of the key benefits of temp employment:

1. Flexible work-life balance

As a temporary employee, your schedule is often flexible. A temporary contract may be the right choice for you if you want freedom over your work life. You could benefit from a temporary contract if you prefer a career where you are in control of your work schedule. You are not tied into a permanent role, making it easier to leave if there are other opportunities you want to explore. 

Temporary jobs are great for you if you like to travel or wish to have time for your family while also engaging in other things. Not having a fixed job may be scary at first, but it’s easy to become addicted to the freedom of doing temporary work when you want.

2. Protected rights of temp employees

When working as a temporary employee, it is important to know your entitlements which will include:

Payment – Employers are to pay temp employees at least minimum wage for their age range. Also, these employees are to receive paid holidays. Although temp employees don’t typically receive contractual sick pay, they get maternity, paternity, adoption and statutory sick pay.

Working and resting hours – The working hours are to be clearly stated by the employer and there’s to be a mutual agreement between the employer and employee. Temporary employees are usually entitled to work for a maximum of 48 hours per week. As a temp employee, you have the right to get rest breaks for at least 11 hours per day and at least 24 hours after working for a week. After some time in some organisations, you’re entitled to sick, maternity and paternity leave.

3. Opportunities for Temp to Perm

With all temporary employment roles, there is a chance that your position might become a full-time job. If you like the job and you impress the hirers by working efficiently and effectively, they may decide to make you a permanent staff member, which leads to a more stable income for you. 

4. Learn new skills and gain experience

Temporary roles can be a quick way to gain experience in different roles or using different systems, enriching your CV and making you far more employable. If you manage to work contracts with respected companies, you’ll gain lots of fantastic experience which in turn, will also make your CV more impressive and improve your career prospects. 

Along with the varying experience, you can obtain within a company, temping also allows you to gain experience across different industries, offices, locations, and environments. The majority of people do not stick with the initial company they work for or initial career path, and temping allows you to try different things until you find what interests you most. 

5. Get paid weekly or fortnightly

Many temp workers find the pay schedule helpful, and it can make it easier to budget. Temporary employment roles commonly pay on a weekly or fortnightly basis, so you know you’ll be paid more frequently than most permanent positions.  

As a temporary employee, you still need to pay your tax and National Insurance on your wages which will be explained on the payslips you receive from your recruitment agency or from the business directly.

At Tech Talent we believe temporary requirement is ever-evolving and is going to continue to make an increasing impact on the shape of future requirement. The recent pandemic has presented itself along with many opportunities – home office, flexible hours and temporary work resulting in the rise of the so-called gig economy. 

A free-market system in which companies hire temporary workers, also called ‘freelancers or contractors’ to work on a project with a predefined end date. Businesses benefit from temporary workers as it saves them time and resources. Meanwhile, employees can enjoy higher financial rewards and improved work-life balance. Flexibility for both the employee and employer is now an important element when it comes to recruitment. As we living in the digital era, we can all agree that technology has created a ‘new’ digital workforce.

If you enjoyed this article please share this article on your LinkedIn. For more information or to discuss how we can help with your temporary job search contact us today. Alternatively, you can submit your CV and one of our expert consultants will be in touch.