The REC’s latest report on jobs backs up the findings of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) stating that increasingly agency staff are being used for short-term access to key strategic skills.
The report states that one in five employers have increased staffing levels over the last year, and that 84% are using temporary staff to bridge the skills shortage in the permanent market.
In particular employers are seeing a shortage in the technical and engineering sector, with 18% of employers expecting to see shortages in permanent jobs, whilst 36% expect to see shortages for agency workers.
The ILO has found that only one quarter of workers around the world have permanent jobs. The remaining three quarters of the workforce are employed on temporary or short-term contracts, along with informal jobs often without a contract. The ILO says flexibility in employment does have some advantages, but it also adds to the risk that workers will be exploited.
Graeme McKinnon, managing director of Select Appointments, said: “We are increasingly seeing greater demand and competition for skilled workers, which means temporary staff are being used to bridge the gap. This is not just happening here but on a worldwide basis. As a result the demand for permanent workers and agency workers is increasing and all the signs are that this will continue.”