UK Research Smashes Traditional Temp Stereotypes

Independent research from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) has found that over half (52%) of all temporary workers choose temping for positive reasons such as increased flexibility, better pay or to gain valuable work experience. The research also shows there are almost four times more agency workers who are satisfied overall with temporary work than there are workers who are dissatisfied.



The profile of todayís agency worker is not low-skilled and low paid contrary to the stereotype. More than half (56%) are qualified to A-level or above with nearly a third (32 %) holding a degree or postgraduate qualification. As well as increasingly being seen a viable longer-term career option, temping continues to provide a crucial steeping stone, with one in five (20%) using temporary work as a route into permanent job.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Gareth Osborne, Managing Director, REC said: Attitudes to work have changed, with variety and flexibility increasingly being the key indicators of job satisfaction. Traditional notions of job security are also being challenged, with individuals taking more responsibility for developing their own skills, experience and contacts. At the same time, temps receive key benefits such as sick and holiday pay and this is making temping and contract work more attractive.

There are around 28.73m people currently employed in the UK and 1.3m of them are registered with employment agencies.

Temping still provides a short-term solution and a way back into the labour market for many, but the research shows that the UK now has a diverse mix of temporary workers. This includes long-term or career temps, íflexi-tempsí who enjoy the work life balance, íextra income tempsí, ístudent tempsí and ístepping-stoneí temps who are re-entering the workplace or in the process of finding permanent work.

Key findings from the research included:

Four times more agency workers are satisfied with temporary work than dissatisfied.

Only one in seven agency workers is dissatisfied to any degree

Satisfaction among agency workers is highest in respect to working relations (71%) and convenience of traveling to work (69%)

Over 50% of agency workers feel they receive at least the same pay as permanent workers. A substantial number (24%) believe that they actually get paid more than permanent employees.

Over half of all respondents (56%) have either achieved NVQ Level 3 or equivalent, or a higher level qualification. In addition, 39% of agency workers were offered training during their assignment which challenges current stereotypes about temps lacking training & development opportunities.

These externally validated results complement the findings of previous REC research based on the feedback of over 2,400 temporary workers. This poll had shown that three quarters of temporary workers (77%) feel at least as valued as permanent employees with 90 % mentioning the opportunity to balance work and personal life as one of the main benefits of temping. 81% of temporary workers felt that temping provided security, through having work available when needed.