The UK economy is in for a bumpy ride.
Investment bank Goldman Sachs has forecast a 1.2% contraction in the country’s economy over the next 12 months in its 2023 macro outlook. And the UK will experience one of the worst recessions among the G7 group of the world’s most advanced economies, according to UK-based economists surveyed by the Financial Times.
There is not a lot your business can do about the wider economy. But there are steps you can take to navigate the volatility and ensure the best possible outcomes.
In times of uncertainty, it is worth reassessing your hiring strategy to check it is the most effective for the current economic reality and the best way for your organisation to thrive.
Hiring temporary workers across your driving, warehouse and office roles is an approach worth considering if you are looking for flexibility, efficiency and reliable employees. Here are four benefits of hiring temps in an economic downturn.
Hiring temp workers allows your company to scale up or down depending on business need.
During busy times or for a big project, you may need to increase your workforce for a defined period. This will help meet demand and instantly improve performance. As an added bonus, you might discover a talented temp worker who could become a permanent member of the team in the future.
Then, if that workload reduces, you can scale down the number of temps in the team without having to pay out redundancy costs.
This flexibility is essential in an uncertain economy when needs and demand can change quickly. Having the ability to quickly pick up or put down workers helps businesses adapt quickly and efficiently.
If you work with a trusted recruitment partner, you can secure temp workers who are reliable, skilled and will add something positive to your business.
The QS in QS Recruitment stands for Quality Service and we pride ourselves on offering candidates and clients an enhanced experience. We have nearly 30 years of expertise recruiting for temp jobs in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire and our success is underpinned by an extensive vetting process for temporary workers.
Our approach means we have a workforce of long-term temps who are proven, trusted and reliable. We meet all our candidates for a face-to-face interview before putting them forward for roles and our expert recruiters undertake a 13-week in-house training programme to ensure they fully understand the sort of temps our clients require.
Our reputation has helped us build a strong talent pipeline of skilled, focused and experienced temps with relevant industry experience who are ready and waiting to support your team.
Budgeting becomes even more important in times of uncertainty and using temps is a great way to keep staffing costs under control.
As temp workers are employed by their recruitment agency, using them will save you on employment expenses including sick and holiday pay which will be built into the temps’ hourly or daily rate.
Unlike with new permanent employees, there is also no long-term commitment when hiring temps. So, when business demand decreases and you need fewer temps, you won’t have to pay redundancy or any other costs.
Using temps will also save your permanent staff time and resources spent on paperwork and administrative tasks like payroll. Your recruitment partner will take care of all that, leaving permanent team members free from additional admin and ultimately saving the business money.
In an economic downturn, hiring decisions need to be made as quickly as possible. This, however, isn’t easy at a time when it’s hard to find the right talent.
Three-quarters of UK companies are struggling to find the skills and workers they need, according to an economic forecast from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). It is a similar situation in the Midlands. The most recent Quarterly Economic Survey from East Midlands Chamber found two-thirds (66%) of businesses attempted to recruit new employees in the second quarter of the year but 82% struggled to find the right people.
Even in a squeezed jobs market, the hiring process for temps can be simple and efficient. From HGV Drivers to Warehouse Pickers and Packers, at QS Recruitment we have a network of experienced temps who are ready to hit the ground running.
Long-term cultural fit is less important when using temps, so you can simply let us know what specific skills or expertise you need and for how long. We’ll find the right person for the job based on our solid understanding of your business.
UK businesses will face some challenges in the coming year but using temps can provide cost savings, flexibility and some certainty in uncertain times.
At QS Recruitment, we are an experienced permanent and temp agency with local expertise and a first-class network to quickly and economically find the perfect temps for your business.
If you need top temp workers or to discuss your temp recruitment needs, get in touch with our friendly team today.
