Companies are tapping into the flexible labor market to keep fully staffed during busy times. To attract the most qualified employees, staffing services offer highly competitive wages and benefits. Some temporary employees earn more than their permanent counterparts. Most staffing companies offer health insurance as well as vacation and holiday pay, and many offer retirement plans. Virtually any assigned employee who wants benefits can find a staffing firm that offers them.
Jobs range from ditch digger to CEO and are available in virtually all occupations.
The fastest growth is occurring in professional and technical occupations. While specific jobs may last from a few hours to several years, the best estimates for the average tenure of assigned employees range from 3 to 5 months. There are about 7,000 firms that have been in business a year or more. Those companies operate approximately 17,500 offices. The American Staffing Association represents 1,600 companies that operate 13,000 offices.