They foresee a growing number of nomadic workers continually moving from job to job, regularly facing the prospect of unemployment, and lacking secure salaries, benefits and pensions. Supporters view temporary employment as a pathway to market flexibility, allowing firms to tailor their workforces to meet fluctuations in labour requirements and to screen new recruits before offering them permanent positions. They also see temporary employment as a way for individuals to balance their paid work with other activities, and to become entrepreneurs selling specialized skills and expertise. This issue of Insight looks at the some of the report's findings. One recent survey found that two-thirds of corporate executives expect to use more temporary workers in their organizations over the next five years.
Temporary workers are neither a homogeneous group, nor limited to a single field of employment.
They are found in almost all industries and occupations, and reflect the diversity of the general population. For example, an almost equal number of men and women are temporary workers. They are found in such jobs as clerical work, teaching and health professions, construction trades, service occupations and other fields. Educational attainment among these workers is also wide-ranging. Among those aged 25 to 44, for example, almost half have a certificate, diploma or degree from a college or university, while one-quarter have not completed high school.