SHORT, SHARP AND SWEET IS THE KEY

TEMPORARY, contract and casual jobs now make up more than one in four new roles and although many people fear job insecurity, there are also benefits to impermanent work.

Kinetic Super’s Contingent Job Index report for September to November reveals 28.5 per cent of all advertised roles are now temporary, contract or casual, compared to 23 per cent four years ago.

The volume of roles such as these also grew by 55.6 per cent in this time.

Blue collar and white collar sectors have both followed the trend towards flexible work, with the number of such advertised positions increasing by 75.2 per cent and 51 per cent in the past four years, respectively.

In blue collar occupations, labourers are most likely to be employed on a temporary, contract or casual agreement – followed by technicians and tradespeople, machinery operators and drivers, and community and personal service workers.

For white collar occupations, sales workers are more likely than clerical workers, professionals and executives to be contingent workers.

Kinetic Super chief executive Katherine Kaspar says employers’ appetite for temporary, contract and casual workers is very high.

“Employers may be moving to having larger contingent workforces for a variety of reasons, including containing the costs associated with managing their workforce, having a more flexible workforce to cater for seasonality or fluctuations in business conditions, or hiring candidates for specific projects,” she says.

Kaspar says many workers prefer casual or temporary roles that provide more flexibility and variety.

“This allows workers to pursue other interests or work on a number of projects,” she says.

Hays Australia and New Zealand managing director Nick Deligiannis says the major benefits of temporary assignments include skill development, the ability to build networks, work/life balance, higher hourly rates and popularity with employers.

“You can take assignments that will broaden your expertise, expose you to new industries and diversify your skills and experience, which will make you more attractive and employable in future,” he says. “On each assignment you’ll meet new professionals in your field.”

Deligiannis says there are many perks with temporary work, and also the opportunity for assignments to lead to a permanent role.