Business leaders favourably consider contract workers

Business leaders favourably consider contract workers for permanent role
Temporary staff enjoy career flexibility and job stability

• 90% of New Zealand hiring managers would hire an employee for a permanent position who have been working in continuous temporary/contract roles.
• 86% would extend a permanent contract to a skilled employee who was initially hired on a temporary basis.
• 75% think contract workers enjoy flexibility while still maintaining a healthy degree of job security.
• 65% say having a mix of both temporary and permanent employees is crucial to the success of their department/company.

Auckland, 25 September 2018 – Despite the perceived instability associated with contract and temporary work placements, new independent research commissioned by specialised recruiter Robert Half reveals the majority of New Zealand’s employers are positively evaluating their temporary workforce and actively extending permanent contracts to those in temporary/contract roles.

From temporary to permanent employee
According to the survey of 300 hiring managers in New Zealand, the majority (90%) say they would hire an employee for a permanent position who has been performing continuous temporary/contract work. Furthermore, almost nine in 10 (86%) would extend a permanent contract to a skilled employee who was initially hired on a temporary basis – highlighting the opportunities for contract work to result in a permanent placement within an organisation.

Megan Alexander, General Manager of Robert Half New Zealand said: “There’s been a gradual shift in the workplace as companies adopt a more flexible approach to staffing, with a mix of both contract and permanent staff. Not only is this resulting in positive impacts for many businesses, but it is also influencing the career decisions of many New Zealand workers opting for temporary work placements. Consequently, many temporary workers are being considered for permanent placements within the company where there’s an available opportunity and they have met or exceeded expectations.”

The benefits of contract work
Other than career flexibility and exposure to different industries, the benefits of contract work for employees have become more apparent, as according to three-quarters (75%) of hiring managers, contract workers enjoy flexibility while still maintaining a healthy degree of job security, removing the stigma that some professionals have about the perceived instability of this type of work. Avoiding prolonged recruitment processes is also a bonus, as more than seven in 10 (71%) hiring managers agree filling temporary positions quickly is of the essence when hiring contract workers.

“We’re seeing first-hand New Zealand workers enjoying the many benefits of temporary work, which include an experienced and diverse career, the accumulation of rich skillsets after being exposed to multiple industries and workplaces, as well as the flexibility to work to a long-term schedule that suits them,” Megan Alexander added.

New Zealand employers are also fast realising the rewards of flexible staffing arrangements, as more than six in 10 (65%) say having a mix of both temporary and permanent employees is crucial to the success of their department/company. Looking forward, the changing dynamic in the New Zealand workplace is set to continue as almost two-thirds (65%) feel contract workers are a key component of their department’s long-term staffing strategy.

“In a skills short market, employers gain access to a larger pool of candidates through adopting a flexible staffing approach that consists of both permanent and contract workers. By accessing this wider talent pool, companies gain a competitive advantage through filling critical skills gaps and maintaining workflow during peak periods without the additional cost burden of expanding headcount,” concluded Megan Alexander.

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