Are You Ready for 2024?

Walk into a room of staffing industry professionals and ask: what business are you in?

“Temp staffing” will be the response nine out of 10 times.  Only it’s the wrong answer. The right response is:  We are in the contingent space.

Why does it matter?  Here’s why.

In our 2014 Buyer Survey, Staffing Industry Analysts asked companies (with 1,000 or more employees) what types of labor they are going to use more (or less) of in terms of different types of labor over the next 10 years.

Buyers are most bullish about expanding their use of high-skilled contingent workers, statement of work consultants, offshore workers and outsourced companies.

It’s not that buyers will not be using more agency temps. They will, but temp expansion plans are more moderate. And this affects how staffing firms should be defining their services, and maybe considering new offerings. We are not talking about putting a marketing spin on what you tell people.  This is about reconfiguring your staffing firm’s identity, making a plan and then owning it.

You obviously want to be in an area that is growing by leaps and bounds. But you don’t want to be diving in willy-nilly. So take a hard look at your firm’s capabilities, get strategic help to examine where you are now and where you want to go. Then scrutinize what option works for your company.  It may not be offshore recruiting or using outsourced services. The idea is not to jump on any bandwagon but turn your ship to meet market needs.

Buyers, you may be fervent about expanding your programs to include SOWs, but this arena can be a minefield. Take a look at your program and what you want to achieve before jumping in.  An important component to getting SOW right is your choice of vendor. Do your due diligence. And vendors, be prepared so you can be that right vendor.  The SOW category is notorious for being the hiding place for rogue spend and misclassification.  Familiarize yourself with your client’s business and needs so neither of you is caught on the wrong foot.