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A NEW workforce of temporary staff is marching ahead to plug sudden workplace gaps in commerce and industry.

With the number of short-term employees constantly rising, business leaders are becoming increasingly reliant on temps and the benefits they bring to their operations.

Recent government figures show the number of people in temporary employment in the UK has now reached almost three-quarters-of-a-million. That figure is predicted to hit around a million by 2020.

And many employers say the most common reason for them choosing temps is not necessarily financial – but to meet demand for special projects, products or services during seasonal or busy times of the year. Most importantly, temps are able to fill sudden gaps caused by the likes of holidays, illness or maternity leave.

Lisa Carew, Operations Manager at NMS Recruit, said: “Temps are no longer seen as a stop-gap measure but can be a massive benefit to businesses at times when labour is most needed to keep productivity at a high.

“They can also provide a much needed boost in ways that are not always obvious. For instance, they can bring flexibility by operating to different working patterns and introduce fresh ideas to the company.

Here are some key advantages to having temporary cover in your business:

Make an immediate difference

Temps can usually begin work within a few days so there’s no interview processes and long notice periods. Recruiting is simple and straightforward as a good agency will have a bank of temporary workers ready for quick starts - an immediate solution to sudden employee absence, holidays, sick leave and seasonal demands.

Scale up your workforce

If a large new project is on the horizon or major change is taking place in a particular section of the business, temps with specific skills can be recruited at short notice.

Bring a new outlook

Fresh ideas from new people with no embedded business culture can, with their different skills, put another perspective on existing work practices and processes along with new ideas from other organisations.

Bring flexibility

One of the biggest benefits to business is the flexibility of a temporary workforce where employers can control staffing levels during periods of high productivity. This could turn out to be a more cost-effective option for your operation.

Trying before buying

At the end of a contract, temps who have shown huge potential may be perfect for permanent roles, displaying the right skills and fitting in with your company culture. After getting to know them, they might even be suitable for other positions within the organisation.

Specialist workers

Many temps are taken on because of their specialist skills and can be just right for short-term assignments. They can bring a level of expertise to a particular project for a specific period of time.

Identify future managers

Temps can be the perfect source of “home grown” talent, growing with the business and working to your company culture. In fact, over a third of the country’s managers started out as temporary staff.

Cover while recruiting

Taking on temps while going through the recruitment process for full-time employees can reduce the pressure of filling vacancies immediately. It can also take the strain off the rest of your teams who would benefit from a full complement of staff.

Control costs

Importantly, temps allow your business to increase staff without upping your permanent headcount and costs. They can be hired to cover upturns in demand and there’s no long-term commitment when demand goes down.

NMS Recruit, part of the Russell Taylor Group of companies which has headquarters on Riverside Park, Bromborough, has a team of experience recruiters who can provide you with a skilled temporary work force where everything is taken care of so employers can focus on running their teams.