33 Contingent Workforce Strategies

I went to work as a “temp” back in 1976 when my husband lost his job in the Spring and was out of work for three weeks. I don’t recall if I panicked (in those days we didn’t have any savings to speak of) or if it looked like a way to get out of the house. I do remember that the temp business was booming, and there were several agencies located in our community. Even though I had a master’s degree, I did strictly clerical stuff, and ended up with a terrific neck strain from typing on a Mag 3 typewriter for 8 hours at a stretch. Definitely not worth whatever I made.

The Publisher’s letter by Ron Mester in Contingent Workforce Strategies says the days of the “temp” are long gone--at least they aren’t back-up and emergency employees anymore, being called instead, “contingency” employees for “organizational flexibility, speed and capability.” Staffing Industry Analysts, Inc. which tracks, researches, analyzes and reports on contingent staffing is the publisher, and they have been in the business for 15 years, enough time put together a quality product, I think. A big issue for this industry will be benefits--some people hate their jobs, would probably love being part of a contingency workforce, but are tied to health and retirement plans.

The glossy, full-color magazine features interviews with key thinkers and corporate leaders, case studies and reports of best practices, strategies, tools, analyses, metrics, and new research exploring the effective use of a contingent workforce. The first issue went to 15,000 industry people, according to Wooden Horse. The economy is booming and that’s a good growth time for contingency workforce people. Mester says:

Whether you’re the CEO, an executive responsible to an entire business unit or function, an HR professional advising hiring managers, or a procurement professional ensuring that your organization is getting the most out of its significant contingent spending, [this] will provide you with the case studies, best practices, guidelines and benchmarks you need to take action and get results.

Contingent Workforce Strategies
March 2004, Number 1.1
ISSN: Pending
Publication schedule: 8 times a year
Subject: Contingency workforce, temporary employment
Staffing Industry Analysts, Inc.
881 Fremont Ave.
Los Altos, CA 94024
Dist. to qualified executives
Single issue: $26; $96/year
http://www.staffingindustry.com/
Publisher and CEO: Ron Mester
Managing Editor: Alan Kay