Déjà Vu?

We have all had one of these experiences at some point. Most recently for me a blog from the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) entitled, "What is a contingent worker?" prompted a déjà vu feeling from years ago.

The writer's point in this case was that five years ago the question (about the term 'contingent worker') was common, even from members of the staffing industry, but today the concept is widely accepted and understood. Some even posit that the most recent recession and recovery is accelerating interest in and acceptance of "non-fulltime" work arrangements of all sorts. A flexible approach to work embraced by employers and employees alike.

Irish author/philosopher Charles Handy first introduced the concept more than 25 years ago as he wrote about the notion of "shamrock organizations" that would be made up of professional core workers, free lancers and finally part time/temporary employees - each forming a separate leaf on the shamrock.

Today the term "contingent" is used to describe a variety of flexible / just-in-time workers and professionals for whose services the global spend is running around $1.5 trillion a year, according to SIA. In the U.S. alone the use of temp employment today is on a path to match industry historical highs set in 2000.

Merit Resource Group was founded on the concept of providing contingent, HR professionals in 1989, when few firms like ours existed. Taking advantage of HR expertise on demand, which is also scalable for projects, our clients think the approach works for them.

Call us if you have questions about how contingent HR staffing might work for you. We have been through numerous evolutions of this "tool" for business. We'd be glad to talk more about it with you.