‘Temp work’ is about as ‘cut-throat’ as it gets. If you ever get anything worse than a cold and unable to work for more than a day or two, you’re gone.(they would rather you show up and infect other employees) Death in the family? Too bad. If you’re hired on as a ‘temp’ or contractor at an employer with a labor union, the union thugs will HATE you, and you had better drive a car to work you don’t mind being vandalized.
Having said that, it can be better than nothing, and at many places these days, you’re hired as a ‘temp’ so they can try you out, as it’s an opportunity to get your ‘foot in the door’. If you’re skilled and fit in, much of the time, they’ll hire you on with the company.
During these crazy days of repressive laws/regulation and the constant threat of being litigated into oblivion, many employers gain a layer of protection via ‘temp’ job agencies or hiring on contractors.
What I am seeing is loads of reqs for temp workers that demand a BEE deg and want to pay $12 hr.
That's how it's "supposed to work". However, it is being used as a means to manage uncertainty - resolving the "immovable object meeting an irresistible force" situation.
In addition, more temporary labor exists in non-temp lines of work, the less prosperous the economy is at a given time and place. By extension, one could plausibly argue that it also indicates government intervention as well.
Given the above, it's part of why I dislike Obamacare. It completely disincentivizes the search for or providing of work, much less in good faith.
During these crazy days of repressive laws/regulation and the constant threat of being litigated into oblivion, many employers gain a layer of protection via ‘temp’ job agencies or hiring on contractors.
The protection might be there, but it does not come without cost. The good people end up leaving, knowing that they have options elsewhere. Anyone without an alternative gets to know what churn is in the job market.
By the sound of it, such a setup resembles a bad labor union. The dues system exists (wrap/conversion rates, fees to agency), the lack of support by the agency towards the participants, and that it disincentivises productivity towards the minimum required(versus the highest quality).
What happened to the time where employers could generally get along with and inspire their workforce, instead of having to handle them? Those kind of employers (for those that choose that path) could give a sense of pride in their employee's work, even if it paid less.
“Having said that, it can be better than nothing, and at many places these days, you’re hired as a ‘temp’ so they can try you out, as it’s an opportunity to get your ‘foot in the door’. If you’re skilled and fit in, much of the time, they’ll hire you on with the company.”
That’s not always true. What is sometimes true though is that the “hope” of being hired direct after a period of Temp status is nothing but incentive to take the job as a Temp. The client company only needs the Temp to help with a temporary increase in workload. After that the client company says good-bye and they are back to business as usual until the next temporary increase in workload. If you were a good Temp, the client company may have you back...as a Temp.