At a time when companies are diversifying and are seeking more flexible ways to operate more efficiently, there is also an increasing need for temporary workers who could fill up vacant placements at flexible terms and working hours, according to Misco Malta.

Companies branching out into new avenues of operations also tend to prefer temping employees who could drive the slow start of the business till it reaches a gradual and more sustained flow. There are also employees who prefer working according to a more flexible schedule which a normal ‘eight-to-five’ job would not allow.

“There are many factors and scenarios that are currently driving the temping business and flexibility is the name of the game,” said Lisa Schembri, human resources executive at Misco Malta.

“Misco has been offering temping services for the past eight years and we have seen an increase in the demand for this service exponentially in the past three years, mainly due to increased interest in temporary positions. Basically, if potential employees out there are willing and able to work for a stretch of time instead of on a permanent basis, why take them out of the equation? Temping can be an opportunity for them and for their potential employers.”

A cursory look at the temporary staffing market in the US will show how this sector is booming.

In 2010, a year when US growth peaked at 3.9 per cent, temporary workers accounted for about one- third of the one million private sector hires and are thought to have played a key part in the economic story for that year.

The popularity of temporary workers kept increasing. The numbers of temporary workers in the US increased by eight per cent in 2011 and studies revealed that throughout 2012, 36 per cent of companies were planning to hire contract or temporary workers in 2012, up from 28 per cent in 2009.

In the UK, the use of temporary agency workers is also popular. Figures grew by 10 per cent over the same period last year, with sectors such as construction seeing growth of 47 per cent and retail up 12 per cent.

“Temping could be an ideal solution for those companies who are experiencing a fast-changing business environment and are in need of project-based employees, temporary replacements or specialised professionals for one-off projects. Temping is an opportunity for employees to use their skills, prove themselves and raise the possibilities of being retained on a permanent basis. Temping solves temporary staffing problems such as lack of staff for particularly demanding projects, to tackle backlogs at work, to solve long-term leave situations or to counter a lack of specialised skills,” Ms Schembri explained.

Currently, temping opportunities are being made available across a wide array of positions such as administration and clerical posts which are the most common, as well as jobs related to data inputting, finance, accounting, human resources, IT, purchasing, marketing, customer service, sales and consultancy.

These opportunities are available in many different sectors such as aviation, hospitality, manufacturing, European agencies, embassies, construction, transportation, insurance, banks, financial services, parastatal entities, automotive and the shipping sector.

“It is accepted as a reality that employment trends in the market are changing. From a mentality of having a position for life, employees are now keener to experience different challenges in various sectors and companies. They feel this develops them into more informed and resourceful employees,” she concluded.