The “Permatemp” Phenomenon

According to data released recently by the American Staffing Association, staffing industry employment hit a new all-time high in the third quarter of 2005. US staffing firms employed an average of 2.8 million temporary and contract workers per day from July through September, up 7.1% or nearly 186,000 more workers compared with the same period last year.

Factoid:

Temporary and contract recruitment accounts for 87% of the Staffing industry’s total income [2005]

Trend:

A recent study titled "The Blended Workforce: Maximizing Agility through Nonstandard Work Arrangements," recommended the federal government hire more contingent workers as a way to control costs and replace retiring workers.
Core and Ring Model

The authors of the study, James Thompson and Sharon Mastracci, recommended the federal government adopt a "blended workforce” model as many industries already have.
The report, sponsored by the IBM Center for the Business of Government, pointed to the "core-ring" model used by many companies, where a core of permanent employees is surrounded by contingent employees…" including part-time, on-call, seasonal, temporary, contract, intermittent workers and independent contractors.

The Contingent Workforce

Thompson and Mastracci describe the new world of work…a workplace with a flexible workforce designed for on demand talent management strategies.

Futurist Carolyn Corbin predicts that over the next 10 – 20 years nearly of 70% of the US workforce will be engaged in “non-traditional” work. By “non-traditional” she means flex work, contingent or project based work, with or without benefits.

The Era of the “Permatemp”

Directly related to this emerging business model, is a new category of employment—permatemp. According to Webster's New Third International Dictionary, the term Permatemp defines this on demand phenomenon.
Permatemp - noun {new word} Also written perma-temp. 1. temporary employee who is rehired periodically, especially to lower overhead costs to the employer and to offer greater flexibility in scheduling work and vacations for the employee. Also shortened to temp. Also called long-term temp.


Ten Essential Tools for Thriving in the New Permatemp World

Recognize the project based nature of work
Maintain your mental flexibility
Remain technically current
Develop reputation for expertise
Commit to continuous personal learning & growth
Adopt a self-employed mentality
Identify and market your brand
Embrace change as an ally
Reinvigorate your relationship networking
Keep your resume current and focused on accomplishments


Are You Ready for Your Future? [Eight self-assessment challenges]

Which of your skills can be categorized as hard skills? [knowledge-based]
Which of your skills can be categorized as soft skills? [communication / people skills]
Which of these skills needs updating or further development?
Are these skills marketable?
Will you be employable if your skills remain unchanged?
What skill or achievement have you added to your resume in past year?
Are you open to alternative, non-traditional work opportunities?
How will you handle family, benefit [especially health insurance] and work issues?

Summary

Whether you’re already working as a permatemp or are a candidate for a non-traditional work makeover, you’ll need to be agile, independent, and have a self-employed attitude. Regularly assess your skills and make adjustments, where necessary, to ease the transition into the contingent workforce. We recommend actively positioning yourself within your profession through regular people networking and e-networking for increased visibility. Why? Because the world of work is definitely changing and so should we.

Tell us about your experiences with living / working as a Permatemp...


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