Maternity cover, illness, holiday absence or a high workload: temporary work is an attractive alternative to permanent employment, especially in such cases. In Switzerland, temporary staffing is becoming increasingly important, and the number of temporary workers is continuously rising. For employees, the benefits of temporary work lie in professional flexibility, variety and independence – timing, area of responsibility and duration are fairly variable. Companies, on the other hand, can hope for quick help in cases of bottlenecks, production peaks, a shortage of skilled workers on the labour market or the absence of their own staff. Personnel costs are only incurred when the service is actually used, which allows the personnel budget to be used efficiently. For many companies, another key argument is that temporary employees are not on the payroll and are subject to different contractual conditions than permanent staff. In Switzerland, major banks in particular make use of this. For instance, at Credit Suisse, over 80% of recruiters are not directly employed by the bank, but by an external company.
Temporary work – how does it actually work?
The placement of temporary workers is usually done through a temporary staffing agency, also known as a temp agency. A leasing contract is concluded between the agency and the hiring company for the temporary employment, which is defined for a limited period. The worker themselves concludes the employment contract with the agency. This means the temp agency is the legal employer, whereas the actual employer is the company where the temporary worker performs the job. If you choose a temp agency as an intermediary between you and the temporary employees, you reduce administrative overheads, contractual arrangements and risks – although recruitment is of course also possible without an intermediary.
Temporary staffing – the disadvantages
While temporary work has some advantages for you as an employer, there are also disadvantages to consider before opting for this kind of temporary alternative to a permanent position. For example, temporary work carries an increased risk of accidents, as workers are often unfamiliar with the company’s workflows. At the same time, temporary workers, who are only deployed for a short time, tend to have a weaker connection to the workplace and the team – which is often reflected in the team spirit. Quality standards may also be affected. If you do not use a staffing agency as an intermediary, you will have to deal with a number of administrative tasks yourself, such as registration with social insurance or drafting a suitable employment contract, including correct notice periods and overtime regulations.
Temporary work: really a good alternative?
Whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages depends on your individual situation. Depending on the circumstances in your company and in the labour market, temporary work can be a suitable alternative to successfully bridge bottlenecks, illness, and so on. However, employing temporary staff may also involve increased accident risks and dissatisfaction among your permanent employees. A thorough evaluation is therefore highly recommended.