For someone new to the workforce, or just desperate for a job, temporary employment can seem like a viable option. It means guaranteed hours for a set amount of time, and—like an internship—allows you to sample a career without making a big commitment.
But a
new study by researchers at McGill University found that temporary employees are more likely show signs of depression, which hurts not only their productivity but the company as whole. This is especially troubling because, as the recession softens, economists predict employers will hire temp workers before full-time employees.
The McGill study found that temporary workers are more likely to be depressed than their full-time counterparts, and that the disparity increases over time. Using data from the U.S. National Survey of Youth between 1992 and 2002, researchers identified that temp employees, on average, suffered from two additional signs of depression than regular workers. And employees who continued to work temp jobs four years after initially being surveyed were even more likely to become depressed, leading researchers to believe that the strains of temp work accumulate over time.
Hiring temporary workers is usually considered a boon for employers looking to trim expenses, because temp workers are paid lower salaries and represent a smaller commitment on the part of the employer. Yet McGill researchers argue that the effects of temp-induced depression (decreased productivity, increased absences) are enough to offset any potential financial gains.
But as the economy begins to recover, employers are already showing signs of leaning on temp workers, according to an
article in
USA Today. Although the job market is still shrinking, cuts to temp jobs are slowing, and the American Staffing Association reported an increase in demand for temporary and contract employees between July and August. And temp salaries are up 4 percent from last year, which could even help temp workers feel less marginalized and depressed (but I'm no therapist).
As the economy bounces back, employers go through three stages of hiring:
- They try to get the most out of the workers they still have, pushing them to be more productive and work longer hours.
- Insecure about hiring full-time employees, they dip into the temp market.
- Confident that the economy really is recovering, they hire full-time employees.
Right now, we're still at step one, with productivity levels up but hiring still down. But the slowing of temp job losses indicates a potential shift to the second stage of employer recovering.
Have you ever worked a temp job? What kind of role do you think temp workers will have in our economic recovery?
Comments (20)
I would not work a temp job. The job insecurity is too much for me - I need a guaranteed thing.
I never took a temp job unless it was temp to hire. I never actually got hired at any of them but I at least wanted the opportunity to get hired. Even though they get paid less then the companies employees I've found that every job I had paid me more than minimum wage, which is so hard to find when you haven't had any schooling farther than high school.
The last temp job I had was at a wood factory that was behind on its shipments. In 2 months they went from red lining back into being profitable, got caught up on most stores and weren't far beind on the rest of them. It really saved the entire company from going under. And it kept all us poor temp workers from losing our homes. So it's good for everyone =)
That's all I'm doing at the moment while I keep looking for a permanent job! Sad.
@pretend2fly@xanga - Choosing temp-to-hire makes sense, I agree. And yeah, I'd rather a company hire temp workers than go bankrupt (:
@tigerdauphin@xanga - Aww, well sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
@sarah - lol exactly. Bills are still coming, and student loans still have to be paid off regardless of whether I get a job or not
I haven't ever worked at one, but if I am unable to find a job once I go back to work, it is something I will seriously consider.
The majority of economist are way too positive for their own good. They were unwilling to admit that were were even in a recession all 2008, only to find out that we were in one since Dec 2007. Now they are falling over themselves to declare the recession over.
Question is, what changed?
Are a ton of folks still unemployed? - Yes
Are people still losing their jobs? - Yes
Housing market still in the dumps? - Yes
Banks still have all that bad derivative debt? - Yes
Have banks paid off the $100's of billions of dollars they took from the Govt in emergency aid? - No
Are people still losing their homes at a high rate? Yes
I could go on, but the point is made.
Companies love temp work because they can hire folks at lower pay and no benefits. Working with no benefits like insurance or paid vacation as well as job insecurity is bound to make many depressed- but at least they have a job. I'm sure the unemployed aren't doing any cartwheels either.
It's a good thing.
I worked temp jobs when I first graduated from college and couldn't find a full job...it was definitely depressing to not the security of a permanent job, but while I was working temp I was also searching for a permanent job...it definitely beats doing nothing.
@SoullFire@xanga - @Trigger821@xanga - It's true, working a temp job is better than being unemployed, but I thought the McGill study made an interesting point—even if temp jobs appear more economical for companies, they might be losing money in lost productivity and employee absences.
Intresting view to see, I hadn't every really thought about the whole temp thing, but I do know that the one temp job I worked I hated even though they ended up offering my full time employment I turned it down because I didn't like going to work for them.
I hated the temp job so much that I ended up going back to school just to have a good reason to quit working it, I've finished school and am now trying to find a job and I might endup temping again, but reading this reminded me how much I didn't want to do that.
@coralcwayla@xanga - Aw, sorry you had a crappy temp experience. I haven't had a true temp job (through an agency or anything) but all of my jobs have been "temporary" in the sense that they were internships, summer camp jobs, or teaching assistant things.
I currently am working a few temp jobs at once as a bookkeeper, which is well below the paygrade I will have when I find a full time position as a CPA. So far it pays the bills, is really easy work, and doesn't lock me into a contract while I search for my full time position. I wonder how they distinguished the temp jobs as being the cause of the depression and not from the several other posibilities.
I like temp jobs. They give me flexibility while in school.
Yes, I've done a few temp jobs. I think that there will be more temp jobs for a while, so that companies do not have to commit to full-time, permanent employees.
I worked a lot of temp jobs and although I liked the flexibility, I hated not knowing whether my bills would be paid next month.
I have never worked a temp job. However, my boyfriend worked a temp job recently. He liked having a job which I think ultimately made him happy, but he hated the hours, the work, and the poor pay. Unfortunately, they let him go about a month after work. :(
we're talking about professional temp jobs, not student jobs.
temp jobs are okay. i actually landed my first professional job after working as a temp. but although temps are paid less, employers do pay more because a portion goes to the temp agency. for example, the employer may pay $17-$22 dollars an hour to hire a temp who's getting paid $10-$11 dollars an hour. working as a temp is like being a prostitute vs. working full-time is like being a wife.
personally speaking, i think everybody should just start their own businesses.
temp workers are pretty good i guess..we had one at work because the regular lady is out for surgery til december