A Huffington Post story by Laura Bassett on alleged abuses by temporary firm Aerotek quotes heavily from a union-representing attorney and includes this rebuke by the temp in question: “Thanks Aerotek, hope that little bit of money you’re getting is worth taking the food off my kids’ plates!”
Bassett also got plenty of feedback from readers writhing with a sense of injustice:
Staffing agencies offer economists an excellent way to argue that employment is growing, when in fact it is employment “light”, as in with no benefits and an uncertain future. Frankly, their very existence has only ever been a way to work around labor laws. Federal legislation needs to be introduced to limit the duration of assignments, so that a “temp” isn’t working 30 years without benefits and retirement options provided for other employees. – Spottery2k
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Having worked at several companies through temporary agencies, I am convinced that there are a lot of companies that simply prefer not to have employees. In some of the workplaces I have been in, the contract workers outnumber the employees to a huge extent. Some of the contract workers have been at the company for years. Contract workers give companies all the upside of employees (they are required to follow company manuals and policies, not to mention any command from a superior) and none of the downsides. They company provides no benefits and no promises of a future. Should the company decide it does not like the contract worker, they send an email or text message or leave a phone message and the contract worker magically disappears. No warnings, no exit interviews, none of the discomfort of having to look someone in the eye and tell them they are fired. If there isn’t enough work for the entire week, just send the worker home. And I’m betting that suits for age, race and sex discrimination (surprise--such things still take place in the workplace) are way down with contract workers. It’s a buyer’s market for labor in this country, with so many jobs shipped overseas, and I predict millions will never work a full time job again. Jim Wiggin
I dislike temp agencies. You do not know if you have a job from day to day. You have to call them constantly to see if they have openings. And they reinforce the idea that workers are disposable and interchangeable. Mik McAllister
I’ve read over a lot of the comments carefully and mostly what I hear is a lot of people living on the edge who are frustrated and want to heap blame on someone. Temp firms, given their very nature of acting in loco-HR, obviously are going to take a lot of the heat.
Some of the comment ironically have me asking myself why I don’t use temporary services more given all the advantages they have in assuring only successful candidates get full time positions.
Also, I thought Richard Wahlquist, CEO of the American Staffing Industry, did a decent job in defending the industry in saying, “Staffing firms only are able to get income from their clients if they make placements, so they have a powerful incentive to put everybody to work,” he said. “Of course, if you’ve got 10 million people coming through your doors every year, there’s are gonna be some with grievances, but Allegis [Aerotek's parent company] is actually the largest staffing firm in America. They provide employment across a lot of different sectors, they’ve got a really strong track record, and they’re proud of what they do.”
What are your thoughts?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I think staffing agencies are strengthening our workforce. Companies are given the benefit of trying out the employee before committing to a full time permanent employee. Temporary employees are given the same trial opportunity as well as a network of HR support to aide in the employee’s successful search. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in July 2010 that U.S. staffing companies have added more new jobs than any other sector since the recovery began. Like the little engine that could, staffing companies are rejuvenating the recession.
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Staffing agencies are the outsourcing outlets of America; not exactly a good thing
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I now work at a staffing agency that treats both their workers, and their temps, with courtesy and basic respect. I also feel valued here. That hasn’t always been the case though. I have worked at several other staffing firms that treat people horribly. That was especially true when we had so many applicants we were turning them away in huge numbers. I guess it’s human nature that the more people who are lined up for your job, the worse you can get expected to be paid and/or treated. I don’t know why it has to be like that though. I don’t feel as if the staffing industry has a very good reputation, and I’m not sure it deserves one.
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Hi Sue…I agree with you. Because it is so easy for staffing companies to come and go, there is no way to prevent bad actors – and there many – from sullying any notion of an ‘industry’.
There are however many great staffing companies out there that treat their temporaries and candidates with dignity. They continue to win year after year because internal staff takes pride in those ethics and go the extra mile in taking care of client and temporary alike.
Take for example this post by Laila: http://staffingtalk.com/2011/02/remember-to-thank-your-spectacular-staffing-specialist/
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I have worked in the recruitment industry for over 15 years and our priority was always to ensure all of our clients (and by clients I also mean temporary staff) were treated with integrity, honesty and respect. The company I ran in Europe was well know and respected for this.
Frankly I have been shocked by some of the practices and the way certain staffing agencies treat their clients (including temporary staff) and there’s absolutely no excuse for it. It’s just plain bad business.
There are many agencies out there who treat (paying) clients and candidates with the utmost respect and integrity. However, a recruitment agency is only as good as its best recruiter and as bad as its worst. In the past I have had to do some “reputation damage control” when we had hired a “bad” recruiter and they had damaged the company’s reputation by being unethical. Even recruitment companies sometimes recruit badly for themselves!
It’s a shame people give recruitment agencies a bashing, because there are great ones out there, who add value and do a fantastic job. Unfortunately, it would appear that these are the exception to the rule.
Hannah McKinnon
http://www.PoolingPeople.ca (a staffing agency alternative)
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I am now pursuing other career goals that will prevent me from ever having to work as an office temp again. I was lied to by many staffing agencies, and often told a job was “temp to hire”, when it was really just temporary. They also will never tell you your termination date, they will just call you on the phone after 5 pm and tell you not to go back in the morning. This gives you no leeway to make other plans, or do anything else. Sadly, I see many of my friends still temping, some have been working temp for ten years or more. They still hope that one day, they might go perm. That day never comes.
The biggest lie of all is that a temp isn’t hired permanent because they are not a good worker, show up late or have “bad hygiene”. The fact is that many companies today won’t hire perm people at all, no matter how great you do your job.
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Started work years ago with several reputable nursing temp companies and have taken a few jobs through them. Recently my job ended and I started looking for a new job, but the game has changed, and I was called by a recuriter from Medstaff OKlahoma. I am now stuck on a contract with a $1500 cancellation fee! I have never seen such a thing before. If you take the job with the client you are with the fee is waived, but don’t try to leave the company!
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