In a recent blog we discussed the benefits of agency / temporary roles; highlighting that people traditionally viewed temporary employment in a negative perspective due to a lack of job security and perceived low wages.
Perhaps due to necessity at the time; when the recession hit Ireland, the availability of standard full-time permanent jobs decreased while part-time temp jobs continued to increase (OECD, 2015).
In fact, over the last decade, times have changed with temporary work, especially temp admin, becoming ‘the new normal’. Temporary jobs typically provide exciting opportunities, flexibility and competitive rates of pay; in a society that in increasingly discussing the importance of a work life balance, mental health and gender equality.
Read our blog: Gender Pay Gap Legislation – Why Now?
Temp workers can interchange between environments and industries using transferable skills and increased experience. This is applicable especially in the admin industry.
So, what will temp admin work look like in the future?
- Mothers returning to work:
In the 1970s, female participation in the work force was driven by the expansion of admin, clerical and service sector jobs. In 2016, secretarial and related occupations were dominated by women, accounting for 95.6 per cent of workers followed by caring personal service occupations (86.7%), (CSO, 2016).
Quite understandably, mothers don’t want to put in a five-day week on top of caring for young kids. However, many feel frustrated if they don’t have an outlet for their talents (other than mashing baby meals and cleaning up vomit).
Official statistics show that 86% of childless women work, whereas that decreases to 57% when considering those with children aged three or under. This talent pool is experienced, professional, efficient and ready to work as long as they are given flexibility to their individual needs.
A World Economic Forum (WEF) gender gap report from last year shows that Ireland have failed to reap the returns on a pool of highly educated and skilled women.
Read our blog: Gender Pay Gap Legislation – Why Now?
Running a home is a full time job at the best of times. However, you may decide you want to return to paid work for any number of reasons:
- ‘You’ Time: Continue in the working world for part of each week and reconnect with that other part of you that existed, pre-baby/babies.
- Adult interaction: a greater sense of well being and connection with the outside world
- You enjoy working
- Use your education, experience & skillset
- Money
Temp admin roles offer various benefits to mothers looking to get back into the workforce.
- Job flexibility: Servisource match your skills with employers taking your specific needs into consideration, so that it’s a good fit for both. Work-family balance has never been easier.
- Experience: This talent pool is experienced, professional, efficient and ready to work. Temporary employment gives you the opportunity to use your ‘pre-baby’ skills, but the pressure is greatly reduced.
- Often build new skills or exposure to different industries.
- Opportunity to develop their professional network
- Weekly Pay: There’s no need to wait until the end of the month for a pay check!
Now there’s no point in me writing this without addressing the elephant in the room … Childcare!!
In any report reviewed, there seems to be a correlation between high childcare costs and lower female labour participation.
As every parent knows, the cost of childcare is highest when children are very young (under 3 years old) due to the amount of care required. The Government has introduced childcare supports for children between the ages of 6 months to 36 months in Tusla-registered childcare services. An additional €20 million was allocated towards supporting childcare measures, including the extended free pre-school programme. This means there will be a full two-year service available from September 2018.
Childcare options:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/pre_school_education_and_childcare/your_childcare_options.html
To see if you are eligible for help with childcare costs, please view the following link: http://affordablechildcare.ie/am-i-eligible-for-assistance-with-my-childcare-costs/
- Young people / ‘Millenials’
Another demographic group availing of temp admin employment are millennials. The latest employment survey undertaken by Forfás shows that agency/ temp work is providing an increasingly important route into work for young people.
This demographic have changed their attitude towards the job market and employment, and instead of waiting for a great opportunity to land at their feet, they are immersing themselves in temporary roles to gain invaluable experience and skills, fill gaps in their CV and as a channel to get on the job ladder.
In 2008, 17,800 people within this age group emigrated due to lack of job opportunities after graduating, in 2013 the figure stood at 24,800. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics predicts that Generation Y will account for nearly 75% of the workforce by 2030. Flexible employment such as temporary work are proving to be an important pull factor in retaining domestic talent by providing new job opportunities and new ways of working (NRF, 2014).
“It’s hard not to feel a little hard done by in comparison to other generations. There was a time, when people were hired they could get a job as a trainee or come out of college at least for contract work for up to six months to a year.”
This is true, but it’s a different time than that of the ‘baby boom’ generation who had the opportunities to obtain a full time job and hold onto it for 20+ years, who married young and bought houses. Times have changed, and although the economy is on the up, the recession has engrained a shift in attitudes on this ‘millennial’ generation. Most young people no longer graduate college expecting to walk into their dream job, but they also don’t consider themselves failures because of it.
They are not complying to ‘social norms’ of getting a full time job and buying a house because they have different passions, different needs and BECAUSE they aren’t rushing to get on the housing ladder or ‘settle down’, they have a new flexibility in employment. Millenials are realising temporary employment may actually be the key to happiness.
Benefits of Temp admin work to millennials:
- Abundance of employment opportunities. Temporary admin roles have increased in the last decade leading to an abundance of opportunities to ‘get the foot in the door’ or ‘dip your toe in various industries’.
- Ability to Travel – 75%of millennials are interested in traveling as much as possible (Boston Consulting Group) which isn’t easy if you have a full-time job.
- Gain experience in different industries to identify where they are truly fulfilled – as opposed to previous generations; millennials are not afraid to leave one job to try another because at the end of the day ‘Life is too short not to do what makes you happy’
- Work Life Balance – The world of work is evolving & what workers expect from their job is changing, as is the way people choose to work. ‘Millennial friendly’ companies such as Apple, eBay and Google are promoting work life balance where employees can ‘work from home’, partake in flexi-time and the likes. As a generation who grew up with the internet, younger people can use technology to complete their work more efficiently and in less time than their predecessors. Additionally to this, stress control and balance is significantly being encouraged as mental health and mindfulness awareness is increasing internationally.
The common thread is the need to embrace flexible working practices within a modern, dynamic and inclusive post-recession jobs market. It is important to remember that under the Temporary Agency Work Act you are entitled to regulated pay as well as accrued holiday pay. You are also protected in the sense that you are given the same quality of working conditions as your permanent colleagues.
At Servisource, we provide a range of temporary staff solutions from short term assignments to long term contractors in Ireland. We currently supply Medical Secretaries, Clerical Officers, Accounts Administrators, Administrators, Receptionists, Secretarial and PA, Personal / Executive Assistants, HR Temps, Logistics administrators, Data Entry, Telephonists, Switchboard Operators, Customer Service Staff and Entry level staff.
Using our strong relationships with large multinationals and businesses across Ireland, we can help you find the right temp job and answer all your questions along the way.
Whether you are a new mother or a millennial, whatever your reasons are for looking for temporary admin work, we have what you’re looking for.
To view all Admin & Finance Roles, click HERE!
Contact Lauren TODAY at LMCLoughlin@recruitisland.ie
Article Written By:
Donna Farrell
