Interim working has many advantages for both clients and candidates. If you are considering making the move, the following are some of the main advantages of taking on interim employees or choosing to work on an interim basis.
For employers
Interim employees can allow your business to adapt rapidly and easily to workload fluctuations or to fulfil individual projects effectively and efficiently. Interim workers can bridge staffing gaps caused by employee absences; whether due to illness, maternity or paternity leave or even holidays. They can also be the key element of a ‘rescue plan’ if you are faced with a sudden departure. They can fill gaps if suitable permanent employees are proving difficult to find, helping to ensure that your business does not fail if presented with temporary or unexpected demands.
Overall, a mixture of permanent and interim workers can improve your business’ flexibility and performance; presenting opportunities for both the company and the workers themselves. Improved efficiency and productivity can boost profits, enhance your business reputation and improve job security for permanent members of the team.
Employing interim workers also offers the potential for you to evaluate workers without having to make a long-term commitment. Many companies use this method as a cost-effective and efficient means by which to test the abilities of individuals during searches for permanent members of a team. There is also the convenience of being able to quickly and efficiently replace someone if they are failing to meet the requirements of the role or otherwise prove to be unsuitable.
Further significant advantages in taking on interim staff include time-saving and financial benefits. For short-term projects, it is often cheaper and easier to hire interim workers rather than employing full-time members of staff with the associated benefits packages and management overhead.
For workers
One of the most important benefits of interim working is the flexibility that it can offer. This means that you can exert a greater degree of control over your career and work around other aspects of your life. Another major advantage is the experience that it can offer. This can be beneficial if you ever decide to apply for a permanent role or you want to ensure that you are the top choice for the best temporary positions that arise. All companies work differently, meaning that each new role is likely to allow you to broaden your skill-set, learn about different technology and make you more knowledgeable and adaptable to different working practices.
Interim work can allow you to discover more about your own attributes and is an excellent way of discovering what type of work you find most fulfilling and enjoyable. It is also an ideal form of networking, offering potential opportunities both immediately and in the future. You may be offered the job of your dreams as a direct result of an interim placement or be contacted years later by someone who remembered the good work you did during a temporary period with a firm. You can enjoy all of these benefits safe in the knowledge that you still have employment rights as an interim worker, including entitlement to paid holiday and at least the National Minimum Wage.
