Temporary working 'considered by four in 10', says REC

If there was any need for further confirmation of the very real relevance today of contractor accountants for doctors and others working on a temporary basis, it surely came in a new report released by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

Entitled Flex appeal: Why freelancers, contractors and agency workers choose to work this way, the report outlined the results of a YouGov survey of 4,234 adults. It showed that more than one in three - 36 per cent - of people in Great Britain had previously worked as a contractor, freelancer or agency worker, and that working this way in the future was being contemplated by 41 per cent.

24 of per cent of those polled had been a temporary agency worker, while one in 10 (10 per cent) had worked as a contractor and one in 10 (11 per cent) had freelanced.

The report also uncovered interesting statistics on career and earning potential, including that 40 per cent of those currently earning £30,000 or more had worked as an agency worker, contractor or freelancer, as well as that agency work was a familiar experience to 22 per cent of people who presently earned more than £50,000. Meanwhile, of those who were currently entrusted with hiring responsibility at work, 36 per cent had been an agency worker themselves.

Kevin Green, REC chief executive commented: "Working as a contractor, freelancer or agency worker is a choice for many people, and flexibility is a key reason they opt for this kind of work. Flexible working especially appeals to young people, parents and people scaling back as they approach retirement."

He added that despite perceptions in some quarters of temporary work as "a second rate or dead-end career choice", those who actually worked this way valued the ability that it gave them to earn more, fit work around their family life or gain certain skills and experience that may not have been obtainable otherwise.

Green therefore called for greater support for, rather than the penalisation of those seeking to improve their work-life balance. He said that this could be achieved through employers treating their temporary personnel more like their wider workforce, with training opportunities as well as better managerial communication.

He concluded: "The government must simplify the tax system to ensure temporary workers are not caught out by complex rules. They should also require banks to be more accommodating of applications for mortgages from these customers so people aren't disadvantaged by working flexibly."

Editor’s Note: SAIL Business Solutions (http://www.sailsolutions.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.