3 in 10 Hongkongers looking for jobs more open to temporary work

Temporary roles also have benefits.

It has been noted that 34 per cent of candidates in Hong Kong are now more open to temporary/contract work, based on a survey.

According to a release from Hays, of the 185 respondents who participated in the survey, 34 per cent said temporary/contract work is more attractive than in the past. A further 38 per cent of respondents claimed no change in attitude to temporary/contract work, while the remaining 28 per cent view it as less attractive.

“Contrary to popular belief temporary/contract work is not limited to entry-level office support roles, professionals at all levels and across various sectors are working on a temporary basis. For example there is substantial demand for temporary or contract accountancy & finance and procurement talent in Hong Kong,” says Dean Stallard, Regional Director of Hays in Hong Kong.

This is backed by findings in the 2016 Hays Asia Salary Guide, a separate report released earlier this year, where as many as 60 per cent of employers surveyed have used a flexible staffing approach in the past 12 months, and 19 per cent expect to increase their use of temporary staff in 2016.

According to Dean, “Temporary or contract roles offer a number of benefits for both employers and job seekers”.

Here's more from Hays:

Benefits for job seekers include:

Skills development: Temporary/contract assignments allow you to broaden your expertise, expose you to new industries and diversify your skills and experience, which will make you more attractive and employable in future.

Work-life balance: By working as a professional contractor you can pick and choose your assignments, allowing you greater control and flexibility over your work arrangements.

Earning potential: Temporary/contract assignments offer a higher hourly rate at the trade-off of selected permanent staff benefits, which is more attractive to some professionals, particularly when there is high demand for their skills.

Benefits for employers include:

Experts on demand: Flexible hiring allows employers to recruit particular expertise as and when needed for special projects, peak periods and unforeseen workloads. The added benefit of short notice periods can also help you address challenging times in your business cycle.

Testing the talent: Many organisations use temporary workers on a trial basis to test their ability to do the job and assess their compatibility with the organisation. This ‘try before you buy’ approach reduces the risks involved with any permanent hire.

Filling skills gaps: To address increasing skills shortages, contractors present an excellent opportunity to fill gaps temporarily. Rather than continuously redistributing work between current permanent employees, which can reduce productivity and increase stress, temporary resources can instead fill skills gaps quickly within a permanent team and help maintain productivity of a business.

“As market leaders in the temp and contractor sector, Hays offers employers access to a wealth of talented contract professionals and job seekers a selection of professional contracting opportunities” says Dean.