An improving permanent HR labour market is likely steering the length of temporary positions towards more fixed-term contracts and fewer day-rate roles, according to research from Oakleaf Partnership.
More than a third (37.5%) of interims said that available roles have decreased over the past year, while 16.5% stated the volume of assignments has increased, and 36% claimed it remained the same. Additionally, 36% said there were more fixed-term contract (FTC) roles and fewer day-rate ones, 30% said more day-rate and fewer FTC ones, and 34% said there was an equal spread of FTC and day rate.
Three-quarters (75%) of respondents reported their day rate has remained the same or risen by up to 20%, while 16% had experienced a fall. Day rates ranged from highs of £1200 to £100 at the lower end, with the largest share between £400 and £600 (31%).
A quarter (26%) said that change management and OD roles have been the main specialism required, followed by generalist HR at 20% and resourcing roles at 10%.
Richard Colgan, founder and managing partner of Oakleaf, said that year on year the demand for specialist HR interim and temporary workers appears “stable at worst, and probably marginally better, both in terms of available roles and day rates secured."
“The marked decline in day-rate roles is a concern and may be driven by many factors, including preferred supplier list/recruitment process outsourcing type arrangements where blanket hiring decisions are based solely on cost of hire, as opposed to a commercial decision based on business needs,” he said.
Howard Mann, an interim who works in business transformation and change management, said that the industry is stratified between the higher and lower ranks of seniority. “I think this report is certainly true with regards to the middle and lower ends,” he told HR magazine. “I have not been offered a FTC, but I know from using the Web, LinkedIn and from talking to agencies that a lot of companies are choosing this route."
“Some HR departments might be quite risk-averse, so it is easier for them to stick someone on their payroll with a FTC. Interims are a strange beast that many HR professionals aren’t used to dealing with,” he added.
