If you’re an interim worker, you’re probably already busier than a three-armed man in a hand-shaking contest – but things are about to get much busier.
Freelancers and umbrella company contractors have always been in demand, but if it seems to you that lately you’ve been busier than ever I assure you it’s not just your perception. In fact, thanks to a massive skills gap in the UK employers are turning in droves to interim workers in order to continue trading, and contract workers are being used more and more in an effort to control costs yet still get things done.
It’s actually quite a bit of a problem, according to a recent annual study. The UK is in actuality finding it very hard to remain competitive in the global marketplace because of the skills shortage, and there’s not necessarily any end in sight: more than 4 out of every 10 businesses surveyed in the research study felt that it could be at least three years before the skills shortage is over, and this has led to well over half of these firms to question whether they can find the workers they so sorely need in order to provide long-term growth for their business and for the economy in general; the worst hit sectors include the engineering, construction, and manufacturing industries, what with a lack of specialised skills, but overall skill levels are also quite low across the board in places like literacy, technical skills, and basic maths according to the Confederation of British Industry, and nearly half of all firms are finding they have no choice but to put on basic remedial training in order to keep their workers functioning properly.
Luckily this is exactly where the freelancer or contract worker comes in, as these folks often have not just highly specialised skills but solid experience and qualifications in their chosen fields. Combined with the fact that interim workers are so much less expensive to use on a per-project basis than a permanent employee, the benefits to the UK’s beleaguered businesses are manifold, which is going to lead to a massive boom in demand and good fortune for anyone working for themselves – and who’s willing to take on the needs of a myriad of clients clamouring for aid!
So brace yourselves, because it’s most likely going to be a wild ride for the next few months at the very least. Good news for your bank accounts, but perhaps not for your ability to catch up on sleep; make hay whilst the sun shines and you can catch up on sleep in a few years!
