Swissstaffing_Temporärarbeitende_2018_E

Temporary Workers in Switzerland 2018 Who they are.

Where they work.

How satisfied they are.

Executive Summary Staffing service providers’ success is determined entirely by the temporary workers they supply, for these workers are the staffing leasing services’ whole reason for being. The opinion and social research institute gfs-zürich recently took temporary workers’ pulse with a survey. Who works temporarily? In which functions and industries are the temporary workers employed? What characteristics distinguish these people from the rest of the Swiss working population? How long do they work temporarily and how satisfied are they with temporary work and their staffing service provider? You will find answers to these questions in this study. Here, the focus is not on the hotly debated long-term labor market integration of temporary workers.

For a detailed discussion of this topic, we refer to three white papers published by swissstaffing: • Temporary Staffing: Between Labor Market Integration and the Skills Shortage • Flexwork and Social Protection: Temporary work as a trailblazer • Flexibility and Social Partnership: Key Characteristics of a Liberal Labor Market With regard to numerous characteristics, the profile of an average temporary worker looks increasingly like the profile of an average Swiss employee. Thus, for example, temporary workers are only slightly younger than other employees. Overall, people from all age groups and with all kinds of qualifications work temporarily in all functions and industries. Therefore, it is hardly possible to conceive of the Swiss labor market without this flexible form of work.

At the same time, most people surveyed are only employed temporarily for a brief time. This poses the challenge for the industry of having to recruit new employees constantly. Conversely, for temporary workers this also means that many of them discover new career possibilities during their temporary employment phase and that temporary staffing was planned as a transition phase from the very beginning.

Happily, temporary workers are very satisfied with temporary employment as a form of work and with the staffing service providers’ service. They feel well cared-for – and they are procured for appropriate positions in appropriate teams. Based on this experience, the large majority of temporary workers would recommend this form of work.

Description of methods In November and December 2018, swissstaffing commissioned the market and social research institute gfs-zürich to survey 4153 temporary workers whose primary residence is in Switzerland and who worked temporarily in 2017.

Participants were employees of large and small staffing companies, including swissstaffing’s five largest members. In total, approximately 57,000 employees received letters. The return quota for online ­surveys was 7%. The survey was conducted in German, English, French, ­Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.¹

The survey can be regarded as representative of large staffing service providers’ temporary workers. Employees of small staffing providers are underrepresented. In recent years, large staffing service providers’ activity in construction has declined in favor of small and medium-sized companies. Therefore, the construction may be underrepresented in the figures. Furthermore, for online surveys, different response behaviors by age, sex or other socioeconomic characteristics can never be ruled out entirely.

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2

100% 80%

Age

Sex

Temporary workers are traditionally younger than the rest of the labor force. However, the age distribution of temporary workers is increasingly closer to that of the labor force. This is due to the increased employment of experienced employees, demographic developments, and the increasing need for a better work-life balance.

Men are better represented among temporary workers. This is due primarily to the mix of sectors and qualifications. The temporary staffing industry performs a crucial buffer function for order peaks in construction and industry. Significantly more men than women work in these two sectors.

Age of temporary workers by comparison

Sex of temporary workers by comparison

2% 7%

100%

17% 80%

28% 34%

60%

40%

4%

33% 20% 12%

0% Temporary workers

47%

60%

40%

49%

14%

38%

65 years and older 55-64 years 40-54 years 25–39 years 15-24 years

62%

Observations: 4042 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019; BFS, 2017

Female Male

0% Temporary workers

All employed people

Note: The BFS distinguishes between the employed and employable people, whereby the category employable people includes all employed people and all unemployed people. Here, the category of employable people is used as a benchmark.

53%

20%

All employed people

Observations: 4153 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019; BFS, 2017

100% 80%

48%

54%

60% 40% 20%

30% 43% 22% 3%

0% Male

Female

Industry Service sector Construction Observations: 4153 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

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Nationality

Marital status and family situation

The share of foreigners among temporary workers is higher than the share of foreigners in the Swiss population. Most foreigners come from the EU, especially citizens of neighboring countries are frequently employed temporarily in Switzerland due to geographic and linguistic proximity. Since in the survey only the constant resident population was recorded, border-crossers and people who come for brief stays are not included in the reporting process. Therefore, the share of foreigners of temporary workers in Switzerland is underestimated slightly here: According to Seco, the share of foreigners in the staffing industry in 2018 was approximately 62%. The reasons for the high share of foreigners in the staffing industry are on the one hand the mix of industries and qualifications. On the other hand, foreigners are affected more frequently by unemployment and more frequently dependent on the integration function of temporary work in the labor market.

Family status of temporary workers by comparison 100%

6%

10%

Switzerland

60%

20%

Temporary workers

Constant resident population

0%

40%

Observations: 4080 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zĂźrich, 2019; BFS, 2018

50%

Family circumstances of temporary workers

5%

Turkey

2%

Outside of Europe

42%

6%

2%

Other Europe

41%

widowed divorced in partnership single married

7%

Spain

Other EU

44%

7%

Italy

Austria

43%

40%

10%

Germany

Portugal

30%

9%

48%

France

Balkan countries

20%

5%

80%

Temporary workers by nationality 0%

1% 9%

48%

Children No children

1%

Observations: 4064 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zĂźrich, 2019

5% 2% 5%

52%

Observations: 4080 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zĂźrich, 2019

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Education and training

Livelihood

The education and training level of temporary workers is comparable to that of the constant resident population, whereby the educational level among the temporary workers is slightly lower. Less qualified people work temporarily more frequently because they profit especially from staffing service providers’ assistance and the flexibility of temporary employment during their (re-)entry into the labor market. Highly-qualified people frequently use temporary employment because, for example, they can work as much as they wish and at the desired hours during periods of further education and training. Increasingly, very specialized staffers are also deployed via temporary staffing where they, as experts, are most needed.

The flexibility of temporary employment especially helps women with children remain in the working world – for additional income or in equal parts with their partners. The differences in the earner roles between the sexes show that the classic role distribution – ­especially in families with children – is still quite widespread.

Temporary workers and their livelihood

21% 43%

Sole breadwinner Main breadwinner Secondary breadwinner Joint breadwinners

18%

Last educational achievement by comparison 18% 80%

60%

28%

11% 15%

Temporary workers and their livelihood by sex and family situation

15% 8%

40%

Observations: 3603 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

19%

100%

39%

37%

20% 17%

12%

0% Temporary workers

Constant resident population

Universities Higher professional education (Professional) Matura Apprenticeship Compulsory education Observations: 4024 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019; BFS, 2018

100% 80%

30%

42% 66%

60%

40%

28%

72%

70%

20%

58% 34%

Sole or main breadwinner

0% Man with children

Woman with children

Secondary or joint breadwinner

Man without children

Woman without children

Observations: 3560 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

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Function Qualified employees in an appropriate professional position form the largest group among temporary workers. They have become ever more important for the industry in recent years. The temporary staffing industry also assumes an important employment and integration function for people who have a low level of education, who work as unskilled workers or who are seeking an auxiliary source of income. On average, unskilled workers remain in temporary staffing for less time than skilled workers and managers. For them, temporary work is frequently a source of auxiliary income or a brief transition phase. For temporary workers in qualified functions, long-term deployments are more frequent since they are often specialists who work on projects.

Highest educational qualification and function 100% 80%

2% 1%

1% 2%

2% 5% 25%

25%

25% 7%

57% 25%

60%

66% 43%

40%

72%

25% 40%

20%

25%

27%

25%

0% Compulsory education

Temporary workers by professional function by comparison 100%

6% 3%

25% 80%

48%

(Professional) Matura

Universities Higher professional education

Observations: 3296 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

Duration of the temporary employment by function 100%

80%

Apprenticeship

Academic Executive Skilled worker Unskilled worker

9%

9% 13%

13% 16%

23%

60%

60%

40%

40%

24% 18% 20%

62% 20%

43%

4%

0% Temporary workers

All employed people

Academic function Executive/management Skilled worker Unskilled worker Observations: 3897 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

20%

37%

27%

0% Unskilled worker

Qualified function

More than 4 years 2-4 years 1-2 years 6-12 months Up to 6 months Observations: 3543 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

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Industry The temporary staffing industry is active in all economic sectors and an important partner for the recruiting and management of workers.

The flexibility of temporary employment helps companies remain competitive in an (inter)national environment. The industry plays an especially important role when companies need staff on short notice, whether due to an order peak or an illness at the company.

15% 12%

2%

9%

5%

6%

Deployment industries

3% 50%

Energy & Water Textile Autos & Vehicles Wood Watches Metal Medical instruments & instruments Other industries Mechanical & electric industry Chemical & Pharmaceutical Food

40% 30% 20%

1% 1% 1% 1% 2% 3% 3% 5% 9%

Construction

13%

Industry

0%

48% 39%

10%

Service sector 10%

40%

25%

1% 1% 2% 2% 3% 3% 3%

20%

5%

35%

12%

30%

0%

Construction Service sector Industry

15%

9%

10% 5% Note: The share of the construction sector is probably underestimated since many small staffing service providers are active in this sector. Employees of large staffing service providers were taken into special consideration in the survey.

Underground engineering Auxiliary building trades Structural engineering

6%

0%

9%

1%

Wholesale Research & development Public administration Communications & call center Retail trade Health & social Banks & insurance companies Cleaning & household Other services Transport and storage Hospitality & hotel industry

Observations: 3998 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zĂźrich, 2019

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The temporary deployment Experience with temporary employment

The majority of the temporary workers surveyed were working temporarily for the first time when they were surveyed. This demonstrates the constant change of employees in the industry, associated with the challenge for the staffing service providers of always recruiting new employees. At the same time, the large majority of temporary workers work a single deployment. Brief deployments and temporary employment phases are the rule. This indicates that temporary employment is truly temporary for many people and that it is used in transition phases as well as a bridge to the labor m ­ arket.

Longer deployments are frequently part of a payrolling. In the course of this new service, employees are legally temporary workers, but they are de facto employed by a company that outsources its HR tasks.

51%

Already worked temporarily Working temporarily for the first time Observations: 4153 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

Duration of an individual temporary deployment

25%

60%

27%

8%

15%

40% 30%

10% 5%

20%

0%

Observations: 3807 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

8%

4%

7% 2%

Observations: 3934 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

One year and longer

26-51 weeks

12-25 weeks

8-11 weeks

4-7 weeks

0% Up to 4 weeks

more than 4 years

3 to 4 years

2 to 3 years

18 to 24 months

12 to 18 months

6 to 12 months

3 to 6 months

Up to 3 months

0%

14%

10%

6%

9%

5%

More than 5

9%

5 companies

9%

50%

4 companies

11% 10%

18%

20%

65%

3 companies

16%

15%

70%

18%

15%

35%

22%

15%

18%

2 companies

84%

Number of deployment ­companies for temporary workers

1 company

Duration of a temporary employment phase

20%

49%

Observations: 3934 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

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Lifelong learning

Further training quota according to significance in the profession

A significant portion of temporary workers received further training during their last temporary employment phase. People with higher educational achievements attend professional trainings more often than less qualified employees. The high further training quota is due on the one hand to the fact that people who want to receive further training select this form of work in particular in order to be able to combine work and further training. On the other hand, employees for whom temporary employment is a bridge use this phase of work in order to remedy any deficits in their qualification.

20%

15%

10%

17%

5%

9%

Observations: 3559 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

0% Further training important

5%

10%

15%

University degree

20%

25%

100%

18% 80%

Matura Apprenticeship Basic training Average

13%

3% 7% 17%

9% 7% 26%

21%

Higher professional training

Further training unimportant

Utility of further training

Further training quotas by educational achievement 0%

60%

19% 21%

40%

12% 13% 14%

Note: Depicted is the share of temporary workers surveyed who received further training during their last temporary employment phase; on the one hand among those surveyed who believe that training in one’s own profession is important, and on the other among those who ascribe less significance to training in the profession are pursuing.

20%

54% 37%

0% Further training important

1 = completely useless 2 3 4 5 = very useful

Further training unimportant

Note: Depicted is the share of temporary workers surveyed who attended a further training during their last temporary employment phase, by educational achievement.

Note: Those surveyed who attended a further training during their temporary employment phase were asked to specify on a scale of 1 (“completely useless”) to 5 (“very useful”) how useful the training was for them.

Observations: 3983 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

Observations: 540 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

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Satisfaction Temporary workers and their satisfaction with wages

Temporary workers are generally satisfied with their form of employment. The majority of those surveyed would recommend it to a friend or relative. These values vary slightly depending on the industry.

Temporary workers in construction are the most satisfied. Temporary workers are especially satisfied with those factors that are under the direct control of the staffing service provider. These include the quality of support and placement in an appropriate professional environment. The satisfaction with placement in a follow-up position is somewhat lower. Staffing service providers have less control over this aspect.

5%

13%

26% 19%

37%

0

1 to 6

7 to 8

9 to 10

Observations: 4033 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

Satisfaction with various aspects of temporary staffing experience

Recommendation of temporary employment

Scale values

1 = not appropriate at all 2 3 = appropriate 4 5 = much more than appropriate

Net Promoter Score

Construction

27%

22%

51%

24%

Service sector

32%

21%

47%

15%

Industry

35%

21%

44%

9%

Total

33%

21%

46%

13%

1

2

3

4

Good support

5

3.94 3.87

Appropriate position Appropriate team

3.96

Follow-up position

3.54

Satisfaction overall

3.60

Note: The table shows, by industry, how the temporary workers answered the question about whether they would recommend temporary staffing on a scale from 0 “no, absolutely not” to 10 “yes, absolutely”; and the Net Promoter Score. The Net Promoter Score is the difference between the promoters (scale values 9 and 10) and the detractors (scale values 0 to 6).

Note: The figure shows the average of the satisfaction values for the various aspects.

The aspects could be rated on a scale from 1 “very dissatisfied” to 5 “very satisfied.”

Observations: 4081 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

Observations: 4110 Source: swissstaffing, gfs-zürich, 2019

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Legal notices swissstaffing Swiss Association of Recruitment Agencies Stettbachstrasse 10 CH-8600 Dübendorf Tel: +41 (0)44 388 95 40 www.swissstaffing.ch info@swissstaffing.ch Survey Online survey conducted by the gfs-zürich.

Editorial staff Dr. rer. pol. Marius Osterfeld, Economist, swissstaffing Dr. rer. pol. Stephanie Fürer, Assistant Professor, University of Fribourg Information Dr. Marius Osterfeld, Economist, swissstaffing marius.osterfeld@swissstaffing.ch Copy editing and correction Blandina Werren, Head of Communications Design Andrea Gmünder, feinform grafik, feinform.ch

Reprinting permitted, also in excerpt, with attribution of source.

November 2019; © swissstaffing

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