Why young temporary workers are positive about their careers

More and more, employees in Switzerland work under temporary contracts. At the same time, they are most positive about their career opportunities and the labour market in general. What are the main reasons for their optimism?

The number of temporary employees is rapidly increasing across all ages. According to Swissstaffing, the centre for staff leasing companies in Switzerland, there are now more than 340.000 temporary jobs delivering an annual profit of approximately 7 billion CHF. The most important group, however, are people above the age of 49 with up to 60% amongst temp workers.

According to our Confidence Index from Q4 2018, candidates are very happy about the current situation and even more enthusiastic when thinking of the future job market. On the contrary, young employees under the age of 30 are slightly less positive when it comes to the current job market. With only 13%, this age group is the least represented one amongst temp workers. Still, nearly 52% of them are optimistic about their future. So we can say that, in general, employees are actually very happy with the development of the Swiss job market. Up to 60% are very optimistic about both, the current and the future job situation in their country.

What has sparked this optimism in the Swiss employment market? Here are some of the most important reasons:

1. Temporary employment is growing

The job market is improving which is largely due to the growing number of temporary contracts. According to the most recent figures from Swissstaffing, temporary work has grown by 10,1% from 2017 to 2018. Because employees over 49 are the ones most likely to do temporary work, they are benefiting the most from the growing number of jobs available. At the same time, they are showing young candidates new career possibilities for their future and inspire them to follow the same path.

2. Temporary jobs are a way to gain experience and develop your skills

Although it´s certainly not the case for everybody, there is also a growing group of young professionals who find temporary work a good way to gain experience in different sectors and under new ways of working. According to the PageGroup confidence index, 84% of all employees under 30 expect to develop their skills in the upcoming year, representing the highest percentage throughout all age groups. 

3. Temporary jobs are a stepping stone to your career

Many young job seekers see a temporary assignment as the perfect career starter. The evolution of temporary employment is related to the economic climate. As soon as the economy starts growing, employers will first offer temporary and interim contracts. When the growth continues many of these contracts will be converted into permanent contracts. More than half of temporary workers get a permanent job within a year.

Are you looking for a temporary assignment? Find our latest job openings here.