26-year-old Anup Gupta boasts of a rich body of work experience---having been associated with the likes of Oracle and Quintiles. He has gained adequate expertise in his chosen field, tackled a diverse set of individuals and has learnt to adapt to different organisational and work cultures. But he has neither been on the payrolls of Oracle or Quintiles. For him, getting enrolled with a staffing firm has meant being deployed with multi-national companies (MNCs) on project basis for durations ranging from 18-24 months (or more). “Working with MNCs is a dream for many. But its realisation is not always possible considering the competitive job market. Being with a staffing firm, however, means getting the opportunity which might have otherwise seemed far-fetched,” says Gupta.
Like him, several professionals and job-seekers are overcoming the job hunt challenge by getting associated with staffing firms. Flexi-staffing, once prevalent in the unorganised industry, has now made inroads in the organised sector, with companies in IT, ITeS, e-commerce, logistics, BFSI and manufacturing lapping up white collar flexi-staffers. With the USA, China, Japan and India leading the fray, estimates by the World Employment Confederation suggest that staffing companies globally have created over 43 million jobs. India is in fact estimated to employ over 2.9 million flexi-staffers by 2018.
Experts say that although flexi-staffing, which is presently growing at an annual rate of 12.3%, has constituted almost 30% of the Indian workforce, about 90% of which has been in the unorganised sector. “Over the last few years, the organised sector has seen a growth of 25% in contract staff. The concept is widely used by corporates as a staffing option across roles in technical and IT support, sales and sales support, customer service, office support and manufacturing,” says Sonal Arora, vice president, TeamLease Services, which has 1, 35, 000 flexi staffers.
The flexi-advantage
Companies are witnessing multiple benefits of hiring flexi-staffers, as opposed to adding to their headcounts. Experts say flexi-staffing acts as a buffer for the labour market and creates positive conditions for economic sustainability. Besides reduced search and recruitment time, the major factors why companies hire flexi-workers are for uninterrupted hiring, just-in-time availability (based on business requirements) and to meet seasonal fluctuations in labour demand. “Flexi-staffing firms work as an extended HR arm for a company to hire people quickly and also manage them in terms of all HR and administrative responsibilities, such that the company can focus on its core business-related aspects. It also allows companies to evaluate workers and see whether or not to make them permanent based on the performance,” says Arora.
According to Suchita Dutta, executive director, Indian Staffing Federation, the flexi industry has the ability to cut downside risk for an employer. “Our study shows that 63% employers use flexi staff for greater flexibility in manpower planning.”
Meanwhile, for professionals and job seekers, flexi-staffing provides an entry into the corporate world. “The work provided to the flexible staff gives all work-related benefits and ensures that once the contract is over, other opportunities are provided,” says Dutta, adding that with organised staffing, “a flexi-worker gets all the statutory social benefits, health insurance, etc., in addition to the regular salary.”
According to TeamLease’ Arora, all the statutory benefits that are applicable to permanent employees are also mandated for flexi-staffers. “However, since flexi staffing is still a highly fragmented space, many small time service providers/contractors sometimes deny benefits to the flexi-staff. This is not only detrimental to the interest of the employee but also carries a risk for the corporate availing the services of such contractors.”
...& ANALYSIS
- Several professionals and job-seekers, via flexi-staffing, are overcoming the job hunt challenge by getting associated with staffing firms
- Besides reduced search and recruitment time, firms benefit with uninterrupted hiring, just-in-time availability and meet seasonal fluctuations
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Flexi-staffing")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}