Temps in high demand as business embarks on digital overhaul

Many businesses are struggling to hire the right calibre of candidate to help them close the digital skills gap. Picture: Rob McDougall

Recruitment consultancy Robert Half said that at a time when many businesses were struggling to hire the right calibre of candidate to help them close the digital skills gap, bosses were having to turn to contract or temporary professionals.

With more than 1.4 million temporary workers currently active in the UK, companies are increasingly tapping into a pool of highly skilled workers who operate on an interim or project basis.

Seven in ten employers agree that a combination of permanent, interim and temporary employees is most successful when trying to implement digital transformation initiatives, according to the study.

These employees can be used in different ways, Robert Half noted. Three quarters of employers (74 per cent) use experienced interim professionals to transfer knowledge and upskill existing teams, while the same number use them to manage specific digital transformation initiatives or projects within their organisation.

Such professionals are however in high demand, leading many employers to struggle to find the right candidates. Seven in ten (71 per cent) admitted that it was challenging to find experienced interim staff for digital transformation projects.

Matt Weston, managing director of Robert Half UK, said: “Digitalisation is transforming the workplace at a rapid pace. New technology such as automation and artificial intelligence is being introduced to the workplace and has already started to shape the job roles of the future. Organisations lacking digital expertise and understanding will soon be left behind.

“Employers continue to turn to the temporary market in an effort to rectify the lack of digital knowledge in their company. Experienced interim workers are able to manage digital transformation projects, often upskilling staff in the process.

“Tapping into the temporary market to access niche skillsets is not easy. Next year, IR35 will impact private sector businesses and likely increase competition for leading interim talent depending on whether an assignment falls inside or outside of IR35.

“It is likely that there will be a rebalancing on the most competitive rates offered to secure top contract staff.”

Robert Half, which was founded in 1948 and is a member of the S&P 500, has more than 300 offices worldwide.