Growth number of hours worked in temp jobs accelerates

The amount of hours worked in temp jobs increased for the fourth time in a row. In the first quarter of 2011, it grew by nearly 6 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. The growth accelerated after slowing down in 2010. Adjusted for seasonal variation, the index figure (2005=100) for the number of hours worked in stage A was 118.4.

The increase in temp hours is in line with the current economic situation. The declining demand for goods and services in the latter half of 2008 and in 2009 led to less work for temporary employees, but demand picked up in 2010 and the beginning of 2011. According to the Survey on Business Services conducted by Statistics Netherlands, the number of temp job agencies expecting future employment to grow clearly outnumbered those anticipating a decline.

Stage A includes people working for temp agencies on a contract basis without regular terms of employment. In stage A, it is easier for both parties – employer and employee – to terminate the contract than in the subsequent stages B and C.

Hours worked in stage A temp jobs

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.