Temporary Arrangements: The Activities of Employment Agencies in the UK

Temporary employment agency working has increased dramatically in recent years. Labour Force Survey figures reveal that the number of workers employed on a temporary basis through agencies increased in the UK from 50,000 in 1984 to 250,000 in 1999, by which point temporary agency staff (temps) constituted 1.1 per cent of the employed workforce (Casey 1988: 490; Department of Trade and Industry 1999: 109). Studies which have considered UK employers' use of different forms of labour have revealed a range of reasons as to why firms seek recourse to employment agencies (McGregor and Sproull 1991; Hunter and MacInnes 1991; Cully et al. 1999). The 1998 UK Workplace Employee Relations Survey, for example, has indicated that of workplaces using agency staff, 59 per cent were doing so to provide short-term cover. Adjusting the workforce in line with demand was cited as a reason by 40 per cent of firms, and covering for maternity leave by 22 per cent of users (Cully et al. 1999:37).