Flexibility ‘will be important in post-recession world’

As some countries begin to emerge from the recession, a new survey has found that the average workplace is likely to be changed as a result of the downturn.

The research from Manpower revealed that over 60 per cent of employers from across the globe believe that contingent employees will not be critical to business success.

However, the group asserts that in the post-recession world a different executive mindset is likely to emerge, which will see firms gaining a competitive advantage by increasing their flexibility through a combination of permanent and temporary workers.

Jeffrey Joerres, chairman and chief executive officer of Manpower, said: "As employers and employees alike move towards more flexible ways of working to suit lifestyle changes, it is time to start leveraging the contingent workforce strategically to gain access to people with scarce, specialised skill sets."

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He advised giving workers a probation period before taking them on full time and providing long-term workplace flexibility.

A recent survey by Mercer revealed that in the UK, 28 per cent of employers offer some form of flexibility and 14 per cent provide "considerable" flexibility.