56% of contract employees in Singapore exceed 10 years qualified experience: Page Personnel survey

Singapore, 21 June 2016: Contracting professionals with specialised skills, higher education and more years of experience are increasingly the norm in Asia’s workforce today. These findings were among the key insights from global recruitment consultancy Page Personnel’s latest 2016 Global Temporary Employment Report.

Reflecting similar trends in the global landscape, contract employees are also expected to work autonomously and be more flexible while on assignments. “Due to the changing economic landscape, Asia has seen an increased demand for professional and qualified contractors.  Expectations of contract staff have also risen; they’re expected to do more in less time, have better educational qualifications and be able to work independently,” said Mellissa Mayne, Associate Director, Page Personnel Singapore.

Other key insights:

· Communication skills have also become a major requirement from contract employees as 90% of those surveyed are expected to engage with other internal business units

· Due to increased demands from employers, 83% of contract employees are now required to be more flexible in adopting a wider job scope

· Contract employees are granted more autonomy as 79% respondents report having to work without close supervision

· Training has grown in importance for this dynamic workforce which is evident in the 46% of employers who have invested in developing the skill base and competency of contracting personnel for commercial success

This study highlights the current contracting employment landscape and the profile of contract employees which have changed over the last few years. Traditionally contracting was limited to professions considered labour-intensive and at the junior level. As a result of increased demands for project management or specialised interim hiring, contracting opportunities for qualified professionals have grown. This has also resulted in 56% of the current contract workforce qualified with 10 years or more experience. This was seen particularly within financial services, finance and accounting, secretarial and office support as well as information technology.

To view the full report, click here

The Page Personnel 2016 Global Temporary Employment Report was based on responses from 1,954 managers in companies deploying temporary staff and 4,092 professionals across 65 countries around the globe.