Two-thirds of contract workers look to go perm

Two-thirds (65%) of the UK’s temporary and contract workers are currently thinking about moving to a permanent role. Many are changing recruitment agencies, too, finds a new survey

Survey shows building loyalty with talent requires more than just providing access to the right jobs

• Two-thirds (65%) of UK’s temporary and contract workers are currently thinking about moving to a permanent role
• The top priorities for temporary and contract workers include access to desirable jobs (31%), a good reputation (22%), and positive past experiences (16%)
• Close to two-thirds (64%) said they want to hear from recruiters at least once a week when looking for new opportunities
• (30%) of temporary and contract workers reporting that they have abandoned a job search because the recruitment process simply took too long
• Workers who reported a strong talent experience throughout the lifecycle were six times as likely to consider future opportunities with their firm

Temporary and contract workers who have a positive experience interacting with staffing and recruitment agencies throughout the entire recruitment process are three times more likely to work with that agency again, according to new data from Bullhorn, a cloud computing company that helps staffing and recruiting organisations transform their businesses.

That seems a given, doesn’t it? So why isn’t that type of candidate service common practice?

In the midst of a persistent talent shortage, success at redeploying talent remains a top priority, as two-thirds (65%) of UK’s temporary and contract workers are currently thinking about moving to a permanent role, according to Bullhorn’s survey of more than 400 temporary and contract workers across UK’s professional, healthcare, and commercial sectors.

Close to half of survey respondents would not commit to redeploying using the same agency – even if it can provide the right jobs. Therefore, providing the best possible recruitment experience is key to retaining access to the available talent.

Would you work again with your staffing agency in the right role?

57% say they would work with their most recent agency again, but the experience on a worker’s most recent assignment heavily impacted responses. Workers who reported a strong talent experience throughout the lifecycle were six times as likely to consider future opportunities with their firm.

When it comes to choosing a recruitment agency to engage with, there’s an opportunity for agencies to establish a lasting relationship by meeting talent’s expectations. The top priorities for temporary and contract workers include access to desirable jobs (31%), a good reputation (22%), and positive past experiences (16%).

Over half of the respondents (67%) also stated that they want the flexibility to work remotely on any assignment, while 94% expressed interest in participating in any reskilling, upskilling, or certification programs offered by the recruitment agency.

What is the greatest value a recruiter can add to your experience?

Talent also want recruiters to reach out more frequently and proactively with opportunities. Close to two-thirds (64%) said they want to hear from recruiters at least once a week when looking for new opportunities. Email is the most popular channel for communication (52%), followed by phone (22%), text (10%), LinkedIn (8%), and app notification (8%). Identifying talent’s communication preferences has an impact: when recruiters don’t reach out via the preferred communication channel, respondents were twice as likely to say they wouldn’t work with that agency again.

Timeliness is also a common concern, with (30%) of temporary and contract workers reporting that they have abandoned a job search because the recruitment process simply took too long. In addition, 16% reported that recruiters do not respond to their questions within a reasonable timeframe. The value of timely communication goes beyond the hiring process: workers who experience responsiveness while on assignment are six times as likely to say they’ll work with the agency again. Furthermore, three in ten (28%) stated that they have experienced a drop-off in responsiveness from the recruitment agency once their assignment began, and a similar number (24%) reported that recruiters didn’t respond proactively when an opportunity fell through.

What is the primary reason you choose to work with your specific staffing firm/recruitment agency?

What is the greatest value a recruiter can add to your experience?

How can recruiters improve their reputations with candidates?

Andre Mileti, Product Evangelist, Talent Experienc at, Bullhorn says offering consumer-grade experiences through the entire talent lifecycle is more important now than ever before in securing positive outcomes for recruitment agencies.

“That could mean ensuring your reputation is stellar on Google and other rating sites, delivering intuitive onboarding and employment services, or providing authentic value in the form of timely communication and relevant job opportunities.

These simple tactics, if done correctly, will deliver exponential returns. It starts and ends with examining the entire talent journey, defining those moments that matter, and ensuring your efforts result in satisfied employees. You’ll know you’ve succeeded when ratings and reviews improve, time-to-fill decreases, and referral and redeployment rates increase,” says Mileti.