It has always been said that staffing leads into a recession and leads out. What does that mean? Well, it quite simple really. Staffing services are used to fill in short staffing gaps. As business contracts, staffing is one of the first things cut….which is why staffing leads into a recession. Conversely, as growth occurs, staffing is one of the first things added back on as businesses us staffing to administer their increase in business. Now, that we understand that staffing leads into and out of a recession, check out this encouraging news from the American Staffing Association:
The American Staffing Association’s staffing index rose to a reading of 100 in the week of Sept. 20 to 26. It’s the first time the index has reached 100 since May 2008, just before staffing employment contracted in response to the recession, according to the ASA.
“Now having returned to the milestone of 100, the index indicates that staffing employment has returned to levels comparable to the early part of 2008 — and reminiscent of the summer of 2006 when the staffing industry was growing,” according to the ASA.
The index measures changes in the number of temporary and contract workers, both weekly and monthly. Its baseline value of 100 was set in June 2006.
