Staffing activity has reached its highest point since the start of the Great Recession nearly seven years ago, and, if the trend continues, could set a new record before the end of the year.
The American Staffing Association’s Staffing Index now stands at 104.75, just shy of the record 105.28 set for the week ending December 9, 2007. The Index measures weekly changes in temporary and contract employment as reported by agencies invited to participate in the weekly survey.
Staffing industry employment increased 0.34 percent from the prior week, the ASA reported, and was 4.22 percent higher compared with the same week last year.
The government’s official count of temp agency employment stood at a seasonally adjusted 2.934 million. The unadjusted count was 2.85 million. Both far exceed the highest previous counts set in April 2000 and October 2006 respectively.
An interactive Staffing Index timeline is available here on the ASA’s recently redesigned website.