Berks & Beyond Blog

Are you a temporary or contract employee?  Considering taking the plunge?  If so, here are a few key staffing statistics from the American Staffing Association you may find interesting:

• 2.66 million people are employed by staffing companies each day.
• 79% of staffing employees work full-time (virtually the same as the rest of the work force).
• 66% of staffing employees consider flexible work time important.
• 80% of staffing clients say staffing firms offer a good way to find people who can become permanent employees.
• 67% of staffing employees say that “choice of assignments” was an important factor in their job decision.
• 90% of staffing companies provide free training to their temporary and contract employees.
• 65% of staffing employees say they developed new or improved work skills while on assignment.

Want to learn more?

Visit the American Staffing Association’s website to learn more about the staffing industry, or for more employee staffing statistics.

What are your thoughts?

Flexibility.  Experience.  Choice of assignments.  Bridge to permanent employment.  These are just a few of the reasons millions of Americans - and thousands of Berks & Beyond employees - have chosen temporary and contract work.  What are the most important reasons to you?  Please leave your comments below, or contact us directly via our website.

Feel like there are too few hours in a day?  Running on little sleep?  Concerned about your job, your family, or the economy?

Combine these every day pressures with the additional strain of the holidays and you have a recipe for STRESS.  Here are four quick steps to help you beat it:

Step 1:  Breathe

Sit back in your chair, close your eyes, and take a long breath in.  Hold your breath for a few seconds and slowly exhale.  Repeat four to five times.  Going back to the basics of simple breathing will help you relieve anxiety.

Step 2:  Take a Break

Get up and stretch.  Take a brisk walk.  Plan lunch with a friend.  Or even better, join a friend for a workout over your lunch break.  Taking a few minute “mini-vacation” from your responsibilities is just what your mind needs to cut the stress and recharge.

Step 3:  Focus

Nothing creates stress faster than trying to do two things at once.  Instead of multi-tasking, keep a prioritized to-do list.  Use this list to set daily goals, and then focus on one item at a time.  To improve your concentration, ban distractions like e-mail, phone calls, etc.  The more organized and focused you become, the more you will enjoy your work.

Step 4:  Find Balance

Try not to take your work home with you.  Schedule time for family and friends.  Get regular exercise.  Take up a hobby.  And most importantly, do whatever makes you smile.  Happiness is the best stress release!

Stress cannot be avoided, and a certain amount of it can actually help you stay motivated to do your best.  The key is to find ways to break the tension before it has a negative effect on your outlook and your personal life.

Berks and Beyond Can Help Reduce Stress, Too

Whether you’re under pressure to get work done, or are anxious over your current job situation, Berks and Beyond provides staffing services to make things easier.  Visit our website to find out what we do for employers and job seekers alike.