Do you have insights that are essential to the staffing, recruiting, or workforce solutions industry that you’d like to share with the ASA community in 2024? Submit your idea today for your chance to speak at Staffing World^®, the ASA annual convention and expo, or to present an ASA webinar in 2024.

Staffing World 2024 takes place Oct. 22–24 in Nashville, TN. Slots are available for

• Breakout Sessions—interactive sessions lasting 60-75 minutes (proposals due Jan. 31)
• Knowledge Hub Tech Talks—10-minute talks on technology topics (proposals due May 31)
• Knowledge Hub Speed Talks—10-minute talks on broader industry topics (proposals due May 31)

ASA webinars, virtual programs held throughout the year on Tuesdays, are typically 60 minutes long (proposals due Jan. 31). For more information and to start your submission, visit americanstaffing.net/presenters.

Renew your membership today so that you will continue to receive the latest legal and regulatory news, information on business trends and industry best practices, and access to thought leaders and industry peers—and so that ASA can continue working to protect your business so that your clients can thrive and your firm can succeed in 2024.

Visit americanstaffing.net/renew or call the membership department at 703-253-2020.

ASA is looking for experts in the staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry to share their experience and expertise with the ASA community in 2024. Opportunities are available for both Staffing World^®—the ASA annual convention and expo—and for ASA webinars.

Staffing World 2024 takes place Oct. 22–24 in Nashville, TN. The three opportunities for content are breakout sessions (interactive presentations; between 60 and 75 minutes long), Knowledge Hub Tech Talks (presentations on technology topics important to the industry; 10 minutes long), and Knowledge Hub Speed Talks (presentations on general topics important to the industry; 10 minutes long). ASA Webinars take place throughout the year, usually on Tuesdays (virtual presentations on general topics important to the industry; typically 60 minutes long).

For more information and to submit your proposal, visit americanstaffing.net/presenters. The deadline for Staffing World breakout session proposals and ASA webinars is Jan. 31. The deadline for Staffing World Knowledge Hub Speed Talks and Tech Talks is May 31.

Renew your membership today to ensure that you continue to receive access to unparalleled education, networking with industry peers, and expert legal and legislative advocacy on federal and state issues.

Most important, you’ll be supporting the industry while ASA continues working to protect your business so that your clients can thrive and your firm can succeed in 2024.

Visit americanstaffing.net/renew or call the membership department at 703-253-2020.

Staffing employment dipped in the week of Dec. 11–17, with the ASA Staffing Index decreasing by 0.9% to a rounded value of 97. Some staffing companies mentioned seasonal business fluctuations and the holidays as primary factors that limited further growth. Staffing jobs were 8.3% below the same week last year.

New starts in the 50th week of the year were down 2.5% from the prior week. Nearly four in 10 staffing companies (35%) reported gains in new assignments week to week.

The ASA Staffing Index four-week moving average decreased from the prior week to a rounded value of 97, and temporary and contract staffing employment for the four weeks ending Dec. 17 was 8.3% lower than the same period in 2022.

“The ASA Staffing Index saw a slight drop in December, though some holiday frostbite is typical for staffing employment at this time of year,” said Noah Yosif, chief economist at ASA.

This week will be used in the December monthly employment situation report scheduled to be issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Jan. 5, 2024.

Time is running out—there are just a few days left to save 30% on ASA certification products (excluding renewals), including certification packages, exams, books, and more.

Invest in yourself or in your team and stand out in your field in 2024. Place your order in the ASA store, using discount code HOLIDAY23-E, to get 30% off your purchase. The ASA certification sale ends Dec. 31.

ASA strives to deliver valuable information and resources to fuel its members’ success. The association has commissioned Readex Research to conduct a comprehensive communications and content survey—and today is the last day to provide your input.

Members received a unique survey link via email; reminder emails were sent this week. Once you complete the survey, you can enter a drawing for a chance to win one of five $50 Amazon gift cards. Responses will be kept confidential.

ASA is looking for experts in the staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry to share their experience and expertise at Staffing World^®—the ASA annual convention and expo—and in ASA webinars. As a presenter for ASA, you will have the opportunity to reach out to industry professionals and build lasting connections.

At Staffing World^® 2024, Oct. 22–24 in Nashville, TN, slots are available for breakout sessions (interactive presentations; between 60 and 75 minutes long), knowledge hub tech talks (presentations on technology topics important to the industry; 10 minutes long), or knowledge hub speed talks (presentations on general topics important to the industry; 10 minutes long). ASA webinars, which take place virtually on Tuesdays and Thursdays, are typically 60 minutes long.

For more information and to start your submission, visit americanstaffing.net/presenters. The deadline for Staffing World breakout session proposals and ASA webinars is Jan. 31. The deadline for Staffing World knowledge hub speed talks and tech talks is May 31.

To ensure that the ASA provides the industry information its members value most, the association has commissioned Readex Research to learn more about member opinions of industry publications and other resources—but the survey will only stay open through this Friday, Dec. 22. Members’ input is extremely important and will be used to help ASA enhance its publications and other industry information resources.

To participate in the online survey, find the unique link that was emailed to you. In appreciation of your time, you may be eligible to enter a drawing at the end of the survey for a chance to receive one of five $50 Amazon gift cards. Your answers will be kept confidential.

The number of temporary and contract workers employed by U.S. staffing companies eased 1.7% to an average of 2.4 million workers per week from the second to the third quarter of 2023, according to the ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey.

The decline reflects the overall slowdown in the pace of job creation during much of the past year among employers of all sizes in the face of volatile macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions and forecasts. Amid that cooling job market, temporary and contract staffing sales also declined by 3.5% during the same period.

On a year-to-year basis, staffing jobs declined 14.1% in the third quarter of 2023, while temporary and contract staffing sales decreased 14.5% to total $34.7 billion in the third quarter of 2023. Survey respondents are cautiously optimistic about the new year.

“As always, the staffing, recruiting, and talent solutions industry pivots quickly to assist employers with their variable and changing needs for flexible and permanent staff. In contrast to the furious pace of hiring in late 2021 and much of 2022, employers are now settling into a new normal of slow and steady growth,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA chief executive officer. “But with 1.3 openings per worker, labor markets remain tight and employers continue to struggle with recruiting workers with the most in-demand skill sets—something we expect to continue for the foreseeable future.”