U.S. staffing companies employed an average of 2.4 million temporary and contract workers per week in the fourth quarter of 2023. Compared with historic levels of growth in 2022 for the staffing industry, this marks a decrease of 16.8% from 2.9 million workers per week in 2022 during the same period, and a 12.5% decrease for the full year from 2022 to 2023.

On a quarter-to-quarter basis, average weekly staffing employment eased 0.6% from the third quarter to the fourth quarter—around 14,000 fewer staffing jobs. This bucks the typical seasonal pattern of staffing employment growth from Q2 to Q4 after a fall in Q1. However, even though staffing employment decreased every quarter in 2023, Q4 saw the smallest quarterly decline.

“While demand cooled during most of 2023, this last quarter saw the smallest quarter-to-quarter decreases in staffing sales and hires,” said Richard Wahlquist, ASA chief executive officer. “Industry members are cautiously optimistic about a return to growth later this year.”

Annual sales for temporary and contract staffing totaled $142.4 billion in 2023, a decrease of 10.5% from the record high number of $159.1 billion in 2022, but on par with the level seen in 2021. Temporary and contract staffing sales totaled $34.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023, down 16.1% from the same quarter in the previous year. On a quarter-to-quarter basis, staffing sales edged down 0.9% from the third quarter to the fourth quarter.

Attendees of the upcoming ASA Staffing Law & Compliance Conference have the option of also registering for a special preconference program called “Health Care Staffing: Legal and Legislative Updates,” which takes place Wednesday, May 15, 1–5 p.m. at the Westin Washington, DC, Downtown. The main conference begins at the same location the next morning and continues through May 17.

You do not have to be currently operating in the health care staffing sector to register for this newly announced program. Preconference program attendees will hear important updates about legal and legislative proposals and policies that affect a major sector of the staffing industry—including federal and state efforts to regulate staffing agencies with health care lines of business, top current and forthcoming legal issues in health care staffing, and current best practices for compliance and growth.

Separate registration is required, and preconference program attendees must be registered for the Staffing Law & Compliance Conference. Visit staffinglawconference.net to learn more and register for both events.

Gain national recognition for your company—and leverage that recognition to differentiate your firm in your most competitive markets—by participating in the American Staffing Association’s prestigious professional recognition programs. ASA is now accepting applications for the ASA Elevate Awards and National Staffing Employee of the Year. The deadline for applications is May 1.

• The ASA Elevate Awards recognize outstanding, innovative, and effective work-based learning programs that train, reskill, and upskill temporary and contract talent.
• The National Staffing Employee of the Year and Sector All-Stars program honors individuals nominated by ASA member companies who best exemplify one or more of the staffing industry’s key messages—bridge and flexibility—as well as employees who used staffing to access new careers. New this year: National Staffing Employee of the Year All-Star finalists will now be announced prior to the winners.

Being named as one of the best in the industry is a valuable tool your company can use to sell to clients and engage with talent. To learn more and submit a nomination, visit americanstaffing.net/awards.

THRIVE virtual is an event designed exclusively for women in the staffing industry. Don’t miss your chance to connect with standout women leaders uniting to learn and to empower each other to grow—both personally and in their careers. The half-day online event, presented by the ASA women in leadership interest group, takes place Thursday, May 2, 1:30─6 p.m. Eastern time—and early registration rates are available through March 31.

Find out about the trailblazing keynote speakers, insightful breakout sessions, and collaborative networking opportunities at americanstaffing.net, and register before prices increase.

The ASA Staffing Law & Compliance Conference will feature sessions for staffing firm owners and executives, human resource professionals, compliance managers, recruiters, and attorneys—and you can save more than $200 if you register today.

The conference takes place May 16–17 at the Westin Washington, DC, Downtown in Washington, DC. Visit staffinglawconference.net this week to register at the best rate available.

A staggering 78% of Baby Boomers (ages 60–78) believe their age would be a contributing factor when being considered for a new position, according to the latest ASA Workforce Monitor^® study commissioned by the American Staffing Association and conducted online by The Harris Poll. By comparison, 55% of Gen Z (ages 18–27) feel this way, along with 51% of Gen X (ages 44–59), and 39% of Millennials (ages 28–43). The survey also found that two-thirds of Baby Boomers (68%) believe their age puts them at a disadvantage when finding a new job, compared with 53% of Gen X, 29% of Millennials, and 48% of Gen Z.

“It’s time for a paradigm shift in how the U.S. labor market views older workers,” said Richard Wahlquist, chief executive officer at the American Staffing Association. “Discrimination based on age is illegal and cannot be tolerated. But routing out persistent and growing ageism requires much more than stepped-up legal enforcement. “Policy makers and HR leaders need to work together to correct and overcome the misconceptions, stereotypes, and biases—conscious and unconscious—of the past. Mature workers have the knowledge as well as the workplace skills accumulated over a lifetime that America needs today and will need even more in the future.”

Overall, a majority of Baby Boomers (53%) say their age limits their career opportunities. Employed Baby Boomers are also less likely (42%) to ask for a raise in 2024, compared with their younger employed counterparts: 66% of Gen Z, 67% of Millennials, and 51% of Gen X. The Boomer generation is also far less likely to search for a new job in 2024 (21%) compared with their younger counterparts (Gen Z: 69%; Millennial: 50%; Gen X: 37%).

What is a WEBO? It’s the Weekly Economic & Business Outlook—a new resource from ASA that goes out to member email boxes every Tuesday morning. This powerful and targeted data and analysis tool features weekly analysis designed to deliver the data-driven intelligence and forward-looking business acumen ASA members need to track trends and capitalize on opportunities.

ASA researchers examine trends within the staffing industry, as well as developments within the broader economy, and then deliver succinct takeaways that can help drive strategic business decisions. Be sure to allow emails from research@americanstaffing.net so you don’t miss this valuable new member benefit.

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 in the Knowledge Hub at Staffing World^®, the ASA annual convention and expo.

Knowledge Hub Tech Talks are 10-minute talks on technology topics, and Knowledge Hub Speed Talks are 10-minute talks covering broader industry topics. Proposals are due May 31—for more information and to start your submission, visit americanstaffing.net/presenters. Staffing World 2024 takes place Oct. 22–24 in Nashville, TN.

The ASA Staffing Law & Compliance Conference will feature sessions for staffing firm owners and executives, human resource professionals, compliance managers, recruiters, and attorneys—and you can save more than $200 if you register by this Friday, March 15.

The conference takes place May 16–17 at the Westin Washington, DC, Downtown in Washington, DC. Visit staffinglawconference.net this week to register at the best rate available.

Register for the ASA Staffing Law & Compliance Conference before registration rates increase March 15 to hear from subject matter experts on the industry’s most pressing topics—including artificial intelligence, contract negotiations, legislation aimed at the staffing industry, remote work, and more.

This two-day event features sessions for staffing firm owners and executives, human resource professionals, compliance managers, recruiters, and attorneys. It all takes place May 16–17 at the Westin Washington, DC, Downtown in Washington, DC. Check out the session descriptions online, and then register at staffinglawconference.net for the best rate available.