6 reasons to take on temps for summer ‘25

As the UK workforce continues to evolve throughout 2025, summer remains a critical period for many businesses. Whether you're covering annual leave, scaling up for seasonal demand, or trialling new roles, temporary workers and contractors offer a flexible, cost-effective solution.

Here’s why bringing flexible talent on board this summer is proving to be the season’s hottest move.

1. Ride the summer surge

Retail, hospitality, tourism, logistics, and a host of other sectors, all experience a summer surge. Temporary staff allow you to scale up quickly and efficiently, without overcommitting on headcount. With the right planning, you can build a reliable seasonal workforce that supports your busiest months and winds down when demand eases – optimising cost efficiencies and meeting your customers’ needs.

2. Cover holiday absences

With many employees taking extended holidays or parental leave during the warmer months, maintaining productivity can be a challenge. Temps provide seamless cover, ensuring that projects stay on track and customer service doesn’t slip. Plus, they’re often ready to hit the ground running, bringing fresh energy and perspective to your team.

3. Chill the burnout

Over half of UK professionals (54%) often feel stressed at work, according to our 2025 Working Well Report, with high workload being the leading cause of poor wellbeing. And when teams become spread thin due to summer annual leave, your permanent staff left holding the fort can feel the strain.

While not a long-term solution to improving wellbeing, interim workers can distribute the load, helping to alleviate stress and preventing burnout. It can also show your team that you’re committed to maintaining a healthy work-life balance – a key consideration when retaining talent.

4. Dive into a pool of talent

It would be a mistake to dismiss non-permanent staff as being less talented; many are the best in their field and bring a multitude of experiences gained across various organisations and industries. Moreover, hiring temps gives you access to skill you might not reach through traditional permanent roles.

Our 2025 Salary & Recruitment Trends Guide revealed that a quarter of employers plan to hire contractors, freelancers, interim or temp workers, with the aim to access specific skills for one-off projects. From graduates and career changers to semi-retirees and digital nomads, the temp market is rich with diverse, skilled candidates. Consider partnering with an expert to gain greater visibility over the temp market and discover the full range of in-demand skills available.

5. Test the waters with temp roles

Recruiting the right talent is the leading external challenge for over half of employers (55%), according to our salary guide, with hiring managers desperate to avoid the dreaded mis-hire. However, temporary contracts are a low-risk way to test both roles and individuals. Thinking of creating a new position? Trial it with a temp. Unsure if a candidate is the right cultural fit? A short-term contract can help you decide. Many temps go on to become permanent hires, making temp hiring a smart route to long-term recruitment.

6. Stay agile and competitive

The pace of change in today’s business world is relentless, and you can be sure that your competitors won’t be taking a break during the summer. From AI integration to shifting consumer habits, organisations need to pivot quickly at any given moment, and temporary workers give you the agility to respond to short-term needs without long-term commitments.

Whether you're trialling a new service or navigating a sudden spike in demand, temps help you stay nimble and competitive – no matter the season.

Build your contingent workforce strategy

Temps, along with other contingent professionals, are an increasingly important aspect of the modern workforce. More than just a fallback, temps are a way of building resilience, embedding agility, and enriching your workforce. And if you don’t take advantage of this talent pool, you can be sure your competitors will be. But to truly benefit, you need a clear temp strategy, including:

• Accessing the right channels to tap into emerging skills
• Offering a compelling employee value proposition (EVP) to attract top talent
• Ensuring compliance with robust processes
• Creating a seamless onboarding experience for temps

Get in touch today to discuss your hiring goals and discover how we can help you build a flexible, high-performing team this summer – and beyond.