- The agency workforce is around 400,000 Australians and Kiwis who are employed by staffing agencies but work at another, host business.
- Agency workers are professionals, tradespeople, skilled and semi-skilled workers. They are young, old and middle-aged and they work in every occupation type.
- In Australia, the professional, scientific and technical service sectors, along with the banking and finance industry, are the biggest users of agency workforce. The construction and healthcare sectors are the next largest users. In New Zealand, the biggest users of agency workforce are the construction, trade, manufacturing and logistics sectors, followed closely by IT and healthcare sectors.
- Agency workers earn more than $21 billion in wages and provide a vital support to business and the economy, enhancing flexibility and productivity by providing specialist skills as and when they are needed.
- Agency work offers flexibility for hundreds of thousands of workers, making it possible for them to better combine work with study, family, travel or semi-retirement.
For workers, agency work provides fulfilling and meaningful work that is flexible to their needs.
Agency workforce – at a glance:
Australia
$28.7b
Revenue
358,800
People Employed
$20b
Wages Paid
8,400
No. of businesses
1.25%
Share of GDP
New Zealand
$2b
Revenue
42,000
People Employed
$1.1b
Wages Paid
762
No. of businesses
0.36%
Share of GDP
Which industries use an agency workforce?
Australia
- Other sectors and businesses - 22.3%
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services - 18.3%
- Finance, banking and insurance - 17.5%
- Construction - 10.6%
- Healthcare - 10.3%
- Manufacturing - 8.3%
- Government and Defence - 6.8%
- Mining, Energy and Utilities - 5.9%
New Zealand
- Other sectors and businesses - 18%
- Construction and Trade Sectors - 32%
- Manufacturing, Transport and Logistics Sectors - 19%
- IT and Telecommunications Sectors - 10%
- Healthcare and Medical Sectors - 7%
- Hospitality and Tourism Sectors - 6%
- Retail Sector - 5%
- Education and Training Sectors - 3%
The concentration of the agency workforce mirrors the broader economy
Australia
- Staffing agency businesses %
- GDP Contribution by region %
New Zealand
- Staffing agency businesses %
- GDP Contribution by region %
Why do people choose agency work?
*Australian data
- Ease of obtaining work - 69%
- Condition of the job or industry - 9%
- Flexibility - 7%
- Inability to find other work - 7%
- A preference for short term work - 3%
- To gain more experience - 3%
- Lack of experience prevents finding a permanent job - 2%
- Ease of obtaining work - 69%
- Condition of the job or industry - 9%
- Flexibility - 7%
- Inability to find other work - 7%
- A preference for short term work - 3%
- To gain more experience - 3%
- Lack of experience prevents finding a permanent job - 2%