Employers shift to temporary workers amid economic and AI uncertainty

9 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 1

Across the US and Europe, staffing firms said on recent earnings calls that clients are favouring contractors over permanent hires.
Companies are using temporary staff to keep operations running while they assess how artificial intelligence could reshape labour needs and staffing levels.
Global geopolitical volatility and wider economic uncertainty are deepening caution over how many workers businesses need and for how long.

Amid rising protectionism, can companies still access the global talent needed to remain competitive and resilient?

As businesses favor temporary staff for flexibility, what happens to long-term innovation and institutional knowledge?

With AI automating entry-level jobs, how will the next generation of senior leaders gain foundational experience?