American Staffing Association chief economist: The future of work is temporary, and that changes everything about the labor market

When the July Jobs Report was released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the headlines were understandably dominated by the drop in overall nonfarm payroll employment.

Look beyond the headlines, however, and you’ll find an economic comeback story that was easy to miss: the growth of temporary help services.

The facts are clear.

Out of more than 300 industries analyzed by BLS, temporary help services has added the second-highest number of jobs in 2026.

It’s also shown growth every month this year, including 3,400 jobs in July.

One in ten jobs created this year have been temporary positions.

So what’s driving the return of temporary work? As the chief economist at the American Staffing Association, which represents third-party staffing and recruiting firms, I’ve been closely tracking the return of temporary help services after a multi-year decline.

I believe this recovery goes beyond the staffing industry.

It coincides with shifting perceptions of work with the potential to change the way employers and employees interact with each other.

Contract employment is becoming a popular avenue for young adults seeking an entry point into the workforce.

When the BLS last examined contingent work in 2023, young adults under the age of 24 were four times more likely than prime age workers and six times more likely than older workers to hold contingent jobs.

An ASA-i360 survey suggested that 40 percent of temporary workers in 2025 were between the ages of 18 and 29.

This format of work is uniquely appealing to young job seekers in an uncertain labor market.

The ability to hold multiple assignments at once, or in addition to a full-time job, aligns with young job seekers’ aversion to relying on one employer for economic security.