Secs in the city

By VIKKI BLAND

Freedom from routine, and being able to pick and choose work assignments are just two of the reasons why temping is the preferred work-style choice of thousands of New Zealanders.

Since leaving a permanent job and starting temping two months ago, Michele Lugton, 31, has been flown to Australia to work, found time to start evening classes, caught up with friends, and been asked out for drinks after work. "Temping is definitely good socially," she says.

Lugton is part of an industry known for its flexibility, optional assignments, travel opportunities, and variety.

But it has one disadvantage - the work may not be steady and the pay may not be startling.

Lugton, who previously earned "good money" working full time in IT training, explains why she started start temping.

"For me, temping lifted the burden of too much responsibility. I needed to get out of what I was doing and am physically and mentally healthier now that I'm not working 14-hour days," she says.

Liz Eason, 33, a receptionist and clerical worker, also finds temping is good for her health - though not all of the time.

"I temped on reception for a healthcare provider and an elderly gentleman called. Although I tried to say I would get someone qualified to call him back, he wouldn't be deterred from a graphic description of bowel movements."

Eason, expecting her first baby in February, found that assignment a little nauseating. But the former pharmaceutical worker and part-time business studies student says that, overall, temping suits her well.

"If a call comes in and I have a doctor's appointment or a scan that day then I say I can't do the job."

Eason says temps need to approach their work with an open mind and a sense a humour - something Erin Geaney understands only too well.

Geaney, an experienced secretarial temp and stenographer, says she once temped as a PA to a man whose secretary had walked out on him that morning.

"There was this really black atmosphere which at first I didn't understand. Then after a while he clicked his fingers at me and called me 'girl'. I finished the day but I didn't go back."

Geaney, 42, temped both before and after having children, and in England to finance an OE. She says a highlight was temping on the organising team for the 1980 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton relay.

As a stenographer, Geaney is often called in for executive meetings to record intimate details about businesses and business board activity.

"You pick up a lot of information. But temps must be confidential - there's a confidentiality clause in all temping contracts."

Like many temps, Geaney shuns fulltime work so that she has plenty of time with her family.

"I want to be there for my children in the school holidays. Many temp jobs work around school start and finish times."

As to budgeting on a temp's income, Geaney says the money is "all just extra and that's great.

"If I have a week where I'm a bit short I ring in for assignments."

However, reception and clerical temping is relatively low-paid. Typically, a temp might get $15 an hour before tax and after the agency's commission - the customer being invoiced at about $10 an hour more than the temp is paid.

Lugton says would-be temps need to be sure they have made the right decision financially.

"I would not do this [on a single income] if I had children. But I am single with no debts beyond a mortgage, so in a case like mine I'd say go for it." Janet Manly, marketing manager for Drake Personnel - which employs Lugton, Eason and Geaney - says the agency has 10 branches and although demand for temps is high it can be a challenge to find the right people.

"We get approached by a lot by new immigrants, and while we're always trying to educate employers that these people can be perfectly competent, temping is not an industry that suits people with a poor grasp of English or those with absolutely no work experience.

"You need maturity and knowledge because you have to walk in and take over a position."

Manly says some temps are students, some are travelling, and many juggle childcare arrangements.

"Others find being in the same place with the same people all the time boring.

"They want the challenge of meeting different people and getting involved with different companies."

Temping is not limited to office jobs. Some temp agencies or industry bureaus offer medical, industrial, and manufacturing temps in addition to jobs requiring office and secretarial experience.

Manly says people often don't realise a temping agency is a permanent employer for the temp.

"Temps are entitled to paid holiday leave and sick leave.

"We have temps who have been with us for 10 or 20 years and we try to ensure they get a break or a holiday.

"We are always looking out for their needs and checking our health and safety policies, Manly says."

In keeping with Geaney's observations, Manly confirms that in addition to signing contracts with confidentiality clauses, temps are skills-tested and may be credit-checked or be required to pass a police check.

"If we are placing someone with a bank we need to know they haven't been convicted of theft or fraud," she says.

However, most temping assignments are in far less pressured surroundings and may have an element of amusement or even the bizarre.

Lugton was once assigned to a business for three hours to teach someone how to download new ring tones for mobile phones.

"It was very, very funny. I don't know why they couldn't just call their network provider. But I was being paid and it was fun, so why complain?"


TEMPING TRIVIA

Five odd jobs

* Making Minties

* Counting buses

* Working at Auckland Zoo

* Working in a Coroner's office

* Building boats

What's important?

* Maturity

* Sense of humour

* Sense of responsibility

* Confidentiality

* Presentation, performance, punctuality

* Appropriate skills for temping specialty

* No criminal record

Who's temping where?

Drake Personnel employs 5038 people nationwide who are in temp work or actively looking; 2747 are in the Auckland region

The average age of office temps is 25-45; non-office and industrial temps 20-35; temping nurses 30-35 and home care workers 17-45.

90 per cent of office based and nursing temps are women

90 per cent of industrial temps are men

Home care temps must pass a police check, have two references and be able to drive a manual van.

What's changing?

Assignments are getting longer; 2-3 week jobs are considered minimum

Temps are temping with a view to securing a full time role through making contacts and showing capabilities.

Male immigrants to New Zealand who are accepted as temps enquire after office work; in many countries this work is unisex.

Employers are accepting more women into industrial temp roles

* Information supplied by Drake Personnel; reflecting Drake Personnel statistics and observations