facilitating transitions for vulnerable job seekers who face barriers: the role of alternative...
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Facilitating transitions for vulnerable job Facilitating transitions for vulnerable job seekers who face barriers: the role of seekers who face barriers: the role of
alternative staffing organizations in the U.S.alternative staffing organizations in the U.S.
Françoise Carré, Brandynn Holgate, and Helen LevineFrançoise Carré, Brandynn Holgate, and Helen LevineCenter for Social PolicyCenter for Social Policy
McCormack Graduate SchoolMcCormack Graduate SchoolUniversity of Massachusetts Boston, USAUniversity of Massachusetts Boston, USA
Presentation atFlexWork Research Centre International Conference
Leuven, 27th and 28th October 2011
IntroductionIntroduction
Alternative staffing organizations (ASOs)▸ Form of labor market intermediary operating in the bottom of
the labor market▸ Community-based organizations and non profits▸ Serving vulnerable job seekers
Questions: Why do vulnerable job seekers need job brokering? What service does an ASO provide them?
Center for Social Policy10/28/2011
Structural changes in the labor marketStructural changes in the labor market
Post-war through 1980’s: Internal labor markets vs. “secondary” labor markets (Piore,
1970, Liebow, 1967)
Since 1990: Increase in formal screening and market-mediation for entry-
level jobs (Abraham, 1990, Benner, et al., 2007)
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Vulnerable job seekers and job searchVulnerable job seekers and job search
Formalized application processes
Intermediaries: temporary staffing, day labor operators, labor brokers, service subcontractors (Carré and Joshi 2000, Benner et al 2007)
Interpersonal networks? Community? Weak?
Workforce intermediaries (Harrisson and Weiss 1998, Giloth 2003)
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ASOs in the U.S.ASOs in the U.S.
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Our workOur work
2002-03 survey of 29 alternative staffing organizations nationwide and case studies of a subsample of eight (Carré et al 2003)
2005-08 in-depth monitoring and evaluation of 4 ASOs (Carré et al 2009)– staff; job assignments; customer businesses
2008-11 in-depth monitoring and evaluation of 4 ASOs (Carré et al 2011)– worker outcomes; customer businesses
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How is alternative staffing different from How is alternative staffing different from conventional staffing in the U.S.?conventional staffing in the U.S.?
ASOs address barriers that vulnerable job seekers face
ASOs seek to address difficulties with the hiring and screening process
Personal contact with staff is the primary difference
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Incidence (%) of barriers to employment for Incidence (%) of barriers to employment for job seekers (4 ASOs) – 2010-11job seekers (4 ASOs) – 2010-11
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Job opportunities through the ASOsJob opportunities through the ASOs
▸ Majority of ASOs assignments are in clerical, building services, production and general labor positions
▸ Work patterns with ASO vary across workers (total hours)
▸ Job assignments offer low wages on average
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How customer businesses assess ASO How customer businesses assess ASO servicesservices
▸ Understand customer business priorities“They understand our environment, [we are] not just going to a placement agency.”
▸ Quality of candidate screening“[ASO] screens people better, I don’t just get a warm body.”
▸ Support services for workers“Their support structure is their safety net…We can’t provide it.”
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Workers’ expectations and perspective on job Workers’ expectations and perspective on job searchsearch
▸ “[The ASO] referred me to the [customer business] where I’m working now. Then after three months, I got taken on full time. I don’t know how I would have gotten started otherwise…. I couldn’t get in anywhere with no experience.”
▸ “[Supervisors] might have anywhere between 400 to 800 applications for one administrative job, six to 12 people being picked…to interview…[and] to know that there’s such a big pool and you’re the one [that’s interviewed].”
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ConclusionConclusion
Insights for other countries
Challenges
Future research
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