Temporary workers: Managing the problem of unscheduled turnover

Increasing numbers of firms are turning to the temporary labor market in an attempt to enhance their competitiveness in the global market. Those firms differ widely in their approaches to human resource management in terms of training, orientation, socialization and integration of temporary workers. This paper suggests several factors associated with the management of temporary workers that may lead to higher than necessary rates of departure prior to contract end dates. These factors include inadequate socialization, perceptions of injustice, exclusion from decision‐making, expectations for permanent work, lower age and tenure, lower tolerance for inequity, low levels of commitment, and limited motivation. Implications for client firms are discussed, with an emphasis on the development of comprehensive HRM systems that address the factors identified, and directions for future research are suggested.