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

Despite an overall drop in nonfarm payroll employment reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' July Jobs Report, temporary help services showed significant growth, adding the second-highest number of jobs out of over 300 industries analyzed. This trend is driven by shifting worker preferences among young adults for autonomous contract work and employers preferring project-based hiring to manage costs amid economic uncertainty. Together, these changes are reshaping employment terms toward greater flexibility and adaptability.