Transguard targets growing demand for flexible workforces

Transguard Group, a part of the Emirates Group, has launched a new company, which will specialise in providing end-to-end recruitment and contract resourcing services to professional organisations throughout the UAE and the wider GCC countries.

The newly-formed Transguard Themis, which was unveiled to Transguard customers during a reception at Dubai’s Capital Club, will focus on providing management, technical and administrative personnel on either temporary or short term contract basis. Initially the company will concentrate on the ICT, legal, energy and finance sectors, as well as other service professions.

“The new entity will benefit from Transguard’s existing and unrivalled experience in selecting, recruiting and providing skilled and semi-skilled workforces for organisations across the region. Extending that capability into white collar roles was a natural step, filling a large and pre-identified market niche,” said Geoff Shewry, Executive Director of Transguard Themis.

The launch comes at a time when research company Frost and Sullivan reported that the global outsourcing market will grow by almost 30% to reach $480 billion by 2016. Compound annual growth rates of global markets during the same period will be 8.35%, while the UAE will experience 10% growth, with the ICT sector leading the way.

“Modern economies are often defined by the flexibility of their labour markets and the trend is for companies to move to more flexible employment arrangements if possible, particularly as the West enters a new fragile economic era,” said Jason Armes, General Manager of Transguard Themis.

“Whether hiring a CEO on a fixed term contract, two hundred call centre staff to implement a sales campaign, or creating a ‘pool’ of contract workers to help the peak times in hospitality or retail market demand; the annual growth of temporary contract work in the UAE will be double-digit,” added Armes.

Armes, a recruitment professional with 18 years experience, seven of which were spent in the UAE, identified the gap in the market. Although the UAE is a rapidly emerging economy according to Armes there are no companies offering this type of turnkey white collar contract resourcing service, despite increasing market demand.

Dealing with manpower issues is time consuming and expensive for companies who are not set-up to deal with them, so the market demand is easy to understand. Fixed cost employment, cost-efficient administration, no bureaucracy, no payroll issues, no insurance worries, the list goes on especially for project-related companies - now there is no need to pass up on time-sensitive opportunities.

“If Dubai’s economy is going to be driven by trade, transport and tourism, a flexible workforce must flourish to effectively manage the ebb and flow of business activity. Local and regional government is supportive of improved labour flexibility and further reforms to relax policies for part-time workers are under review,” stated Armes.