In 2018, Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) wrote a brief but comprehensive “History of the Staffing Industry”, authored by their Director of Global Research, John Nurthen.
The part of that history that concerns us here is the beginning use of computers
Computerization
In a section of that history covering the decade “1970 to 1980” he discussed the impact of computerization, (micro computers in the 70’s and personal computers in the 80’s). These developments together with emerging “staffing software”, enabled very efficient management of the front and back-office operations of staffing companies.
One of the significant effects of these efficiencies was that it“allowed smaller staffing businesses to compete with the large corporations”. This is probably the reason there are still so many (20,000+) independent staffing companies in the U.S.
So, computer and software development really began in the early eighties which was when our own staffing software development company, Bridgeware Systems Inc. started.
In the early eighties we were a beginning Sales and Support company for Accounting Software, and we just happened to have a local staffing company as a client. That client, StafKings in Binghamton, NY asked if Brian and Phil McMahon (our founders) if they could change (re-code) their accounting software to meet the special needs of their staffing company.
We began with a “Single-Entry Payroll/Billing System” which they liked very much. We made other modifications that made their staffing operations more efficient and targeted to their specific business.They recommended us to other staffing companies throughout the US and we never stopped.
So, together with our growing staffing company clients we have grown into a highly specialized (Full Stack) staffing software development company.
New Investments in Staffing Company Technology
In the last 30 years the investments made by staffing companies in their staffing software have paid off handsomely in the hundreds of efficiencies that have made them both professional and profitable.
In the last 10 years the major staffing company investments would probably be in the cloud-based, highly leveraged,web platforms known generally as “Gig economy platforms” (Freelancers, Fiver, Upwork Uber etc.). There are problems within them but generally investors are happy with the results.
But this does not mean, at all, that the traditional staffing companies have stopped investments in their staffing software. Indeed, there seems to be a convergence where the new and traditional sectors of the staffing industry have been learning from each other.
For example, all traditional staffing companies,right now,have learned to use the Web interactively in the buying, selling, supervising, billing,supporting, and, communicating directly with all their clients and employees.
They can instantly load a debit card to pay an employee anywhere and from anywhere, have vetted employees self-select jobs and individual shifts via Mobile App, submit and authenticate electronic timecards, automate the onboarding process, give access to client and employee accounts from a smart phone or desktop, plus a host of other features and benefits that are too numerous to mention here.
Dozens of these have been created in the last five years and hundreds of other efficiencies in the traditional sector have predated the gig platforms by more than 25 years. And the progress can and will continue. Everything changes, improves, or dies. So, everyone is well motivated!
What are These Technology Investments Worth?
Because investments in improved technology can make a major contribution towards making and keeping a company efficient, professional, competitive, and profitable, you will be in a position to attract, incentivize, and keep good and productive employees.
It is hard for me to put an actual price on these, but it will certainly make it easier and more rewarding to work in this kind of atmosphere.
Stay Safe!
See also our blogs, “Getting the Most from Your Staffing Software” and “The Critical Role of Staffing Software for Management and Profitability”