Temporary staffing legislation is crucial: Maurizio Uboldi, Executive Director, Gi Group

Regulations and legislative measures for the temp staffing industry are an urgent need in India, especially to help reduce unemployment, says Maurizio Uboldi, executive director of global staffing major Gi Group. In an interview with Anumeha Chaturvedi, he speaks of the need for ‘flexicurity’ – flexibility and security – in this industry. Excerpts:

How is the staffing industry shaping up globally?

The staffing industry has grown exponentially over the past decade because of globalisation and changing economic conditions, which bring about the need for flexicurity – flexibility and security. The industry provides this to workers and companies and enables them to face the challenges of the global world.

For the smooth functioning of the labour market, it is important to have a flexible workforce which can also help in bringing back some of the professionals into the market. In Italy, the law for temporary staffing was approved in 1998. Young graduates in Italy usually approach staffing agencies for employment opportunities, but there are still a lot of countries where there is no legislation.

Your take on the Indian staffing industry...

If India gets regulations and legislative measures, we can look forward to an organised temp staffing industry which can help move people from the unorganised sector into the organised sector. India is at number 7 in our internal rankings in terms of turnover and holds a very significant place.

What can India do to make this industry more organised?

Aclear legislation on temporary staffing is critical for reducing unemployment and the number of illegal workers. Private staffing agencies working within the legal framework can be key repositories of knowledge on the labour market, and can be of great help to lawmakers. Qualified agencies should also undertake training to improve the employability quotient of the workforce.