LAUSR

Purpose – Temporary agency work has increased enormously in recent decades. Most temporary agency workers are pushed involuntarily into this work-arrangement and prefer permanent work arrangements. Therefore, the motive to find a permanent job through temporary agency work (TAW) is predominant for the majority of temporary agency workers. However, little is known about what helps in obtaining a permanent job in a client organization. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of social skills by simultaneously considering the human capital aspects and motivational background of the individuals for transition success. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a questionnaire study of 151 Temporary Agency Workers with two measurement points. The questionnaires were firstly administered at the very beginning of their work as a temp (t1) and again five months later (t2). Findings – The findings show that the social skills of temporary agency workers in contrast to various aspects of human capi...