AN OXFORD recruitment company is on a mission to highlight the contribution of the city’s unsung army of temporary workers.

Allen Associates, based in Littlemore, is holding its third annual ‘temporary workers week’ until Friday in an attempt to show how the temporary workforce ‘forms the backbone' of the Oxfordshire economy.

Research carried out by the company, one of the Oxfordshire’s largest independent recruitment agencies, found that 84 per cent of businesses in Oxfordshire employ temporary workers.

Of these, 39 per cent hire between one and five temporary workers every year, while 15 per cent take on between 15 and 20 over the same period.

One in 10 Oxfordshire businesses hire up to 100 or more temporary workers in a year.

Temps can expect to perform roles in areas including office support, marketing and human resources, and are taken on by some of Oxfordshire's biggest employers including science parks and colleges.

The managing director of Allen Associates, Kate Allen, believes the awareness raising week is needed because temporary staff aren’t always given the recognition they deserve.

She said: “It’s not always an easy job to do - they are often called upon at short notice and are thrown in to difficult situations but they add a lot of value in a short space of time.

“Their role cannot be underestimated yet it is rarely appreciated or understood as much as it should.”

Alongside a social media campaign, the company has also crowned its ‘star of the year’, an award given to a temporary worker who has shown dedication and commitment to the role.

This year’s winner is Kirsty Jackson who was nominated by employer Oxford University, where she is working as a PA in the Department of Zoology.

She said that being a temporary worker is ‘a privilege’ and it provides her with the opportunity to work in ‘an inspiring place, where I can interact with professors, students and wonderful professionals who are passionate about their work.’

Ms Allen would now like to see more people viewing temp work as a viable career option.

She said: “It is a good way of gaining experience - it’s more flexible and is a good way to build up a range of skills and show you are adaptable to different situations.

“You can also work around other commitments and try out different roles and environments to see where you are best suited.

“For the employer it means that they can complete projects without having to commit to hiring new permanent members of staff and it provides access to skills that are hard to come by at short notice.”