What Is Body Shopping?

To all the pondering minds out there: What is your familiarity with the practice of "body shopping"? No, it's not the latest fitness fad or a cheap way to get in shape. It's a term used in the technology sector to describe using temporary workers for discrete projects. You could be forgiven for wondering if we're talking about a temp service or freelance work. Yes, sort of. Companies that "do body shopping" supply contract workers to other businesses, typically in the IT sector. These temporary employees are generally sought out for their expertise in a specific field, such as software development, and are hired for a limited time. As such, why do businesses resort to body shopping? In any case, it may be cheaper than hiring and training full-time workers since the company doesn't have to fork over money for benefits, training, and so on for contract workers; they can afford to pay a higher hourly rate. Additionally, they can hire outside help for a single task rather than a full-time worker. However, the practice of "body shopping" is not without criticism. Contract workers are being exploited and thrown away, say critics. Contract workers are not guaranteed a specific length of employment or any particular benefits compared to regular employees and are frequently terminated with little or no prior notice. From a technical standpoint, body shopping can be a way to bring in specialized skills for a project without investing in training or hiring a full-time employee. It's also a way to tap into a larger talent pool than you might otherwise have access to locally. Many body shopping firms are headquartered in India and the Philippines and send their employees to the United States and other countries. That wraps up the fundamentals of buying a body! Body shopping can be helpful whether you're a contract worker looking for your next gig or a company trying to find the right talent for a project. Just make sure you know the potential drawbacks and risks before diving in. If you're feeling adventurous, you can start your own body-shopping company! You'll need to know how to handle the myriad legal and ethical considerations that will inevitably arise. You may become the IT industry's next big thing!