The interim market is stabilising and is now firmly focused on growth, according to the latest survey by interim management provider Russam GMS.

The twice-yearly benchmark survey of Russam’s 12,000 interim managers charted a 5% growth in activity from January to June 2012, which follows a 6% decline in the previous six months.

These figures follow a similar pattern of activity recorded in the previous year (in June 2011 there was a 1.2% increase in activity). 

However, this year’s figures show a slight increase in volumes. And while daily rates have dipped slightly from the previous six months from £621 to £617, they are up from £607 recorded in June 2011.

There has also been a move away from the traditional use of interims as ‘gap fillers’. Half of all interims are being recruited to provide specialist skills that are absent in their clients’ businesses; 34% to implement new strategies, 33% to work on special projects and just over a quarter to lead business restructuring. Just 15% said they were covering a temporary absence or a sudden departure.

Almost one in five (17%) of interims now see themselves as change and transformation specialists and this has emerged as a new professional discipline – the second largest category of interims after general managers (20%).

Charles Russam, chairman of Russam GMS, says: “There is a positive mood in the market and a general view that volumes have started to increase. Businesses are using interims more strategically than ever – to plug skills gaps on a temporary basis, re-structure their business, to lead special projects, drive change programmes or lead business development.”