You know the situation: the work is piling up. Morale is flickering. Your employees are waning. The struggle is real. You need an efficient way to strengthen your workforce – but time is of the essence. Who can you turn to? What do you do?
…CALL A TEMP!
That’s right: temp staff are out there to save you in times of trouble. They are untapped heroes; valuable resources sitting silently at the side-lines, waiting patiently to increase your productivity, improve your flexibility, and keep you moving along the right trajectory in times of transition. Whether you need a candidate to provide specialist knowledge and skills for a specific project, or to reinforce your team during times of peak trade, believe us when we say there’s someone out there with the right skill set to fill that yawning employment gap.
As far as we’re aware, the benefits of hiring temp staff are infinite – but let’s just stick to five in this instance, shall we?
Temporary doesn’t mean inexperienced.
Temporary staff are often brought in to help deliver a project in a timely fashion. One common misconception is that because their work is conducted over a short-term period, a compromise on quality follows. In fact, this is rarely the case. If you require a specialist in a particular area, there are thousands of temps with expert qualifications and years of experience under their belts. Hiring a temp saves you time and money on unnecessary training – and the job is still completed by a qualified professional.
Access to new skills.
Candidates who temp regularly have had exposure to a wider variety of company cultures than most, and can therefore comfortably approach a new work environment with fresh perspectives and an accomplished skill set. Experienced temps can often bring a new injection of energy to an already existing team without drastically affecting the overall dynamic. Both temporary and permanent members of staff can also learn from one another in exchanging best practice, which may save you future training costs.
Take action immediately.
Most temporary staff can start almost immediately. If you’ve had an unexpected absence, need cover for maternity, or demand for your services has reached a sudden peak, hiring temp staff is a swift and cost-effective way to provide much-needed back up. Once you’ve teamed up with the right recruitment agency (ahem), finding the right temp is straightforward; no tedious interview process, no vetting through references, and no waiting for lengthy notice periods. Fast track hiring means signing up for immediate impact.
Control your costs.
Taking on temps can be a real lifesaver when you find yourself in need of emergency cover. This is partially because it allows you to take on additional staff without increasing your permanent head count and cost. Additionally, temp staff cater to the specific needs of the business – but only for as long as they’re needed – meaning you don’t have to budget for an entire salary. Recruiting agencies may even offer benefits to temporary staffers, meaning that you could save further costs on insurances, paid sick leave and pensions.
Eliminate the risk of a bad hire.
Taking on a temp contract will give you the time to find a strong candidate for a permanent position, as sourcing the right person for a role can be a lengthy process. Temp staff can help to alleviate some of the pressure on the rest of the team while providing you with extra time to find the right person. Temp contracts will also allow you to see how a candidate may or may not acclimatise to your environment. Consider it an unspoken trial period, if you like. Should they prove to be a valuable asset to the team and someone who you can really see flourishing in your business in the long run, then go ahead and offer them a permanent position. If it doesn’t feel quite right, no harm done – the end of their contract is already on the horizon.
So, when you next find that times are tough and demand is high, remember that you can always call on a temp. They might just be the short notice saviour you need to fight inefficiency and protect your workforce from burnout.
Credit: Thea Fraser [Edited by Clare Toner]