In an ideal world, you’d be able to predict exactly how your business will run, when your employees get sick, and which candidates won’t mind working the graveyard shift. But this is the real world, and to operate to your fullest, you have to be flexible. A temp staffing agency can provide you with flexibility. Here’s how a temp staffing agency can help you.

1. Unpopular Shifts

Do you have a shift that no one seems to want? Do your workers tense up when you even mention scheduling because they don’t want to alter their personal lives to work at unusual times? Say good-bye to the tension and conflict by letting a temp staffing agency fill those undesirable shifts. Allow your regular employees to stick with the schedules that work best with their lives, and use temp workers to fill the rest.

2. Maternity Leave

Some employers manage the staffing shortage caused by maternity leave by delegating the new parent’s tasks to other workers. This solution may save you money, but it’s not worth the headaches. The rest of your staff will feel resentful and jealous of the new parent. Solve the problem by having a temp staffing agency find and train a replacement to fill in while your employee is on maternity leave. When the new parent comes back, they won’t have to face a stack of unfinished work or resentful colleagues, and you won’t have to deal with poor morale in your staff.

3. Illness

Unfortunately, everyone faces illness from time to time. Whether you have an employee out for a couple of days with the flu or out for several weeks following surgery, you’ll need substitutes to stay on top of things. When you develop a working relationship with a temp staffing agency, you can call the agency on short notice and get a temp until your regular workers can return.

4. Family Matters

One of the benefits most appreciated by employees is flexibility to attend to family matters. Parents of young children sometimes need to stay home with sick children or leave work early to attend an elementary school choir concert. Older parents may want to take a short leave to help a daughter having her first baby or to visit with grandchildren. Using a temp staffing agency can help you to provide for more flexibility for your employees. You’ll find that your workers are happier and more willing to work hard for you when you provide them with flexibility to attend to their families.

5. Seasonal Fluctuations

Most businesses have seasonal fluctuations or “busy times” in the year. If you have traditionally muddled through these times with just your regular staff, you know how burned out employees can get when they have to work overtime for many days in a row. Additionally, it’s very expensive to pay overtime on a regular basis. At the other end of the spectrum, you probably have slow times when employees have little to do. It’s hard to pay people to stand around and chat, but you know you’ll need them dearly when business picks up. A temp staffing agency can give you the flexibility to employ the exact number of people you need, whether you’re busy or slow. Temps can help take care of your busy times so you don’t have to pay overtime or burden your regular staff.