Don't Pour Money Down the Drain Hiring the Wrong Temp Staff

Hiring temporary employees can be a stressful undertaking for even the most experienced of human resource professionals.  There are many issues to consider when bringing on temp staff such as workplace culture, management requirements, production levels, and even the potential impact on permanent employees.  Making the wrong decisions can be a huge drain on payroll as well as the balance sheet as poor hiring decisions can have a negative impact in numerous financial venues as well as the intangible effects.  Below are some helpful tips to hiring temp staff without pouring money down the drain.

Find the Right Employment Service

Choosing the correct temporary placement agency is easily the most critical factor in hiring the right temp staff.  Many agencies specialize in a specific area of employment, be it skill variety or employee level (management, skilled workers, clerical, etc) and may not be an ideal match for all employers.  Simply put, making the best temp staff decisions requires choosing the employment service that best suits the company’s needs.  A lengthy interview process may not be required but asking good questions and detailing specific areas of need and employment requirements is.  Ask to speak with other employer references and inquire about placement history with similar companies.  Finding the correct initial fit is the first step to making good temp staff hiring decisions.

Detail Needs and Requirements

Too often employers hire temp staff as a band-aid for short term voids in production without properly detailing company needs and skill or experience requirements of the position.  More often than not this will lead to a poor experience for all involved.  Any requirements of the position being filled should be put in writing and communicated to the placement agency initially with following dialogue about any concerns or questions relating to duties, skills or other associated factors.

Expectations

Another critical factor in hiring the right temp staff is setting reasonable expectations prior to any decision making.  This may seem obvious but it is a critical mistake made by many employers.  Temporary employees are often able to step in and produce at higher levels initially than many permanent employees due to their proclivity for short term assignments and experience in varying work environments.  But the expectation that temporary personnel will integrate in the long term or grow with the position may be a poor one if expectations are set initially in conflict with such goals.  Expectations should be communicated to both the placement agency and temp staff initially to ensure the best possible outcome.

Hiring temp staff does not have to be a painful experience.  By taking the time to detail expectations and employment requirements as well as reviewing available employment services for the best fit  the correct hiring decisions can be made without pouring money down the drain.



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