Success for your business hinges on being responsive and flexible. When orders come piling in, you need to ensure each customer has an excellent experience. And when there’s a lull, you need to balance things with reduced expenses.
Temporary employees might be the perfect way to handle the rollercoaster of demand for your products and services. And to help you make sure your experience with temp labor is successful, CorpNet has offered some useful tips and strategies.
How can you tell when using temp workers will be helpful?
The short answer is “Whenever your labor-demand temporarily exceeds supply.”
For different companies, this might look different. Increasing orders during the holidays might be seen by a light manufacturing company who specializes in consumer products. Or a company who uses drop-shipping across many state lines may need extra support during tax season. If an employee needs maternity or medical leave, any business owner might need to fill a position for weeks or months. The best-case scenario for hiring temp workers might be when you’re experiencing rapid growth and you need to get more people into the warehouse–now.
Whatever the context, there are some good reasons for exploring temporary labor to help your company through.
Why should a small business explore the option for using temp workers?
The appeal of temporary work situations is increasing to the point that some observers now use the phrase, “freelance economy.” The benefits for the entrepreneur include:
- temp labor is a cost effective resource
- payments to a temp agency are often less headache than to a full-time hire
- easy severance if demand slows down
- simple employee switching if the first worker doesn’t work out
- a great evaluation period, so you know exactly who you’re hiring if that short-term need becomes long-term
What details should you watch when hiring temp workers?
Agencies that supply temporary labor needs today offer help for a wide range of roles, including both entry-level and skilled experts in industrial, administrative, professional, managerial, engineering, IT, and healthcare. Whatever your hiring need, the following 4 check-points are vital:
As you coordinate with the agency, be sure to give them a clear picture of your needs and expectations. More information at the beginning helps prevent frustrating experiences later on.
When you settle in to sign things with the agency, be sure you understand all the terms, fees, and stipulations. If you can’t have it reviewed by a lawyer, a careful reading can help you avoid any surprises.
If you’re interested in hiring a temp worker who shows great potential, bring that option up at the beginning. Some agencies have fees for this kind of conversion, while some workers have a preference to stay temp.
It goes without saying, but treat your temp workers as good as you would treat a new full-time employee. Each type of worker is an investment in your company, so it’s in your best interest to arrange the necessary space, tool, training, and culture to help them perform well. And to be candid, no employer wants the reputation of being a bad career move.
Another important aspect is the time it takes to get an employee up to speed on your software. Investing in a unified business suite like aACE 5 can reduce training difficulties and accelerate temp workers towards productivity. Learn more about our comprehensive, quote-to-cash that users describe as a pleasure to work with.
