Temporary employees are a boon for companies, allowing them to adjust their staffing levels to respond to demand shifts with less risk. However, many employers underestimate the value temp workers can provide, causing them to underutilize this valuable resource.
In many cases, companies can get far more from temporary staffing than they expect. Here are a few easy ways to increase the value you get from temporary employees.
Provide Sufficient Onboarding and Training
Some employers assume that temporary employees don’t require a solid onboarding and training experience to provide sufficient value. However, by offering clear guidance about workplace policies, answering questions about the role, and strategically introducing them to the nature of their job, they’ll reach full productivity faster.
Additionally, onboarding and training create opportunities to outline expectations. Similarly, it’s a chance to help temp workers understand how their role supports a broader mission, as well as let them know who they should contact when they need assistance.
Integrate Temporary Employees into Your Existing Team
Many companies mistakenly believe that they need to keep permanent and temporary employees separated, effectively putting them on separate teams. However, by integrating them, you get better performance, leading to higher productivity. Plus, bringing the workers together makes the job more meaningful for temp workers, leading to higher morale.
When you bring new temporary employees on board, have them complete a traditional onboarding process. Include teammate introductions along the way, and assign temp workers a buddy that’s part of the permanent team to give them a source of guidance. Additionally, arrange one-on-one meetings with their manager, allowing them to learn more about expectations, the nature of their role, and how the position helps the company achieve meaningful goals. By doing so, the temporary employees develop a deeper connection to their roles and teams, leading to higher-quality outputs.
Check in and Offer Feedback Regularly
Checking in with your temporary employees makes them feel like a more integral part of the team, which can boost morale. Plus, it’s a chance to offer feedback on their performance, creating opportunities for beneficial changes and a chance to acknowledge actions they’re taking that you appreciate.
Generally, you want to have their manager check in daily during the first week. After that, you can potentially decrease the frequency to a few times per week if everything’s going smoothly and eventually transition to once per week after they get their footing.
Keep the Best Temporary Employees on Board with a Job Offer
While temporary employees are generally only with a company for a short period, that doesn’t mean you have to let the best and brightest go. Instead, you always have the option of transitioning a top-performing temp worker onto your payroll, allowing you to secure critical skills that can boost your operation. The transition process is incredibly simple, ensuring there’s no downtime for the employee and that productivity remains high.
Ultimately, all of the options above are easy ways to increase the value you get from temporary staffing. If you’d like to learn more or could benefit from temp employees, The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
