If you require help during a busy period or are looking to scale your business, hiring temporary workers can help to meet your needs. Temporary employees on a short-term contract enable you to meet your clients' demands and help you navigate staffing issues, such as regular employees going on maternity leave, sick leave or holiday cover.
Read on to learn more about the benefits of temporary staffing and how to hire a temporary employee who will meet your particular needs.
Why Do Companies Hire Temps?
Companies hire temporary employees for many different reasons, but usually to plug a gap in their workforce. For example:
- Maternity cover
- An employee on sick leave
- Seasonal demand
- Fluctuating workloads
- A backlog that needs clearing
- Holiday cover
Good temporary staff can be worth their weight in gold because they can hit the ground running, bring a relevant skill set and slot right into your team without the need for extensive training or mentoring.
What’s more, hiring a temp through a temporary recruitment agency means you will not have to deal with sourcing suitable candidates, payroll, or HR-related matters, as the agency will handle all of that.
Learn more about working with a temp agency here.
What Are the Benefits of Temporary Staffing?
Let’s delve into some of the benefits of temporary staffing for businesses and teams:
1. Cost-Effective
Hiring temporary employees is a cost-effective solution for your business as you don’t need to provide extensive training or other benefits associated with full-time employees. For example, a temporary worker employed for four weeks won’t require holiday pay. Hiring temporary workers ensures that you only pay when needed if the work is seasonal.
If you hire a temporary employee via an agency, you can also save on advertising costs for hiring purposes.
2. Flexibility
Temporary employees provide cover while you’re recruiting for permanent staff. They can work during busy business periods and be hired part-time or full-time. Additionally, you can hire them for a certain period on a fixed-term or temporary contract.
A fixed-term contract starts and finishes on a specific date, whereas you can use a temporary contract for periods where the start and end dates are unknown. The flexibility that temp staff offer means there is no disruption to the business.
3. Alleviation of Stress on Permanent Employees
Temporary hires are an effective way of reducing stress on permanent employees. You can employ temporary staff to cover absences caused by holidays and sickness, meaning you don’t need to put extra work onto other employees. The business keeps running smoothly, and you don’t need to worry about your workers feeling pressured.
Not sure what tasks are appropriate to delegate to a temp? Read our article on the types of tasks to delegate to a temporary assistant.
4. Access to Highly Skilled Workers
You can hire temporary employees to work on a specific project or in areas where you require specific skills. For example, if you need to cover reception duties, you can find someone specially trained or experienced in this area. This will benefit you and your business and ensure smoother operations.
5. Refinement of Your Hiring Process
Hiring temporary staff enables you to refine your hiring process for long-term, permanent team members. You’ll reduce the risk of hiring bad employees as you can extend the contracts of temporary staff. On the other hand, if you find a temporary hire isn’t the right fit, you don’t need to employ them beyond their initial contract.
6. Meet Budget Constraints
Temp hires have a beneficial impact on your bottom line. You can save money on training costs while working to payroll restrictions. Short-term workers provide a hiring solution to your budget constraints.
7. Easier To Hire
Using a temp agency to hire employees on a short-term basis is an easy way to hire extra staff. Recruitment agencies go through the rigorous hiring process for you, so you don’t need to deal with interviews, checking references, or the administration associated with new hires.
8. Immediate Impact
Having a blend of temporary and contract workers can work to your advantage in scaling your business quickly. Whether you require administrative assistance or help within another department, you’ll experience an immediate impact within your organisation.
9. Enhance Morale
There is an assumption that temporary staff can be unmotivated, but the potential of becoming a permanent employee can boost morale within the workplace. Bringing in short-term hires can give fresh and outsider perspectives, which benefit your business in many ways. They can offer insights and opinions on business strategies, better workflows or improved output.
How to Hire a Temporary Employee
If you’re new to the temporary recruitment process, you may be unfamiliar with how to hire a temp.
There are two ways to hire a temporary employee:
- Hiring them directly and managing the recruitment process internally
- Working with a temporary recruitment agency such as Oriel Partners
Here’s a breakdown of how the process works if you are recruiting directly:
1. Understand the Assignment
Before beginning the recruitment process, clearly define the temporary position's requirements, including:
- Specific skills
- Experience level
- Duration of the assignment
- Pay
Consider the project's goals and how the temp will fit into your existing team structure. This step is crucial for finding the right candidate and ensuring smooth integration into your workforce.
2. Advertise your Role
Create a compelling job posting that accurately describes the temporary position, responsibilities, and required qualifications. Place your job role on job boards, social media, and your company website to reach a wide pool of potential candidates. Be sure to highlight the temporary nature of the role and any unique benefits.
3. Shortlist Candidates
Review applications and CVs carefully, focusing on candidates whose skills and experience closely match your requirements. Look for individuals with a history of successful temporary work or those who demonstrate adaptability and quick learning. Create a shortlist of the most promising candidates to move forward in the hiring process.
4. Interview Candidates
Conduct thorough interviews to assess candidates' qualifications, work ethic, and ability to quickly adapt to your organisation. Ask about their experience with temporary assignments and how they handle short-term projects. Consider including team members who will work closely with the temp to ensure a good fit with your company culture.
Not sure what to ask a temp candidate during an interview? Read our list of temporary interview questions here.
5. Make an Offer
Once you've identified your ideal temporary candidate, extend a clear and concise offer detailing the assignment's duration, pay rate, and any specific terms or conditions. Be prepared to negotiate and answer any questions the candidate may have about the temporary role.
6. Onboard Your New Temp Staff Member
Create a welcoming environment that helps the temp quickly integrate into your team and become productive as soon as possible. Here are some onboarding tasks to consider:
- Provide necessary training
- Introduce them to key team members
- Communicate expectations and goals
7. Set up Payroll
Determine the payment schedule, which could be weekly or monthly, and clarify any overtime policies. It’s important to make sure that PAYE and National Insurance contributions are accurate.
If you are working with a temping agency, you will need to discuss your requirements with a temporary recruitment consultant, including the job itself, the skills required, and the duration for which you need a temp. If you don’t know how long you will need a temp, this can be approximate or on a rolling basis.
A temporary agency will then handle all candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, contracting and payroll, making the process efficient and hassle-free for employers.
Learn more about how temping agencies work here.
Looking For a Temporary Employee in London? Oriel Partners Can Assist You!
Oriel Partners can help you find the perfect temporary hire, whether you’re looking for a temporary employee for a short-term contract or something more extensive. Many of our temporary candidates are tried and tested and have successfully completed assignments with us. Get in touch with us to see how our temps can support you in your temporary recruitment.
