From Temp to Permanent: How Staffing Firms Can Help You Build a Stronger Workforce

20 Sep From Temp to Permanent: How Staffing Firms Can Help You Build a Stronger Workforce

It’s a situation many managers know well: Someone goes out on leave, or is sick, just as you’re about to embark on a busy stretch. You consider hiring someone, or maybe a few people, but don’t want to overextend your payroll budget. The alternative is to leave your team shorthanded and ask them to go above and beyond for a little while, but they’re already doing far more than they signed on for because your company has been outpacing its goals and expectations (due in large part to their great work). 

What to do?! If only there were another option. 

There is: Temporary employees, people who are brought in for a determined length of time to provide assistance and take some of the stress off your permanent team. And if they do well, you’ve had a nice long interview process to bring them onto your team full time. 

Staffing agencies, like LeadingEdge Personnel, can help you bring temp workers in to alleviate the extra pressure and work. 

Here’s how staffing firms can be a big boost to your workforce: 

• We have job candidates standing by to jump in. Some people aren’t looking for a steady 9-5 permanent job. Some people are between jobs and trying to figure out what they want to do next, but they’d like to keep busy and maybe learn some new skills. They’re perfect for temporary positions because it’s just that: A regular job for a short period of time. Those candidates notify staffing agencies, like LeadingEdge, of their interests and are designated for positions just like the one you have open, to fill in for a set period of time. 

• Specialized temp workers do exist. Consider the person who joined the workforce young and, after putting in 25 or 30 years, was offered an early retirement option due to downsizing at their company, or the desire to spend more time with family. After a short while, they might find themselves bored at home. They’re not looking to rejoin the workforce full-time, but they’d like to be active again. They make great temporary employees, whether for a season or a project, and they bring their experience, skills, and work ethic, providing great leadership and knowledge for your younger team. If your company requires specific skills they possess, they can walk right in on day one and be ready to go without needing any training. If they’re having a good time and doing good work, and you get the budget to hire a new person full-time, they’re right there for the asking. 

• Temp-to-perm is a long interview that benefits everyone. By partnering with a staffing agency to find temporary employees for positions that may, eventually become permanent, you’re going to be provided with a list of candidates who can do the job now but don’t bank on being a full-time member of your team. You can try each other out and see whether this is a good fit before making a decision. If things work out, fantastic! The new employee has already gotten to know the team and found a good working groove, plus you know the kind of employee you’re getting and don’t need to start the training process from scratch. If things aren’t going so well, you aren’t beholden to that employee, nor are they beholden to you; you can shake hands at the end of the temporary employment duration and go about your business. 

• The hiring process is faster with a partner. Staffing agencies have a stable of employees interested in temporary or part-time jobs. Instead of having to post a open job position online, have someone dedicate time to reviewing applications, scheduling a few rounds of interviews and then go through the onboarding process for someone who might only be with you a few weeks or months, LeadingEdge can call a few candidates, find out who’s available and ready to work, and then send the employee over to you. It’s that simple! If, at the end of that time, your budget projections are different and you can hire the person full-time, that’s a conversation you can have. They might even have decided this is what they want to do!

• Train the talent of the future. It’s rare for someone to come into a job knowing exactly how to do all their responsibilities. But if you bring someone on in a temporary position and find they’re well-equipped to your industry, you can train them to do exactly what they need to do, to your expectations and requirements, and mold them into the kind of worker you’d like to have on your team. You’re providing them experience, which is wonderful, and a paycheck, which is a necessity, while also earning their appreciation and respect. If you offer them a permanent job, it might be the career break they didn’t even know they were looking for. 

The temp-to-hire workforce is very much out there and accessible to you and your company; all you have to do is ask! Partnering with a staffing agency can make the process easy and fast and, in the long run, you’re saving your company time and money by working with an outside firm that can cut through the inefficiencies of the hiring process. 

When you’re ready to learn more about temporary employees, call LeadingEdge Personnel. We can discuss all about your hiring and staffing needs, now and in the future, and come up with goals and objects to get you the employees you need to meet your company’s goals. The sooner you call, the sooner we can get started!