Want your temporary employees to be more productive? Efficient? Easy to manage?
A little planning can go a long way.
Today, A.R. Mazzotta shares a few simple tips you can implement to maximize the return on your staffing investment – while minimizing co-employment concerns:
It’s all in the details.
To get exactly what you want, start by telling your staffing partner exactly what you need. The more specific you are in your initial request, the more accurate your agency will be in providing the right employee. Here’s what you should do:
- Specify your needs. Determine exactly what you want temporary or contract employees to accomplish. Document tasks to be performed, skills required and your expected standards of performance. When you set clear expectations up front, your staffing provider can do a better job pinpointing the exact resources you require.
- Move beyond the job description. Describe the work environment, including details about the nature and the pace of work, as well as your corporate culture. If tools, equipment or specific software programs will be used, outline the specific training and experience you need.
- Benchmark your best employees. Having trouble outlining requirements or performance expectations? Ask your staffing provider to test one or two of your staff members using their skills assessment software. This will help you determine which tests your temporaries should take, as well as minimum acceptable scores.
Get direct and contingent employees on the same page.
Temporaries, contract workers and direct employees will work best together when everyone clearly understands their roles, responsibilities and expectations. Use these tips:
- Talk to your internal team. If you’re bringing in short-term or project personnel, be sure to clearly explain to your direct staff exactly where and why you are using contingent staff. Open communication will encourage cooperation and keep your employees from viewing temporary staff as a threat to their own job security.
- Roll out the welcome mat. Give careful thought to what you will need to explain to temporaries in order for them to be successful. Provide a job site orientation, including a facilities and resources tour. Introduce temporary employees to both co-workers and supervisors who can answer questions and provide direction.
Train your staffing representative.
Last, but not least, help your staffing provider to help you. Bring your service representative on-site to inspect your work environment, meet supervisors and tour your facilities. The better he understands your organization, the better equipped he’ll be to provide the right types of people for your needs.
Simple, proactive steps like these can help you get better results from your temporary staff – every time. For more advice, read this earlier post on employee-like talent management models for temporary workers.
And whenever you need highly skilled temporaries, give A.R. Mazzotta a call. As a leading CT employment agency, our services can help you save time, money and headaches – and get more done!