As the holidays approach, the demand for seasonal and temporary hires is on the rise. In fact, according to iCIMS’s recent report on holiday hiring, 48% of hiring managers plan to employ up to 20% more seasonal workers than last year.
A boost of manpower at your company has many benefits (more on that below), but this influx of staff also comes with its own set of challenges. But our Seasonal Workers Series is here to help: throughout November, we’ll be publishing a series of articles on temporary and seasonal employees. Stay tuned for posts on finding the right people, assimilating them into your workplace, keeping them productive, and more.
But first: why you should consider hiring temporary workers in the first place.
Whether you’re stocking up on staff for the holiday rush, or bringing on extra talent for a special project, short-term hires can help your company in a number of ways. Here’s a look at the top five benefits of temporary hiring.
It provides flexibility in an unstable economy
Smaller companies have to be able to adapt their team during busy or low periods, but hiring and firing permanent staff can be time-consuming and detrimental to morale. “Being able to bring on more workers or scale back the workforce to respond to the ebbs and flows of demand is highly desirable to business owners,” says Liberty Staffing. Temporary staff can also provide a quick fix for sudden turnover, long-term leaves, and special projects.
It gives your company access to new skills
The cliché of the temp tends toward lower-level admin roles, but the reality is that temporary staff can bring new skills and perspectives to their role that can, in turn, improve efficiency or streamline production. If a new project or product requires skills outside of your team’s area of expertise, a temporary employee can provide that new talent to keep things moving.
It saves you money
While the exact logistics of temporary hires differ from company to company, the process is usually far more cost effective than making a permanent hire. Hourly rates can sometimes be implemented rather than a salary, and with reduced – or at least short-term – availability to benefits and other company perks. However, Dove Personnel warns that using these employees longer-term can result in problems from a budget standpoint: “In the short term, the cost of hiring a temporary staff member is often cheaper that the cost of committing to a permanent employee. However, temporary assignments that are expected to run for more than a couple of months may actually end up costing you more than making a permanent hire. Make sure you do your sums before you make any decisions.”
It can lead to meaningful hires
Finding employees that are the right fit for your workplace is always a challenge (and as this post shows, making a bad hire can be costly). Temporary employees, on the other hand, can provide employers with the chance to evaluate workers over a longer period of time without committing to a permanent offer. It can also alleviate some of the urgency associated with filling an opening in your permanent staff – having a short-term employee in place during your recruitment process ensures you take your time finding the right hire.
It can boost morale
While the divide between permanent and temporary staff can be difficult (more on that in an upcoming post in this series), the addition of short-term employees can also help the overall workplace mood. “When your employees are forced to work double shifts, to work nights and weekends, and to take on extra roles and responsibilities because you’re shorthanded, morale can quickly decrease,” says Liberty Staffing. “Your employees can get stressed, become exhausted, and burn out.” Offering extra help during your company’s busiest periods (or when personnel turnover leaves your under-staffed) ensures your core team stays happy and productive.
See also:
7 best interview questions to hire temporary employees
How to integrate temporary employees with permanent staff
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