In the past many companies only thought to hire temporary employees during the holidays. Now, more and more employers are hiring them all year long. Why? Because temporary employees offer a company the flexibility to resolve short term concerns in a cost effective way. Not sure how temporary employees can benefit your company? Let’s take a look at five ways they can.
1. Cost Savings. Temporary employees are often paid less than permanent employees. Companies can pay short term employees hourly rates instead of paying them a salary. You can also reduce or limit the benefits they receive. You do have to be careful when determining cost savings. If the project will take more then a few months, you have to really consider your options. The temporary employee can end up costing more. Before making a decision to hire a temporary employee do the math. Work with human resources and the finance office to determine projected cost and the best course of action.
2. Filling a gap. If an organization is looking for a special skill set, a temporary employee may be the answer. I was recently contacted to work with a company to provide assistance during a transition. The company had made the decision to downsize. Employees leaving the company needed assistance with resumes, interviewing and career coaching. Hiring temporary career coaches was the solution to the short term need. Other special skill sets could include researching and preparing reports or providing training to address a specific issue. In cases like these, a temporary employee can be brought in to fill the gap.
3. Seasonal Hires. There are certain times of the year when sales increase significantly in an organization. You see it a lot during the holiday seasons such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. During this time, a company may need to increase the number of employees it has. Temporary employees can be hired to address these short term, seasonal needs. Seasonal hires help to eliminate the overwhelm of increased sales and companies are able to maintain high levels of customer service.
4. Observe First. Finding the right employee can be a challenge. Before hiring a staff member, observe them as a temporary employee first. By bringing someone on as a temporary employee, a supervisor has the opportunity to see what their work is really like. He or she will be able to determine if the temporary employee is a fit for the organization. It is an also an opportunity for the temporary employee to determine if they want to work in that company, industry or career field.
5. Fresh Perspective. Sometimes it’s good to shake things up. If you find that your organization is loosing it’s creative edge, hiring a few temporary employees can offer a fresh perspective. Take time to plan where you will place the temporary employees in the organization. Have them work on special projects to encourage new ideas. Or, add them to existing teams to break up groupthink. The temporary employee will add value by giving an outsiders view.
These are just a few ways temporary employees can add value to your organization. If you have not considered using temporary employees, you may when to reconsider. Hiring temporary employees is an option you should consider in your hiring plan all year long. If you would like assistance in determining how your company can benefit from using temporary employees, send me a an email at cowens@infinitycoaching.net. Together we can discover just how temporary employees can add a fresh perspective and provide cost savings at the same time.
