With an ever-increasing need for efficiency and fears of a recession looming, more and more companies are turning to temporary agencies to fill short-term positions and find permanent workers. In many cases, it makes good business sense.
Today's temporary employees do more than enter data and answer phones. Today's temporary employees are highly skilled, educated workers who can fill high-level positions like computer programmer, accountant, lawyer, project manager and even CFO. Many come from professional backgrounds; some are the fallout of sweeping layoffs across corporate America; others are looking to return to the workforce after a self-imposed absence.
For companies, the advantages are many. Temporary workers can fill short-term needs through peak business periods. During complex engagements, for example, temporary workers can lend critical skills and help ensure a project is delivered on time and on budget.
In temp-to-hire scenarios, temporary workers allow companies to get to know whether a candidate is right for the job. Unlike a traditional interview scenario, pre-testing a candidate with a real work scenario allows a company to evaluate the prospect's skills and ability to work with the team. In addition, a temp-to-hire scenario allows a company to learn more about a candidate's work ethic, reliability and response to pressure. In some cases, the on-the-job interview may lead a company to re-think its staffing needs-is a full-time employee even needed?
Temporary workers do come at a cost, however, and a company must carefully consider those costs. Temporary staffing agencies are paid a fee based on the specifics of the engagement-both the skills required and the length of the engagement. That cost must be balanced against the traditional employer costs that staffing agencies absorb, like background checks, taxes and some benefits.
To avoid increased training costs, it's important to fill temporary positions with workers who appreciate the benefits of contract assignments.
One thing is certain: finding the right temporary workers comes down to choosing the right staffing agency- one that understands a particular company's business and staffing needs, and one with a track record for recruiting qualified and reliable workers.
