Now is a prime time for temporary employees to step in and cover for your regular team members who are taking much-needed vacation time. Or, you may simply have staff shortages due to illness or unexpected project work. Regardless of the circumstances, it’s important that temporary associate feel comfortable on their assignments – and equally critical that your permanent staff is ready and willing to work with them.
Ease the Transition
Here are some tips to make the transition to temporary employees as seamless as possible:
- Explain the goals of your ‘flexible’ workforce. Outline the short- and long-term goals that temps will help your regular staff to achieve. Let them know the specific reasons why temporary workers have been hired – and how it will ultimately benefit them. Highlight the advantages; for example, regular employees can work less and experience less stress as a result. Reassure your permanent employees that their jobs are not in jeopardy.
- Clearly define the roles of temporary workers. If temporary associates are hired to handle an overflow of work, let your regular team members know that they will help everyone to stay on track. This also will avoid any confusion about the placement of temporary workers when it comes to their job responsibilities or company hierarchy. If you need to change the roles of regular workers while temps are on board, be sure to let everyone know when and why this is happening.
- Training and assimilation are key. Temporary employees are often taken for granted as many believe that they can start with just minimal training. Not so. If temps are expected to fill in for regular employees, so train them accordingly. The best people to make this happen are permanent staff members, who can help temps become acclimated to your company and its culture.
- Establish communication lines – and keep them open. Before temporary employees arrive, make sure your current staff understands that they can come to you with questions and concerns. The success of a temp often hinges on real time feedback. Encourage regular employees to share both the positive and the negative things that temps are doing on the job.
- Provide a workspace. Temporary workers should never encroach on the space of a regular employee. This is poor workplace etiquette and it breeds animosity. Find the best place for temporary employees to work, and be sure they have all the equipment, tools and supplies they need to succeed.
Let the experienced recruitment professionals at Talent Bridge assist with your preparation and plans for seasonal and other temporary staffing needs. Read our related posts or contact us now for additional insight.