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There are lots of benefits to hiring temporary workers, but the process can be nerve-wracking for employers. You may be concerned about whether the temp staffers you find will be adquately qualified and reliable. Perhaps most importantly, you want workers who are able to jump in and hit the ground running. After all, you’re hiring temporary help because you need more manpower now – a lengthy onboarding and training process might not be feasible. These specific steps and strategies will help you eliminate the risk when you need short-term help: 

Determine Your Needs

Before taking steps to hire a temporary worker, you must be very clear on your needs. That means the specific tasks you need a contractor to complete, what training may be required in order for a temporary staffer to begin working, the length of the engagement (which may be anything from an hour to a single shift to cover for an absent employee, to a few weeks or months to help with seasonal demand), and other considerations. Hiring temporary workers

Consider these needs alongside your existing staff; you might find that you can re-allocate certain difficult or more-skilled tasks to a current team member but free up their time to handle those duties by hiring a temporary worker to take care of some easier or less mission-critical tasks. Use temporary workers to fill skills gaps, particularly during demand spikes. 

Start Small 

If you’re a small company hiring temporary workers for the first time, it’s not an all-or-nothing proposition. Instead, start with a small project, a one-off task, or a single shift before enlisting a short-term contractor for a massive (and likely expensive) endeavor. That way, you can build trust and determine if it’s a mutual fit.

Don’t Hire Based Solely on Hourly Rate or Cost

Before hiring temporary help, you should have a clear idea of the budget that you’re working with. When you just need a few extra hands on a temporary basis, it can be tempting to opt for the lowest-cost workers. After all, it’s short-term help, right? How bad could it be? While not always the case, hiring based exclusively on cost can mean ending up with workers who aren’t fully qualified and up to the task. Do consider cost, but consider it alongside other factors, such as experience and recommendations.

Write Specific Job Descriptions and Project Briefs

The temporary hiring process often moves quickly, and workers are taking job opportunities based on the descriptions provided. The more specific your job description – including details about the skills, background, and experience required, any physical demands of the job, the specific timeline or engagement sought, and so on – the better candidates can evaluate whether they’re a fit for the job. While it won’t eliminate unqualified applicants, it can certainly cut down on the number of them.

Choose Reputable Intermediaries

Once you have a clear and concise description of your needs, you can quickly hire temporary workers through an on-demand staffing platform or other intermediary that connects contract workers with companies who need short-term help. Workers utilizing these platforms to secure work are typically pre-screened, which can cut down on your hiring timeline when you need extra hands quickly.

Hiring temp staff

Because many platforms cater to certain industries, knowing precisely what you’re looking for can help you narrow down the options. Once you’ve identified staffing solutions in your niche, you can compare services based on convenience, cost, quality, and other factors. 

Make It Legal

Temporary work arrangements are convenient, but you do want to make sure you have the legal specifics covered, such as a legal contract outline compensation, project scope and specifics. Depending on the nature of the work and your business, you may want workers to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to protect your intellectual property.

Many companies have a standard independent contractor agreement that they can customize for individual projects or short-term positions. An on-demand staffing platform may have established contracts in place with laborers, so working with such a platform can eliminate repeating some of these legalities with every temporary hire. Make sure you’re clear on what contracts are in place and what they cover to ensure that all your legal bases are covered.

Foster an Inclusive Company Culture

Coming into an established team as a temp can be stressful. Get your existing staff on board before you hire and foster an inclusive environment by encouraging and motivating your staff to help temps get acclimated to the demands of the job. When your team welcomes short-term help and doesn’t see temporary staffers as a threat, it creates a better experience for all parties. Plus, it doesn’t hurt when your employees brag about your company culture.

Hiring temporary workers doesn’t have to be a risk. By following these concrete steps and best practices, your next hiring experience can be both efficient and seamless.