How to Select and Work With a Temporary Staffing Firm A Robert Half Company
Introduction For the majority of companies, staffing effectively remains a delicate balancing act. Businesses need access to the right number of employees at the right time a target that can shift rapidly as workloads and priorities change. To achieve the proper mix of personnel, firms are turning to temporary workers. With the assistance of a staffing service, interim professionals can be brought in to help with special projects and peak workloads. In fact, in an OfficeTeam survey, 71 percent of executives polled said their organizations are now including the use of temporary professionals in their overall staffing budgets. Bringing in outside assistance allows companies to ease the burden on full-time staff while also controlling payroll expenses. Temporary professionals can expertly fill skills gaps when an organization lacks the required experience for critical but nonrecurring initiatives. Interim staff also can pass along their expertise to a firm s core employees, enhancing the entire team s capabilities. And if the needs being handled by project professionals are determined to be ongoing, these individuals make ideal candidates for full-time positions. Selecting a staffing firm with the resources and experience to locate highly skilled employees for your business is the first step in effectively meeting your variable human resources needs. This booklet offers some essential points to consider when choosing a firm. It also provides tips on guiding interim staff through assignments from the time they arrive to task completion to ensure optimal results for everyone involved. Sincerely, Max Messmer Chairman and CEO
Why Work With a Staffing Firm? The right staffing service can provide you with access to professionals who have the mix of skills and experience to meet your organization s requirements. Here are some advantages of partnering with a staffing firm: Access to top talent. Many staffing firms provide their candidates with skills training and professional development opportunities, ensuring temporary employees can hit the ground running, with little or no training. Quick service. Personnel shortages in the office often occur with little warning a critical project may suddenly arise or a key member of the team could be out for an extended period. A staffing service can quickly locate experienced workers who can make immediate contributions to your business. The reach your firm needs. Staffing firms maintain extensive databases of professionals who have experience in a wide range of industries and possess a variety of skill sets. In addition, a staffing service with a regional, national or global reach can assist your firm in locating temporary employees for multiple office locations. A cost-effective staffing solution. A staffing firm can help save you money by supplementing your full-time staff with highly skilled temporary administrative professionals on an as-needed basis. This allows you to staff up or down according to workload demands, keeping labor costs variable. An easy, effective hiring process. A staffing firm handles many of the administrative tasks associated with hiring new employees, such as locating job candidates, performing an evaluation of their skills and qualifications, conducting initial interviews and checking select references. How to Select and Work With a Temporary Staffing Firm 1
Selecting a Temporary Staffing Service Locating potential firms. One of the most effective methods of identifying a reliable staffing service is to consult other hiring managers, either within your company or your network of professional contacts. You also can search online or consult your local newspaper s classified section or a telephone directory. Whatever approach you use, take the time to check references to make sure the service is reputable. Critique your choices. After you select several services, contact them so you can determine which staffing firm is best able to meet your personnel needs. Develop a checklist in order to evaluate and compare firms using the same criteria. Some important questions include: Reliability. How long has the firm been in business? Is it wellestablished, with a history of success and stability? Specialization. Does the staffing firm specialize in the types of positions you re looking to fill? Candidate selection. How are potential temporary employees selected and evaluated? Does the firm check prior employment references, particularly candidates former managers? Does the service test the skills of temporary staff before assigning them to you? Does the firm offer educational and training opportunities for its temporary professionals? Staffing managers. Are the firm s representatives professional in their interactions with you? Do they have the business experience and industry knowledge necessary to evaluate and fulfill your company s specific needs? Prompt service. How large is the available talent pool? Will skilled people who fit your requirements be readily available? Quality control. Does the company check to make sure you re satisfied with the service provided? What type of performance guarantee does it offer? 2 1.800.804.8367 officeteam.com
Compare actual value. When arranging for interim employees, the natural inclination is to look for the lowest rate. But when it comes to measuring value, it s the overall cost of the project, not the hourly rate, that matters. The lowest rate may cost you more in the long run because a less skilled person may take far longer to learn and complete an assignment than one who is more experienced. Look for a service that not only offers competitive rates, but also carefully screens and evaluates all of its candidates this will help ensure that work is done right the first time. Meet face to face. Make arrangements to visit the staffing firm you are considering using. You can learn a great deal by observing the company s business environment. Meet with the manager, as well as the people who will work directly with you. A good company will ask in-depth questions about your specific situation and needs. Next, invite the firm s representative to visit your company. Introduce the person to the key managers with whom he or she will be working, and provide a brief tour. Explain any policies and procedures that will help the person gain a better understanding of your organization s culture. Partners in Productivity To maximize the benefit from your staffing service, view the relationship as a partnership. Since you have probably already assessed your company s requirements for interim help, share this information with your staffing manager. The more he or she knows, the more he or she can help you plan and anticipate special needs, and the more effective your partnership will become. Compile a detailed job description. Temporary professionals are more likely to hit the ground running at your company if they know what is expected of them at the outset. Provide the staffing firm with project details such as deadlines, technical requirements, who the individual will report to or work with, and the length of the assignment. The service will use this information to select the most appropriate temporary employee, and to help prepare him or her for the project. Planning for your project professional. Making a few simple arrangements in advance of a temporary employee s first day will help you both get off to a strong start. Arrange for supervision. To maximize productivity, appoint one of your employees as the individual to whom the temporary professional can address all inquiries. Be sure the person you designate thoroughly understands the work to be done. How to Select and Work With a Temporary Staffing Firm 3
Tell your staff. To foster a positive work environment, explain the nature and length of the project to your staff and encourage them to be supportive. Very often, temporary professionals are brought in to lighten the workload for full-time employees. When this is true, staff members should be made aware that the temporary professional is there primarily for their benefit. Plan the assignment. Set realistic goals for the project, and include relevant information that will be helpful to the temporary employee. Prepare a workspace. Any employee, whether temporary or full-time, will be more productive when the equipment and materials necessary to complete a project are readily available. If the assignment requires access to ledgers or files, for example, organize the work area so that these items are available when your project professional arrives. The first day of the assignment. Though people choose interim work for a variety of reasons, they all share the desire to make a meaningful contribution. A proactive approach will help your temporary worker make an immediate impact and be as productive as possible. Ensure the receptionist is ready. The receptionist should be aware that a new employee is starting so he or she can welcome the new person. Make introductions. Introduce the temporary professional to the supervising employee, as well as others with whom he or she will interact. Provide basic workplace information. This includes details about where the temporary employee can keep personal belongings and find supplies, the location of restrooms, and break and meal policies. Explain the tasks. The scope of your orientation should reflect the responsibilities and complexity of the assignment. Follow up. Check in with the temporary professional, especially during the first few days, to ensure he or she is meeting the requirements of the assignment. If you re not completely satisfied, or if you have questions, contact the staffing service immediately. Most firms offer performance guarantees and replacement workers. As the project continues. Depending on the length of the assignment, you should check on your project professional s performance regularly. Solicit and provide feedback. Ask your staff and others working with the interim employee for regular performance reports. Is he or she getting the job done proficiently? Do his or her skills and experience match your needs? Like any worker, your temporary professional will appreciate compliments and helpful critiques of his or her work. Talk to your staffing firm. Be honest and direct in your appraisal of the temporary employee s performance. This feedback will help the service determine which future assignments to give the individual. 4 1.800.804.8367 officeteam.com
Plan for the project s conclusion. Let your firm know when the project should be completed. Doing so will help both the service and the temporary professional prepare for other assignments. Fond farewells. At the conclusion of the assignment: Inform the temporary service that the project is finished. Inform your employees that the assignment is completed, and ask for their input on the quality of the interim professional s performance. Complete any performance evaluation reports sent to you by the staffing firm. Evaluate results. To determine how effectively the staffing service helped meet your business needs, ask yourself the following questions: Did the productivity of the project professional justify the cost? Was the work completed accurately and on time? Were there any problems that could be avoided in the next assignment? With the growing need for businesses to maintain a flexible workforce, the strategic use of interim employees can be a cost-effective staffing solution. Companies that use highly skilled temporary professionals are better able to meet growing customer demand, respond to variable workloads and increase the job satisfaction of full-time employees. About OfficeTeam OfficeTeam, a division of Robert Half International, is the world s leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals, ranging from executive and administrative assistants to receptionists and customer service representatives. This booklet is just one of many free resources we provide to our clients to assist them with the hiring process. If you would like assistance with your staffing needs, call us at 1.800.804.8367 or visit www.officeteam.com. How to Select and Work With a Temporary Staffing Firm 5
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