| The
Contingent Workforce: Making the most of a great daily supplement
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They say you can
only count on two things in life - death and taxes. Not so many years
ago, there was a third - job stability. While the first two, unfortunately,
are permanent issues, employment no longer is. Changing market conditions
and global competition have forced large businesses to downsize, rightsize
and essentially re-invent their approach to staffing.
As you probably know, many organizations have turned to contingent
workers to fill their need for part-time, short-term and project personnel.
Staffing has become a strategic tool used by sophisticated organizations
seeking ways to increase flexibility, reduce expense and gain competitive
advantage.
Since 1991, the temporary workforce has exploded by over 300%! There
are now more than 2.5 million people working as contract and temporary
employees. The temporary workforce now includes everyone from industrial
workers to professionals. While it's easy to understand why you should
use temporary employees, using them effectively is another thing entirely.
Whether you're an HR professional or an end user of temporary help,
you want qualified people who will produce results. Working with a
reliable staffing service is certainly important. They're the ones
who will do the recruiting and screening. But, if you're truly concerned
with getting the best possible results, your organization should develop
a strategy for managing contingent employees.
This article was designed to help you create such a strategy. The
suggestions are based on discussions with HR experts, staffing service
owners and the most important people of all - temporary workers. The
following ideas will help you increase productivity, reduce turnover
and improve the performance of your organization!
What's In a Name? Contingent employees. Supplemental staff.
Contract personnel. Temporary help. Call them what you will, but project
and other short-term employees have become a major part of the workforce.
Ensuring their productivity is essential! This article is designed
to help users of temporary help get the most from their contingent
staff.
| Prepare
for the Hiring Process: |
When
creating job descriptions for temporary workers, develop a list of
the top skills needed and a second list of the top personality traits
required. Even with temporary workers, it's important to make sure
the people you hire have the right skills and attitudes to be successful
on the job.
Develop
a close relationship with a staffing service who will take time to
understand your company, get to know your corporate culture and help
you achieve your objectives.
State your
expectations. When staffing firms understand what you want from them,
they can reduce your need to interview applicants, increase the quality
of people you see, and expedite your hiring process.
| Provide
Adequate Training: |
Arrange on-the-job
training on specific systems, machinery and operating procedures.
Take advantage of any training your staffing service might offer on
any office automation software you use.
Create an orientation guide for new temporaries to help them get acquainted
with the rule and norms of your organization. (In some cases, a staffing
firm will custom design an orientation brochure or video).
Define duties
and overall job functions at the start of the assignment. Whenever
possible, provide written description of job functions to contingent
employees. This will allow the employee to log their activities and
go on to new tasks more independently.
Review the temporary employee's role. Make certain he or she fully
understands his or her responsibilities.
Set goals, performance measurements and task deadlines.
Hold contingent workers accountable for performance as you would any
employee.
Don't treat temporaries
as "temps". The biggest complaint temporary employees have is how
they're treated on the job. Make contingent employees feel like part
of the team. Treat them as you would the rest of your staff - it will
entice them to give their best effort.
Make contingent employees feel included. Where it makes sense, ask
them to participate in meetings, training, incentive programs and
other team-building opportunities. Also, be sure to include them in
relevant communications.
Hold your supplemental staff to the same performance standards as
your permanent employees. Dual standards will breed discontent.
Continuously improve motivation programs for your entire staff. Everyone
can be more productive in the right work environment.
Request temporaries
as far in advance as possible. Staffing firms want to provide you
with the people you need, when you need them. The more time you can
give a staffing company to handle your request, the better job they
will do finding the right match.
Work with your staffing service to develop the best strategy for staffing
your business
| Provide
A Challenging Environment: |
Encourage contingent
workers to beat performance or quality standards set by full-time
or other contingent staff.
Ask temporary workers about their skills. You may learn they have
additional strengths and capabilities.
Engage temporary employees in assignments that use their talents to
their fullest potential This increases the likelihood that you'll
retain them.
| Maintain
Healthy Communications: |
Encourage co-workers
to help out during early days of on the job training.
Ask for input - Contingent employees can offer fresh eyes which often
spot problems you may be too close to the situation to see.
Be approachable. Let contingent workers know you're available to answer
questions.
Take time up-front to explain company mission and core values. By
doing so, you'll help set expectations and make employees feel valued.
Don't ignore core employees - make sure they understand the temporaries
aren't a threat.
Put these ideas
into practice, and you can create a real "Win, Win, Win" situation
in your company: a real help for core employees, a great experience
for contingent workers, and a successful staffing solution for you!
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