Managing your workforce is not always a simple task! It can be difficult to know what type of hire you need to make to fill a specific open position. Below, we’ve provided a guide to deciding between hiring temporary, temp-to-hire, or direct hire employees.
When to Consider Hiring Temporary Workers
According to the American Staffing Association, 16 million temporary employees are hired through staffing firms each year. It’s no surprise, then, that 2% of all American jobs are filled by temporary staff.
Sometimes, all you need is a stopgap to fill a position for a set period of time. This could be when you have a large project to complete and need additional resources, or during peak times and busy seasons. Another example would be during a full-time employee’s family leave coverage.
Other times, you may have an open position for which you need a longer recruitment period. A temporary worker can provide an interim labor solution until you revise your job description, establish qualifications, and re-evaluate your hiring process. This often happens when hiring for VIP positions or niche jobs.
An interim staffing solution can also mitigate the risk of additional turnover while you search for the perfect fit for the position. Your temporary employee can manage the position’s workload and prevent other team members from absorbing the workload – and becoming burned out or feeling underappreciated.
Some hiring managers may be required to reduce their full-time staff count but still need to get work done. Temporary employees can be the solution you need to reduce the burden of a full-time workforce.
When to Consider Temp-to-Hire Arrangements
A temp-to-hire arrangement can be compared to a “try before you buy” program. But make no mistake – it’s not just a trial for the candidate! Companies should be aware that many candidates appreciate this type of arrangement so that they can evaluate the company’s culture and values before accepting full-time employment.
From a company perspective, a temp-to-hire agreement is effective for positions that experience historically high turnover. If you’re having trouble identifying the right match for your company and the position, hiring a temporary worker with the opportunity to hire is a great option.
Alternately, if a position has an undefined job description, a temp-to-hire arrangement can be a good chance to evaluate the skills and experience that are needed for the position.
Because a temp-to-hire arrangement gives all parties the chance to evaluate one another, it is also a good option for companies who place a high value on soft skills that may be hard to gauge during the hiring process. New managers who are still establishing their leadership skills may also benefit from working with a temp-to-hire candidate.
Keep in mind that most candidates will not risk leaving a permanent job for a temp-to-hire opportunity, so you will be limited to non-working candidates when considering this arrangement.
When to Consider Hiring Employees Directly
A direct hire position is one that is available for full-time employment. So why would a company use a staffing agency to hire a candidate directly?
Your human resources department might have specialists or generalists who perform a wide variety of HR tasks. Your staffing partner is a business of experts in the field who specialize in sourcing, vetting, and hiring top talent. If you have open positions to fill but have a small internal recruiting team, it may be time to bring in the experts.
Staffing firms also have established pipelines of candidates who are ready for employment. This typically means that they have a faster time to hire and can tailor your recruiting timeline for best results. They also have the expertise needed for traditional “headhunting” which engages highly passive job seekers that are aligned with your ideal client profile.
If you need a candidate with niche skills and experience, you should consider a specialized recruiter. Staffing firms like Temporary Solutions have networks of recruiters who are not only experts at recruiting, but have also specialized within industries or by skill sets. These recruiters can often find your needle in the haystack!
Benefits of Partnering with Temporary Solutions
Hiring can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be! We can help with many aspects of your candidate search and provide better results than if you go it alone.
Working with Temporary Solutions provides you access to 100% of the job market. We reach active candidates looking for new opportunities as well as passive candidates who aren’t currently looking for a new job. This opens up the possibilities exponentially, allowing you to find the right match for your open job.
We develop customized recruitment programs for our clients to maximize their visibility. Our team of dedicated recruiters learns your company’s culture, environment, and specifications so that they can evaluate candidates accordingly. And because our recruiting sources are established and constantly updated, each position we advertise receives increased traction in the job market. The increased candidate outreach potential is key when sourcing for your open jobs.
Temporary Solutions saves hiring managers and HR professionals a significant amount of time. We also alleviate the administrative burden of recruiting and hiring for open positions. In addition to the time savings, we minimize the HR overhead costs involved. That’s right, our partnership saves you money throughout the hiring process!
No matter which method of hiring you decide to use, Temporary Solutions is the perfect partner! Contact us today to learn more about how we can strengthen your workforce.