Using short-term workforce agencies that provide temporary employees is one of the easiest ways to deal with such changes. Yet choosing an ideal temporary employment staffing temporally becomes the basis for getting qualified, reliable personnel. Below are some guidelines on the selection of the right temporary employment staffing firms.
Think about the types of role you have to recruit
Considering the roles and skills for which you usually need temporary workers is also another aspect of consideration as one evaluates on temp employment agencies. Are you constantly hiring administrative assistants, customer service reps or warehouse personnel? Disclose to the hiring agency which positions you recruit for most, and they will connect you with qualified applicants. Having an agency that focuses on your areas of high demands will make you save time by doing selection and checking through applicants ones.
Talk about any special qualifications or abilities you need when performing certain temporary jobs. For instance, if you may require workers who have a temporary knowledge about certain software or equipment skills then an agency that has access to such type of workforce is ideal for your needs. Stating clarifications from beginning implicity of types of temp employees in recruitment, screening and submitting to you.
Look for industry-specific experience
Rather than using a general temporary staffing agency, you may want to consider agencies that specialize in your particular industry. For example, staffing agencies that focus on accounting and finance, healthcare, information technology, or construction and industrial trades.
Industry-specific agencies are experts in finding and vetting candidates with the precise background and skills needed in your field. They may have existing relationships with qualified temporary workers in your industry. This can make it faster and easier to source the right people to fill temp jobs.
Ask about screening processes
A key benefit of using a staffing agency for temporary workers is that the agency handles prescreening applicants before you ever see them. However, agencies can vary significantly in how rigorous their vetting process is.
During interviews with agencies, ask details about their screening practices. Do they check backgrounds, skills and references? Will they provide prescreened candidates that are guaranteed to meet your basic qualifications? Inquiring about screening puts agencies on notice that you expect highly qualified candidates only.
Seek flexible arrangements
Every company has unique needs when it comes to temporary workers. When evaluating temp agencies, assess how willing they are to accommodate your particular requirements.
For instance, are they open to providing workers for short-term needs, specific projects, and peak periods? Can they scale up or down as your hiring needs change? Do they allow flexible extensions if you need to keep temp workers longer?
Choose an agency that is responsive to your individual needs and staffing fluctuations. Make sure they have capacity to deliver the temporary workers you want, when and how you need them.
Ask about pay rates and billing
Temporary staffing agencies generally bill an hourly rate that includes both the employee’s pay and their service fees. Make sure to inquire about their pay rates for the types of positions you seek and the markup percentage they add.
Also, find out their billing practices. Do they handle employee payroll and bill you weekly or monthly? Are there minimum hourly commitments? Asking these questions upfront prevents unexpected charges or problems when billing arises.
Request references
When evaluating temporary staffing agencies, make sure to ask for client references you can contact. Speaking with current or past clients of the agency can provide insider perspective on their service, reliability and quality of temporary workers provided.
Some key questions to ask client references: Were you satisfied with the temporary workers sent? Was the agency responsive when you needed to extend or add new positions? How timely was their billing and payment processes? Did you experience any issues working with the agency?
Review safety practices
If temporary workers will be placed in your facility, safety is a top concern. Take time when selecting an agency to review safety protocols and requirements.
What safety training do they provide to temp workers? Do they offer safety resources and equipment? Will they conduct drug tests or background checks if needed for certain positions? Do they track and report any on-the-job accidents or injuries? Asking these types of questions helps ensure proper safety measures are followed.
Evaluate recruiters and account management
The staffing agency representatives you work with directly are crucial. Evaluate the knowledge, experience and professionalism of your main point of contact as well as back-up recruiters.
Also, find out who oversees your account from the agency side to handle issues or requests. You want to know you will have a responsive, capable account manager. Getting the right temporary workers also depends on having skilled, communicative recruiters supporting your needs.
Check results and performance guarantees
As you get quotes and proposals from different temp agencies, look closely at any results they can demonstrate or guarantees they make.
For example, do they report above average temp-to-hire conversion rates? Do they promise competitive fill rates within a certain time? Will they provide temp worker replacements at no additional cost if issues arise? Examining agency results and performance promises can help reveal which options may best deliver for you.
Trust your instincts
Think about communication, responsiveness, competencies and work ethics. Do they get you? Are they able to portray sense of organisation, trust and delivery ability? Will you learn to trust them with regards for your staffing demands? Gut feel these for the agency relationship can bias selection.
Conclusion
Selecting the best temporary staffing agency to work with requires assessments including details such as industry experience, rigor in selection processes among other items and lifting space. Evaluating several agencies based on these criteria, places you in the best position to effectively get access of qualified and professional temporary employment agencies workers without nightmares. Taking note of the above advice, you can certainly make an informed decision with regard to choosing a company that best suits your requirements.
