Employers Have Choices Too! Part One of Three Part Series

Decades ago, public and private organizations turned to staffing firms mainly to fill  temporary gaps when full-time employees were out, a project required more staff, or to help an employer catch up with day to day operations. Employees could find themselves working at one end of town one day and the other end of town the next as many of the assignments were very brief and staff was available at a moment’s notice. Basic skills such as typing, shorthand, filing, and proper phone etiquette were all that was needed to fill any generic office position.

But, times have changed drastically over the years. Employers now depend on agencies such as the Boston-based Contemporaries, Inc. to fill a much more diverse set of needs. By the same token, employees have also broadened their skill sets and experience in order to be better equipped to succeed in any assignment.

Whether the need is for a temporary contract worker, a temp-to-perm candidate, a direct hire for a future permanent position, or even a “payrolled” employee, clients now have choices.

In this series, we’ll examine the pros and cons of options employers now have when it comes to working with a staffing firm and finding the perfect candidate for the job at hand.

In Part One of this Three Part Series, we’ll list the pros and cons of temporary contract workers and temp-to-perm candidates.

Temporary Contract and Temp-to-Perm Candidates

Pros

• Financial Benefit – By not bringing a contract worker onto a payroll as a permanent employee, clients can still get the job done and do so without adding to their permanent employee count, thus saving the organization money in terms of benefits like paid vacation time, holidays, and health insurance. Staffing firms assume these costs. In addition to weekly wages, most firms also handle taxes, liability insurance such as workman’s compensation, and a list of other expenses.
• Minimal Risk – Clients also have an opportunity to determine whether the individual will fit in and be an asset to the rest of their team. Potential employers also have time to decide whether the individual can perform the work without hiring them immediately and later suffering buyer’s remorse.
• Hidden Talents and Superstars – In addition to possessing the basics in terms of skills and experiences, many of today’s candidates are also highly educated and can perform many tasks which exceed the expectations of clients. We hear all the time how our clients are amazed at the additional skill sets, expertise, knowledge, and experience our temporary workers bring to each new assignment. Whether it is excellent writing skills, financial knowledge, or web and technology expertise, many times when candidates are placed clients are delighted that the contract employee has not only mastered the duties they were brought on for, but has also taken on more diverse and complex work because of their abilities.
• Professional Sourcing and Vetting – If a client has a small Human Resources team, or if the owner is making the hiring decisions themselves, they may not always know what to look for in terms of identifying the candidate who will be the right fit for a potential position. Staffing firm Recruiters and teammates, on the other hand, traditionally have years of experience not only identifying quality candidates but also understanding in what culture and environment or position th individual will most succeed in. They are also in a much better position to determine an individual’s potential to reach mutual success for themselves as well as for the client.

Cons

• Competitive Market Means Smaller Candidate Pool – There are all kinds of statistics being tossed about in terms of how many people are unemployed and how many are actively searching for work. In today’s market, the pool of highly qualified candidates searching for “temporary” assignments is shrinking. For the first time, candidates no longer have to prove themselves in temp-to-perm opportunity because the demand for their services, as a permanent hire, has increased as clients lessen their chances of losing a potential good employee.
• The Term “Temporary” Worker Has a New Meaning – Gone are the days contract workers, particularly office and professional staff, will travel from one location to another at the drop of a hat. Contract employees are looking for more stability when it comes to assignments. With more options open to them today, some individuals are opting out of the “temporary” worker pool for assignments which will only lead to their eventual hiring or very long assignments where they can establish themselves within the organization.
• Investment and Motivation Works Both Ways – Chances are good the most seasoned professionals may still require some basic training when it comes to starting in a new role. In most cases, moderate to heavy instruction, guidance, and supervision will be needed particularly if the individual is acclimating themselves with a new work environment, new colleagues, and new tasks and responsibilities. By going the route of a temporary contract worker, clients are sometimes in jeopardy of losing a qualified worker that they’ve invested time and resources in training. Motivation for potential employees has also been changed. In days past, securing an assignment to simply pay the bills was and still is a motivator for some, but others are looking for much more. They are interested in the type of work environment and culture the organization offers as well as whether there is a chance for inclusiveness and advancement. If they don’t find these types of benefits, chances are they’ll move on to another location where they will find what they consider better job satisfaction.

Bottom Line – In order for clients to maximize their chances of a very successful match for either a temporary or temp-to-permanent employee, the first step is to connect with a highly qualified and proven agency such as Contemporaries, Inc. In addition to assisting in identifying the best individual for a particular position or assignment, Contemporaries will follow through to ensure both the candidate and client is getting the most out of the match. We do so by getting to know both parties and getting it right in terms of placement, the first time around.

Tomorrow, we’ll examine the Pros and Cons of Direct Hires and Payrolling Employees.

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.

This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston