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Temporary Workforce Management Tips

By rotide
Created 16/07/2021 - 15:28
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Recruiting them in the first place can be difficult enough, but many employers also find that management techniques that are effective with permanent workers do not produce the same results with their temporary staff. 

With that in mind, what techniques and strategies can you use to improve your temporary workforce management [1]? Here's our quick guide. 

Temporary Workforce Management Tips

1. Find the right workforce management system

These days, there are software solutions that can streamline all aspects of your business, and your temporary and seasonal workforce [1] management is no different. These systems can automate much of the management process to improve consistency, clarity and efficiency. 

There are SaaS platforms out there that can help with everything from automating laborious and time-consuming administrative HR tasks to filling rota gaps from a pool of flexible workers. Some solutions, such as Indeed Flex, can even take care of all the compliance procedures and reporting to make sure all of your obligations are met. 

2.              Don't oversell the job

Another key part of temporary workforce management starts long before your new team members ever walk through the door. With the competition for good temporary workers so fierce, many employers make the mistake of overselling the open jobs in their advertisements, only to have to re-hire for the same positions when temps discover the true nature of the role.    

Instead, you should be open and honest about both the positive and less appealing aspects of the job to align the applicants' expectations with the reality of the role. If there are negative aspects to the job, be prepared to pay a bit more. It will increase your costs in the short-term but, ultimately, it'll be far less than the cost of having to regularly replace workers whose expectations are not met.

3.              Make temporary workers feel like part of the team

Unfortunately, some employers don't take steps to integrate temporary staff with their permanent workers. That can make them feel like second class citizens who are not really part of the team. 

You can improve the integration of temp workers by:

4.              Take the time to get to know them

Many temporary workers are highly qualified individuals who simply value flexibility in a job role or are in a situation that suits temporary work. Taking the time to sit down and ask a temp about their previous experience could reveal an unexpected skill set that your business could benefit from.

Moving from project to project and company to company also gives temporary workers a great deal of experience of how different operations work. That could make them a great source of ideas for ways to improve your business.  

5.              Ask them for feedback

Just as you would hold an exit interview [2] for permanent members of staff who are leaving, it's also well worth sitting down with temporary workers for a one-on-one meeting before they go. Their fresh perspective could help to identify areas where changes can be made or the experience of temporary workers could be improved.

This is also a good opportunity to say thank you for their hard work. If a temporary worker has been a particularly high performer, it's worth asking whether you can contact them directly about opportunities you may have in the future. As well as reducing recruitment costs, this will also help to sidestep the requirement for onboarding and training.  

Utilising Positive Workforce Management Techniques

Whether you're working with permanent employees, contractors and consultants or temporary workers, you should always utilise positive workforce management techniques. You'll foster a more collaborative and innovative environment - and you also never know when a temporary worker could become the next rising star in your business.   


Source URL:
https://www.newbusiness.co.uk/articles/office-management/temporary-workforce-management-tips