12 Benefits of hiring temporary staff

March 14, 2022

You might have a great group of employees but what do you do when you have a sudden surge in workload? Do you struggle, with each person working overtime to cope or do you call in the cavalry – in this case, temporary staff to help?

For those that have worked in temp roles, you will know that the variety of jobs, change of scene and opportunity to mix with a whole set of new faces can be exhilarating and enjoyable. Depending upon where you live, working in a temporary position can keep you nearly as busy as a full-time employee.  But what about the employer? What do businesses think about the idea of taking onboard temporary staff? Unfortunately, many companies steer clear, even when their situation reveals that they would be far better served by hiring interim support.

12 benefits of hiring temporary staff

If you would like to know more about the hiring of temporary staff and some of the many benefits that they bring, this article will help. Whether you have previously avoided hiring temps in the past, have had bad experiences or just don’t know how to go about identifying the right type of flexible staff to suit you, read on.

1. Keeping things flexible – one of the reasons that employers do like to work with temporary staff is that they provide great flexibility when needed. The wisest of employers will have an arrangement in place with a highly rated recruitment agency to provide them with staff ‘on tap’ when things get hectic. This means that when a situation occurs where extra staff are required, the process is already in place. Whether the fluctuation is due to things like holidays and staff training or unexpected because of sickness, (as with Covid) or someone leaving suddenly, getting someone in to help can happen quickly and without too much stress. Recruitment agencies that provide temporary staff will have a database of people readily available, experienced and qualified to step into the void and fill it.
2. Expertise when you need it – temporary staff can get a raw deal with people thinking that they are only capable of filling the dullest of roles that require little skill. This is just not true. Skilled and knowledgeable temporary workers can be highly capable, even bringing to the company a fresh new outlook on things.
3. You may decide to keep them – temporary staff are frequently asked to become permanent by employers who recognise a valuable team member when they see one. By allowing them to work for you on a short-term basis, you get a good feel of how they would work as a full-time permanent member of staff.
4. Ability to ‘hit the ground running’ – this may be an overused phrase but temporary staff are indeed used to working at peak performance from day one. A lot of the time, they are very upbeat, positive and eager to get started. This is because they enjoy what they do, liking the flexibility and control they have over their working life. Temporary workers can also help re-energise the existing workforce, bolstering productivity and enabling the rest of the team to work without unnecessary pressure.
5. Trying out something new – are you thinking of adding a new product or service to your offering but aren’t too sure about how successful it would be? Rather than committing to full-time employees, use temp staff to help you test the water. If things go well, you will feel safe about committing and adding to the permanent group of staff.
6. Scale-up quickly – maybe you have a rush order to complete or it’s a holiday period and you have several key staff on leave. Use the temporary staff to scale up quickly, bringing in as many additional people as you need to bridge the gap. Because they are already skilled and experienced, it won’t take them long to grasp the intricacies of the role.
7. Fast track your temporary workforce – when you hire from a professional temp agency, you don’t have to worry about security checking or long waiting periods. Agencies such as CMD have pools of temporary workers ready and waiting, available by making a phone call.
8. Filling holes in the workforce whilst recruiting – when you need time to recruit a new employee but have a gap in the existing team, a temporary worker can step in and help ease the strain. The new recruit won’t have a huge backlog to deal with and you might even end up hiring the temp full-time!
9. Test the water with a temporary worker – did you know that it’s possible to take a temp on board under a ‘long-term interview’ basis. Once firmly ensconced, you can see how they perform. They can see if they like the job too and if a good fit, you offer them a permanent position.
10. Identify your new manager – did you know that more than one-third of managers were initially temporary staff? When people are working with you temporarily, it gives you time to assess their ability and whether they are good management material or not. If they are, then snap them up!
11. Open up a Pandora’s Box of new skills – having new faces around is not only refreshing but can also bring a host of valuable skills to the organisation. Be prepared to watch and listen as temps provide you with a fresh insight into existing processes. Similarly, they may have used software or hardware at other companies or completed training courses that have provided them with important information that may be ideal for your use.
12. Manage your costs – if you don’t want to increase your employee costs permanently, use temporary workers only when you need them to deal with peaks in demand. The flexibility of using a temporary worker is invaluable when you need to cope with a variable workload.

Advantages and disadvantages of hiring temporary workers

Hiring a temporary worker works well for many companies. When you hire via CMD Recruitment you know that you are tapping into a skilled network of temporary staff, producing high-quality work. We also provide interim hires – staff who can be ready at short notice and who have been carefully vetted by us. If you are still not sure whether hiring temporary staff is the right decision, check out our advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages

• Swift availability – whether you want an interim hire or temporary worker, staff are able to start at short notice. You don’t need to do the screening or conduct interviews as the team at CMD do this for you, meaning that your recruitment department/HR save valuable time and money. Simply tell us what you need and we’re on the case.
• Great for short-term contracts –you do not have to worry about continually hiring and firing when short-term contracts end. Remove the worry of stressful terminations or employment claims.
• Added versatility – some temporary staff come with versatile add-ons such as their own car, computer and mobile. Smaller businesses appreciate the whole package, negating the need to spend more money on extras such as this.

Disadvantages

• Safety issues – statistically, temporary staff have more accidents than permanent people. This varies according to the sector, with construction being one of the more high-risk environments. All staff come fully trained to suit your industry but they will need to be coached on specific machinery operating procedures, individual site safety etc.
• Training – your temporary workers will never be novices but because your operation is unique, they will need to be overseen/trained for a short time i.e. how to use specific hardware and software plus knowledge of products and services.
• Staff acceptance – temporary workers are not part of the full-time team so may be at the fringe of the existing culture. Staff need to show an attitude of acceptance and helpfulness and never act negatively towards temporary newcomers.

These pros and cons will vary considerably according to the size of your business, the sector and amount of permanent staff.  Companies that regularly take on board temporary workers can reduce many of the disadvantages, having a set process in place to care for the newbies. Smaller companies may find the process more challenging but much depends upon the attitude of management and the other team members they will be working with. By making sure that your organisation has an inclusive culture, easily accepting and working with temporary staff, the negatives will be far outweighed by the many benefits.

Summary

Follow our 12 benefits of hiring temporary staff and watch as your business benefits. The team at CMD recruitment can help fill temporary and interim roles throughout the South West, with a national reach across the UK. You can find full details of our disciplines and sectors here. Get in touch if you would like to discuss your temporary staff requirements with the team at CMD. No matter the size of your organisation or temporary worker needs, our expert help is available.