Hiring temporary workers is crucial, especially during peak season when there’s a need for more manpower to keep up with customer’s demands.
While hiring can be done in-house, it is time-consuming. Therefore, some companies opt to partner with another company or agency to do the sourcing and recruitment for them.
While an in-house team is less expensive, it could entail time and extra hands to keep up with the goal. On the other hand, using an agency to hire your temporary workers can be costly but they are focused on hiring quality employees for your business.
The problem is, not all companies that hire temporary workers do a great job. Therefore, you cannot pick just any agency to do staffing work for you.
Make sure you choose a company partner that doesn’t over-promise yet delivers.
Below, we’ve listed important questions to ask when hiring an agency for your company’s temporary workers.
How Do You Screen Applicants?
Hiring temporary workers is not a single day project. It may not be possible to do it on your own, especially if your company is busy with an unimaginable market demand. Therefore, the idea of outsourcing is a better option.
Ask them about their screening process. Identify if they have a streamlined process of selection such as the qualifying exam, actual exam (if necessary), series of interviews, and background check to make sure every temporary worker selected is a quality hire.
If they have a process in place, great! If there is none, move on. Check other options that have a defined process to hire new employees.
How Fast Can You Send Me New Employees?
One factor to consider when working with a staffing agency is their turnaround time for providing quality staff to your company.
How long do they do the sourcing, recruitment, and onboarding? You should know these things.
At any season of the year, employees come and go for different reasons. You should find and work with a staffing agency that is willing to offer new staff immediately.
No company should wait to fill employment gaps in their business.
What if the Employee Isn’t a Good Fit?
Get ready for unexpected circumstances. Not all new hires are a good fit. There are times when employees will disappear after only a few weeks of working with you for no reason at all.
If this is the case, you should have an agreement with your staffing agency. Consider something that will cover staffing issues as you certainly don’t want to work with bad hires.
A competent staffing company will have an instant resolution for employee complaints. Moreover, they have a pool of employees to send your way in case you need an immediate replacement.
Finding a staffing company with this asset is crucial.
How Do You Charge?
One big determining factor in selecting an agency to work with is the payment terms, specifically when related to billing for temporary employees they have sent your way.
Some staffing agencies bill a fixed price while others prefer an upfront payment or a percentage fee on every successfully-placed candidate.
This is an important subject to discuss before committing to working with a staffing agency. Doing so will help you identify if their payment terms and billing schedule works for you.
This will help to avoid hassle and inconvenience in the long run.
Who Have You Worked With?
The challenges when hiring a temporary worker can be endless. Getting an agency to do the hiring for you can be one of the best solutions. Unless it is not the right company.
Along the search, you will run across a number of agencies that promise to provide the best and highest qualified temporary employees. This may sound like a dream come true but we all know that words can be deceiving. It’s important to do a background check prior to making a commitment. Be sure to ask for references from companies they have worked with.
Interview previous clients and keep an eye on their feedback. This will give you an idea of how they have done business with other companies in the past and possibly how they will do business with you.
Take note: You will be investing money with the staffing company of your choice so choose the one that is outstanding and credible.
Do not make a decision without first asking these important questions and getting the most honest and accurate answers from them. The right agency to outsource will be a game changer for your business.
These temporary employees can make or break the growth of your business. Do not just pick the first agency that is recommended. Do your research and choose wisely. A little work in the beginning will avoid a lot of work in the end. The success of your business will depend largely upon it.