Treat Your Temporary Employees Like Members of Your Team

Maximizing your output means getting the most out of everyone you’ve got working for you. That includes your temps. You might look at these workers as transitory contributors, but that conception represents a mistake. To reach your peak performance, you need to treat your temporary employees like full-fledged members of the team. 

Temporary work has become a major force in the economy. U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that 3.8% of the country’s workforce hold what are known as “contingent jobs,” or ones that employees expected to be temporary. This represented a total of 5.9 million people.   

Those statistics only tell part of the story. In addition to the “contingent jobs,” the government figures showed 1.4 million temporary help agency workers. That makes up another 0.9% of the workforce. On top of these, the numbers indicated another more than 900,000 workers (0.6% of the total number of people employed) coming from contract firms. 

From the workers’ point of view, temp work has become an even more prominent option. A separate study indicated an even bigger impact on the economy. Data provided by Emsi and TrueBlue showed that 42% of people pick up at least some temp assignments to help make ends meet. 

Given the growing importance of temporary work, your success will depend on getting the most out of these employees. To do this, you need to integrate them seamlessly into your operations. That means making them feel included and encouraging them to contribute. You do this by treating them like a member of your team. 

Here’s how: 

Stop the Revolving Door 

Continuously replacing temp workers can become expensive. Every time a new person walks through the door, you have to implement the training and onboarding process. You’re better off finding candidates who can stick for a longer period of time.  

Treating your temps like part of the team makes that easier. Workers are more likely to stay with you, rather than seeking out a friendlier placement. 

Look for Permanent Hires 

Employing temp workers offers you an excellent way to scout talent. If you find someone great, you can consider turning them into a permanent staff member. However, if you’ve treated them poorly during their stint as a temp, they might prefer another assignment. At that point, you’ve lost out on an excellent long-term team member. 

Introduce Them Around 

Some organizations treat temps like potted plants: stick them in a corner and ignore them. Don’t make that mistake. By secluding your temps, you make them feel like anonymous fill-ins.  

Instead, introduce your incoming worker to everyone. At the same time, explain their contribution to the overall process. That way, they will feel more connected to the operation. 

Assign a Mentor 

Go beyond a simple introduction. Take a more aggressive approach by assigning a mentor to each incoming temp. This will give them someone to ask about small matters, taking some of the oversight duties off of your plate. At the same time, you build connections with your permanent staff.  

Invite Them to Corporate Functions 

Get your temp employees involved in the office social life. Make sure they feel welcome at staff meetings and that they participate in the casual workplace events. Beyond that, invite them to your more elaborate functions as well. A trip to the annual holiday party can go a long way in building team spirit. 

Of course, these social events become more difficult when social distancing is involved. During COVID, you might not have the same opportunities to host parties. Still, you can make your temps feel part of any remote events you host.  

Let Them Shine 

Obviously, you bring in temporary workers for a particular task. However, each individual you employ brings their own unique set of skills. Let these talents shine. Try your temps out on other duties and see how well they do. You might get lucky and find someone who can contribute more than you initially expected. 

Finding an amazing temp lifts your potential. By partnering with a strong staffing agency, like SmartTalent, you make it easier to find these unique contributors. 

Contact SmartTalent today to learn more.