If your agency sees seasonal swings with regard to your total workload and the number of projects you’re handling, you might consider hiring temporary workers. While there are some challenges associated with bringing in and managing temporary, single-project employees, there are also numerous benefits.
Here are just a few examples.
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It saves money: This is probably the biggest reason why agencies often make use of temporary workers when they’re in their busy seasons, or when they have a big new project about to take off. Rather than making a permanent hire when there might not be enough work in the long-term to justify that hire, you can bring in a worker on a short-term basis so you’re only paying for the work you need. Of course, it’s important to make sure the math adds up—if the project is going to take longer than a couple months, it might actually be more cost effective to make a permanent hire.
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It helps you bring in a new set of skills and ideas: Even if a worker is only with your company temporarily, the new ideas and perspectives they bring with them can be influential for the long-term. The skills they offer can also help you improve efficiency and streamline your operations in what is undoubtedly a busy time for your company.
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It can help you improve your hiring practices: If you’re making somewhat regular use of temporary workers, this gives you a chance to hone your hiring practices so you get a better idea of what makes for a good fit with your company and what processes you need to be following to ensure you’re bringing in people who will mesh with the rest of your team. It can also help you to avoid feeling like you need to find someone to fill a permanent position immediately—bring in someone temporarily and take your time with the search so you make an investment in the right person for the position.
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It can keep morale high at your company: While it can be a little bit difficult to manage the natural divide that exists between permanent and temporary employees, there’s something to be said for having a little extra help during your busy seasons. It prevents your permanent employees from having to put too much extra work on their plates—overworked employees are rarely happy, and are much more likely to perform below expectations. Bringing in a temporary worker can help your core team stay productive and satisfied with their jobs during the busiest times of your year.
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It helps you through difficult economic times: When the economy is unstable, making use of temporary employees can help give you some more flexibility that doesn’t exist when your entire staff is made up of permanent workers. You can easily scale up and down as needed and as makes sense with your business’s financial situation.
For more information about the benefits of hiring temporary workers for your agency and the steps you must take to make it happen, contact us today at Patin and Associates.
