Most employers understand the meaning of temp work. As the name suggests, temporary employees are hired for short-term work opportunities as opposed to permanent employees who are hired for the long term. Simple, right?
Yes and no.
Temp recruitment comes with unique pros and cons that employers need to know about before they create a temp hiring strategy. Here are the not-so-simple implications of temp recruitment broken down into a list of 5 pros and 5 cons so you can determine what type of recruitment is best for your business.
By the way, you may hear the term “temporary worker” spoken or written about by other names. For instance, you may hear temp workers referred to as:
- Seasonal workers
- Gig workers
- Casual workers
- Contract workers
For the most part, these terms are used interchangeably.
Temporary recruitment
Temporary recruitment is typically the go-to solution for organizations with high-volume and fluctuating operational needs. The most common industries that use temp workers are organizations in customer service, industrial and manufacturing, retail and warehousing.
For example, retailers that have a huge production boost during holiday shopping months often opt for temp workers during that season to fill their hiring needs. That’s not to say these are the only kinds of employers who use temporary recruitment, but they are the most common.
5 advantages of temp recruitment
The 5 main advantages of hiring temporary workers are:
1. Quick hiring process
An agency can usually find you someone on short notice, so when you find yourself with an unexpectedly sudden (or possibly seasonal) jump in demand, you can quickly fill that gap with minimal time lost. A temp worker can be hired one day and start on the production floor the next.
2. Flexibility
If you don’t know how long you will need the extra hands, hiring a temporary worker can be an ideal option. The uncertain nature of economic recovery in a post-pandemic world has made it especially difficult to predict consumer behaviour and future demand patterns. The flexibility of a temporary workforce can help you meet unpredictability with ease.
3. Cost savings
Because temporary workers are typically hired through an agency, you save yourself the money and effort of seeking out candidates, interviewing, hiring and then managing all the paperwork of a new hire. That’s all handled by the agency.
4. Fill gaps while recruiting permanent employees
Let’s say a key team member has suddenly left the organization, or your current team members’ workloads are at capacity and it’s time to add a new hire. It can take time to find a worthy replacement and you don’t want to rush the process and risk a bad hire. A temporary employee can help support your current employees in carrying the extra load until a suitable permanent hire is found.
5. Potential for temp-to-permanent hires
Some temporary workers like the flexibility of temporary work and have no interest in permanent employment, but many use temporary employment as a way to grow their skills and experience and ultimately find a permanent role. You may find that during a temporary employee’s time with your company, you discover they are a great fit for your organization. By transitioning them to a permanent contract, you’ve got yourself an amazing new hire who you’ve already seen in action.
5 disadvantages of temp recruitment
Of course, temp recruitment isn’t a silver-bullet solution for employers who need a lot of workers, fast. Like anything, there are drawbacks that organizations should be aware of, such as:
1. Tough to hire
There’s a limited pool of candidates looking for temporary work. In this post-pandemic economy, many job seekers are looking for the security of permanent roles, and when it comes to passive candidates (people willing to change jobs but not actively job seeking), very few of them are willing to leave a full-time position for a temporary one.
2. Increased training needs
Every employer knows that training an employee is a significant investment in time and money. If you’re hiring temp workers who come and go within short time frames, you can expect you’ll spend more resources on training, as the frequency of training increases.
3. Lack of team camaraderie
It can be hard to develop a solid team dynamic when employees are in and out of a revolving door. If you employ a mix of perm and temp employees, you may find it challenging to integrate the short-term personnel with the long-haulers.
4. Safety liability
Unfortunately, temp workers tend to suffer workplace injuries at a higher rate than permanent staff. Regardless of training or qualifications, temp workers often aren’t as familiar or comfortable with the working environment and/or equipment onsite as perm workers, which can lead to more injuries.
5. Legal implications
If you’re hiring temp workers without the benefit of a staffing agency taking care of all your administration and legal duties, make sure you study up on your obligations as an employer. Temp workers have different rights than perm workers according to employment law in Canada, such as the Employment Standards Act. Mishandling the administration of temp recruits could lead to serious fines and consequences.
Is temporary recruitment right for my business?
The best way to determine if temporary recruitment is right for your industry and business is to sit down with a recruitment expert. At Adecco, we conduct talent audits for prospective clients. Let us sit down with you and discuss market trends for your industry, assess current supply and demand in your location and forecast spending, turnover and more to create a robust hiring strategy specific to your needs.
Click the button below to connect with us!