Temping is here to stay for a long time
TEMPING or hiring temporary employers is a hiring trend that has been around for quite some time now. Considering the fact that human resource shortage is a problem at present and likely to aggravate in the future, temping is a trend that is here to stay even though companies view it in negative terms. But maybe they will have to change their attitude and look at temping more favourably.
Companies the world over are looking for ways to increase the returns they get in terms of productivity from their employers. Temporary employers are no exception.
Tips for managers to increase productivity of temporary employers:
The first and the most important thing is to start with a detailed and precise job description for the temps or temporary employers. This is important if the temp you want to hire should be a good fit for the job and also match your company culture. For this you need to list out the skills that you will need in your temp and also the work he or she is expected to do. This is more important if you are hiring through an agency. Also think of the culture of your company and what kind of person would fit in this kind of milieu and do look out for some of these qualities when you are interviewing candidates for the job.
After you have hired temps do not put them immediately into the job. It is unfair to expect them to know everything on the first day itself. Before assigning them their work explain to them the software used by the company, the intranet and the work flow process. The temp should be explained the expectations from the job he/she is assigned and should also be given the tools to do the job. The other important thing is to appoint a person in your organisation to guide and advise the temporary employee. This will give the temp someone to turn to in case of doubts regarding work and also for guidance. The manager should also frequently check with the temp on the work progress.
Managers need to treat temps as valued team members and not as people who are of little significance because they are not going to be around for long. This is a wrong attitude to adopt because temps are individuals too and deserve to be recognised for their talent. If treated as part of the team, they will naturally develop a liking for the work.
A temp needs to be given some leeway initially for getting used to the work and learn about the job . To speed up the learning process, timely and appropriate feedback is important. They should also know whom to contact for information or feedback.
If you have hired the temp through an agency be sure to tell them in case of any problems you are having with the employee, they can solve the problem faster for you.
Regular communication with the agency will help you find temps who can best match your requirements. Also issues like a pay raise if asked by the temps are best dealt by the agency.
Sometimes temps are hired by employers to assess how good they are in their jobs so that they can later be made permanent.
This is a known fact to both the employer and the temp and it acts as an incentive for the temp to put in best into the job. Whatever the situation, the ground rule should be to treat the temp as part of the organisation and acclimatise him/her to the company's work and culture.
So when a permanent offer is made both the sides know what they are getting into.
If the company is interested in making a temp a full timer, it is best to involve the agency that brought in the temp.
Temporary employees need not be just that -'temporary'. If they are good at what they do, they can turn out to be valuable employees in your organisation.
HEMA.G
faqs@cnkonline.com
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Opportunities
