How to Manage Issues with Temporary Workers

Since the major economic downturn of 2008, companies have been hiring more and more contingent workers. Temp employees are playing an important role in many businesses. Yet, many companies are still not managing these workers as efficiently and effectively as they could be.

Human Resources

For example, human resource departments in many companies still are not involved with contingent workers, but as they continue to play a larger role, these workers need to be brought under the aegis of human resources.

Companies need to keep track of how these workers are hired, managed, and terminated. If the companies neglect this, they may find themselves with legal or financial problems later on. Companies that began tracking their temp workers were surprised to find how much they were spending on contingent labor.

Some companies have a procurement department that is responsible for hiring temp workers, but at other firms, temp workers are hired directly by the department where they will work. As a result, there is little coordination or data about the workers, and no way to manage them effectively.

The departments don’t communicate with each other about temp workers, and the procurement department only handles payment. In this case, human resources need to be proactive and contact procurement to obtain information about temp workers. Otherwise, the contingent workforce is essentially invisible, and the company has no idea how many temp workers it has or how much it is paying for them.

Also, without coordination, managers will use different staffing agencies for workers, preventing the company from working with just one agency and getting the best price and value. Companies need to get serious about oversight of their contingent workforce because it can have a big impact on the bottom line. And the human resource department needs to take the lead in this effort.

Managing Contingent Workers

Temp workers should be treated the same as full-time employees. When you bring them on board, you should give them an orientation and set clear goals and expectations. Good communication is important also, giving ample feedback.

Moreover, you should avoid treating them like second-class citizens. You should make every attempt to include them in the operations of the department and make them feel welcome.

If your company is looking for people who can make a difference, contact Opti Staffing. We will work with you to learn about your business, your mission and values, your skill needs and your culture, so we can provide you with workers who will give you the best return on your investment. Give us a call today. 
 

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