|
The end of May signals the beginning of the vacation season
and possibly the beginning of the annual struggle to keep an office running smoothly with fewer people and erratic schedules.
You may be toying with the idea of hiring “temps” or temporary employees to cover those staff members who are on vacation and you won’t be the only one looking for that perfect temporary employee. According to the American Staffing Association, 2.6 million temporary workers were employed from July through September 2010. That is an increase of 24.9% over the same period the year before and a daily average of 8.1%, rivaling the statistics of the early 1990’s.
"During the
past 12 months, staffing firms have added over a half
million new jobs to the economy," says ASA
president and chief executive officer Richard
Wahlquist. "Demand for temporary and contract
help is expected to remain strong as businesses turn
to flexible work force solutions to help them improve
efficiency and productivity while adjusting to
changing economic conditions."
|
 |
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of temporary staffing.
Pros:
-
Allows your practice to adjust more easily and quickly to temporary staffing shortfalls, like vacations, illness, maternity or paternity leave or a sudden departure. It also covers other temporary demands such as seasonal demands or special projects.
-
Maintains staffing flexibility. Many of today’s workers place great value on the availability of flexible scheduling and it usually results in a more efficient and productive work environment.
-
Allows an employer to evaluate a staff member without a commitment. Todays’ workers are looking for more than just a J-O-B, many are looking for the right job with the right employer in the right environment. This is especially true of the skilled technical staff required in a professional office. So while you like the idea of vetting a potential new hire, keep in mind that you and your practice are also being scrutinized for suitability.
-
Can save both time and money. Hiring a temporary staff member is often less expensive than a permanent one, primarily because no benefit costs are incurred. Additionally, should you choose to work with a temporary hiring agency, the agency becomes the employer, bearing the responsibility for screening, testing and hiring, payroll expenses and paperwork, including taxes and unemployment and workers compensation insurance and any other employee benefits they may wish to provide.
-
Temporary staff members can provide specialized skills and work experiences for critical projects and temporary positions requiring a specific skill set such as Certified Ophthalmic Technicians, Certified Para-Optometrics or Certified/Licensed Opticians.
-
Allows you to create a “pool” of reliable and knowledgeable part-time or on-call employees.
Cons:
-
Regardless of skill level or past experience, temporary staff members will still need a certain amount of time to learn the specific systems and procedures that direct your office work flow.
-
Morale issues can arise when temporary staff members are working alongside permanent staff for extended lengths of time, most noticeably when pay scales and benefits are disparate.
-
Recent court decisions have highlighted the fact that employers must be careful how they contract temporary staff. There should be no misunderstanding of the status of the employee and their lack of eligibility for benefits. Just as importantly, you must treat your temporary staff members with the same respect and care that you would for your permanent staff.
-
There is the assumption on the part of many employers that temporary staffers are less reliable than permanent employees. True or false?
According to Jon Broschak, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, “On average, these temporary workers displayed better performance relative to goals compared to their full-time counterparts.” For those temps later hired as full-time employees, Broschak reported that “they continued to become better workers after becoming permanent.”
Should you choose to use a temp agency, spend some time finding the one that meets your particular staffing needs. Define those needs and then match them to the agency. You’re often better off relying on the services offered by an agency than relying on the recommendation of another staff member. Almost all of us have made the mistake of hiring a favorite staff member’s cousin or nephew and paid for it in aggravation and hurt feelings. Leave the hiring process, especially for temporary staffers, for the pros.
Another alternative is the permanent “on-call” staff member. Usually a former employee or an experienced professional who wants to work on a limited basis and has the flexibility to accommodate your office needs.
If your office has more than one location, you may want to hire a “floater,” someone who is cross-trained and can move easily and comfortably between locations as needed. Some employees like the idea of different locations on different days and some don’t. If you’re hiring a “floater” make sure that everyone understands and accepts the reality of not having a permanent home-base.
The perfect time to begin preparing for the vacation season is now, when things are running smoothly and vacations are still in the planning stage. You have time to decide what positions are most critical to the efficiency of your business and begin interviewing either potential temporary staff or the agencies that can provide these services for you. Hang up that wall-sized calendar for the summer and begin filling in scheduled vacations, holidays and planned leaves of absence. You’ll have a much better idea of where your staffing levels are most affected and have the time to plan, to cross-train and to make every effort to keep your practice operating efficiently regardless of who’s not there. And, one last piece of advice…don’t forget that you get a vacation as well, so plan accordingly. Before you know it, back-to-school season will be upon us. You and your staff deserve an organized vacation season.
Talent alone won't make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ready. The most important question is: 'Are you ready?'
Johnny Carson
|
