One of the most common cost cutting measures when entering a recessionary period is to fire or lay off “surplus” labor. Most construction related distributors did this as a matter of survival.
Now that business is picking up, the work load is taxing the abilities of the reduced staff and temporary labor is brought in to fill this shortfall. Doing this on an unplanned, crisis basis can waste all the money previously saved. Hiring intelligently can provide new opportunities.
Temporary temps
Peaks in shipping/receiving that are known in advance are an ideal place to use outsiders from a day labor or other agency. Take the time now to contact local labor bureaus and providers and set up rules, methods and procedures to bring the right skills in on short notice. Narrow the choices and avoid problems later. Try to identify specific individuals and skill sets well in advance of need.
If you will need someone to drive a forklift, make sure they can drive your model. Then they only have to learn your context. Similarly, a temp who has participated in implementing a high-tech solution can bring valuable experience. Most professional agencies can help you identify and even train individuals or teams. This is also a good time to address questions of liability, legal status, workman’s compensation and other issues.
Specialty agencies for office temps are well known, but there are also specialists for warehouses. For example, Lift Temp Industrial of Canada and the U.S. (www.lifttemp.com) offers trained fork lift operators as well as general labor. Tapping into these resources might also elevate staff skills by using seasoned professionals as trainers.
If recruiting for future growth consider AfterCollege, Inc. (www.aftercollege.com). Posting an offer for an entry-level individual or intern can lead to filling a position with an individual who brings education and youthful enthusiasm to a short-term job and might stay on full or part time during their school year and beyond. Tailoring terms, hours and conditions can entice a wide variety of well-qualified individuals.
For tasks that are both limited and easily defined consider using workers from a sheltered care workshop. There are hundreds of these organizations that seek gainful employment for disadvantaged individuals. Some of their “clients” have disabilities that require expensive accommodations, but the majority of situations usually need only a minor modification. Explore the opportunities before rejecting this option based on false paradigms. Having these workers take over some of the more menial staff tasks can be both rewarding and financially attractive.
Often the best resources are near at hand. Relatives and friends of existing employees may be available on short notice if they are prequalified. Another way of accomplishing this is to use a voice mailbox with a message that you are seeking “volunteers” who want to work overtime, regardless of their current job. Receptionists, clerks, sales staff and upper management who work in the warehouse gain new appreciation for the skills and tasks. This can help both morale and efficiency.
Long-term temps
Training, coaching and tracking the temps can help you identify potential candidates for future employment. While an agency hates to lose a good worker, the better organizations are glad to see individuals fully employed. Keep this in mind with every temp who is brought in.
Firefighters and paramedics usually work for 24 hours and then have 48 hours off. Most have a second career and this could be in your office or warehouse. The trick is to hire the station, not the individual. Whoever is off duty can work for you and bring teamwork, safety awareness and other skills with them. A key attraction is that they already have a decent benefit package. Similarly, contact a local military base commander or Chaplin to identify and hire service personnel or their spouses. Here, too, hours and conditions are more important than money.
Hiring students from a local community college can bring in bodies or potential career candidates. Cross training, job rotation and communication can entice a student to see you first after they graduate. If this happens, their training and experience is immediately available. Consider any temporary job as a prelude to recruitment and design the job accordingly. Doing this prior to need offers the best way to establish relationships with the school to help entice the right people at the right time.
Don’t forget the neighborhood. Retirees, child care providers and others may have the time and skills you need. FedEx, Trader Joe’s, The Container Store and others have tapped into these communities using proximity, flexibility and empowerment as enticements. Their high retention rates are indicative of how well this can work. These individuals can also bring multilingual skills that are valuable for sales and management positions.
Retaining the best of the best
Don’t overlook the obvious and be sure to incorporate:
- Decent tools
- Training
- Integration into the full-time staff
- Socialization
- Realistic measurements of quality and output
- Fair evaluations
- Documentation for future hiring as well as current positions
Temporary labor used wisely is a tool that can benefit everyone. The individual gets paid but also benefits from the interactions, while the company can tap skill sets and expertise that will enhance morale and profits.