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Engaging Seasonal or Temporary Workers? 4 Tips to Get Them Up-to-Speed Quicker

Engaging-Seasonal-or-Temporary-Workers-4-Tips-to-Get-Them-Up-to-Speed-Quicker

 

Are you ready for the rush?

If the 2015 holiday season is anything like last year’s, employers will be hiring nearly three-quarters of a million seasonal or temporary workers to compensate for the holiday rush.

By now, your Nashville business is probably familiar with the ways seasonal or contingent workers can help you manage your busy season by:

  • keeping up with increased demand
  • reducing overtime and burnout for your direct employees
  • freeing your core staff to focus on top priorities

Time is money – especially during the holidays. Every minute your seasonal or temporary employees spend figuring out how to do their jobs costs you. So be smart, and make the most of every moment. Use these 4 tips to get seasonal and temporary workers up-to-speed quicker:

Prepare your staff. Explain to your direct employees why and how you plan to engage seasonal or temporary workers. Review the things your staff can do (e.g., preparing paperwork ahead of time, answering questions, finding small ways to make new workers feel welcome, etc.) to support supplemental employees. Adequately preparing your staff establishes a more friendly work environment and helps everyone achieve more.

Assemble resources. Before supplemental employees arrive, set up work stations with everything they’ll need to get started. Consider the supplies, equipment and instructions these workers will require to adequately perform their jobs. In addition to physical resources, be sure seasonal and temporary workers also know how to get questions answered, as well as where and how to obtain additional resources or information.

Conduct a thorough orientation. Make sure that every individual – whether he’s with you for a week or three months – receives a standard orientation, including:

  • A tour of your location. Show him where the break room, restrooms and other facilities are.
  • An introduction to his supervisor and co-workers.
  • An overview of his job responsibilities.
  • What to do if they need more work.

“Rolling out the red carpet” does much more than familiarize a temporary employee with your location; it makes him feel welcome, comfortable and better prepared to perform his assigned tasks.

Allow Wood Personnel to train temporary workers for you. As their employer of record, we’re responsible for training the temporaries we provide. Here are a few ways to ensure our employees are productive from the moment they arrive:

  • Think through the responsibilities for each temporary role you need to fill, and discuss your needs with us. Consider the unique job skills, experience and soft skills candidates will need to hit the ground running.
  • Submit your orders early, so we have sufficient time to recruit candidates with the specific experience you require. The more lead-time we have, the higher the likelihood we can recruit individuals with training in the areas you require.
  • Plan to start temporary employees slightly ahead of your rush. Even a single day on the job before things get extremely busy can go a long way toward increasing a temporary employee’s productivity.
  • If we’re providing a high volume of contingent workers for your busy season, ask us about options for customized training. In some cases, we may be able to conduct temporary employee training to increase productivity and performance.

Gearing up for your busy season in Middle Tennessee? It’s never too early to discuss your staffing needs with us! Give us a call to schedule your free workforce consultation today.

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