How to attract temporary staff this Christmas

Introduction

Are you hiring temporary staff this Christmas? You’re in luck. There are plenty of people looking for flexible, temporary work, and with the right approach, you’ll be able to attract some great candidates. Temporary workers can be essential to your business and who knows, they may have a long-term future with your company. Here Ed Bryant, Senior Account Manager gives us his top tips on how to attract temporary staff this Christmas.

Now is a great time to start looking for and recruiting temporary staff!  That way, they can learn the skills required to complete what’s required of them. And to be at the level and pace expected of them by the time the Christmas rush kicks in.

Attract temporary staff with the bonus of added skills

We know that hiring temporary staff can be a great way to get the job done, but it can also be an excellent opportunity for you as an employer to attract some extra-special talent. Students are a great source of temporary workers and may be studying something that can add additional benefit to your business. Bringing in fresh pairs of eyes can be a great way of identifying things that could be improved.

Highlight what’s great about your company

You know the company culture of your business. A positive, team-oriented environment is one where employees have clear expectations, feel supported by their manager and co-workers, and are rewarded for hard work. Promote your company culture and ensure that the people you are trying to attract as temporary staff know they will be part of what’s great about your company.

When you show your potential temporary staff what makes your company different from others, you can attract more people from all backgrounds (and keep them around for longer).

Be upfront about what the job involves

Before offering the role to your temporary employee, you should be clear about what is involved and what you expect from them. In addition to explaining the role itself, it’s essential to outline what benefits are included in the job offer. This includes things like paid holidays and sick leave, as well as any other perks.

Be clear about salary and working hours

This is a no-brainer. You can’t attract the best people if they don’t know what they are getting themselves into, so make sure you are clear about your salary and working hours. Don’t promise anything that you can’t deliver, as it will only lead to disappointment and could tarnish your reputation.

You’ll also want to explain how long their employment will last. Whether they’re expected to work until Christmas and what is expected over the Christmas period.

Invite Temporary workers to training days before starting

Starting any new job can be daunting. Add to this the fact that you might feel like just “a temp” and maybe one of a big group of new starters; it can be even more of a challenge. Invite temporary workers to welcome or introduction days so that they can meet each other. They can also familiarise themselves with the building and the teams they will be working with. This will help them to get excited about being part of the team. Introduce them to their co-workers or perhaps think about a buddy system. That way they will have someone to turn to for support.

Attract temporary staff by providing additional benefits

Make sure your temporary workers are made to feel like part of the team. Temporary workers will be looking for the same benefits as permanent staff, so try to offer the same perks. As well as rewarding them with their basic pay, try to provide additional benefits where you can. You may only have the budget for some things but try to offer a little more to stand out from the crowd.  For example:

• Offer Bonuses – this will depend on the type of business but could be for attendance/punctuality, performance/output, or a share of tips and gratuities.
• Invites to company social events – don’t exclude them from social events; these events will help them integrate with their co-workers quicker.
• Paid lunch breaks – with the addition of free or subsidised lunches. If this isn’t possible, even access to free hot and cold drinks and snacks is a great way to show that you value employees’ time.
• Mental health support – give them access to as many HR services as possible.
• Cycle to work or other relevant schemes – paying for mileage or providing free transport to or from the place of work. This is especially relevant if your location is difficult to reach by public transport.
• Staff parking spaces – if they have their own cars, then having access to secure parking can make a big difference. Especially if they’re working late shifts or overnight!
• Free Training courses – are there recognised training courses they could attend that will give them something tangible alongside the experience? This will help them in their long-term career aspirations.
• Career advice – at the end of any temporary assignment, offer feedback sessions. Highlight the things they can improve on or ways to assist their long-term career goals. Also, allow them to give you feedback on their experience.

Make sure your business is ready for an influx of staff

Make sure you have enough space for temporary staff. Everything should be prepared and in place, for them to start work. Make sure that they have the equipment that they require to complete their tasks. You don’t want their first task to be searching for the things they need.

It’s also important that current team members are mindful that new starters won’t be fully up to speed on day one. Make sure that everyone has their fair share of responsibility and that no one feels overwhelmed by the extra pressure.

Offer opportunities to join your company permanently

Christmas is a great time to test new processes and get to know your temporary staff. It gives you time to find out who is a good fit for your business. Or you can use it to give temporary workers a chance to prove themselves.

Attract the best temporary staff by outsourcing your recruitment

As a multi-sector recruiter, we can show your business how to attract temporary staff for this peak season. We have a wider pool of candidates that have previously worked with us.

We can use this pool of candidates to find the most qualified and those with relevant previous experience. You can feel secure that all the temporary workers we supply will have been vetted and referenced before them starting any temporary role within your business. We can manage the entire recruitment process and for large projects we also offer a fully managed on-site service.

If you would like to learn more about how we can ensure your business is ready for this busy time of year, please get in touch.