Why outsourcing and temporary worker recruitment is integral to workforce planning
With the release of the most recent Labour Forces Survey from the ONS, our Chairman Richard East recently gave his opinion on the outlook for the rest of the year. One of the highlights published for the second quarter of 2022 was that the number of vacancies remains greater than the number of people unemployed. This happened for the first time in the first quarter of 2022 and has remained the same for Quarter 2, despite slowing vacancy growth. A real solution to this is outsourcing and temporary worker recruitment, not just in the traditional temp worker role.
Here, Jill Wanklyn, our super experienced Senior Recruitment Consultant, looks at why outsourcing and temporary worker recruitment can play a vital part in any business and its workforce planning.
How a temporary worker might be useful for your business?
Temporary workers are an excellent way for businesses to get the help they need when it’s needed, without having to pay for the extra staff when it’s not. This is especially useful as employers know that there will be peaks and troughs in demand throughout the year, so temporary workers can fill in these gaps where necessary. This gives you the flexibility to respond to fluctuating demand and business cycles.
Temporary employees are preferable in many situations because they are quick and easy to hire. This is important when you need extra support for a short-term project or during peak periods in production. When your demand or activity levels fall, they can also be laid off easily. This makes them ideal for businesses that need a large number of people temporarily. Or companies with only seasonal/part-time work available during off-hours or holidays when other workers may not be available.
Why might outsourcing work for your business?
Temporary workers can be used in all kinds of roles. They are not limited to temporary drivers for holiday covers and busy periods or warehouse operatives and production operatives for peaks in production. Traditionally temporary workers have been used in farming and food production to deal with seasonal demands.
Today we are seeing more companies succeed in using temps for customer service and office support roles, especially during busy periods like Christmas and the summer holiday seasons. If your business hasn’t tried to fill an office-based or customer service vacancy with a temporary worker, now is the time to try a different approach. We also have vast experience placing temporary workers in multiple business areas within large companies.
What are the potential benefits of outsourcing?
Temporary workers can be an excellent way to get a fresh perspective on a problem. They can bring expertise, experience, and innovation – just what your business needs for quick and effective solutions. A fresh pair of (experienced) eyes can often spot things much easier than someone always in the thick of it. They can also bring new ideas, personal experiences, and ways of working that may lead you to take your business in an exciting new direction.
They can help your organisation build a talent pipeline and are often the best way to find new skills. These temporary workers may even lead to a permanent position: ‘try before you buy’! Finding new talent is a challenge for many businesses, especially right now. But temporary workers can help you take care of it. They offer companies an excellent way to try out potential candidates before they become full-time employees. They also provide candidates with valuable experience in the field for those just starting their careers.
Have you thought about the actual cost to your business if you make a ‘bad hire’? It’s more than just the monetary cost of recruitment, training, and loss of productivity. The disruption to your company culture can severely affect your whole team. So, hiring a temp can allow you to confirm a culture fit before investing in training, permanent contracts and benefits.
Why might now be a good time to try outsourcing and temporary worker recruitment?
The current economic outlook isn’t great, and the predictions are that we are heading into a recession. So now more than ever, businesses need to stay agile. Hiring a temporary workforce in all types of roles makes it easier for companies to be responsive and swift to changes in demand. With more and more businesses offering flexible working arrangements, they are also looking to find a more flexible workforce.
Temporary workers have a lot to offer companies in various areas. From productivity boosts and skills development to flexibility, they can make all kinds of work more accessible and successful.
If you’re looking for new ways to improve your business, as leaders in temporary workforce recruitment and management, we’d love to hear from you!
Jill Wanklyn: JillW@reRecruitment.com
