The advantages of temporary employees

Many temps are skilled workers who have left permanent employment in search of a more flexible career. There are different types of temps, ranging from contract and freelance to interim, so whatever your needs are, chances are, there’s someone out there who’ll be right for your company.

If you already have the skills and expertise that are needed in-house from your permanent employees but have recognised the need for an occasional specific skill set, you might consider bringing someone in on a temporary basis.

Some of the main advantages of temporary employees are:

They are fast hires and make an immediate difference

If you have regular employee absences, need to cover maternity leave, or have seasonal demands, hiring temp staff eliminates the need to appoint a permanent resource that isn’t required year-round.

They bring fresh perspectives

Do you promote people because of their leadership skills or to reward years of service and experience? Whatever your reasons, candidates will get an idea of what attributes you reward.

They can be extremely skilled in their position

This makes them extremely good for special projects and many temporary professionals are experts in their industry, so should be adaptable.

They can fill a position while you’re looking for a permanent employee

If a member of staff has departed suddenly, or you simply haven’t had enough time to find a replacement, hiring a temp can make this transition easier, and there’ll be no loss of productivity.

You have the option of hiring them permanently when their contract runs out

You might decide that the person you’ve hired on a temporary basis adds value to your organisation and hire them permanently. You’ll already have seen how well they work in your team so you should be confident to make them an offer. Remember though, some people choose to be temps for a reason and they may turn your offer down.

The opportunity to move from temp to perm can be a motivator

For those that do want permanent work, they will be very willing to work hard and prove themselves an asset, in the hope that you hire them.

Hiring temps isn’t the best solution for every business, but for many it’s a great way of boosting productivity.

For more advice take a look at our employer tools or to discuss your hiring needs please contact your local Michael Page office.