How Employers Can Leverage Temp-To-Hire Roles in the Workplace

Read on for a closer look at the advantages, challenges, and best practices associated with temp-to-hire positions, highlighting how teams can effectively introduce this approach to build a strong and sustainable workforce. 

Seizing Opportunities With Temp-To-Hire Positions

While temporary work periods can vary, temp-to-hire roles are usually held for a longer period of time — about three to six months. This gives an organization a good look into a worker’s mindset, skills, experience, and work ethic, as opposed to opting for a direct hire. The only difference is, these individuals aren’t on the company payroll until they’re placed in a permanent position. 

Leveraging a temp-to-hire staffing strategy helps organizations realize benefits like:

• Accessing a larger pool of talent: Starting qualified candidates off on a temporary basis helps teams tap into a wider talent pool, attracting job seekers who may not have considered permanent positions. This increases the chances of finding suitable workers, which is critical as 77% of employers report difficulty in filling roles — a 17-year high — according to the ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey.
• Making use of an evaluation period: Hiring employees that don’t fit into the company culture wastes time, money, and resources. Temp-to-hire staffing methods provide time to review the qualifications and cultural fit of interim workers before making long-term hiring decisions. 
• Reducing recruitment and training costs: Instead of repeatedly recruiting and training new employees, a hiring manager can invest in the development of temporary workers. With SHRM revealing that the average cost per hire was nearly $4,700, transitioning a temporary staff member that’s proven their capabilities to a permanent role results in cost savings and higher retention rates. 
• Establishing continuity and stability: In industries marked by uncertainty, extending the contractual period for temporary workers promotes a consistent workforce, minimizing disruptions caused by turnover. 
• Improving flexibility in workforce management: With a temp-to-hire strategy, organizations can scale up or down based on changing demand and staffing needs. This helps teams efficiently align their workforce with fluctuating business needs. 

Why are organizations leveraging temp-to-hire employees?

Organizations today have compelling reasons to utilize temp-to-hire workers in their workforce strategies. First, this is typically an effective solution to address peak seasonal demand and keep pace with fluctuations as they come — ensuring staffing levels are always aligned with customer needs. 

What’s more, when facing labor shortages or taking the leap into new markets, teams need flexible staffing solutions that can support and line up with business operations. Temporary employees are a great resource for specialized skills and expertise without the guaranteed long-term commitment and costs associated with permanent employment. 

The Best Practices for Hiring and Transitioning Temp-To-Hire Workers 

While organizations are increasingly exploring temp-to-hire employment, employers and human resources teams alike face challenges when integrating temporary workers into their business and company culture:

• A temporary employee may have limited familiarity with the company culture, which can hinder their integration and sense of belonging within the team. 
• A hiring manager or full-time employee may find it difficult to establish connections and strong relationships with individuals that are present on a potentially temporary basis — impacting teamwork and collaboration. 
• Teams tend to unintentionally provide temp-to-hire workers with limited access to resources and information, impeding the productivity and effectiveness of this workforce.
• An employer that’s unclear about prospective career progressions risks losing valuable temporary employees who don’t see a path forward within the organization. 

We’re exploring strategies for teams to recruit temp-to-hire talent, overcome common challenges, and successfully transition these workers into permanent employees. 

1. Providing comprehensive onboarding

Set up temp-to-hire workers for success by implementing a thorough onboarding program that familiarizes them with the company culture, organizational processes, and role expectations. Research reveals that creating a strong onboarding experience can boost employee retention by up to 82%. 

2. Encouraging interaction and collaboration

Foster a supportive work environment that encourages individuals in temporary positions to actively participate and collaborate with full-time staff. 

3. Assigning mentors

Pair a temporary hire with an experienced permanent employee who can provide guidance, answer questions, help them integrate into the team, and offer support as they navigate their new roles and responsibilities. 

4. Offering regular evaluations and feedback

Conduct frequent assessments of each temp worker to provide constructive feedback, recognize achievements, and address any areas that need improvement during their contractual period. 

5. Promoting equal treatment and inclusivity

Treat temp-to-hire employees with the same respect, opportunities, and benefits as workers in permanent positions to promote inclusivity and create a positive work culture for your entire workforce.

6. Communicating career development opportunities

Clearly communicate the potential career paths, advancement opportunities, and training programs that you have available for temporary staff, demonstrating the organization’s commitment to their personal growth and long-term success. 

Access Qualified, W-2 Workers With a Workforce-as-a-Service Solution

The temporary staffing industry is experiencing significant growth, attracting qualified and experienced talent who want more flexible work arrangements that align with their schedules. Today, temp-to-hire workers can be found in a wide range of industries for virtually any position — from hospitality and manufacturing to retail and healthcare. 

With Bluecrew’s workforce-as-a-service solution, you can access a pool of qualified, W-2 workers ready to meet your temp-to-hire staffing needs. By leveraging experienced temporary employees, you can effortlessly integrate Crew Members into your teams and seamlessly transition talented individuals into permanent roles when you’re ready. 

Address variable demand, optimize performance, and eliminate the traditional costs of recruiting and hiring with one powerful platform. From recruiting and onboarding to scheduling, time-tracking, and compliance, Bluecrew handles it all. 

Ready to get started with a flexible, scalable, and high-quality workforce? Contact Bluecrew today to learn more and get started.