As the festive season approaches, the demand for temporary and seasonal staff is on the rise. It is a very busy time of year for the temps desk and one we relish at Better Prospects.
With many retailers hiring extra staff to meet the demands of the increase in shoppers coming through the door, there are opportunities for temps both on shop floors and behind the scenes. The hospitality and entertainment sectors are also recording a record number of temporary positions to meet their needs throughout the period.
For seasonal businesses, finding and hiring the right number of employees, at the right time, is key to success. Better Prospects has years of experience placing temps in a wide variety of roles for day, week or much longer assignments all year round and we have a bank of ready-to-go temps ready to place for this festive season.
There are many advantages to businesses taking on temps seasonally and throughout the year when their workload demands it.
Flexibility
Hiring seasonal temp staff allow employers to manage fluctuating staffing issues by helping them easily adjust the size of their workforce with the changes in workload. They can add or remove support on an as-needed basis, without having to pay for full-time salaries or make painful redundancies. When you only need temporary workers for a short amount of time, it doesn’t pay to hire new full-time employees that you won’t need in a month or two down the line.
Cost and time effectiveness
When a business hires seasonal employees through a recruitment agency, the agency will be responsible for advertising positions, screening and skills testing – you’ll get the workers you need, but without the time and monetary costs of advertising.
No need to handle onboarding or admin
Getting new employees comes with a lot of work. You have to onboard the new recruits and train them, while carrying out the admin duties that come with HR, compliance, and payroll. With seasonal employees, the recruitment agency takes care of this time-consuming work for you.
Happier staff
Being overworked and stressed can wreak havoc on employee morale. When business increases but you don’t take on extra help to meet the demand, your permanent employees might have to do double the work. This can hurt morale, and in turn, productivity. It could also lead to a higher turnover rate if these overworked employees look for a new job to avoid the added stress you’ve put on them. Seasonal workers can take the pressure off and lend support to your existing workforce.
No higher overtime costs
You might be forced to pay for overtime if demand exceeds your workforce. Instead of paying an increased hourly or daily rate to get the work done and dealing with the consequences of overtime stress on employees, taking on seasonal staff can help you get the same work done for a lower cost. Not only will this help your bottom line, but it’ll also make your employees happier.
Less chance of hiring mistakes
Hiring new staff can be risky. You can make hiring mistakes and end up with new employees who don’t work out. This can hurt your bank balance due to the time and money that went into recruiting, onboarding, and training. When you hire seasonal employees through a recruitment agency, you can simply request a new temp if one isn’t meeting your needs. You have absolutely no commitment to keeping seasonal employees who aren’t working out.
Hit the ground running
Recruitment agencies have large candidate pools of temp workers who are ready and able to start working right away. They’re pre-screened and pre-approved for your convenience. So instead of having to go through a long recruitment process that you don’t really have time for, you can get seasonal employees on site in just a few days, and in some cases, in just a few hours and because these temps will be pre-screened ahead of time, you’ll know that they can do the job well and will need minimal training. Win win!
If your business could benefit from seasonal temps, get in touch today – we look forward to helping.
