Well planned and executed hiring strategies during a pandemic, as in any other timeframe, are of utmost importance. Companies will always need top talent working for them if they are to survive and thrive. A key question to consider is the appropriate method used to hire that aligns best with the flexibility needed in our current economy.
During our COVID-19 driven economy, businesses are re-assessing their contract and temporary staffing needs as a result of budget limitations, layoffs and rejections of offers to rehire. As you consider your company’s options, this article can provide some critical perspectives to support your decision-making process and review the value you can yield by hiring contract and temporary team members.
- Flexibility to Meet Immediate Needs
The high-tech industry led the way in establishing contract workers as the norm. From scrum masters and frontend developers to gaming designers and AI accelerators—with constant changes in technology re-framing the type of tech talent a business needs from one year to the next, hiring on a contract or temporary basis makes sense. More recently, positions like legal analysts, accountants, financial officers, HR generalists and executive assistants are all positions that have started lending themselves to contractual engagements and make up the growing temporary worker talent pool.
With shelter in place orders and other restrictions at the local, state and federal levels frequently changing, it’s hard to determine from one day to the next who you’ll need and when you will need employee resources. The contract and temporary worker hiring option is a great way to bridge the gap without experiencing shortfalls while also ensuring you bring the right people in only when you need them. If some of your current workforce is rejecting work or unable to return to work after shelter in place orders are lifted, hiring contract and temporary staff until your staff returns can be a great option to relieve the pressures and challenges of regaining productivity.
In many organizations, temp hires represent a different budget line item for division managers. If your company is currently experiencing a direct hire hiring freeze, contract and temporary hires may be an effective option. If so, your critically needed talent can be readily available.
2. Time to Assess New Talent without Long-Term Commitment
According to GigSmart, one of the most desirable benefits of making a contract or temporary hire is the opportunity to assess two key factors: how the new hire is progressing, and how what you think you need continues to be what you need. In 2019, nearly one-third of Americans were engaged in contract/temporary work, and the pandemic has fueled this growth significantly. Hiring smart means hiring carefully, with a close eye toward bottom-line expenses and project commitment levels.
3. Win-Win Relationships with Staffing Firms
You may never have had the opportunity to work with a staffing services firm and now may be a good time to explore the benefits of partnering with one. When you find a staffing firm that provides timely and quality services—and is experienced and accommodating—you have found a true partner to your success. A true partner will get to know you and your team, what sort of human dynamics are at play, and what challenges your department or team is facing. This helps them cultivate the art of staffing for your unique company. At the same time, they are working with candidates who they have gotten to know equally as well and can more easily identify the best fit for your contract and temporary staffing needs. A positive working relationship with a staffing services provider will go a long way towards meeting your company’s short and long-term hiring goals.
4. Save Time, Money and Hassle
Candidate pools have grown significantly since the pandemic as evidenced on LinkedIn, Indeed, Instagram and Twitter feeds. The pandemic is also impacting the needs of some businesses to hire more urgently than ever before. As a result, hiring qualified talent in an efficient manner is crucial to fill open positions while providing strong business outcomes. Is it truly worth your time to review hundreds of resumes a day? Not to mention the time it takes to conduct pre-screenings, interview rounds, background and reference checks. It’s true: you have more candidates to choose from at this time, yet your hiring team—which may now be only be a single person—can easily become inundated in the process. Talent acquisition and placement partnerships are more crucial now than ever—and thrive if they are mutually beneficial.
5. Quality Contract and Temp Engagements Can Lead to Meaningful Direct Hires
Ultimately, finding a great candidate is worth every effort spent discovering them. Contract and temporary team members who have had time to acclimate to your work culture and job duties can more easily transition into a direct hire role. By evaluating on-the-job performance and analyzing relevant performance indicators, you’ll be able to see who is a great fit for a project and who may also work well in the long-run.
At Artizen Staffing, our reputation is built on recruiting top talent on a contract, temporary or direct hire basis. Our expert team and extensive network of hundreds of thousands of qualified professionals enables us to quickly and effectively respond to your requests while making your hiring experience both informative and enjoyable. We welcome you to reach out today!
- The Artizen Staffing team
written by Catrina Walker
Enjoy more of your summer—take sensible precautions to stay healthy and safe. Click here for the latest updates on COVID-19
