How To Engage Temporary Workers?

22 June 2022

In the current market, temporary workers are becoming an ever more important and growing part of the workforce. According to data from the Office of National Statistics, the overall number of vacancies increased to a little over 1 million between June and August 2021, the first time this figure has been reached since records began in 2001. This is despite changes to immigration laws and a persistent skills deficit, which reduces the potential availability of applicants for small businesses wishing to hire.

It can be challenging to bring on board temporary workers, keep them on brand and engaged when your company employs seasonally or during peak times.

What are the benefits of hiring a temporary worker?

They meet the needs of your industry's peak trading periods
They maintain high levels of service and customer expectations
You can avoid being overstaffed in low season or when demand falls
They provide a solution to workforce challenges caused by illness, time off, or maternity leave

Why should you keep your temporary workers engaged?

Keeping temporary workers engaged will make them happier, and having happier workers will give you a better talent pool to choose from for future employment as well as ensuring that the next time you come to engage agency workers, they may refer and/or return. Here are three ideas to keep your temporary workers interested.

What can you do to keep temporary workers engaged?

1. Welcome them and make them feel part of the team

Temporary workers must feel welcomed and included. It is also critical to provide the same benefits and communication channels as full-time employees. This will help to establish a better environment and allow for emotional relationships to be made amongst employees.

2. Show appreciation

Feeling valued is critical for temporary workers to stay engaged. How many times do your supervisors express gratitude to the folks that work for you? A genuine 'thank you' goes a long way toward making people feel valued."

3. Be clear and state your expectations

When you recruit a temporary employee, both parties are aware that the job is transitory. Setting short-term, attainable goals that include a bonus or incentive is an excellent approach to keep people on track.

Keep the onboarding process easy and offer your temporary staff a sense of accountability so they can fulfill their objectives. Make sure your temp workers understand why working for your firm is a good thing for them and how it will help them find future work.

Get In Touch! We Can Help

Datum RPO can help you to manage your agency providers, ensuring that the workers they provide are legally compliant, as well as deliver significant cost savings.