With our governing body the REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) reporting a stronger increase in recruitment activity this month due to both the economy re-opening and less Covid restrictions (in certain areas of the country for the moment), having given clients the confidence to recruit staff again. This echoes what we are seeing at Bond Williams (in increased job openings) and hearing from our clients’ business activity which is really positive.
Generally, recruitment is one of the first industries to witness a decline in the economy particularly in certain sectors and similarly we are also one of the first to see the recovery. The report also shows temporary recruitment had the sharpest increase in uptake since the later part of 2018, together with a rise in reported job vacancies for the first time since February 2020. This is particularly encouraging for the recruitment industry and the economy in general and despite candidate availability rapidly rising due to increased redundancies which sadly was inevitable with the winding down of the initial furlough scheme and the decline in the retail and catering industry. The IT & Computing industry topped the vacancy rankings and overall demand together with Blue Collar roles having the sharpest increase in temporary vacancies of all ten monitored job categories during September. Construction and Engineering roles also had a steep rise which again we are hearing from our clients in those industries, sadly retail as expected saw the steepest decline in vacancies across the country.
Whilst unease does still remain, it is encouraging to see positivity amidst the doom and gloom and we will be very much part of helping that recovery, supporting job seekers with opportunities and creating opportunities together with finding solutions for clients by thinking outside of the box where skills shortages are evident. For that reason it can be hard to plan for the unknown and we know that as well as anyone, you may not want to commit long term until you have a bit more knowledge, you may be in the early stages of recovery or for whatever reason you may need more hands on deck and that’s where temporary staffing solutions can be a fantastic way to offer flexibility and support for businesses through times of uncertainty, boosting productivity, managing heavy workloads, projects and generally getting you back up and running in order to allow you the time to make a more informed decision when confidence returns.
With over 1.45 million temps working according to the ONS, temps themselves have a number of reasons why they temp too, approximately 375,200 were temporary because they could not find a permanent job; 363,300 did not want a permanent job; 112,800 had a contract with a period of training; and 603,990 cited other reasons.
Here, we look at the six main ways in which you and your business could benefit from hiring a temp.
Flexibility
Workload, large projects and tight deadlines can rise and fall throughout the year and sometimes you may find things can get extremely busy with no warning. There is no right or wrong way to manage this and even some of the most successful businesses struggle to get the balance right. When you’re unsure of exactly what the future will hold and how to allocate resources effectively, temporary staff can give you some flexibility and if you have a sudden fluctuation or a busy period, with temporary staff, it really is a win-win situation! Temporary staff can also be a great way to create new teams, open new areas or expand your market and if it doesn’t work out it is a temporary staffing commitment giving you the opportunity to try before you buy so to speak and see if the candidates are right for the role before committing on a permanent basis.
Saving costs
There will be noticeable reduced costs as a result of hiring temporary staff. These may include saved costs on lengthy training which your company only make available to permanent staff; reduced time in sourcing, recruiting and onboarding new staff; and of course, the added bonus of only paying for an employee when you actually need them or being able to release more specialist people to do what they are best at rather than a role you could bring in a less experienced temp to do. Or alternatively you could bring in a more experienced senior contractor to manage change projects or offer expertise short term where you are lacking the experience and don’t want to commit to a permanent employee.
Working with a recruitment agency when employing temporary staff can work out better value for you overall as it means you have access to their pool of temporary/contracting staff, recruitment expertise, industry and interviewing knowledge. This can greatly reduce the time needed by internal hiring managers and if you work exclusively with us, you will be offered a discount on our standard fees.
Efficiency
As temporary workers are usually working on specific projects; they won’t be tied down by the everyday duties of their permanent counterparts. This means you can hire someone with a particular skill set you require for a short amount of time or receive the peace of mind you need knowing that the work is being focused on without external interruptions.
Although you may need to spend more time initially explaining certain tasks or procedures, we know from experience that temp workers like to make a positive and lasting impression so are likely to go out of their way to impress you with their hard work. What’s more, if it turns out that you really like your temp then you can offer them a permanent position, saving you time sourcing, responding to applications, scanning through CVs, holding interviews and waiting for notice periods to end.
Quick recruitment process
Temporary workers are often open to flexible working arrangements and available at short notice, so, in urgent situations you can have a temp within your business on the same day you request one. For example, Bond Williams have a thoroughly tested, interviewed and referenced database of temporary staff who can be working virtually or on site at your company within a few hours if needed! Hiring temporary staff is often quicker too and therefore, you won’t have to invest hours in getting the additional help you require. We also have a pool of talent that don’t want the commitment of a permanent role for whatever reason suits their lifestyle, they are tried and tested and are requested time and time again to go back to companies.
Cover holidays, absence due to illness, or sudden departures
Hiring temporary or contract employees is an ideal solution to maintain the status quo during short or longer-term periods of permanent staff absence. Temps can be employed quickly to cover a certain time frame or be put in place until more fixed decisions have been made. Either way, temporary cover means you won’t be caught short and can carry on with business as usual!
Wellbeing
From a well-being perspective temporary staff can also help boost morale and productivity. With many companies having leaner reduced workforces, temporary staff can improve what could already be a stressful time together with relieving increased workloads by taking some of the daily tasks away and offering temporary solutions.
Try before you buy
With a marketplace flooded with candidates this doesn’t mean to say that there is the perfect candidate for your role. So you may need to think outside box and see what skills could be transferable to the role you are recruiting for and the great thing with temping is if you’re not sure you can try different candidate skills to see which is right. The candidate will know it’s a trial and if they are right for the role then you can keep them on a permanent basis if you are both in agreement and not waste the training that you have put into them.
Whatever you need, be it temporary staffing solutions, permanent, contract or some plain old advice from experts in their field, contact one of our specialist team today, and take advantage of our 230 years of recruitment experience, you can be sure we’ll work with you to find a solution.
