Congratulations. The annual weeklong music festival that takes place in your service territory awarded your company the contract to provide portable restrooms. It’s a dream come true for you as the business owner, but could be a nightmare if you don’t have enough staff to properly set up and service the event.
With contract in hand, you make arrangements to have enough restrooms, wash stations, supplies and service vehicles at your disposal for the big event. But who is going to do all the heavy lifting? At current staffing levels your employees are already busy with regular customers and smaller events but you really want to make a good impression so this becomes a regular gig for the company. How do you find reliable help on somewhat short notice?
FINDING TEMPORARY HELP
Many companies face short-term worker shortages due to rush orders, employee vacations and seasonal demands. The extra heavy workload puts a strain on employees and/or the company budget because of the overtime it requires. When staff is small there isn’t much leeway for shifting schedules, and hiring more permanent employees doesn’t make sense because you won’t be able to afford keeping them on the payroll when the workload returns to normal and they are no longer needed.
You can recruit extra help on your own. Call friends, relatives and former employees. Try retirees or people you know who are out of work who might like to earn some extra cash. Start early if you’re doing this on your own. You want to be able to be selective and have time to check references. After all, temporary as they may be, they will still be representing your company. People at the event won’t know a temp from a permanent employee, but they will know good service from bad service.
GET HELP FINDING HELP
Another option is to save time and hassle and let a temporary employment agency do the recruiting for you.
A temporary employment agency hires people as its own employees and assigns them to companies requesting help. When you use such a service you are not hiring additional employees, you are purchasing their time. The agency is responsible for payroll, bookkeeping, tax deductions, workers compensation, fringe benefits and other costs connected with the employee.
Make sure you choose a temporary employment agency that specializes in unskilled labor rather than one that deals with office workers or professionals like engineers or accountants.
Of course, there is a cost associated with using a temporary agency rather than recruiting and interviewing people yourself. On the surface, that cost may seem prohibitively high, but remember that the agency, not you, is responsible for paying costs like Social Security, unemployment insurance, workers compensation and any other benefits. A temp firm may also be able to provide extra help quicker than you could recruit friends and relatives.
Note that one thing your company is responsible for is the safety of temporary workers. Under the federal Occupational Health and Safety Act both temporary employment agencies and the employers who use their workers are considered to be “employers” and are subject to liability for failing to ensure the health and safety of workers.
IF YOU DECIDE TO USE TEMPORARY HELP
The more information you can provide temporary workers or the temp agency about what the job requires, the more successful the experience will prove to be. Don’t sugarcoat the job or leave out any important details. Sure, the sign on the door says “portable restrooms” but some people may not realize that they will actually be dealing with, well, restrooms and all they encompass.
Some key information to share with potential temp workers or the temp agency includes:
• The duration of the job. Will you need extra help for a weekend, a week or a month?
• How many hours a day will the person be expected to work?
• Required skills and ability. Will the temporary worker need a special driver’s license? The ability to lift a certain amount of weight?
• Does your company have a dress code or provide a uniform? Explain required safety gear.
• Company background, services offered, location of your company, location of the job (if different), transportation and parking information.
GETTING READY FOR YOUR TEMPORARY HELP
To ensure a smooth transition for you, permanent employees and temporary employees, take a few preliminary steps before the temporary help reports for work.
Appoint a supervisor. Arrange for a permanent employee to supervise the temporary employee. Be sure this person understands the job you want the temporary employee to be responsible for.
Inform permanent employees. Let staff know that you are taking on extra help to provide some relief for them but that it will be temporary so they don’t feel threatened. Ask them to cooperate with the temporary employees as much as possible.
Organize materials. Have any tools, supplies, safety equipment and uniforms ready so the temporary employee can get to work as soon as possible.
Schedule worker time carefully. Stay within the time limits you provided the temp agency. Contact the agency if you need to modify those limits. If you told the agency you needed an employee to work eight hours a day, but after reviewing the event realize it will take 10 hours, let them know.
ON THE JOB
Once all the preparations have been made and the temporary employees are ready to start, don’t just assume they’ll jump right in and you won’t be able to tell your permanent employees from the temps. All jobs have a learning curve.
Be sure to allow ample time for training. Go over work assignments and instructions thoroughly. Explain all procedures in a simple “show and tell” manner. Ask questions to make sure each temp understands what he or she will be doing and offer reassurance that the rest of the staff is willing to help and answer questions.
Clearly explain all aspects of the job as well as company policies regarding breaks, lunch hours, smoking, etc. Introduce each temporary employee to the person who will be supervising them and then to all permanent employees to make them feel like part of the team. Let them know they will be representing you and your company at all times and you expect professionalism.
Experienced temporary workers are quick to adapt to a new job. They are old hands at learning new businesses and how they operate. They know their next assignment is dependent on how well they complete their current assignment.
IF IT ISN’T WORKING OUT
If you recruit your cousin’s kid as temporary help and he’s a slacker, you’ve got to deal with the repercussions in the family if you fire him. If a temporary worker from an agency isn’t working out, a replacement is just a phone call away, and there will be no whispering or pointing at the next family reunion (not about you, anyway).
If you are paying an agency, you should expect a conscientious, effective employee who will put in a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. The productivity of the employee should justify the cost and your humungous special event contract won’t be lost because of a staffing crisis.
