In this economy, many companies have downsized to bare bones staffing levels. That means that when a big job or order comes in, administrative managers must hire temps to fill the gap.
Managing temporary employees poses a whole new set of challenges. First off, temps tend to be more independent and less invested in the company. They're hired guns brought in to do a job then leave, without regard to any long term effects their work may create. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of temps:
Fast Track Training. Conduct brief workshops for all your temps before they hit the ground running. You may have to conduct classes in the evenings and weekends. Train them only what they need to know to handle their specific duties. Cross-train your regular workforce so they can quickly be moved into key positions should a temp fail to deliver.
Use the Buddy System. Assign a seasoned full-time employee to temporarily team up with each new temp. This gives the newbie a safety net of information and experience to fall back on.
Don't Overload. Equip new temps with the information they need to know during their stay. No need to go into permanent hire benefits or long-term job duties. Don't try to get more out of these people than their job description. Keep multitasking and multiple duties to a minimum.
Follow up. Keep in mind these are all new workers. They'll have questions. Many will be reluctant to ask them for fear of appearing ill prepared. Talk to your temps often. Check up on their work.
Prepare for Turnover. Temps leave for many different reasons. So prepare for this by having back up temps ready. Develop a relationship with your temp agency in case you need to quickly fill a gap.
For important information on 1-9 and E-Verify documents for temps, check out this video:
For more information on administrative jobs, check out:
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.
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