Many companies use temporary employees to keep work from piling up when employees are out sick or on vacation. Some companies also hire temporary workers to help with large projects, such as scanning reams of paper to create digital files. Whether you're an office manager or an administrative assistant, working with temps requires a delicate balance between meeting the needs of regular employees and helping temporary employees learn the lay of the land. Use these tips to maintain high work morale while working with temps in your office.
The United States has weak protections for temporary employees, according to data gathered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This can certainly have an impact on work morale, especially if you're working with long-term temps. Although you cannot change the law, you can make a conscious effort to tell temps how much you value their work. Thank temporary employees when they do a good job, or make an effort to include temps in social activities. This will increase morale and help temps feel like they are part of your team.
Temporary employees will have difficulty adjusting to your workplace if you don't give them the resources they need to succeed. Make sure you let temps know whom they will be reporting to or whom they should contact if they need help. Temporary workers may not need to go through your full orientation process, but you should give them an overview of the company and ensure they understand what you do. Set clear expectations for your temps as soon as they start work. Although temporary workers do need some information about the business, be careful about sharing proprietary information. Unless a meeting relates directly to a temp's project, the temp does not need to attend internal meetings.
If your employer is hiring temps instead of filling open positions, current employees might have some concerns about the stability of the company. Some employers are hiring temps even as they cut their regular employees' hours, which can destroy morale and make employees suspicious of every move you make. Increase morale by treating employees with respect and sharing as much information with them as possible. Work on building trusting relationships with employees so that they know you're sincere when you're communicating about workplace issues. If you don't communicate with sincerity, you won't be able to improve morale.
Administrative professionals often work with temporary receptionists, secretaries, file clerks, and administrative assistants. Increase the morale of temps by helping them adjust to your workplace and letting them know you value their contributions. Maintain a high level of employee morale by treating your regular employees with respect and letting them know about changes that might affect their jobs. Following these steps will help you use temporary employees effectively without hurting morale in your workplace.
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