When Does it Make Sense for Companies to Add to Their Staff by Using Temp-To-Hire Employees?

More and more companies are viewing temporary employees as an efficient and cost-effective way to recruit and test the abilities of workers before bringing them on board full time. Temp-to-hire placement is a strategic recruiting tool which saves time by allowing a staffing partner to test and pre-screen candidates for you, will save the company money during the trial period because all the employee taxes and some benefits will be paid by the staffing company, and allows the company to evaluate the candidate in the field before making that full-time commitment. During a traditional interview process, the recruiter evaluates the candidate's responses to determine their potential: Will they be able to follow directions accurately? What kind of attitude will they display in the workplace? Will they fit into the culture of the company? Can they multi-task? How will they interact with their team members? Can they work under pressure? Will the quality of their work be able to stand intense scrutiny? In a temp-to-hire situation, these questions will be answered during the interview process. The employer will then have the dual opportunity to view the employee's day-to-day work habits and style. Grisela Rodriguez, Director of Human Resources and Administration for the American Academy of Diabetes Educators, has been utilizing the temp-to-hire choice for years. She says, "It's really an opportunity to put the candidates to the test and find out if they really know what they say they know. In addition, even though the employee may have all the mechanical skills, the fit is just as critical. You need to get a good feel for their day-to-day work habits, skill level and productivity, by watching their behavioral style as they communicate internally, making sure they follow-up on assigned tasks, and most important, by being sure they can stay consistent on all these measures will prove the employee is a good fit." Another reason for temp-to-hire is that many department heads are not interested in recruiting and believe they don't have the necessary interviewing skills. They may not know how to read between the lines and listen to what the person is saying or they may not be able to probe for essential information to help make a good hiring decision. The following describes a few reasons of why hiring temp-to-hire has become much more common in these challenging economic times. The company saves money on the cost of advertising online or in the local newspaper. The company also saves money on payroll administration and fringe benefits until you make the decision to bring the temporary employee on full time. Human Resources doesn't spend an inordinate amount of time searching for the candidate through online job sites, reading through the resumes and going through the initial series of interviews. The company may have some budgetary restrictions, you may not have 110% confidence in the candidate of choice, there may be a shortage of potential candidates, or perhaps you are uncertain about the length of the project. Due to recent layoffs and downsizing across the country, employers can now find a pool of talented and skilled workers looking for employment. And employers are not liable for unemployment insurance expenses if the employee doesn't work out. Unemployment insurance is paid by the staffing firm. Why would a potential employee consider working in a temp-to-hire position? Temp-to-hire employees are finding work as administrative assistants, customer service representatives, marketing managers and also as accountants, project managers, and even doctors and attorneys. They are more mature and well-educated and are working as temporary and contract employees because it offers them the opportunity to understand the company's culture and working environment before actually making any commitment. "If it turns out I'm not going to be a good fit for them, then it's probably not a good fit for me." So says Nick Jasinski, a new customer service representative at Schwartz Brothers Insurance. A recent graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Nick wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do after he graduated. He started submitting his resume online at CareerBuilder.com in addition to Monster.com and was getting only a few interviews. Some prospective employers expressed their concern about his lack of day-to-day business experience. Reading through Crain's Chicago Business, he saw list of 20 staffing firms in the area, and sent his resume to all of them. In a short time, Nick was going on two to three interviews a day and was hired by Schwartz Brothers in a temp-to-hire position. "At first, I was nervous, but it didn't take long for me to fit in. In fact, it is so busy here there is never a dull moment! And I'm continuing to learn new skills." There are, admittedly, a few downfalls in temp-to-hire placements. The temp-to-hire employee knows the position may not work out for any number of reasons and could eventually lose the job. They may continue to look for employment and, as a result, receive a better offer which means the employer will have to start the process all over. The loyalty and total commitment the employer desires may not be 100% during the normal three-month testing period. Temp-to-hire positions generally rule out the population of people who are currently employed. It is unlikely that a potential candidate searching for a new opportunity will want to leave a full-time position for a temp-to-hire placement. But when employees working in temporary positions find they are being considered for a full time position, it becomes a win-win situation. It's good for the employer because they have an opportunity to experience the employee's work and attitude first hand and determine whether the employee will be a good fit. And it's good for the employee because over time they will have a much better understanding of the company, the business environment and whether they can see themselves having a passion for the company enabling them to make a significant contribution. Even though a company may not been looking to fill a direct hire position, if the temporary employee working on a project exhibits excellent skills, work habits and an interest in the company, there's a good chance they will be offered a permanent position. Temp-to-hire placements ... create assets for your company, improve productivity and morale, and ultimately protect you from poor hiring decisions. Kate Kirkland is a graduate of Ohio University and has been a Business Development Manager in Lakeshore's Chicago office since 2006. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mimi_Jeter