Using a staffing supplier to provide personnel is not like ordering a pizza over the phone. It just isn't realistic to dial up a service, tell them what you want, and be happy with what's delivered 100% of the time.
So, how can you improve the odds of getting high quality temps when you need them? Consider the following:
1. Pre-plan - Before you place that order take a few minutes to define your specific needs. Have a detailed job description ready that includes such things as physical requirements, skill levels, experience and the work environment. Be prepared to answer questions about shift hours, safety equipment required, length of assignment, etc.
The point to remember is that the higher the quality of detail you provide your supplier about the job to be filled the better the job they can do in meeting your expectations. Your supplier often times can provide you a checklist of information they need to fill an order.
2. Team up with your staffing office - View the office of the staffing provider filling your needs as an extension of your own office. . . not as a separate entity. Get to know your staffing reps by visiting their office and by having them visit you to gain first hand observations of your jobs and facility. Arranging for your front line supervisors to interact with your supplier's staff also can be beneficial.
Develop a working relationship with more than one person at your supplier's office. By falling in love with one person has some advantages, having an entire office working for you is far more valuable in the long run.
3. Provide feedback - Define your expectations upfront with you supplier and don't be reluctant to let them know how they are doing.
Work with your staffing company to solve problems by identifying their causes. Too often the solution to fix bad temp experiences is to make a numbers game out of it, by ending assignments and throwing new bodies in the mix.
QC checks, exit interviews, performance reviews and communicating with temps are all feedback tools that can be utilized to make temps more productive.
4. Be realistic - Don't put your supplier in handcuffs and expect them to perform miracles. For example, heavy physical labor at minimum wage working 12-hour shifts in a hot dirty environment with no chance of permanent hire is not going to draw the cream of your staffing company's crop to your locations.
While these circumstances may be unavoidable, it is not realistic to expect low turnover, absenteeism, high quality job candidates etc. to be provided from your service.
5. Help your supplier succeed - To often when we're the customer we forget the "win - win" mentality needed for both parties to succeed.
Like your business, staffing suppliers need to make a profit to stay in business. Also like you, we have our own special set of circumstances, business practices, and needs to survive.
For example, cash flow is a big concern in the staffing industry. We pay the people working at your facility weekly, yet we extend credit terms as far out as 60 days. Paying your invoices on time is huge.
Keeping costs down is crucial to keeping your hourly bill rates at low as possible. So when we have an employee file a workers comp claim your help in our accident investigation can be the difference in the allowance of the claim.
Helping us get people paid correctly and timely can reduce turnover and absenteeism. So reporting hours worked is extremely important. You see the point.
6. Size matters - Using an independent supplier instead of a big national supplier has its definite pluses.
Smaller suppliers tend to emphasize customer service. We do things like personally deliver paychecks and bake pumpkin rolls. As owners we are personally accessible, even giving out our home phone numbers.
Flexibility is a big plus because we don't have all the bureaucratic levels present with the nationals.
The nationals try to be everything to all people, while the locals tend to specialize. Ryan Staffing, for example, provides clerical and light industrial personnel. . . .no rocket scientists or nuclear engineers. With the nationals you pay for services you don't often use.
Also we tend to be more involved in the community. The Ryan Bunch has donated nearly $300,000 to local charities.
So, the next time your Kelly or Manpower rep calls, ask them if they've been at it for 30 years like our VP-Sales!
In summing up, helping each other win by working together is the most productive relationship you can have with your staffing supplier.
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