Temporary workers can provide extra help when you’re short on staff or when demand exceeds your current workforce. But many employers take advantage of the temp-to-perm hiring model as a way to test out new employees, with no commitment and for a temporary pre-determined amount of time, before offering them full-time employment.
After all, hiring workers as temps first can let you see their skills in action, let you see how they interact with your current employees, and help you see how well they fit into your company culture before making a final hiring decision. This can result in more informed decision making, and thus, reduced hiring risks and costs.
And other times, you expect to let temps go after their contract is up, but you become so impressed with their skills and consider them such an asset to your company that you don’t want to send them back to the temp agency—you want to offer them full-time employment instead.
But if you’re looking to hire a temp worker full time, there are some questions you should consider asking first.
1. Are They Interested in a Full-Time Position?
Even though you might absolutely want to keep your temp worker on permanently, the temp might feel differently. They might enjoy the benefits of taking on temporary assignments at new companies in order to gain contacts, gain experience, learn new skills, and keep things fresh. They might not see themselves at your company or in your industry in the long term. They might not be interested in settling down right now. So before you get the contracts drawn up, you definitely need to ask if they’re interested.
2. Why Did They Choose Temp Work to Begin With?
Gaining insight as to why the temp worker is working temporary assignments can help ensure you’re making the right decision in hiring them on full time. Even if they want to take the job, it might just not be possible or ideal.
For example, temporary assignments might be more in line with their current needs. If they’re going to school, raising children, caring for an elderly parent, or otherwise need to spend a lot of time outside of work, they might not necessarily be able to take on a full-time job at the moment.
On the other hand, if they’re taking temp work as a way to jump into the industry or to make due until they can find a full-time job, then this is a good sign.
3. What Hours Work for Them?
The temp worker might strictly work days for you right now—but the position you have open might be a night shift, or might require working nights and weekends. This could be conflicting with their personal schedule or preferences. If the full-time job you want to offer them is different from the hours or the shifts that they currently work in their temporary role, you must make sure ahead of time that it’s not a problem.
4. What Are Their Job Expectations?
This is really a question that you should be asking every new person you’re thinking about hiring, but it’s especially important when it comes to temps. You might have brought in a temp for a special project that’s soon to be over. You might have brought them in to work in a different department with different job duties than the full-time position that you’re now considering them for.
Even though they might enjoy the work they’re doing now doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll enjoy what you have to offer. They might not want to have extra pressure or responsibility, either. Make sure they know how their role will change and make sure they’re OK with the new responsibilities and duties they’ll be assigned.
5. What Salary Do They Expect to Receive?
A necessary question you need to ask any new hire is how much compensation the temp worker expects to receive if they’re hired on full time. The pay might be different from what they’re receiving from the staffing firm to work at your company right now. So you need to make sure you’re both on the same page.
If the temp-to-perm hiring model sounds right for you, get started by contacting Liberty Staffing.
