When you find quality temp employees the last thing you want is to lose them. They’re driven, motivated hard workers who are assets to your company. They have the skills needed to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Not only that, but losing them means losing out on all the time and resources spent training them. You’ll then have to reinvest in more training for new temps, who may not end up being as great as the ones who left. Losing quality temp employees can also cause your productivity to dip, cause distractions within your workforce, and slow down your other staff members who have to take on added responsibilities while you try to find replacements.
If you’ve found quality temp employees that you want to keep for a while, here are some ways to avoid losing them.
Provide a Great Environment
An unwelcoming environment can make temps feel unwanted and uncomfortable. They can feel like they don’t belong. Some of your other employees might feel like there’s no point in getting to know them since they won’t be there for long anyway. But that’s an easy way to lose quality temp employees. You should work with the rest of your team to ensure that the temps feel welcomed by everyone. That they can ask questions, learn, and work in an atmosphere that is friendly and facilitates open communication.
You should also keep health and safety as a top priority. If your environment isn’t safe for whatever reason, temps aren’t going to want to come back the next day. No one wants to risk an illness or accident just to get a few bucks. Make sure you have a health and safety program in place.
Give Credit When It’s Due
Your quality temp employees are doing a fine job. They’re working hard to get the work done as efficiently as possible in order to make a great impression. But if none of their hard work is being noticed or appreciated, they might not want to come back. When you see a temp doing a bang-up job, give him credit, show your appreciation, and make it clear that you notice the hard work being put into the job.
Open Communication
If quality temp employees are constantly out of the loop, not being invited to meetings or having their opinions asked for or valued, they might not feel invested in the job or your company. Sure, it happens. You have so many responsibilities to take care of that talking to your temps isn’t at the top of your list. However, you should make an effort to communicate with them and make them feel like they are a part of the team by treating them as such.
Challenge Them
If your temps are good, chances are they’re motivated individuals. That means they like a challenge—they like to push themselves to do better. Don’t let them leave because they’re bored with repetitive tasks. Give them some challenging work to keep them interested.
Be Inclusive
Being inclusive means treating your temporary employees the same way you’d treat your permanent workers. Do not make them feel like they’re easily replaceable. They should be respected as human beings, just like all your other employees. This also means not discriminating based on gender, ethnicity, or any other factor.
Extra Pay
Sometimes all you have to do to keep quality temp employees is to boost their pay or give them a bonus. If they feel like their work isn’t being properly compensated, they could look for other opportunities, no matter how great your workplace is.
