If your company has decided to bring in some temporary workers, but you’ve never done so before, you may find that your staff get a bit….worried.
This could happen whether you need to bring in one or two for a day or two or several dozen (or more) for several months: bringing in additional staff on a temporary basis could make full-time employees nervous.
This may happen because:
- Your regular staff have never worked at a company that uses temporary staff and they might worry that the on-demand employees may “take away” their jobs.
- There have been rumors of looming layoffs and employees may see the arrival of contract workers as the first step before letting employees go.
- They may decide that you’re not happy with their work and are “looking at other options” to see how well other people do.
Lessening the impact – and the worry – of bringing on temporary staff
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Be clear as to why you’re bringing contractors on.
Rumors are very hard to battle once they’ve begun, so when you’ve decided to bring even just one temporary worker – let alone several – make sure you let your regular staff know about it:
- When the worker(s) will start.
- Why you’re bringing them on: to fill in for vacationing or ill colleagues, to ensure customer orders are filled during a busy season,
- The company is growing quickly and needs workers to ensure products are created and/or customers are serviced.
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Answer ALL questions your full-time employees may have.
Even the merest hint of holding back information or not telling the whole truth means your full-time team members could lose faith and respect in you. If you’re even possibly thinking of eventually taking on the top-performing contractors onto your payroll in the future, let your current workers know this. If you’re bringing on several temporary workers for several weeks, your current employees could silently worry that you’re looking to replace them. Make it a priority to set their minds at ease.
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Train and orient temporary staff with the help of your current employees.
It’s human nature to be leery of newcomers, particularly when you’re not the one inviting them in and you are powerless to stop them from arriving.
Help your current employees welcome the contractors by having them help the newcomers feel at home. Ask them to “mentor” one or more: to be available for questions/help them navigate your work site’s “unwritten rules.” Help current staff embrace the newcomers by making sure the temporary associates attend team meetings and engage in project planning and company social events.
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Treat the newcomers and “old hands” equally. No exceptions.
Again, be completely open as to your reasons for bringing temporary workers on board. Ensure divisions between the two types of workers are minimal by fostering inclusion and teamwork, thereby helping build rapport and trust, enhancing the performance and morale of both sets of workers, resulting in a positive work environment.
Learn more about how Debbie’s Staffing can help you bring on temporary talent, whether you need someone for one day or dozens for several months.