The Watercooler

What to Do with your Temporary Employees on Day One

With each new assignment, temporaries face a fresh set of challenges.  From finding their way around unfamiliar buildings to learning new company rules, those first hours on assignment can be truly intimidating.

As a supervisor, you can do several things to help new workers get up-to-speed as quickly as possible – and get the best return on your staffing investment.  Before their assignments even begin, you can:

  • Get paperwork completed ahead of time.  Whenever possible, have contingent workers complete online forms before their assignments start.  Instead of spending valuable time filling out paperwork when they arrive, PrideStaff employees can immediately begin working for you.
  • Set clear performance expectations.  Document and communicate tasks to be performed, required skills and expected standards of performance.  Sharing this information before the assignment starts helps ensure all parties are on the same page – and are working toward the same goals.
  • Prepare your staff.  Foster a positive work environment by clearly explaining where and why you are using temporary employees.  Open communication will encourage cooperation and keep your staff from viewing contingent workers as a threat to their own job security.

Once new temporary employees arrive, use these tips to ensure they have a great first day:

  • Provide a thorough orientation.  Provide a facilities and resources tour for new temporaries.  Review information such as working hours, breaks and lunch schedules, any safety regulations or company rules, and contact information for direct supervisors.  Be sure to introduce them to co-workers and other supervisors who can answer questions and provide direction.
  • Provide a solid training program.  After the orientation, make sure temporaries clearly understand their assignments.  Review tasks to be performed, materials and resources to be used and performance goals.  If they will be working on unfamiliar equipment, provide thorough training up-front to maximize efficiency and minimize mistakes.
  • Communicate clearly and openly.  Make sure your temporary employees understand what’s expected from them.  Encourage employees to ask questions and make sure they know to whom those questions should be directed.
  • Give them the support they need.  Have all the materials they will need to perform their work available and set up.
  • Check in regularly.  Be sure to take a minute or two at several points throughout the first day to check in, gauge progress and answer any questions.

PrideStaff plays an important role in ensuring the success of our temporary employees.  We provide them with specific on-boarding information to ensure that they meet or exceed your expectations from day one.  Contact us today to learn more about how our strategic staffing solutions can help you increase profits, reduce bottlenecks and get more work done.