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by Steven P. Berchem, CSP
Vice President, American Staffing Association
Staffing firms nationwide employ an average of nearly 3 million workers each day, providing companies with unrivaled workforce flexibility and giving human resources professionals rapid access to talent. Staffing firms also offer competitive wages and benefits to attract outstanding people, and the firms provide free training to millions of temporary and contract employees.
In today’s dynamic and extremely competitive business climate, flexibility and adaptability are crucial for survival. You need the right people, in the right jobs, at the right time -- whether those jobs are temporary or permanent. America’s staffing companies can help you find the best talent for any job when you need it.
Staffing employees might be highly trained engineers or operating room nurses. They could be lawyers researching important cases. They could be skilled technicians, project managers or scientists. They could be truck drivers, administrative assistants, accountants or architects. They could even be interim CEOs or CFOs for companies in transition.
How do business owners and HR professionals stand to gain by using a staffing firm? For starters, you can profit from workforce flexibility. Nine out of 10 businesses rated flexibility as an important reason to use staffing companies, saying it keeps them fully staffed during busy times. Whether it’s a temporary job lasting a few hours or several years or a permanent job placement, staffing companies allow businesses to adjust their workforces to meet their constantly changing needs.
There are three main types of job placements in the staffing industry:
- Temporary or Contract: You add a staffing employee on an interim basis.
- Temp-to-Perm or Temp-to-Hire: You add a staffing employee until you’re sure a spike in business will sustain itself or you are sure you’ve found the right candidate for the job, at which time the person becomes your employee.
- Direct-Hire or Permanent: You tell the staffing firm what you're looking for, it selects candidates for interviews, and you hire the best one.
A staffing company not only offers you workforce flexibility, but it can provide you with specialized skills for a particular project. If you need a lawyer specializing in tax law, for example, a few calls to staffing firms in your area may fill your need. In addition, staffing firms can serve as deep recruiting pools for your permanent hiring. In fact, eight in 10 business clients say that staffing companies are a good way to find potential permanent employees.
Nine Quick Tips for Finding the Right Staffing Firm
1. Be sure the staffing firm specializes in your industry. Many firms focus on a specific market niche.
2. Understand your own needs (e.g., short-term project, long-term assignment, permanent job placement). Be sure the staffing firm has expertise in that type of job placement.
3. Shop around. There are thousands of staffing firms, from small firms to large multinational corporations. Use the Internet to visit various Web sites. Fees vary widely. Check out several companies, and ask for references.
4. Get to know the staffing firm. Ask about a firm’s turnover rate among account executives, office staff and staffing employees. Ask how long the company has been in business in your area.
5. Find out how the firm recruits its workers. Get details. See ads. For temporary and contract positions, consider whether the firm's compensation and benefits are competitive enough to attract the type of workers you need.
6. Understand how potential staffing employees are screened. Many staffing companies give their employees initial skills tests. Some provide skills training, such as software tutorials in Excel, PowerPoint and Word. In addition to skills testing, find out if the staffing firm conducts background checks or drug tests.
7. Be sure the staffing firm understands your needs. Ask the firm to visit your premises to get a feel for your corporate culture. If you’re staffing a major project or function, expect a thorough review and presentation from the staffing firm.
8. Make sure the company has an extensive database of available workers. This will help you get the right person for a given job in a timely manner.
9. Work with American Staffing Association member firms. These members represent 15,000 offices and branches nationwide. They have agreed to conform to the industry’s highest standards. They are up-to-date on all the latest HR developments and trends. They understand the legal aspects of staffing.
There Is No Substitute for Good People
Remember, the single most important element in your relationship with a staffing firm is the quality of the temporary employees and job candidates you receive. Reliance on a reputable and capable staffing company can be an invaluable management tool for any business or HR department. A little investigation and observation before making a commitment can save you time and money and result in a long-lasting business relationship.
[For more information on staffing resources for HR professionals, visit StaffingSmarts.]
