The Employer Advantages of Hiring “Temp to Perm”

The numerous advantages of “Temp to Perm” hiring are often unknown by an employer. This article from Aspire Cambridge looks at how temporary staffing works and offers a few of the compelling reasons to consider temp-to-perm hiring for your business.

In some cases, you may hear “Temp to Perm” referred to as “try-before-you-hire.” This term makes the meaning of temp-to-perm obvious: it’s a way for employers to bring in talent first on a temporary basis, without committing to a permanent offer of employment. The primary benefit for employers is that it enables them to essentially “test out” potential new hires before investing the resources and going through the process of a formal, full or part-time hire.

Temporary or Agency Workers 

Temporary or Agency workers can serve a multitude of functions for employers. They’re often used to fill in temporary vacancies, such as when a permanent employee leaves without notice, is off on annual, sick, maternity or paternity leave, an employer has a “one off” or short term project or enjoying peak workloads for volume increases during the holidays or busy seasons in certain industries.

There’s often a difference between a temporary employee and a temp-to-hire employee, however. Some roles are truly temporary, lasting a pre-determined amount of time without the opportunity for the position to become permanent. In a temp-to-hire situation, an employee is brought on to work for a pre-determined length of time (12 weeks, for instance) on a temporary basis, at which time the company decides whether to offer a permanent position to the employee. In some cases, temporary work arrangements can be extended, sometimes indefinitely.

The Benefits of “Temp to Perm” Hiring for Employers

Temp-to-perm hiring is advantageous for both employees and employers. The benefits of utilising a temp-to-perm hiring strategy for employers are clear:

• Conducting a trial run to determine a candidate’s suitability. The hiring process is imperfect and largely subjective; a candidate who interviews with ease and looks great on paper may end up being a poor fit for the role in the real world. Companies leveraging a temp-to-perm strategy can reduce the risk of bad hires by essentially putting a candidate to the test in real-world conditions to see how they perform with the existing team and how capable they are of meeting the requirements of the position before committing to a permanent employment offer.
• Avoiding wrongful termination and unemployment costs for employees who are not converted too permanent. With a temp-to-perm arrangement, there’s an opportunity for the position to become permanent – not a guarantee. That means that if the company’s needs change after the temporary period, the employee is not eligible to make claims such as wrongful termination or to file an unemployment claim against the employer. In other words, it’s a strategy with less risk compared to hiring a full-time employee from the start.
• Reducing the cost of benefits, such as paid holiday, paid sick leave or other paid time off, retirement benefits, and healthcare benefits. While an employee is on temporary status, employers may be required to provide worker’s compensation and overtime pay where applicable, as well as meet all applicable occupational health and safety regulations, but the company can save on other benefits typically offered to full-time employees, including paid time off (holiday and sick leave), healthcare benefits, and retirement packages. After a temporary worker is determined to be the best fit and a permanent role is offered, these benefits are then added on as part of the transition to a permanent position.
• Easing the growth transition. If you decide to offer a permanent role to an employee after the temporary period has ended, the transition is relatively simple. The main advantage at this point is that the employee is already trained and familiar with your policies and procedures, so transitioning a temporary worker to a full-time role is largely a matter of paperwork, allowing your company to better accommodate growth without disruptions that may be potentially visible to your end customers.

Best Practice for “Temp to Perm” Hiring

To utilise “Temp to Perm” hiring successfully, there are a few best practices you should implement. First, treat temporary workers as part of the team, and make introductions to key players and team members they’ll be interacting with on a regular basis. If the role is complex, it can be helpful to assign a mentor or point person a new temp-to-perm worker can turn to for guidance and assistance if needed.

Be clear about what the temporary worker’s role and responsibilities will be, and how they fit into the bigger picture. Set expectations about the quality and quantity of work. In short, you should treat a temp-to-hire worker just as you would a permanent employee, providing them with the training and other resources they need to perform their duties to the best of their ability.

Spend time evaluating not only how well they perform assigned tasks, but also how well they integrate with your existing team. Cultural fit is a critical component of career satisfaction, and satisfied employees perform their best work.

You should also be as transparent as possible about the possibility of the role becoming permanent. If it depends on the extension of a contract or whether demand remains strong after the initial temporary period, let the employee know. If transitioning to a permanent position depends solely on how well the employee meets expectations, be clear about it and provide three to five key indicators that you’ll be evaluating to make the decision. Conduct periodic check-ins to see how a temporary worker is doing, whether they require additional training, or if there are any shortcomings that may need to be addressed.

Temp-to-perm hiring is a smart strategy for businesses in periods of uncertainty or growth. Both cost-effective and practical, temp-to-perm hiring allows companies to determine the right fit and hire the best candidates for permanent roles without the risks associated with a permanent hire. Most of all, it’s a win-win strategy for both employees and employers.

To discuss the advantages of hiring “Temp to Perm” further contact our team of dedicated recruitment professionals today on 01223 855440 or email [email protected]

Headquartered in Cambridge, Aspire Cambridge provide cost effective Recruitment and HR solutions to an impressive portfolio of customers spanning the UK and Europe. Working with a diverse collection of industries from start-ups to blue chip companies covering a vast range of sectors. Aspire Cambridge has an unrivalled knowledge of the jobs marketplace so it’s no wonder that they hold an impressive track record of exceeding client and candidate expectations.

How do they do it? By “Placing People First”.