The benefits of using contract or temporary staff

There are many reasons why your business may need contract or temporary staff. Most businesses experience peaks and troughs that need to be managed, while others have large projects that are not part of their operational or business-as-usual contingent. If employees are sick, on maternity leave or taking long-service leave, positions may need to be backfilled. Having a qualified and temporary workforce available at call is often a good way to keep the business moving forward and it comes with additional benefits.

Keep costs down

Recruiting and onboarding permanent staff can be expensive. Training new staff and setting them up with all the tools they need can be expensive and time-consuming. When hiring temporary staff, it’s not always necessary to spend as much time and effort bringing them onboard and it may also save on on-costs. Also keep costs down by leveraging temporary staff in peak periods rather than paying over-time or offering time in lieu to permanent employees.

Increase productivity

Bringing in temporary staff to manage fluctuations in demand can take the pressure off permanent employees. This may keep them happier, healthier and more productive. Rather than having more permanent staff with idle time during low periods, temporary staff can be brought in swiftly during peak periods to ensure productivity is maintained.

Match skills to tasks

When recruiting permanent staff, many often look for broad capabilities and an individual’s ability to progress, but this may include skills that aren’t necessary to perform a specific task or project. Temporary staff can be hand-picked to match the skill sets that the business requires at a point in time, allowing an organisation to take advantage of their expertise without being concerned about their future potential.

Try before you buy

Taking on staff for short-term contracts gives a business the opportunity to effectively see if the role or the individual are a good fit. Sometimes it’s not always evident from the outset whether a role is only required for a short period of time or if it could become a capability that the business needs on an ongoing basis. Even if the role is temporary, the individual may bring other skills that suit the business in the long-term, saving the organisation time and money on future recruitment.



Reduce training costs

Even well-qualified employees require continuous training to update and develop their skills. Training is an essential but costly element of a permanent labour force. Aside from the actual cost of the course, taking time out of their day job may require backfilling or downtime that can also impact the bottom line. Temporary or contract staff do not generally require any additional training beyond their initial onboarding.

To find the right temporary staff for your business, partner with an agency who understand what skills you need.