As HR looks to hire for the busy seasons, short-term projects or increasing demand, you have to wonder: Where will we find the best temporary employees?
It might not be easy, as we continue to reel in from pandemic-induced changes to the workforce. But it’s possible.
There are still nearly two job openings for every available worker in the U.S., according to Jobs Opening and Labor Turnover (JOLTs) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fortunately, people are on the hunt for temp work.
“If you are hiring for seasonal roles … don’t waste another moment, as 81% of hourly workers are already looking for seasonal roles,” says Candace Nicolls, SVP of People and Workplace at Snagajob.
So the issues you faced the last few years in hiring and retention will likely affect temp hiring, too. That’s why it’s important to proactively find new candidate pools.
Here are four keys to finding and hiring the best temporary workers this year.
Post what they want to see
Be as forthcoming in your job posting as possible. Money especially matters to temporary employees.
Almost 75% of candidates looking for temporary work want to see the payrate in the job posting, the Snagajob survey found. About 65% want to see the days/shifts and location where they’d be needed to work. And about 55% of the candidates want to see the level of flexibility and have a good idea of the job requirements and expectations.
So, if you can get all (or most) of that in the job posting – regardless of where you post – you’ll more likely get candidates who already agree your pay rate is fair, can work when you need them and are aligned with the job expectations.
“Hiring teams that are looking to increase their chances should focus on developing great job postings. You want your role to stand out from the others, so it’s essential to make sure job seekers have the right information they need to want to pick your company,” says Nicolls.
Offer unique benefits
To attract the best temporary workers, more companies offer benefits and/or perks that appeal to this group that traditionally didn’t get much beyond wages.
It’s a powerful way to attract temp employees, retain their talent and encourage them to come back when you need them again.
One perk that’s gained momentum: commuter benefits. When employees have to pay out of pocket to get to work, they’re less likely to take a temp job. This also further disproportionately impacts lower-income workers and detracts from diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Equity Action Plan.
But a commuter benefit like SHARE Mobility can help identify needs, create routes and organize communal transportation.
Other benefits that are attractive to the best temporary employees in the Snagajob survey: weekly payouts, flexible scheduling, potential for full-time work and discounts on company products or services.
Tighten up the process
HR pros and hiring managers don’t want to hire in haste and end up with bad fits. But you do want to tighten up the process when trying to find the best temporary employees,
You want to make the application and hiring decision process as seamless and quick as possible. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests these tactics:
- Optimize your online application for mobile phones. Many candidates today use handheld devices more than computers.
- Set up immediate, automated responses to candidates when their applications arrive in your portal. Create alerts to send personal messages within a day to arrange interviews or request additional information.
- Use your social media platforms to link candidates to your applications and accept messages about jobs.
- Offer to make hiring decisions within 24 hours of receiving all relevant material and/or completing an interview.
In today’s market, job-seekers are accustomed to making their decisions quickly. Getting out in front of seekers early and effectively is the best way to ensure you’re hiring the best candidates.
Tap different candidate sources
“Post and pray recruiting” doesn’t often work, and that couldn’t be more true than for seasonal hiring when you need to ramp up quickly and efficiently. It’s better to target groups that are likely to be interested in your positions and might not be on other employers’ radars.
Here are four groups you might want to target:
- The Bored Gen-Z. Some people who graduated from college or high school in the past couple of years are looking to get social again (after missing in-person schooling and activities for two years). Many think a second, side job is the way to meet people again and make money to spend on the activities they miss. And because this generation is social media savvy, you’ll want to recruit through their favorite channels such as Twitter, Tinder, TalentHub, Instagram and Facebook.
- Seasoned workers. About 85% of people over 50 feel most job postings are geared to candidates younger than them, a LiveCareer survey found. That leads them to believe that it’s more difficult for them to find jobs than people younger than them, which dissuades them from looking at all. So to find the best temporary employees you might want to recruit on one of the slew of sites geared specifically for older workers.
- Community college students and graduates. Working more closely with local community colleges can help fill temporary or seasonal positions and improve DEI efforts. According to Lisette Nieves, President of the Fund for the City of New York (FCNY), most Black and Latinx students start higher education journeys at community colleges – and they want to work throughout the journey. Their schedules are often flexible and their talents and ambition run deep.
- Significant others. If you have true seasonal work (with no potential for full-time), invite employees to get their significant other or family members to apply. And then implement plans to help them manage work and life. For instance, one company offers before and after school, on-site childcare and tutoring during its busy season so family members who are normally caregivers can work. Another company allows job sharing during its peak season so families can balance caregiving.
“Today’s workforce challenges are varied and complex, and re-tooling each state’s workforce system and educational institutions to meet modern workplace needs is not a quick process,” says Lew Ebert, the National Association of State Chambers’ Executive Director.
