How To Onboard Temporary Employees

Often temporary employees are sourced ahead of time for assignments such as maternity leave coverage or vacations. In such instances, the onboarding of the temp is a pre-planned process. Often, however, a temporary worker is hired at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances, like a permanent employee falling ill. Unfortunately, unexpected temp employees are often onboarded less smoothly than their pre-planned counterparts. This is not the case for organizations that have a temporary employee onboarding strategy. Such strategies are not hard to implement. So, let’s look at some of the essentials:

Make employee handbooks a priority

Taking the time to produce thorough employee handbooks for all roles that might feasibly be filled with a temporary employee is a great start. A handbook should describe the key deliverables of the role and how to perform them, in addition to the company’s policies. Attention to detail is what separates a useful handbook and one that requires interpretation. And a handbook that requires no interpretation vastly improves the temporary employee’s onboarding experience.

Welcome your temporary employee

Welcoming temporary workers as if they were permanent hires will encourage everyone in the workspace to approach the situation with the professionalism it deserves. This means giving the temp a tour, and introducing them to the team and management. Crucially, this is also a time to outline what the expectations of the temp are. Clarifying the scope of the assignment will mentally prepare the worker for what’s ahead and allow them to budget time during their first day(s) accordingly.

Encourage contact with permanent staff

Temporary assignments can be lonely experiences. The brevity of the role sometimes may suggest that building a relationship with the temporary worker is a waste of time. This is just not true. Temporary workers are brought in to do a job and that job will be executed more effectively if they are well-motivated. Including the temp in team meetings, inviting them to join you at the lunch table, and including them in office activities will persuade your temporary worker that this company is worth going the extra mile for.

Have realistic expectations

Many companies want temporary workers who can ‘hit the ground running’. At TempsAhead we ensure that the best fit possible is found. However, everybody is human and your temp may need assistance from time to time. Letting them know that it is okay to ask for help will ensure that any hiccups in the onboarding process do not turn into crises.

Help the temp to exceed expectations

A new role can be daunting for a temp but a well-planned strategy will streamline the process. A temporary employee onboarding strategy creates an environment where the temp can do their best work. And who doesn’t want that?