Successfully Onboard Manufacturing Temps in 3 Easy Steps
The number of people looking for employment opportunities as temporary workers has increased dramatically. In May 2015, the number of jobs in the temporary help services industry reached an all-time high of 2.9 million.
Manufacturing companies are increasing their use of temporary workers as well. Temps fill an estimated 8-10% of all production jobs in the manufacturing sector.
Temps provide manufacturers with the flexibility to meet short-term fluctuations in demand. However, working with a significant amount of temporary workers can add layers of complexity. For example, onboarding – a critical step to ensure that you keep the best talent – can be difficult.
Therefore, with a steady stream of temporary workers walking in and out of your facility, how do you guarantee a smooth process? Here are a 3 key areas to focus on:
- Streamline paperwork process. It can be difficult to manage a temporary workforce, with all the paperwork, training and regulations. If the completion of the paperwork, training and orientation is frustrating, you may lose temporary workers who simply give up before they even complete the onboarding process. Work with your staffing agency partner to streamline the paperwork submission process and make sure that all needed forms are completed and submitted early. Work with best in class staffing firms, like Snelling, that use online applications and electronic onboarding to simplify the process and boost productivity.
- Make them part of the team.It is so easy for temporary workers to feel isolated for days, weeks, months after they arrive at your facility. Learn their names. Introduce them to others on their team. Temporary workers need to know who they will be working with, their roles, and their specialties. This works in reverse also. Your employees need to know who the temporary workers are and what they are there to do. Reassure them that the temps are not there to replace them…simply to supplement and lessen the load for everyone. Ask for volunteers to mentor the temporary workers. The sooner people are comfortable turning to each other, the faster work gets done and the less time you spend being a point person.
- Communication is job #1. Regardless of your onboarding strategy or your training schedule, temporary workers will do better if they have a solid introduction to your facility. Shape these temps into early stakeholders by educating them on your company’s structure and culture. Review company policies, workstation “setup” procedures and facility logistics. Ensure they know how to access needed materials, supplies or key pieces of software.
By treating temporary workers like the rest of your team, you’ll create a more cohesive and efficient workforce. Temporary workers, who have been effectively onboarded, usually end up having a great experience. They are more willing to accept employment opportunities or other temporary assignments with your company. These returning workers will be more knowledgeable about your policies, processes and culture, exponentially improving your productivity levels over time.
At Snelling, we understand the importance of onboarding in a manufacturing environment, in fact, we are leading the pack. Check out our great case study to see how Snelling can help you bring in the best talent possible and give them the support they need to be successful. With Snelling as your premier staffing agency partner, you cannot go wrong!
