How to Onboard Manufacturing Temps
Posted October 17th, 2013
The number of people working in temporary help services has increased almost 40% since January 2010. This is astronomical growth, especially when compared to an overall job growth rate of slightly more than 5% (non-farm payroll) during that same time.
Manufacturing companies across the U.S. are increasing their use of temporary workers, because they provide a flexible staffing solution that is necessary in today’s economic environment.
With the increase use of temporary workers, onboarding can be difficult. Onboarding is one of the most critical steps to ensure you keep the best talent – either temporary workers or employees.
Therefore, with a steady stream of temporary workers walking in and out of your facility on a daily (or monthly) basis, how do you guarantee that this process is as smooth, seamless and painless as possible?
To be successful, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Make them part of the team. Temporary employees can easily feel isolated if they do not successfully connect with others in the facility. 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. Employees need to know who the temporary workers are and what they are there to do. Many may feel that the temporary workers are there to replace them; let them know that that is not the case, and 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.
- Ensure that your paperwork process is smooth. 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. Work with your staffing firm partner to streamline the paperwork submission, training and orientation process for new and returning temporary workers.
- Orientation and Training. There is a difference between orientation and onboarding. Regardless of your onboarding strategy, temporary workers will always do better if they have a solid introduction to your facility. Schedule an “orientation” day to review company policies, workstation “setup” procedures and facility logistics (i.e. bathroom, break room locations). In addition, make sure (if applicable) they know how to access needed websites or portals for materials and information.
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, are usually more willing to accept an employment offer or accept another chance to work with your company. These returning workers will be more knowledgeable about your policies, processes and culture, exponentially improving your productivity levels over time.
Augmenting your full-time staff with qualified temporaries can be a great way to remain flexible in these uncertain economic times. If you are looking for manufacturing staffing solutions in California, contact Bayside Solutions today. If you are looking for manufacturing temp agencies in California, contact us today.
