Preparing Your Staff for Temporary Help
There’s a lot involved with bringing on temporary support staff, and one important step is ensuring that your existing staff are prepared for the addition. Keeping your staff in the dark about incoming temporary help can foster resentment and ill-will towards both management and the new temps. By informing them of the coming changes, you can help your staff adjust and appreciate the additional help. Follow these four easy tips to prepare your workforce for temporary support without creating friction along the way.
Give your staff advance notice.
Make sure your team is well aware of the change before it actually takes place. As soon as the decision is confirmed, host a friendly information session to provide your staff with all of the facts. The longer they have to adjust to the new additions, the more comfortable they’ll be with the change. This will also provide them with the peace of mind that you’re being completely upfront with them, and including them in the future of the company.
Explain why additional support is needed.
Some staff members may feel that the temporary help is intended to supplement poor work performance or replace long-time employees. Ensure them that this is not the case, and that the temporary workers are actually intended to help them—not replace them. Maybe you’re entering a busy time of year, or maybe there’s a particular project that you’d like to accomplish in a short window of time. Give them all of the facts to reassure them that temporary workers are good for every aspect of the company.
Facilitate partnerships between permanent and temporary staff.
If you don’t actively combat it, a natural divide between temporary and permanent staff may develop over time. To counteract this effect, you should encourage partnerships and mentorships. Create teams that are an even blend of full-time and temp workers, and give them a common goal to work towards. You can also pair incoming staff with senior employees to help immerse them in the company culture and offer opportunities for professional development on both ends.
Offer training and professional development for all members of staff.
If you’re trying to accomplish a new goal or finish a product, be sure to offer all of the necessary training to your staff. These training sessions can be used to aid temp workers in understanding the company mission, and can help refresh the skills of your existing staff. You can also allow permanent staff members to organize or lead the training sessions, providing them with valuable opportunities to improve their leadership skills and form relationships with the support staff.
These four tips will help ensure your staff is ready for additional help. By preparing them in an open, reassuring way, you can foster healthy, cooperative relationships with employees both old and new. To learn more about how we can help you find top behavioral health talent, contact us today at (513) 651-9500 or by email at [email protected].