Interim staff why use them?

Revise your attitude to interim staff they can be very good for business

Expect the unexpected is not a bad adage to follow when you’re running a business. Let’s face it, anything can happen and frequently does. You may think your staff is stable and that there will never be the need for interim staff. We’re suggesting that perhaps it’s time to think again.

Thrills, spills plus 101 ways to be off work

No one can legislate for the bike accident that can occur when an employee is on his or her way to work. It happens quite often sadly.

Who knows when an employee brushed off a bug as ‘just a cold’ that then morphs into pleurisy and long-term sickness.

What happens when you open your email one morning to find a letter of resignation? It happens. Some people walk away with little regard for the legal consequences.

In fact there are a whole host of reasons why your organisation might well be looking for interim staff. You might think ‘I’m ok now, thank you very much but take a look at these situations. When you consider for a moment, the list is quite long:

· Injury

· Sickness

· Maternity leave

· Unexpected resignation

· Change of circumstances

· The need for specific skills

· Specific project management

· Interim cover during a recruitment process

· Consultancy needs

· Training or mentoring needs

Interim staff can have a positive effect

A fresh-faced, bushy tailed interim can add value

You can see that wherever you are or whatever you do there are opportunities to utilise interim staff. Sometimes it will be with an element of desperate need and immediacy but don’t forget that interim staff can be worked into your development processes. It can be a really positive injection for any company to bring in a consultant or successful practitioner for a short period. They can often demonstrate how change is managed; what possibilities are on offer; how challenges are overcome and generally assist staff in a positive manner. These specialist skills can really enthuse a team.

Be agile, flexible and utilise interims

In an era where flexibility, agility and creativity are very powerful buzzwords it’s important to revise attitudes to interim staff. Many people are very happy to work independently and possess many skills to augment what an organisation modus operandi or ambition. Gone are the days when people were suspicious of interim staff. It’s a lifestyle thing and people want far more control over their lives. After all the freelance economy is set to rise.

People have many reasons to remain as interims

You may also find that professionals choosing to operate in this way obviously get they are creating the opportunities to be in control of their own destinies. In addition it’s worth considering that interims and freelancers in general give far more consideration to updating their skillsets to reflect current trends and needs than full time, salaried employees. You may well grab some very sharp cookies for your money.

Be open-minded about the benefits of interim staff

Therefore if your organisation is experiencing any one of these scenarios:

· You have an Immediate need

· Would like help with a specific project

· You want to buy time

· You wish to manage an integration process but don’t need full time assistance

Do remember that the benefits can be really quite compelling.

Often your project will be completed by a much more senior and experienced member of staff

For example you:

· Don’t have hassle when letting an interim go

· Only have a week’s notice either way

· Probably work with an over qualified

· will have the job completed by a more senior person

· Can rest assured they are ignorant of any internal politics issues

We think interim staff represents a real bonus for companies.

We quite understand that every temporary role or short-term contract has its own specific foibles and challenges. We are used to that. We know that hiring an interim can almost act like a “try before you buy” opportunity. That can be very attractive when we all understand the costs incurred when searching for the right staff.

Therefore if you think an interim member of staff would be the right fit solution for your situation then why not give us a call and chat through your needs and expectations. We would be delighted to use our considerable experience in this field to help you make the right choice.

So if you want help in finding the best possible candidates in the current market here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Click here to download a copy of my free report Click Here

2. Click here to register for a free webinar Click Here

3. Click here to book an appointment directly with me Click Here