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Posted By: jbaloun / |
Building a collaborative partnership with your staffing agency can benefit your organization in more ways than one. An agency that understands what makes your company tick can respond to your staffing needs more effectively, help you optimize resources and prevent headaches that arise from unplanned personnel gaps.
Here are four tips for cultivating a collaborative partnership with your staffing agency:
1. Keep the lines of communication open
When you know that you are in need of employees, communicate openly with your staffing agency about your organizations full-time and temporary staffing needs. Make sure to provide pertinent details such as preferred skills, salary expectations and desired length of projects. This will help the staffing agency find qualified candidates for the roles you need filled.
The more the staffing agency knows about your company’s operations, goals, values and culture the better it can meet your staffing requirements. Why not invite a staffing representative to your office so they can meet your team and see how they work? It is vital that you maintain ongoing dialogue with your staffing agency so they are prepared to help you, even on short notice.
2. Tap into the agency for valuable insights
Staffing agencies are experts in your industry, so why not utilize them to help you stay up-to-date on changes in the industry, including compensation trends, changes in OSHA requirements, and in-demand certifications, to name a few. The more that you’re in the loop, the more clearly you’ll be able to define your staffing needs.
Or, if you attempted to fill a position on your own but failed, it can be helpful to share your experience with your staffing agency. What obstacles did you hit? Did you come close to hiring someone? Did a promising candidate turn down the role, and if so why? Your staffing rep can provide you with valuable insight to ensure your business is offering a compelling employment opportunity that is in line with what your competitors are providing.
3. Implement a follow up process
An effective staffing agency will not only recruit and place qualified workers, but will also help ensure they’re adjusting to their new work environment. You can help by keeping the agency informed of a new hire’s progress and, if needed, suggest improvements. A staffing agency will help you to evaluate the candidate’s performance by asking questions like these:
- Is the employee meeting expectations outlined in the job description?
- Is he or she working professionally and meeting deadlines?
- Is the person fitting in well with colleagues and the culture?
- Does the new hire require a lot of instruction or supervision?
Providing timely and honest feedback to your staffing agency will help them recruit the right talent for your business in the future.
4. Stick with problem solvers
Every now and then, a candidate placement can go wrong. Evaluate how the staffing agency responds to these challenges. Do they work quickly to resolve the issue? Do they offer a refund or have contingency protocol in place? Not all agencies will step up to make things right, but if your agency does, you are working with a reputable firm.
All good relationships need time to develop, but if you do not view your staffing agency as a collaborative partner, then that agency might not be the best choice in reaching your long-term staffing goals. Link Staffing Services strives to build strong relationships and partnerships with its clients. Contact us or call us at 1-888-929-LINK to learn more about how we can help your business fulfill its long and short-term staffing needs!
