Since you’re reading this blog, you’re likely excited to explore how a temporary staffing platform can help your business. Huzzah for you!
However you are undoubtedly still wondering about a few things like…
“How much does it cost?”
and
“Who are the staff who make up this casual workforce?”
With clients all over Australia and New Zealand, we’ve faced these questions a few times before.
So today, we’re sharing with you the answers to the most frequently asked questions from clients making the switch to an temporary staffing solution.
1. How much does temporary staffing cost?
In the same way that you aren’t charged to access Uber or Airbnb, a credible platform won’t charge any upfront fees to access staff or post a job.
You only pay for the staff who hire and only once they’ve completed your shift. There may be a small service fee involved to cover admin and support costs.
2. How do I pay the staff?
In the spirit of faster and easier, most temporary staffing platforms will recommend direct debit credit card transactions based on the time-sheets submitted.
Both parties–you and the staff, will submit time-sheets to be approved.
A credible temporary staffing platform will be the official employer of record and will handle all the payment, tax and super contributions.
3. Can I only hire staff last minute?
As the staff on these platforms enjoy flexibility, the best time to post a shift is anywhere between 2-14 days prior to the shift so the workers can organise transport and logistics to get to your workplace.
While finding staff last minute is a great benefit of temporary staffing, that can be a little risky if you need to fill a shift that requires a large number staff.
For a shift that requires for than 3-5 staff, we’d recommend posting a request on a temporary staffing platform at LEAST one week in advance. But no more than 3 weeks in advance, as temporary staff like to have flexibility in their schedules.
4. How are the wage rates calculated?
All rates should be calculated based on the most recent award rate relevant to the State in which the job is occurring. Some temporary staffing platforms will give you the option to pay more than the award rate, but they should never allow you to pay less.
If there is any confusion around whether award rates are being upheld, do some more investigation. It’s integral that industry standards are being upheld to protect not only the staff, but also your own business.
5. What kind of skills do temporary staff have?
Depending on what the service offering is, staff will usually possess the same skills that staff at any other temp agency would offer. However, with a temporary staffing platform, you can view the skills, experience and certificates the staff possess before hiring.
It’s worth asking the company how many staff have successfully completed shifts on the platform in the areas you need them for.
The more experience they have as an casual worker, the more competent they will be in hitting the ground running in a new environment.
6. Who are the staff? How do you find them?
The staff are usually found via traditional methods, like SEEK, referrals or job boards. They should be screened, interviewed and skills tested. Given the nature of work, many casual workers are also found through university partnerships.
You should be able to check the experience of staff who apply for your job before approving them by looking at their profiles.
7. If this is a technology platform, who do I talk to if staff don’t show up to a shift?
If a temporary staffing platform is run by an established company, they should have a customer support team available to help you solve the problem in the fastest way possible.