New Zealand has received accolades on a global stage, all thanks to our collective efforts to get COVID-19 under control here. Although we may not be fully through the storm just yet, restrictions have now been eased and we are seeing a mass transition back into the working world as we move closer towards a new normal.

However, the world is not quite how we left it pre lock-down. Most businesses had to adapt quickly and bring in new workforce planning strategies, in order to remain productive during the rapid global spread of the virus and the consequential effects on the economy. As New Zealand faces varying levels of demand and uncertainty across almost every sector and location – businesses are starting to re-imagine the future of the workplace.

One clear trend arising from this evolving landscape is the engagement of temporary employees to assist with immediate business demands. This is primarily because it is almost impossible to forecast for the long term due to the uncertain economic climate. A temporary workforce allows businesses to scale activity up and down very quickly, and gain access to a broader talent pool whilst simultaneously offering new career pathways to a wider range of people who can bring in fresh perspectives.

With varying business demands (which we’ve certainly seen a lot of recently) teams can become overwhelmed and stretched over capacity, or under-utilised during others. In these instances, business leaders can often feel pressured to make a swift hiring decision. However, the reality is that rushing through the recruitment process can, if not managed well, lead to a poor hiring decision, which is more costly and can be detrimental to your business.

Employing temporary staff allows room to operate during times of increased demand, while also providing agility in workforce planning. A permanent recruitment process can also continue behind the scenes once New Zealand moves into a more stable climate, and the blurry economic picture on the horizon begins to settle. The end result being your customers and client base will not be negatively affected during this period of unease, in terms of the level of service they receive from your business.

Some other key benefits include:

Increasing Efficiency & Reducing Costs

The process for hiring temps through an agency such as Madison is traditionally much quicker than onboarding permanent staff. This is because we have consultants dedicated to maintaining a wide pool of available temps, meaning that we have skilled professionals readily available in our networks. Temporary staff members understand the process and are ready to hit the ground running in their next assignment, with a high degree of flexibility.

Temporary staffing solutions, when dealing with an agency, can also be one of the most cost-effective staffing resources to your business. There are no hidden costs, the agreed rate is inclusive of all on-costs – and statutory requirements. This means that total expenditure then only depends on the length of time taken to complete the project or assignment.

Discovering New Talent

Temporary staff members can have a broader and more diverse skill set. Because of the short-term commitment element – you will often find a highly skilled range of candidates willing to take up a temporary opportunity, to bridge a gap in their career in a role that is not necessarily what they aspire to do long-term, but is a great fit for them at the time. You immediately gain access to a broader talent pool, tapping into specialised skills and candidates who can offer immediate business relief upon starting – with a minimal adjustment period. These candidates can bring a fresh perspective and more diverse outlook into the business too.

Risk Management

Temporary assignments can generally be ended with shorter notice periods, allowing more flexibility, and mitigating the risk of an unforeseen change in business activity levels. We ensure that our temporary workers are aware of this element and understand it is the nature of pursuing this line of work. We also treat our temps as brand ambassadors for Madison and we are very selective, undertaking rigorous background checks and testing processes so we can really ensure we present the best available candidates for the job.

The events of 2020 so far have drastically changed the employment landscape, but there is nothing like a crisis to force positive change! The world of work is evolving and by embracing the idea of a temporary workforce, you can scale up quickly to manage a surge in demand and your client base will not feel the difference in the level of service received. We can also open the door for a lot of New Zealanders and present them with new opportunities to get back into employment, which is a great contributor in helping to get New Zealand moving again.