When is it Time to Bring Your Temporary Employee on Permanently?

If you find a good temp, it can be hard to see them go at the end of their assignment. Once you have a temporary employee that does a good job and fits in well with your team, saying “goodbye” can leave you wondering if there was an opportunity for them to grow with your company.

If you find yourself wondering whether you should you bring temporary employees on permanently, here are four signs it might be time to offer a full-time position:

Stellar Output

If the LeBron James of workers wanders into your office as a temp, don’t wait for them to get a full-time offer somewhere else. If a contract worker is significantly better at their job than other people you have on staff (or other temps you have had), then you’ll want to lock them in for as long as possible.

Judge any temp’s performance against your usual expectations. If they compare favorably to what you usually get, do what you can to keep them. Such talent is rare.

They Show Flexibility and Growth

Building a team isn’t just about getting the current workload done. It’s also about setting the stage for the future.

Important projects now might not be priorities in the future. In a fast-changing world, a person who’s able to learn new skills and take on new roles becomes extremely valuable. If a temp shows a significant talent for learning new things, or shows impressive leadership skills, it might be worth making them a permanent staff member. It might seem like a stretch in the moment, but it could set the stage for significant value over time.

They’ve Become Indispensable

The temp in question is the only person who knows all the passwords. You turn to them first when the internet goes down. They’ve become the customer whisperer – the only person in the office who really knows how to calm down that angry call.

If the temp has burrowed their way into the middle of your organization, you might want to concede that fact and give them a permanent position. Otherwise, there’s not much holding them in place and their abrupt departure could cause havoc.

They Feel Like Part of the Team

This is the squishy, feely combination of all the items above. The basic idea: it just feels right. (We’ve basically come back around to romance here).

We know that’s not much in the way of objective advice. But team building is often more art than science.

If a temp employee has become an important player in your organization, you probably want to lock them in. Good workers can be hard to find, so don’t let them slip away.

Need help hiring?

But finding good workers becomes much easier when you have a strong recruiting partner. Qualified Staffing is a leader in the field, able to fulfill all your staffing needs. Contact us today for more info.