As any Accountant knows, certain times throughout the year are more strenuous and stressful than others. That means it’s often necessary to bring in extra help in the form of temps. Professional temporary workers are extremely useful assets to help out if there’s an abundance of work, if you need a specific subject matter expert for a limited period, or to take up a regular function because of maternity covers or if you need your full-time people on a different project.
However, although it might seem as easy as bringing someone in and handing them a list of jobs, this isn’t the best approach to take. To get the most value out of your temporary workers, preparation and guidance are vital. Read on for our three crucial keys to successfully getting your accounting temps up to speed.
When you engage a professional Accounting temp through a specialist agency, you ensure that you’re hiring someone who knows the drill and is prepared and ready to hit the ground running on day one. However, remember that temps are, of course, temporary! That makes the onboarding process crucial, as it must cover the key need-to-knows comprehensively and quickly if you’re looking to get the best value out of them.
When it comes to introducing them to all the systems and processes they’ll need to be familiar with, try to focus on the unique aspects and quirks that make you different from other companies.
It’s also not just what the temp will be doing that is important. Although you might think that, due to the length of their tenure, the task itself should be front of mind for a temp, you should also give them an idea of why they’re doing what they’re doing. Make the value of their responsibilities, and the impact that their role has on the wider organisation, clear to them. This approach increases engagement, which almost always increases output and productivity as well as happiness in the role.
Although temporary workers are used to fitting into new environments, being greeted by surprise and bemusement won’t make anybody excited to start work. Inform your team about the new addition and welcome them as warmly as possible. If you have a large accounting team it’s understandable that you won’t be able to reliably get the word out to everyone, so at the very least ensure the people who will be working closely with the new temp know who they are and what they’ll be doing.
Most of the basic hard facts can be handled during onboarding, there’s also other more practical points such as company culture and the unwritten rules of the office. Some of these points may be difficult to explain or hard to get perfectly right, so ask your current employees what they would want to know if they were to start. From office dress code to knowing whose coffee mug is whose, all of this input can be valuable and helpful when getting temps starting on a bright note.
Some companies make a point of keeping temporary workers separate from their permanent workforce. However, if it is possible to integrate your contingent workers with the rest of your team it can yield many benefits. Naturally, this all starts with involving your temps in all the relevant meetings that a permanent employee in their position would normally attend, treating them with respect and taking what they have to say seriously.
Listen to their input, as they may provide a different perspective than what you are used to. Often, an “outsider’s” insights can help to identify issues that you may have taken for granted or not noticed at all, which can add value to your organisation. Temps may also have gained expertise in other organisations and can use this to help optimise your processes. When engaging a temp through a specialist agency, keep in mind that the agency will put people forward who have the relevant skills and experience for your business, so these candidates are likely to be able to add a lot of value.
Regular reviews and catch-ups are a vital part of onboarding for permanent employees, and giving temps the same level of support can really help to improve output. Depending on the length of the temp assignment, have regular conversations with the temp about how they’re finding the work, what further support they might need and how they can improve. This way you’ll aid the temp in being more productive and ensure that they have a good experience with your company, which is good for your brand and can reap rewards further down the line.
Temps can be very useful additions to your team, especially in the world of accounting, but integrating them into your company as effectively as possible is key to getting the most out of them. By having a strong onboarding platform, ensuring everyone works together to welcome them and by taking advantage of the knowledge your new addition brings into your team, you’ll get your temps up to speed in no time.
If you’re looking to hire top quality Accounting temps, or you’re seeking Accounting recruitment advice, feel free to get in touch.
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If you ask yourself why you need an Accounting Temp, please learn more at: 5 reasons you need a Temp.
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