The current labour shortages across Canada are impacting businesses of all sizes as they struggle to meet demands and keep their doors open. The staffing shortage is largely due to people taking sick leave because of COVID, a lack of available childcare, increased rates of bereavement and interfamily complications, and overworked staff. Hiring qualified permanent employees is exceptionally difficult right now and the hiring process takes away precious resources that limit your business’ ability to perform. If your business is struggling with staffing shortages or if you want to have a strategy ready in case of future shortages, partnering with a temp agency can relieve the burden of being short-staffed without sacrificing your time and resources for the hiring process.
Get Seasonal Staffing. If your company has a busy season where you are short-staffed but you know the increased demand is only temporary and you can’t justify hiring new permanent staff, hire temp workers. Because they are already screened through their agency, you know you’ll be getting competent workers who can integrate into your company without much training, allowing them to start contributing faster and requiring fewer onboarding resources. They can be with you during your busy season and allow your business to meet demands without leaving you overstaffed once demand has slowed.
Avoid Paying Overtime. Your staff might be ok with working overtime on occasion, but when it becomes regular, overtime leads to increased labour costs for the business and staff who become prone to burnout. Hiring from a temp agency integrates extra workers into the company so that you can pay regular wages instead of overtime wages and so permanent staff are relieved from the overwhelming workloads to avoid burnout. Having temporary workers quickly fills positions with prescreened temporary staff that can rapidly integrate while permanent staff are unavailable due to circumstances such as illness.
Find People With Different Application Motivations. Not every company has the resources to offer better wages, childcare options, or remote work options. If it is difficult to find permanent staff for these reasons, a temp agency may be able to fill the position. Because they are temporary employees, many applicants are not expecting, or are in need of, the same benefits associated with permanent employment. Many people are interested in temporary positions to gain experience, try out new industries or roles, minimize gaps in their employment, and have flexibility. In a labour shortage, finding qualified workers in any capacity is a benefit to the company and if they enjoy the position, they may return to work for you at a later date or stay on as a permanent employee if it is offered to them. Right now there may be more people willing to do temp work because the job market is in flux, so expanding your hiring options to include those searching for temporary positions will create a larger hiring pool of qualified candidates.
If you are struggling to fill positions within your company, consider partnering with a temp agency. Even if you are searching for permanent staff, temporary workers are an opportunity for you to address worker shortages for a short time while opening up the possibility for the role to become permanent. Finding great temporary workers means partnering with a skilled and reputable staffing agency. Matrix Labour Leasing has been recognized as one of Alberta Venture’s Fast Growth 50, Profit 500, and a Leader of Tomorrow by Business in Calgary and is community-driven and employee-centric, fostering top quality work ethics from all temporary and full-time applicants. If you want to partner with a dedicated staffing agency that offers on-demand temporary staffing solutions, contact Matrix Labour Leasing at 1-866-666-9520 or fill out the online contact form.
Q: Does Matrix offer any other services that can help my business during staffing shortages?
A: Yes, Matrix also offers permanent staffing recruitment to help you fill open positions. If your company is becoming overwhelmed by demand and you want more resources available, Matrix offers back-office support and payroll funding so you can eliminate the non-core workload.
Q: Do staffing agencies interview candidates?
A: Yes. Staffing agencies do screen candidates ahead of time for you. Only candidates who pass the initial screening will be presented to the employer. Of course, the employer can choose to participate in the screening process as well.
Q: Does Matrix Labour Leasing only a temp agency?
A: No, we also specialize in temp-to-hire and direct-hire placements.
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we work on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut'ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
