Most agencies will have a temp-to-perm or direct introduction service. The question is as a hiring manager using an agency, what is best for your organisation? Both are great and have their place within an organisation.

So why should you use the temp-to-perm option?

1. Time
   When an employee leaves on short-term notice, temp-to-perm is a good option to fill a void left by the departing employee quickly, whilst the hiring manager conducts a more detailed candidate search for a permanent candidate. This reduces the consequences of the departing employee and even allows the hiring manager to evaluate if the temp staff member would be a good permanent fit.
2. Cash Flow
   Many organisations prefer to go down the route of temps because it helps with cash flow. This is because temps are paid weekly and for the time they work. If a temp for whatever reason does not work out at your organisation, it is easy to let the agency know this and you will only be charged for the time worked, instead of other costs involved if a permanent member of staff does not work out. This therefore also reduces the risk slightly.
3. Match
   In the Social Care sector it is more than ever vital to find the right candidate with the right fit to provide the best care possible to those in need. Finding this can be difficult and take time. The temp-to-perm feature allows a hiring manager to ‘try before they buy’. This gives a much better understanding of how that candidate will fit in your day to day role which at the end of the day is the most important thing, can they fit into the organisation and perform the task they have been told to do. You can interview as many candidates as you please and receive as many references as necessary to show a candidate can do the role, but using a temp initially can show you this first hand.

Now let’s look into some of the reasons why a direct introduction might be the best option.

1. Candidate Pool
   Some candidates are unwilling to consider a temp-to-perm opportunity if they are working at another organisation, due to perhaps liking working at another service more and waiting for a perm position there, or because they have built meaningful relationships with many services and do not want to leave any of the services. Direct introductions allow organisations to pursue these passive candidates who will not work temp-to-perm
2. Inclusion
   Certain organisations for pay purposes like to hire all their staff directly onto their payroll for onboarding purposes and to make the new staff member feel part of the group and long-term strategy. If a member of staff feels this inclusion and part of the team, they may perform better than someone who sees themselves as an outsider or a stop-gap solution.

Hopefully, this short blog has given you the positives of using either a temp-to-perm service or a direct introduction staffing solution. It is now up to you to assess your organisation and determine which solution would be more applicable to your company. At AJ Recruitment, we offer both services so if you do still have a shortage of frontline care staff, then why not get in touch with AJ Recruitment. AJ Recruitment is home to an expert team of social care consultants ready to support with your staffing needs. We understand the challenges faced when recruiting high calibre staff. Thankfully, that’s our expertise and we work tirelessly to seek out the most qualified and experienced support workers, so you don’t have to. The level of care is nothing short of excellent and our support workers are committed to integrating within your team. We also offer a temp to perm service in place if you would like any of our temps to join your organisation fulltime.