The most common mistakes when hiring temporary workers and how to avoid them
- dariakalenikova
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
Hiring temporary workers is a great way to flexibly manage your team and respond quickly to your company’s changing needs. Unfortunately, even the best-planned hires can run into trouble if you make common mistakes. From unclear responsibilities to a lack of proper onboarding, these pitfalls can cost your company time, money, and team peace of mind.
Lack of clear expectations
Mistake: The temp worker doesn’t clearly understand their responsibilities, performance standards, or goals.
How to avoid it: Prepare a clear job description and tasks, and communicate what the company expects of you during your time on the job. A brief but concise orientation at the beginning can prevent many misunderstandings.
Unprepared implementation
Mistake: An employee joins the company “on a trial basis” without being properly familiarized with the responsibilities and procedures.
How to avoid it: Plan for an onboarding process, even if the person will only be on the job for a few weeks. Introducing them to the team and demonstrating their role and procedures increases efficiency from day one.
Competency mismatch
Mistake: Hiring temporary workers without considering their skills, experience, or abilities.
How to avoid it: Carefully review candidates’ resumes and experience. If necessary, conduct short tests or interviews to ensure the employee meets the requirements.
Lack of communication and feedback
Mistake: Temporary workers don’t get feedback or have the opportunity to report issues.
How to avoid it: Communicate regularly with employees, provide feedback, and ask about their experiences. This increases engagement and allows you to quickly correct any mistakes.
Neglecting team integration
Mistake: Temporary workers feel left out and unknown to the permanent team.
How to avoid it: Involve them in daily tasks, hold short welcome meetings, and build good relationships. Even simple gestures like introducing the team go a long way.
No replacement or rotation plan
Mistake: The company fails to prepare for schedule changes or layoffs, leading to chaos.
How to avoid it: Have a contingency plan in place, such as a standby list of employees or working with a temp agency that can quickly find the right candidate.
Ignorance of labor legislation
Mistake: Misunderstanding the rules surrounding temporary contracts can lead to legal or financial problems.
How to avoid it: Familiarize yourself with the rules surrounding temporary work and work with an agency that is familiar with the current rules and can provide accurate documentation.
Hiring temporary workers can be a huge asset to any company, provided the process is well thought out and professionally executed. Clear expectations, proper implementation, good communication, and knowledge of the rules are the keys to success. By avoiding these mistakes, you not only get effective employees, but also a positive experience for the entire team.
