Hiring for a small business takes time and effort. Reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and determining salaries take precious time away from a business owner’s regular obligations, which may hurt the company in the long run. Employers often partner with staffing agencies, which provide workers for open roles and simplify the hiring process.
Utilizing a staffing firm in Edmonton isn’t the correct choice for every business, but if you’re considering working with one to meet your hiring requirements, here’s what you must know about the procedure.
What is a staffing firm?
A staffing agency recruits employees for businesses aiming to fill specific roles. They assist companies in hiring for various types of jobs: temporary, temp-to-employ, and direct hire.
If the agency doesn’t have a readily obtainable and appropriate candidate in its talent pool. In that case, it will advertise the position where job seekers would likely look. The agency can also reach out directly to suitable candidates through professional platforms, which allows them to filter search results by keyword, job function, location, industry, and more. This approach is efficient when hiring a niche specialist with a specific skill set.
The agency will then take applications and perform interviews and a background check if needed, just as any other employer would. Once the appropriate candidate is found, that person is employed as an agency employee. If offered, the worker’s paycheck and benefits are issued by the staffing firms in Edmonton, but the business determines the length of employment.
What is the process of staffing firms in Edmonton?
Discovering qualified talent remains difficult for many small companies. In fact, according to analysis, 69% of global employers – a 15-year record increase – are struggling to discover workers with the correct mix of technical, soft, and personal skills. Staffing firms in Edmonton can help your business overcome that challenge. When you require new staff and desire to work with a staffing agency, the process typically goes as follows.
- The employer contacts the staffing agency. First, you’ll get a staffing agency specializing in your industry, specifying the job responsibilities, the number of workers needed, the timeline to hire new workers, and the hourly wage or salary.
- The agency creates the job description. The staffing agency writes a clear job description and advertises it for your business. It may also proactively reach out to potential candidates.
- The agency vets candidates. Once candidates begin applying for the open position, the staffing agency reviews their experience and qualifications before scheduling and conducting interviews. They then choose the most qualified individuals to introduce to the hiring manager at your business.
- The employer makes the final decision. The hiring manager or business owner can interview the staffing TOP AGENCY candidates before finalizing decisions. This saves you and your staff hours you would otherwise spend sorting through countless applicants.
- The agency takes care of the paperwork. Most staffing agencies handle all the paperwork for new hires, like contracts, taxes, and other payroll tasks.
How much does a staffing agency charge?
When you use a staffing agency to hire employees, they typically charge a percentage of the employee’s wages as their markup fee. This fee can range between 25% to 100%. For example, if you and the staffing agency have agreed on a markup of 50% and the employee earns $10 an hour, you will need to pay $15 per hour for their work. In addition to the markup fee, you may also be required to pay additional fees for filling the position or contract buyout fees if you decide to hire a temporary worker permanently.
What advantages do staffing agencies offer?
As employers increasingly turn to part-time, freelance, and temporary workers to fill their workforce gaps, staffing agencies have become helpful in discovering talent quickly and efficiently. Below are a few benefits the right staffing company can offer your business.
Fast hiring
The job market has changed dramatically over the past several years, and the hiring process is more prolonged and complex than in earlier decades. Functioning with a staffing agency makes it faster and easier. Great talent becomes more challenging to find, and it becomes incredibly time-consuming for managers to review résumés and conduct interviews while still being responsible for their day-to-day operations.
Reduced team workload
There are several benefits to utilizing the services of a staffing agency instead of assigning hiring tasks to an employee. One of the primary advantages is that it allows employees to focus on their essential role-specific responsibilities. When you engage a staffing agency, it takes care of the hiring process, which is its primary function. However, if your employees have to spend time vetting and interviewing multiple candidates, it can disrupt their daily routine and reduce productivity. In such cases, a staffing agency comes in handy to solve this problem.
Flexibility
Many companies are turning back on hiring for full-time positions for multiple reasons. A priority on leaner operations has a lot to do with it. Companies are attempting to be more effective and only have workers when required. They must find ways to ensure every dollar they spend will help the business. Employers have realized the benefits of a flexible workforce that can be easily adapted to meet their hiring needs.
The flexibility [of using a staffing agency] became the primary driver in the push to bring on a workforce that can adapt to the ebb and flow of a client’s business demands.
How do you begin working with a staffing agency?
Are you prepared to hire a staffing firm? Here’s expert advice on kick-starting the relationship.
- Find the right agency
- Be clear about your needs
- Check the legal aspects
- Maintain a good relationship
Conclusion
Using a staffing firm in Edmonton can help accelerate your hiring process, reduce the workload for your current employees, offer flexibility regarding the type of hires, and mitigate legal risks. At the same time, its services come with an additional fee that can be as high as 100% of a worker’s annual salary, and they are less likely to be a suitable cultural fit.
Combining an agency’s efforts with additional internal vetting can be a good idea to ensure the optimal fit. If you decide to use a staffing firm solely, assess your business needs, goals, and budget carefully; conduct an extensive reference and reputation check; and communicate your hiring requirements.
