Temp vs. Perm: Preparing to hire with clarity for long-term success
The work is piling up, your business is growing: you know it’s time to hire. But who to hire and what role? Should it be project-based or will you need ongoing support? Can your budget even warrant a hire at this time?? We're here to help answer at least one of these dilemmas: the decision to make a role temporary or permanent. We put together a this quick guide to help you decipher which type of staffing will work best for you.
| Temporary Employees | Permanent Employees | |
|---|---|---|
| Will the work be project-based or ongoing? | Short-term, project-based work | Long-term, ongoing work |
| Are you looking to close a short-term skills gap within your team? | Access specialized expertise and unique skillsets quickly for a short period of time | More appropriate for long-term growth strategy to become part of team. |
| What will your budget allow? | Typically lower upfront costs | May bring heftier recruitment fees, pricier benefits, & more extensive onboarding processes. |
| Is flexibility or growth your priority? | Ideal for short-term, quick fills, cost-effectiveness, & specialized skills | Ideal for long-term value benefits, including company culture & loyalty, institutional knowledge transfer, & succession planning |
Still not sure which makes sense for your next hire? Let’s break it down even further.
Understanding your needs
The core of this decision lies in understanding your specific needs. Ask yourself these questions:
Will the work be project-based or ongoing?
Is the role required for a project with a defined end date? A temporary worker may be the best option for short-term needs. However if the work involves ongoing tasks essential to your business operations, permanent hires are best suited for long-term responsibilities.Are you looking to close a short-term skills gap within your team?
Temporary staffing allows you to access specialized expertise quickly. This can be a great option for a unique or expert-level skillset that you need during a certain timeline. However, if the work is part of your long-term growth strategy, consider a permanent hire who can grow and become a valuable asset.What will your budget allow?
Temporary workers typically come with lower upfront costs compared to permanent hires, which may bring heftier recruitment fees, pricier benefits, and a more extensive onboarding process.
When flexibility is key...
Temporary staffing offers a multitude of flexible benefits, such as:
Quick fills: Need to hire yesterday? The temp hiring process can move quickly, allowing qualified candidates to onboard fast and requiring less disruption to your workflow.
Cost-effectiveness: As we mentioned above, temp staffing can be budget friendly, especially for project-based needs, without the need to pay for benefits, PTO, equipment, etc.
Specialized skills: Access a talent pool with niche skillsets perfectly suited for your short-term needs.
When growth is the priority...
Permanent hires are more likely to provide long-term value to your organization, including:
Company culture & loyalty: Being fully embedded into your company, perm employers can foster loyalty and dedication to your goals.
Knowledge transfer: The institutional knowledge gained over time is a huge benefit of permanent workers, who can in turn be a vital resource for the team.
Succession planning: Permanent hires can be groomed for leadership positions, ensuring a smooth transition for future growth.
When you want the best of both worlds...
Call it a trial period or call it testing the waters... sometimes the need arises for a role to start as temporary but can grow into a permanent role. Temp-to-perm positions offer a valuable middle ground where you can assess a candidate’s skills and fit within the team before committing to the role long-term.
How a recruiting agency can help
Having worked directly with talent in both temp and perm roles, a recruiting agency such as Juno can be incredibly beneficial to your talent planning. We’ll walk through these steps to analyze your need and provide insight into the talent pools in the industries you’d be seeking. Not to mention, we’ve built a strong network of both contract and permanent candidates in nearly all corporate functions who are ready to jump onboard to help you reach your goals.
We know good talent when we see it.
When we say, “Ultimate Connectors,” we mean the best at the talent acquisition game. Our expertise extends across industries, and verticals, with a broad network of professionals at all levels. Whatever your talent needs, we deliver a solution in a way that best fits your unique organization.