Hiring temporary workers is an investment which can bring many benefits. That being said, not all temps are created equal. How do you know if a temporary worker is the right fit for your company?

Let’s consider the following five important qualities that employers should look for in temporary workers:

1. Reliability
2. Flexibility
3. Enthusiasm
4. Good work ethic
5. Good Communication skills

Reliability

There are a couple of different aspects to reliability. The first aspect would involve temporary workers showing up for shifts and showing up on time. Good punctuality goes beyond just showing up on time. It involves showing up early and being ready to work on time.

The other aspect of reliability involves temporary workers completing all assigned tasks within the assigned deadline. This would also involve the ability to be able to follow through on direction.

Flexibility

The main reason to invest in temporary staffing is because it provides you with a flexible workforce. So it stands to reason that employers would look for temporary workers who possess this quality of flexibility. The reality is that temps may be called in on short notice. Also at times they may be called upon to work unpopular shifts such as midnight shifts. So being flexible is an essential asset.

This idea of flexibility goes beyond availability. Flexible temporary workers are also willing to venture out of their comfort zones and take on new tasks. An employer looks for workers who are willing to learn and take on whatever tasks are asked of them.

Enthusiasm

At the risk of sounding cliché, enthusiasm is contagious. The enthusiastic attitude of temporary workers can rub off on your permanent staff. Also because people are drawn to positive people this will contribute positively to employee morale.

Good Work Ethic

A good work ethic would involve being honest and hard-working. Employers look for this quality in temporary workers for the following reasons:

[listdot]

• They don’t have to worry about theft or other dishonest practices
• They can count on the temporary worker not to waste time on non-work related activities
• They can be count on to give 100% effort for all tasks, big or small

[/listdot]

Good Communication Skills

Because temporary workers have to adapt to a variety of different work environments it is important that they communicate well with their temporary employers so that they have a clear understanding of what their tasks involve. They wouldn’t want to assume that just because they did something one way for one company, that it would be the exact same for the next company. Employers look for temps who are not afraid to ask questions.

Good communication would also involve temporary workers being upfront about availability. This would also involve communicating with the temporary staffing agency as well. This communication will make sure that everyone is on the same page and it will prevent any misunderstandings.

If an employer can find temporary workers that are reliable, flexible, enthusiastic, hard-working and are good communicators, they can be confident that they have made a wise investment in the success of their company.